Southern Gospel Solutions to Music Classroom Problems: A Study of the Pedagogical Strategies used in the Gospel Children’s Choir Setting

Abstract

Southern Gospel Solutions to Music Classroom Problems: A Study of the Pedagogical Strategies used in the Gospel Children’s Choir Setting

Anita Ingram

In this study, I seek to find solutions to issues that plague American music education by exploring pedagogical strategies used in non-classical settings. Specifically, I will be comparing the essence of teaching and learning between public school music classrooms and Gospel children’s choirs in Southern African American churches. Considering the national standards for music classes set by the National Association of Music Educators (NAfME) and Edwin E. Gordon’s Music Learning Theory, this study will establish the current state of music education by identifying common obstacles faced by music teachers across the country. Then, through the observation of Gospel children’s choirs, this study will compare the teaching that takes place in a gospel choir setting to the requirements of the national standards and the essential components of Gordon’s Music Learning Theory. I will use the observation period to identify pedagogical methods used by choir directors, analyze choir participants’ skill sets and responses to direction, and examine the rigor of music performed by Gospel children’s choirs. By means of comparison, this study will determine if teachers and students in music classrooms can benefit from the strategies used in the Gospel choir setting.