Music Teachers Leaving the Field During the COVID-19 Era: An Interpretive Inquiry

Abstract In this interpretive inquiry, we investigated the experiences of four former music educators who elected to leave the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study was to determine the ways in which pandemic-related factors did or did not influence participants’ decision to leave the profession. Data were collected through two semistructured interviews with each participant as well as one focus group interview. Findings suggested participants struggled with similar contextual challenges in their teaching positions, including undesirable schedules, lack of administrative support, and feelings of isolation. However, many of these concerns existed independent of pandemic-related factors, and the pandemic itself was not directly identified as an influential factor in their decision. When reflecting on their lives since leaving the profession, participants valued improved work-life balance and enjoyed maintaining musical identities outside the classroom. In our discussion, we explore covert effects of the pandemic alongside implications for professional advocacy.