Comparisons of Support Among K-12 Music Teachers in Missouri and Kansas

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine correlations between various personal and situational factors and music teachers’ perceptions of support received from administration, colleagues, and students’ parents. We developed a short, 5-minute Qualtrics survey intended for music teachers in the states of Missouri and Kansas, with a special interest in the Kansas City bi-state metropolitan area. Survey items inquire about participants’ demographic information, educational experiences, teaching history, future teaching plans, and perceptions of support. We sent the online survey link to current members of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) in Missouri and Kansas with the hopes of obtaining data from our intended participants. This descriptive study will help us better understand teachers’ perceptions of the music education environment in rural, urban, and suburban school locations as well as the perceptions held by participants located across the Missouri/Kansas state line. Results of the study suggest that music teachers in rural, urban, and suburban school locations report similar levels of perceived administrative support, while urban teachers report lower levels of perceived parental support and rural teachers report lower levels of perceived colleague support. Additionally, music teachers within the Kansas City bi-state metropolitan area who are separated by the Missouri/Kansas stateline, while similar in many regards, often differ in perceptions of support as well. Results support the notion that unique factors determined by school location might play an important role in music teachers' perceptions of support.