Novice and expert band directors’ teacher behaviors in beginning band versus high school band settings

The purpose of this study was to examine the teaching behaviors exhibited by novice and expert band directors who taught in both beginning band and high school band rehearsal settings. In this study, teaching behaviors consisted of three categories: 1) verbal teacher behaviors (directives, questions, information, and feedback), 2) non-verbal teacher behaviors (modeling), and 3) student performance activities (full ensemble play, sectional play and individual play). I compared the differences between novices and experts by analyzing video recordings of rehearsals. The questionnaire, consisting of both open ended and multiple-choice items was designed to obtain background information regarding the participants to establish whether they were classified as a novice or expert. It was also designed to obtain information regarding the band program such as scheduling and length of classes, student groupings (e.g. grade level, ability grouped, instrument family, etc.) Data were also collected by having the participants both video and audio record two rehearsals of both beginning band and high school band on the same day, twice during the same week. I identified rehearsal frames containing two or more student performances, categorized the instructional targets, and analyzed specific teacher and student behaviors using SCRIBE to determine the frequencies, durations, and proportions of time devoted to verbal teacher behaviors (directives, questions, information, and feedback), non-verbal teacher behaviors (modeling), student performance activities (full ensemble play, sectional play and individual play). Of particular interest in this study was identifying the ways in which novice and expert band teachers modify their instruction to accommodate the wide ranges of instructional settings, learner ages, and ability levels. Findings reinforced the idea that teaching beginning band students differs greatly from teaching more advanced students (in this case, high school band students), both in the methods of instruction and the use of time. Results illuminated the idea that the beginning band setting is more of a lesson than a rehearsal; less conducting and more modeling/demonstration/coaching. Regardless of whether novice or expert, there was more verbal instruction, positive modeling, general positive feedback, and more student performance and for longer periods of time in beginning band (BB) rehearsals versus high school band (HB) rehearsals. Although the percentages of student performance were higher in BB rehearsals, student performance consisted of other types of engagement (count/clap/tap, finger/name, etc.) in addition to having students perform on instruments. Results from this study also reinforced the differences found between novice and expert teachers from previous research, although there were striking individual differences among the teachers in both categories. Novices tended to focus more on the pedantic aspects of teaching, and they talked more than experts. Experts tended to be more intuitive and adaptable according to the lesson or of the ensemble, using tacit knowledge and their efficiency and intuitiveness in decision-making when solving rehearsal problems. Regarding the differences among each of the teachers, regardless of years of experience, this study reinforced the notion that time spent teaching does not necessarily equate to expert teaching skill acquisition