Philosophies, objectives, and practices: A dynamic framework for examining choral director professional identity

The purpose of this study was to examine the application of a framework of philosophies, objectives, and practices in discussing and analyzing the professional identities of choral directors. Prior research into music teacher identity has identified a) authentic experiences before, during, and after formalized training; b) the environment created in teacher preparation programs; c) values and beliefs; and d) agency, context, and structural limitations as important factors in professional identity development. In this previous research, authors have defined identity independently of one another or did not give an operant definition of identity. Despite these attempts, no framework has gained wide-spread acceptance within published literature and no studies have attempted to reconcile teachers’ identities with their teaching philosophies. This study used descriptive coding to analyze statements (N = 318) on the role of choral directors into the proposed framework. Findings suggest that the proposed framework of philosophies, objectives, and practices could provide a valid lens through which to analyze and discuss choral directors’ professional identities. Implications and recommendations for further research are discussed.