A Case Study of a Noncredentialed, Second-Career Music Educator

Abstract

Throughout the United States, educators lacking formal credentials have increasing opportunities to assume classroom teaching positions. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to explore the career decision making and early-career teaching experiences of Holly, a noncredentialed music educator working in a public charter school. Data were collected over 6 months in the form of semistructured interviews, teaching and performance observations, and artifact analysis. Holly’s pathway to classroom teaching as a second career was characterized by nonlinear decision making, exploring numerous options before choosing to teach school music. Her early classroom teaching experiences were similar to those of traditional early-career music teachers with regard to classroom management concerns; however, her experience in private lesson instruction and directing community music theater equipped her with more practical pedagogical skill sets than typical early-career music educators. The discussion includes considerations of the value of formal credentialing and implications for music teacher education program recruitment.