Resumen de Service-Learning in Music Education: participants' Reflections

Alison M. Reynolds, Athea Jerome, Anna Preston, Holley Haynes

• The purpose of this research was to examine perceptions of participants (N=23) in a service-learning music education partnership. Questions were (a) How do preservice music teachers¿ perceptions illustrate their reflective practice? (b) How do classroom teachers describe the influence of the partnership? (c) How has the partnership contributed to arts activities at the elementary school? Emerging categories for each question included (a) preservice teachers¿ focus on self-preparation, planning and teaching lessons, or children as a measure of teaching effectiveness; engagement in reflective practice; and initial transformation from being a student to being a teacher; (b) classroom teachers¿ observations of preservice music teachers¿ professional model, children¿s responses to music, and partnership¿s value; and (c) the partnership¿s role in providing support for increased arts activities on campus, which included the principal hiring a music-certified teacher. Likeminded stakeholders in this setting made service-learning a suitable choice for a music education field experience.