Preservice Music Teachers Reflect on First Experiences in Elementary Classrooms.

The article presents a study which examines the reflection of preservice music teachers on their first experiences in elementary classrooms at the University of Texas in Austin. Junior- and senior-level preservice music teachers were enrolled in a teaching practicum class and were instructed to write two reflection paragraphs to examine changes in perceptions during their first experiences in performing and teaching elementary students. Findings show that the use of strategies by preservice music teachers were more positive in their second experience as well as their perceptions of students performances and social behaviors from Experience I to Experience II. Moreover, increased level of confidence students contributed to positive changes that occurred from Experience I to Experience II.