An examination of Missouri women high school band directors' experiences with mentorship

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] This study was designed to examine the mentorship experiences and current mentorship roles of Missouri women high school band directors. Also of interest were the networking habits and personal and professional demographics of this population. Mentorship experiences addressed participants' role as a mentee in past and current professional mentor-mentee relationships, while current mentorship roles addressed their role as a mentor to past and current students. Fifty-four individuals responded to the survey, yielding a response rate of 32.3%. Results indicated that a majority of these Missouri women high school band directors actively mentored current and previous high school and college-aged students. They choose to act as a mentor to students of both like- and cross-genders, yet they do not always view themselves as a mentor. Reasons why some respondents believed in the importance of like-gender mentors was evidenced by three themes: (a) relatable perspective, (b) gendered experiences and professional presence, and (c) positive female mentoring traits. To further build upon their professional relationships, participants used social media and professional conferences as their main networking tools, as well as informal communities of practice