An urban university music education department and an outreach organization partnered to provide after-school music classes for at-risk children. Fourteen music education majors were recruited to teach 125 first through fifth graders (6-12 years of age), whose ethnicity was 55 percent Hispanic and 45 percent African-American. Classes included general music, recorder, and choir. Musical preference measures indicated significant differences among grades, except for two pieces that reflected the ethnicity of the students. Pre-service teachers were most successful at teaching moving, performing, and listening to a variety of music, and least successful at teaching composing and improvising; and they were able to achieve all of the stated goals for a successful urban youth program, especially being a positive force and musical mentor, and making the experience enjoyable, challenging, and extraordinary for the children.
Bond, J. W. (2001). The relationship between sixth-grade students’ non-Western music preference and their attitude toward cultural diversity. Doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota. Dissertation Abstracts International, 61, 4714.
2.
Campbell, P. S. , & Scott-Kassner, C. (2002). Music in childhood: From preschool through elementary grades (2nd edition). Belmont, CA: Thompson Higher Education .
3.
Carns, A. , Carns, M. , Wooten, H. , Jones, L.Raffield, P. , & Heitkamp, J. (1995). Extracurricular activities: Are they beneficial?Texas Counseling Association Journal, 23(2), 37-45 .
4.
Collum, R. C. (2003). An investigation of the impact of participation in an after-school program on the academic achievement and social behavior of adolescent Black males defined as at-risk. Doctoral dissertation, Florida State University. Dissertation Abstracts International, 64, 2420.
5.
Conrath, J. (1989, August). Dropout prevention: Find out if your program passes or fails . Executive Educator, 10(8), 15-16 .
6.
Fiske, E. B. (Ed.). (1999). Champions of change: The impact of the arts on learning. Washington, DC: Presidents’ Committee on the Arts and Humanities .
7.
Halpern, R. (1999). After-school programs for low-income children: Promises and challenges . Future of Children, 9(3), 81-95 .
8.
Hornblower, M. (1999). The town goes to town . Time/The Princeton Review [promotional literature], 71-77 .
9.
Keller, D. , Addis, S. , & Fowler, R. W. (1991). Total staff development: Do not begin dropout prevention without it . Journal of School Leadership, 1(4), 400-409 .
10.
LeBlanc, A (1988). Tempo preferences of different age music listeners . Journal of Research in Music Education, 36(3), 156-168 .
11.
LeBlanc, A. , & McCrary, J. (1983). Effect of tempo on children’s music preference . Journal of Research in Music Education, 31(4), 283-294 .
12.
Music Educators Journal (1991). Music and the at-risk student [special issue] . Music Educators Journal, 78(3).
13.
Nebb, G. D. (1988). Improving sixth graders’ basic music skills and developing compositional skills through the use of the ukulele. Ed. D. Practicum , Nova University . (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. CS506116.)
14.
Neuendorf, K. A. (1982). Hispanic youths’ cultural identities: Prediction from media use and perceptions . Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Communication Association, Boston, MA. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED218686.)
15.
Novak, J. D. (1994). Music preferences 1980 versus 1989 and their relationship with selected environment and listener variables. Doctoral dissertation, University of North Texas. Dissertation Abstracts International, 55, 3131.
16.
O’Connor, S. , & McGuire, K. (1998). Homework assistance and out-of-school time: Filling the need, finding the balance. Wellesley, MA: National Institute on Out-of-School Time .
17.
Otterbourg, S. D. (2000). How the arts can enhance after-school programs. Washington, DC: National Endowment for the Arts . (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED446829.)
18.
Pace, D. A. (2003). Increasing protective factors in at-risk youth through an after-school program that combines caring adults, physical activity and sports, and initiative building. Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University. Dissertation Abstracts International, 65, 105.
19.
Pembrook, R. G. (1997). The effect of nationality and musical experience on listeners’ preferences and observations for four types of music . Contributions to Music Education, 24(1), 71-90 .
20.
Pettit, G. , Laird, R. D. , Dodge, K. A. , & Bates. J. E. (1997). Patterns of after-school care in middle childhood: Risk factors and developmental outcomes . Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 43(3), 515-538 .
21.
Pierce, K. M. , & Vandell, D. L. (1999, March). Safe haven program evaluation. Madison: University of Wisconsin Center for Educational Research .
22.
Pierce, K. M. , Hamm, J. V. , & Vandell, D. L. (1999). Experiences in after-school programs and children’s adjustment in first-grade classrooms . Child Development, 70(3), 756-767 .
23.
Reynolds, A. M. & Conway, C. M. (2003). Service-learning in music education methods: Perceptions of participants . Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 155(Winter), 1-10 .
24.
Rich, B. , Polin, J. L. & Marcus, S. J. (2003). Acts of achievement: The role of performing arts centers in education. New York: Dana Foundation .
25.
Roman, J. (Ed.). (1998). The NSACA standards for quality school-age care. Boston, MA: National School-Age Care Alliance .
26.
Shehan, P. K. (1985). Transfer of preference from taught to untaught pieces of non-Western music genres . Journal of Research in Music Education, 33(3), 149-158 .
27.
Shumow, L. (2001). Academic effects of after-school programs. ERIC Digest. (Report No. EDO-PS-01-8). Champaign, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education . (ERIC Document Service No. ED458010.)
28.
Siebenaler, D. J. (1999). Student song preference in the elementary music class . Journal of Research in Music Education, 47(3), 213-223 .
29.
Taylor, J. A. , Barry, N. H. , & Walls, K. C. (1997). Music and students at risk: Creative solutions for a national dilemma. Reston, VA: MENC .
30.
US Department of Education and US Department of Justice (1998). Safe and smart: Making after-school hours work for kids. Washington, DC: US Department of Education, Partnership for Family Involvement in Education . (ERIC Document Service No. ED419303.)
31.
Weitz, J. D. (1996). Coming up taller: Arts and humanities programs for children and youth at risk. Washington, DC: President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities .
