Teacher Education, continued from page 25
communicate with teachers in other areas. Some of this electronic communication has been positive and has proven to supplement professional development opportunities, but some teachers expressed that details get “lost” and while regular email correspondence is appreciated, inconsistencies can be problematic. Likewise professional development is typically limited to the state WMEA conference, and attendance can be dependent on location/distance and cost, as some rural school administrations are less supportive of conference attendance.
Rural music teachers generally feel supported by their administrations, but have explained that such support might be “passive support” or “lip service.” Extracurricular activities stretch their students in multiple directions, and administrators tend to favor those organizations more so than musical activities. However, most participants in these studies reported that administrators allowed them considerable flexibility and autonomy as they planned their programs and made curricular decisions.
Often, this flexibility is necessary as rural music teachers find themselves handling unique musical situations. Traditional band, orchestra, and choral ensembles are
limited to the capabilities of the students available to participate. Therefore, rural music teachers must be creative as they plan programs and productions. Innovative themes that can include multi-age students are also often considered, and teachers must tap into a resourcefulness to include diverse student needs unlike that which their metro counterpoints encounter. This, in turn, requires rural music teachers to develop and refine both problem-solving skills and musical skills to bring music to all ages and ability levels of students.
A primary benefit outlined within these research studies was the ability of rural music teachers to develop long-lasting relationships with students and their families. They also have the opportunity to become familiar with most of the rural community in which they work, simply because most of the children have experienced the benefits of their program in some way.
Most participants reported having opportunities to stay musical, which helps to shape music teacher identity. The described activities in which rural music teachers engage ranged from church music to large community ensemble involvement. It was described that these opportunities were not only important in helping these
teachers stay current in their field, but also in helping them connect to a love of music that originally inspired them to pursue music teaching.
Implications for UW Music Teacher Education After listening to our teachers and reviewing their perceptions of benefits and challenges involved in rural music teaching, several implications for UW Music Teacher Education come to light. It is important to include rural music teaching concepts into the curriculum in meaningful ways. Our students must understand the complexities of teaching in remote locations and realize that their professional pathway may lead through one of them.
We can create units of study strategically placed at various stages within the program to bring attention to the topic. We must provide more frequent opportunities for pre-service music teachers to experience music in rural schools by establishing partnerships with rural music teachers and developing creative ways to bring pre- service teachers into the rural environment. Some pre-service music teachers at UW are themselves the product of rural music education. We can utilize their experiences as a resource as we approach rural music teaching in our coursework. Finally, we can maintain a healthier and active communication with current rural music teachers through the WMEA listserv and website to bring focus to the unique aspects of rural music teaching. In these ways, UW Music Teacher Education can better prepare our students, who will help to develop the future face of Wyoming music education.
References Azano, A. P., & Stewart, T. T. (2015). Exploring place anpracticing justice: Preparing pre-service teachers for success in rural schools. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 30(9), 1-12.
Bates, V. C. (2011). Preparing rural music teachers: Reflecting on “shared
Continued on Page 27 26 Wyoming Windsong
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