“The Children Are Not Okay”: Choir Teachers’ Perceptions of Students Post Shutdowns

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most students in the United States experienced full school closure followed by a hybrid of online and in-person learning before ultimately returning to fully in-person instruction in the Fall of 2021. I investigated the experiences of three high school choir teachers during the 2021–2022 academic year to examine their perceptions of students’ engagement before, during, and post-pandemic school shutdowns. Analysis revealed common themes of (a) concerns about student attrition, (b) learning loss, (c) psychological impacts, (d) teaching accommodations, and (e) learning inequities. Choir teachers perceived the most significant difference in students post-shutdown to be their psychological health. Positive accommodations include a focus on student psychological well-being, engagement in retention and recruitment strategies, and new uses of technology in the choral context. The results provide guidance to music teacher educators preparing preservice educators to enter the workforce post-pandemic.