The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore four K–12 public school music educators’ lived experiences with teacher–student relationships. Research questions were the following: (a) How do music educators describe teacher–student relationships in their classrooms? (b) What strategies do music educators use to encourage positive, caring relationships with their students? and (c) What benefits and challenges exist for educators in relationship-focused classrooms? Participant selection was purposive; all participants were known to prioritize teacher–student relationships in their teaching. Interview data, coded in multiple phases, revealed six themes that influenced teacher–student relationships: structure; time; family and community connections; choice, voice, and ownership; authenticity; and enthusiasm. The essence of participants’ experiences involved moments of caring connection facilitated by awareness, empathy, and attention to individuals. Implications for music teacher educators include the intentional design of curriculum and instruction, approaches to classroom interactions, and focus on students’ experiences.
AbrilC. R.BannermanJ. K. (2015). Perceived factors impacting school music programs: The teacher’s perspective. Journal of Research in Music Education, 62(4), 344–361. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429414554430
2.
AdderleyC.KennedyM.BerzW. (2003). “A home away from home”: The world of the high school music classroom. Journal of Research in Music Education, 51(3), 190–205. https://doi.org/10.2307/3345373
3.
AldrupK.KlusmannU.LüdtkeO. (2017). Does basic need satisfaction mediate the link between stress exposure and well-being? A diary study among beginning teachers. Learning and Instruction, 50, 21–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2016.11.005
4.
AllsupR. E. (2003). Mutual learning and democratic action in instrumental music education. Journal of Research in Music Education, 51(1), 24–37. https://doi.org/10.2307/3345646
5.
BaumeisterR. F.LearyM. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497–529. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.117.3.497
6.
Bernstein-YamashiroB.NoamG. G. (2013). Teacher–student relationships: A growing field of study. New Directions for Youth Development, 2013(137), 15–26. https://doi.org/10.1002/yd.20045
7.
ClaessensL.van TartwijkJ.PenningsH.van der WantA.VerloopN.den BrokP.WubbelsT. (2016). Beginning and experienced secondary school teachers’ self-and student schema in positive and problematic teacher–student relationships. Teaching and Teacher Education, 55, 88–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2015.12.006
8.
Cornelius-WhiteJ. (2007). Learner-centered teacher–student relationships are effective: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 113–143. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298563
EdgarS. N. (2015). Preparing high school instrumental music educators to respond to the social and emotional challenges of students. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 24(3), 67–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/1057083713514980
14.
GarnerP. W.MahatmyaD. (2015). Affective social competence and teacher-child relationship quality: Race/ethnicity and family income level as moderators. Social Development, 24(3), 678–697. https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12114
15.
GayG. (2000). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. Teachers College Press.
16.
HibbardS. (2017). Music teacher presence: Toward a relational understanding (Publication No. 10760119) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Michigan]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses A&I.
17.
HouriganR. M.EdgarS. N. (2014). Phenomenological research in music education. In ConwayC. (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of qualitative research in American music education (pp. 148–162). Oxford University Press.
18.
HusserlE. (1999). The idea of phenomenology: A translation of Die Idee der Phänomenologie, Husserliana II (HardyL., Trans.). Kluwer Academic. (Original work published 1950)
19.
JonesM. G.VesilindE. (1995). Preservice teachers’ cognitive frameworks for class management. Teaching and Teacher Education, 11(4), 313–330. https://doi.org/10.1016/0742-051X(94)00036-6
20.
KlassenR. M.PerryN. E.FrenzelA. C. (2012). Teachers’ relatedness with students: An underemphasized component of teachers’ basic psychological needs. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104(1), 150–165. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026253
NewberryM. (2010). Identified phases in the building and maintaining of positive teacher–student relationships. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(8), 1695–1703. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2010.06.022
27.
NoddingsN. (1992). The challenge to care in schools: An alternative approach to education. Teachers College Press.
28.
NoddingsN. (2013). Caring: A relational approach to ethics and moral education (2nd ed.). University of California Press.
29.
ParkerE. C. (2016). The experience of creating community: An intrinsic case study of four Midwestern public school choral teachers. Journal of Research in Music Education, 64(2), 220–237. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429416648292
PattonM. Q. (2015). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (4th ed.). SAGE.
32.
ReeveJ. (2006). Teachers as facilitators: What autonomy-supportive teachers do and why their students benefit. The Elementary School Journal, 106(3), 225–236. https://doi.org/10.1086/501484
RoordaD. L.KoomenH. M. Y.SpiltJ. L.OortF. J. (2011). The influence of affective teacher–student relationships on students’ school engagement and achievement: A meta-analytic approach. Review of Educational Research, 81(4), 493–529. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654311421793
35.
SpiltJ. L.KoomenH. M. Y.ThijsJ. T. (2011). Teacher wellbeing: The importance of teacher–student relationships. Educational Psychology Review, 23(4), 457–477. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-011-9170-y
36.
SweetB. M. (2008). Everybody’s somebody in my class: A case study of an exemplary middle school choir teacher (Publication No. 3348226.) [Doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses A&I.
37.
WentzelK. R. (2002). Are effective teachers like good parents? Teaching styles and student adjustment in early adolescence. Child Development, 73(1), 287–301. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00406
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
