Narratives of the experiences of music therapists as they transition from expert clinician to novice music therapy educator and then transform into expert music therapy educators

Abstract

The number of academic music therapy programs is expanding as the American Music Therapy Association continues to approve new degree programs. However, academic preparation for faculty assuming roles in music therapy education has not expanded at a comparable rate. Graduate programs lack consistent guidance and accountability from professional organizations regarding the preparation of music therapy educators. The purpose of this study is to explore what narratives of music therapy faculty members reveal about their experiences transitioning from expert clinician to novice faculty member and then transforming into expert educators. The three research questions are what stories do music therapy faculty members tell about their pathways into the music therapy profession and initial entry into faculty roles, what stories do music therapy faculty members tell about their experiences transitioning from an expert clinician to a novice educator, and what stories do music therapy faculty members tell about their experiences transforming from a novice educator to an expert educator. Schlossberg’s Transition Model, Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory, and Pratt’s Five Perspectives of Teaching serve as the theoretical framework for this study. This study employs narrative inquiry and includes six full-time music therapy educators with at least five years of teaching experience. Data were primarily collected through two semi-structured interviews with each participant. Additional data sources included course syllabi, Teaching Perspectives Inventory (TPI), participant teaching notes (when available), and researcher analytic memos and journaling. Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six stage process of thematic analysis. Findings revealed that the transition from clinician to educator and the transformation from novice to expert educator are dynamic, iterative, and deeply personal experiences. Recommendations address the preparation and support of current and future music therapy faculty.