Boys’ Psychological Needs in Middle School Choral Classrooms: What Research Tells Us
Introduction
Imagine the stereotypical middle school boy. You might be imagining a boy that is loud, physical, adhering to masculine norms, and detached from connection with their emotional and intellec- tual selves. For those of us who have taught middle school boys, we know that this descrip- tion provides a narrow and superficial glimpse into what it means to be an adolescent male. In reality, middle school boys are richly complex and interesting human-beings. Many middle school boys outwardly carry themselves as robust, socially constructed versions of who they believe they should be. However, these same boys walk the halls of their schools and homes weighed down by layers of protective shells shielding them against vulnerability, insecurity, and fear. Schools, teachers, and family members are oſten not equipped to support middle school boys during this tumultuous time. Tese adults are not sure how to ‘manage’ boys as they grapple with the complicated nuances of who they are and who they want to become as young men. It is possible, however, to cut through the dense layers of those impervious shells and find meaningful ways to connect with and teach middle school boys. Te choral music classroom might be the perfect place to do so. Middle school choral music teachers may be primed to support the cognitive, musical, emotional, and social needs of boys at the time that they need it most.
I taught middle school and high school choir for eight years at a 6-12 institution. Admittedly, during my first two years, I was driven by visions of what the high school program could be. Yet, by year three, I knew that my passion was with my middle school students, and specifically with my middle school boys. I had the fortune of teaching my seventh and eighth grade male students in single-sex ensembles separated by grade. It took me little time to realize that my investment in my
Sean Grier
middle school boys required a heightened level of planning, patience, and pedagogical experimen- tation. Tat investment also provided me with the privilege to immerse myself daily within the souls of those young men, standing alongside them as they navigated the sensitive, passionate, inquis- itive, and humorous elements of their nature. Teaching toward each boy’s unique individuality, while still honoring the needs of the ensemble as a whole, was both exhausting and exhilarating. I became increasingly interested in developing a better understanding of what nurtured, inspired, and motivated my male students so that I could embed those elements within my curriculum and classroom community. My goal was to under- stand them as individuals and as a group so that I could tailor repertoire choices, performance op- portunities, and classroom management methods to meet their collective needs.
I recently turned to the literature examining mid- dle school boys in choir to broaden my knowl- edge of a population and educational setting that is of monumental value. Tis article is designed to share relevant findings from the literature in an effort to support the work of middle school choral educators. Te purpose of this literature review is to examine what motivates boys in middle school choral settings, with a focus on their psycho- logical needs. I will examine boys’ motivation through the lens of Self-Determination Teory (Deci and Ryan, 2000), which contextualizes motivation through the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs.
I will begin with an overview of Self-Determi- nation Teory (SDT). I will then present emerg- ing themes from the literature that (a) provide an analysis of SDT in educational settings; (b) reinforce successful middle school choral ped- agogical practices; and (c) explore prevalent points of struggle and success for boys enrolled in middle school choral music. I will conclude with
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Research
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