Aligning elementary music and secondary band programs: Perceptions of music teacher educators

Boundary crossing in teacher education refers to stepping outside of one’s own pedagogical domain and learning about unfamiliar perspectives. Drawing on this theoretical perspective, the purpose of this collective case study was to examine perceptions of and approaches to vertical alignment between elementary and secondary music teacher education (MTEs). Participants included three elementary MTEs who completed Orff Schulwerk Levels I–III and three secondary instrumental MTEs. All participants were teaching a methods course that was relevant to their area of specialty at the time of data collection. MTEs completed an initial questionnaire, an individual interview, a focus group interview with other participants who shared their area of specialization, and a final focus group with all participants (i.e., elementary and secondary MTEs). In interviews, participants desribed the musical skills they identified as most valuable across a K–12 music curriculum, collaboration between elementary music teachers and secondary band directors, and possible barriers to fostering vertical alignment. Emergent themes included Holistic Musicianship, Systemic Issues, and Building Connections. Implications are discussed.