Preservice
Teacher Mentoring in an Authentic Context: The Western University Young Winds
Program
Kevin
Watson, Western University, London, Canada
Colleen
Richardson, Western University, London, Canada
Betty
Anne Younker, Western University, London, Canada
Rosemary
Bannerman, Thames Valley District School Board, London, Canada
Marisa
VanRuitenburg, QueenÕs University, Kingston, Canada
Authentic-context
learning activities are those in which learning initiatives are presented
within an environment that resembles actual professional practice (Paul et al.,
2001). Educational initiatives that incorporate such activities may help to
foster teacher identity and teaching skill development (Austin & Miksza,
2012; LÕRoy, 1983). For example, Austin & Miksza (2012) found that
participants who taught music to middle school band students as part of a mentoring
program showed significant increases in social motivation for teaching, teacher
identity, and classroom management efficacy. Legette (2013) has argued that
there should be a greater effort to contextualize educational theory so that
there is a clearer link between knowledge and skills gained in preservice
courses and the context in which they will be used on a daily basis. Given this
background, the Western University Young Winds program was created to provide
undergraduate students pursuing a music teacher education degree greater
opportunities for authentic- context learning, and to further the UniversityÕs
mission to engage with the local community to develop mutually beneficial
initiatives. The ten-week program involves volunteer preservice teachers providing
weekly instrumental music instruction to students in grades six through nine,
supplementary to that provided by community middle school band programs and in
some cases filling a void where no school band programs currently exist. The
preservice teachers are responsible for recruiting students, preparing and
executing lesson plans for full band rehearsals, teaching instrument-specific
sectionals, and coaching chamber groups. The teachers are mentored throughout
the process by two music education faculty members.
This
panel discussion will outline the origination and development of the Western
Young Winds program, discuss the programÕs relationship to other coursework in
the music education degree, and examine the value of this curricular innovation
to the professional development of participant preservice teachers. The panel
discussion will include the perspectives of various stakeholders: (a)
University music education faculty members will address the rationale for
creating the program and the potential benefits for music teacher education;
(b) A public school music educator from the local community with over twenty
years of experience teaching elementary and middle school music will provide
her perspective on the programÕs influences on her students; (c) A recent
graduate in music education who served as a teacher in Western Young Winds will
provide her perspective regarding the effects of the program on the development
of teaching identity and expertise; (d) The Dean of the Faculty of Music will
address the wider implications for curriculum policy, and how strategic
alliances may be formed among music educators, music teacher educators, and
related stakeholders.
References
Austin, J. R., &
Miksza, P. J. (2012). Trying on teaching: Effects of a precollegiate music
teacher recruitment program. Journal of
Music Teacher Education, 21(2), 14–27.
L'Roy, D. (1983). The development of occupational identity in
undergraduate music education majors. Unpublished doctoral dissertation,
North Texas State University, Denton, Texas.
Legette, R. M. (2013).
Perceptions of early-career school music teachers regarding their preservice
preparation. Update: Applications of
Research in Music Education, 32(1), 12–17.
Paul, S. J., Teachout,
D. J., Sullivan, J. M., Kelly, S. N., Bauer, W. I., & Raiber, M. A. (2001).
Authentic-context learning activities in instrumental music teacher education. Journal of Research in Music Education, 49(2),
136–145.