Music teachers’ descriptions of their workplaces in relation to micropolitics^*

* The literature uses both the spelling micropolitics and micro-politics. We opt for micropolitics except when the other spelling is within a quote.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the descriptions of workplace experiences of nine music teachers in direct relation to the literature on micropolitics. Research questions were: (a) How did participant music teachers’ descriptions of their workplace experiences relate to teachers, administrators, and students (as discussed in the micropolitical literature)? and (b) How can micropolitics be used to understand the similarities and differences between a qualitative comparison of the responses from beginning teacher participants and experienced teacher participants? Findings are presented within Hoyle’s [1986. The Politics of School Management. London: Hodder and Stoughton] micropolitical organisational underworld including: (a) cooptation (diversion of potential opposition); (b) displacement (concealing ‘real’ interests); and (c) controlling information. This secondary analysis study revealed that the vast differences in the negotiations and challenges of beginning and more experienced music teachers, most importantly, the ways in which experienced teachers learned to share power with the stakeholders in their settings. Music teachers both shape and are shaped by their micropolitical context which suggests further analysis of organisational structures and power in the workplace may be more important to understanding music teaching and learning than often assumed.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher education
• micropolitics
• lives of teachers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Colleen Conway is Professor of Music Education at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.

Jared Rawlings is Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Utah.

Shannan Hibbard is Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Michigan – Flint.

Notes

* The literature uses both the spelling micropolitics and micro-politics. We opt for micropolitics except when the other spelling is within a quote.

1 The term ‘administration’ used throughout the paper refers to senior school leaders, principals, headmasters, lead teachers, and/or department chairs.

2 Pseudonyms used for all participants.

3 All school sites were in a midwestern state in the USA.

4 Two of the beginning teachers’ principals were unavailable for interview.