The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice teacher intensity, time on and off task, and effectiveness in relation to in-service teacher retention/attrition. Senior music education majors (N = 150) made a videotape of their “best” teaching during the final weeks of student teaching. Excerpts were observed, evaluated, and teacher time on/off task was recorded using the Simple Recording Interface for Behavioral Observation (Duke & Farra, 1996). Each subject's teaching status as K—college music educator in 1995 and 2001 was then determined. No differences were found for intensity, effectiveness, or time on / off task in relation to teaching status assessed, suggesting that preservice teaching performance does not indicate continuing participation in music education as an in-service music teacher. Further analysis revealed that mean interval duration of teacher off task affects ratings of intensity and effectiveness more than do frequency and duration of on task. Application to teacher training and suggestions for further areas of research are discussed.
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