Middle school and high school vocal music teachers' perspectives on the information and skills necessary for success in the ninth grade vocal music class : a survey

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore middle school and high school vocal music teachers’ perspectives on the information and skills necessary for success in the ninth-grade vocal music class. Three hundred and seventy Indiana music educators were invited to complete an original online survey that allowed them to rate on a six-point Likert-scale how much they agreed that each item was necessary for success in the beginning high school choir. Analysis of responses (N = 75) revealed several significant findings: (a) while the mean showed an overall positive agreement toward comprehensive music education, music educators with more experience at the high school level and more education indicated preferences for a less comprehensive education, (b) high school choral directors significantly valued the skills that would allow their students to achieve highly in competition, and (c) a ranking of surveyed standards revealed that singing, reading, listening, and evaluating skills were valued over all other standards. Results suggest that a performance-focused classroom is the norm for high school choral directors while middle school directors emphasize a more comprehensive music education to their students.