Trading My Baton for a Ukulele

Abstract

The purpose of this autoethnography was to investigate my development as both a musician and teacher as a result of implementing a new ukulele-based course at the middle school level called “Creative Musicianship.” I was interested in exploring the ways vernacular, informal music experiences and instruction influenced my philosophy of teaching and perception of myself as a musician and teacher. I collected data through journal entries, artifacts from the Creative Musicianship class, and my written philosophy of teaching. After compiling and revisiting the data, I organized and analyzed the narrative with attention to transformation of philosophy and identity and considered through Mezirow’s (Adult Edu 28:100–110. https://doi.org/10.1177/074171367802800202, 1978) transformative learning theory. I concluded that integrating prior experiences as a formally trained musician with new experiences with informal music teaching and learning led to a revision of my frame of reference that was more inclusive. Implications include considerations for music teacher educators to encourage perspective transformation among pre-service music educators and for the music education profession as a whole to support the growth and transformation of practicing teachers.