“It's More Than Playing Music”: Perceptions
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“It’s More Than Playing Music”: Perceptions of a Concert Band Program from Members of a Predominantly Latino School Community Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Crystal Lynn Gerrard, M.M., B.M. Graduate Program in Music The Ohio State University 2018 Dissertation Committee: Professor Daryl W. Kinney, Advisor Professor Jan Edwards Professor Julia Shaw 1 Copyright by Crystal Lynn Gerrard 2018 2 Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore student, family, director, colleague and administrator perceptions of a middle school band program within a predominantly Latino school community. Drawing from Irizarry and Raibles’ (2011) concept of barrio- based epistemologies and ontologies (BBEO) and Gay’s (2010) culturally responsive pedagogy (CRT) as theoretical frameworks, I investigated a middle school band program with high enrollments of Latino students to determine the pedagogical strategies that encouraged initial participation, persistence and success in the program. Issues of inclusivity and responsiveness to students’ cultural backgrounds were considered key in this investigation. Furthermore, I explored the compatibility of the traditional concert band model with this population of youth and how asset-based pedagogical principles were functioning in this environment. Questions that guided the study were: (a) how are band directors responsive to students’ cultural backgrounds?; (b) how are barriers alleviated to make band accessible for students in an urban context?; (c) what aspects of the band program correspond with barrio-based epistemologies and ontologies? Data sources comprised material culture, field observation notes, and semi-structured interviews. Data collection and initial analyses were concurrent utilizing the constant comparative method (Glaser, 1965). ii Following data collection, Creswell’s (2013) data analysis spiral was utilized for further analysis. Findings indicated that some aspects of the traditional concert band model corresponded with BBEO and CRT through the directors’ integrating cooperative peer- to-peer teaching opportunities, cultivating a sense of community among students and stakeholders, holding students to high expectations, and understanding the sociopolitical context of which the students were a part. Specifically, directors and other school personnel were keenly aware of the stressors students and families experienced, which included language barriers and immigration issues specifically in regard to legal status. Band, however, did not resonate entirely with all participants, as some students expressed a desire for more creative opportunities that corresponded with their personal and familial interests. Implications for teaching practices and future research are discussed in light of recent sociopolitical issues. iii Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my family. I am eternally grateful for their love and support. iv Acknowledgments I am indebted to my family for their love and support throughout this process. Thank you to my sister, Diana, for offering encouragement when needed and for volunteering to read drafts of my papers over the past three years. To my mother, Tina, thank you for listening to me when I needed to talk. I am equally grateful for my father, Les, who has supported me financially and emotionally without hesitation. Having two daughters in doctoral programs can be intense at times! To my advisor, Daryl Kinney, thank you for your guidance and encouragement throughout this journey. Words cannot express how grateful I am for the opportunities you have provided me. To my committee members, Jan Edwards and Julia Shaw, I am also appreciative of your support and valuable insight. David Hedgecoth, thank you for being an integral part of my support network and for grabbing coffee just to chat. To all of my students, mentors, and friends, I thank you all for impacting my life. I am better having been in your presence and having learned from you all. Finally, I would like to thank the participants in this study who so graciously volunteered their time to meet with me. I thank you for your willingness to open the doors into your school and band program so that we could pursue this work. v Vita 1987…………………………………………Born - Arlington, Texas 2010…………………………………………B.M. Music Education University of Texas at Arlington 2015…………………………………………M.M. Music Education Southern Methodist University 2015-2018……………………………………Graduate Teaching Associate Music Education, The Ohio State University Field of Study Major Field: Music vi Table of Contents Abstract................................................................................................................................ii Dedication...........................................................................................................................iv Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................v Vita......................................................................................................................................vi Table of Contents...............................................................................................................vii List of Tables.....................................................................................................................xii List of Figures...................................................................................................................xiii Chapter 1: Introduction........................................................................................................1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................1 Need for the Study...............................................................................................................3 Purpose of the Study and Guiding Research Questions.......................................................4 Methodological Overview...................................................................................................5 Design......................................................................................................................5 Setting and Participants............................................................................................6 Setting..........................................................................................................6 Participants...................................................................................................7 Data Generation.......................................................................................................7 Analysis and Interpretation......................................................................................8 Trustworthiness Criteria...........................................................................................8 Managing Subjectivity.............................................................................................9 Definition of Terms............................................................................................................10 Limitations of the Study.....................................................................................................12 Chapter 2: Review of Literature........................................................................................14 Introduction.......................................................................................................................14 The Backdrop of Urban Music Education.........................................................................16 vii Urban Categorizations...........................................................................................16 Urban Schools Depicted........................................................................................17 Urban Music Teaching...........................................................................................19 Tensions with Traditional Ensembles....................................................................22 Class Structure...........................................................................................23 Competition...............................................................................................24 Repertoire and Authenticity......................................................................25 Alternative Approaches.............................................................................26 Perceived Barriers to Music Participation.........................................................................28 Socioeconomic Status............................................................................................29 Cultural Barriers.....................................................................................................31 Understanding Culture...............................................................................31 Cultural Dissonances.................................................................................32 Pedagogical Practices.........................................................................................................33 Deficit-Based Approaches.....................................................................................33 Asset-Based Pedagogies........................................................................................36