Music Teacher Educator Perceptions of and Engagement With Culturally Responsive Education

Abstract Culturally responsive education (CRE) has emerged as a significant thread in music education scholarship in recent years. Although researchers have gathered data about pedagogy and curriculum as it relates to CRE, music teacher educator perspectives have yet to be explored. The purpose of this study was to describe music teacher educator perceptions of CRE, its importance, and application in practice. A secondary purpose was to describe music teacher educator comfort with and frequency of using strategies aimed to develop the dispositions and knowledge needed to be a culturally responsive teacher. Through a nationwide survey of 228 music teacher educators, we found that present engagement with CRE may reflect initial entry into the pedagogy, as participants reported greatest familiarity and comfort with elements that could be considered most accessible for teacher educators, such as a definition of CRE and CRE strategies that depend on general pedagogical knowledge. To move beyond surface-level interaction with CRE, music teacher educators must adapt a CRE lens through which they enact all facets of the teacher knowledge base.