feature Protecting Music Educators’ Hearing


Health in the Music Classroom Dan Steward, Ph.D., Westfield


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Music-induced hearing loss is an irre- versible condition with disabling conse- quences for musicians, music educators and music students. Prolonged or sudden exposure to excessive sound levels can lead to permanent hearing loss and/or tin- nitus, which affects musicians’ abilities to accurately identify and respond to intricate musical characteristics such as pitch, into- nation, articulation, balance and dynamics. Despite an increasing awareness of the damaging effects of music-induced hear- ing loss, many music educators remain oblivious or resigned to the risks of their profession (Cunningham, Curk, Hoffman, & Pride, 2006; Miller, Stewart, & Lehman, 2007; Zeigler & Taylor, 2001). Music educators must consider the possibility of being forced to leave the profession due to the development of a significant hearing impairment. Considering the severity of these consequences, music-induced hear- ing loss should no longer be considered an acceptable, or inevitable, work-related injury for music educators.


In my doctoral dissertation, Instrumental Music Educators’ Lived Experiences of Music-Induced Hearing Loss: A Phe- nomenological Study (Steward, 2016), I interviewed 23 instrumental music edu- cators from the state of Wisconsin about issues related to their hearing health. The participants of my study included elementary, middle, and secondary level band and orchestra teachers, all of whom had varying degrees of experience with the physical symptoms of music-induced hearing loss: 18 participants (78 percent) experienced tinnitus, 17 (74 percent) reported difficulty hearing speech, 12 (52 percent) noted high-end hearing loss, eight (35 percent) described general hearing loss, five (22 percent) reported low-end hearing loss, four (17 percent) experienced pain in at least one ear, and 17 (74 percent) expressed two or more of these physical experiences.


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This article is my fervent appeal to ev- eryone involved in music education to recognize music-induced hearing loss as a serious occupational hazard for music educators. Based on my research findings and my 13 years of professional experi- ence as an instrumental music educator, I will outline some critical factors that I feel are needed to protect music educa- tors’ hearing health: (a) awareness, (b) audiological examinations, (c) hearing protection, (d) support for hearing loss prevention, and (e) alternative curricula and pedagogy.


Awareness


None of the participants of my study felt that the issue of music-induced hearing loss was adequately represented in their university teacher education and general musicianship curricula. Further, only eight participants (35 percent) perceived that this issue was adequately represented in professional organizations and music edu- cation literature. A few of the participants noted that articles addressing this topic only appear in certain genres of music education (e.g., marching bands and drum and bugle corps), despite its relevance to all music educators.


Previous studies suggest that pre-service music teachers are generally unaware that music can cause irreparable damage to hearing; further, music educators in the field are often uninformed and unprepared to protect students and themselves from excessive sound exposure and are unlikely to recognize hazardous conditions, address safety concerns, or promote hearing loss prevention (Chesky, 2011, pp. S32 –S33). One participant of my study felt that this issue “tends to get swept under the rug” because, as another participant stated, “[music educators] are always focused on the kids.” I argue that in order for music educators to help their students, they must first protect their own hearing.


Post-secondary music education programs play a critical role in raising awareness of these issues among prospective music educators.


Audiological Examinations


I strongly encourage all music educators, regardless of age, to establish annual or biannual audiological examinations in order to monitor any changes to their hearing acuity. It is particularly important for music educators to have their hearing examined by an audiologist prior to their first year of teaching in order to establish documented evidence of their hearing acu- ity prior to employment. This initial au- diogram serves as a comparative baseline for all future hearing examinations. Music educators should find out whether or not these hearing examinations are covered by their school district or their personal health insurance; if they are not covered, I would still urge all music educators to pay the out-of-pocket expense, and make regular hearing appointments in order to protect their hearing health.


Hearing Protection


The participants of my study had strong opinions and rationales behind their deci- sion to use or not use hearing protection while teaching. I found that many of the music educators who used hearing protec- tion used it selectively, based on which ensemble they were instructing. The primary factors that influenced their deci- sion to use or not use hearing protection while teaching included: (a) the intensity and duration of the sound exposure, (b) classroom acoustics, (c) ensemble size, (d) musical perception and (e) classroom management.


Alarmingly, 17 participants (74 percent) of my study described the intensity (loud- ness) of the sound pressure levels in their classroom as either extremely high or high; further, 10 participants (43 percent)


January 2017


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