Kathleen Gibson

MUED 376

Dr. V

Mayhew: The Effect of Initial Impressions on the Perception of Teaching Effectiveness in Choral

Music Student Teachers; takeaways

There are many influences behind a teacher’s effectiveness in the classroom, though they

differ in a choral setting. Teaching pre-service music educators how to be effective in a choral

rehearsal is important because of the difference in setting when compared to general music

education. In The Effect of Initial Impressions on the Perception of Teaching Effectiveness in

Choral Music Student Teachers, Paul Mayhew discusses the factors that play into a teachers

effectiveness in a choir setting, referencing multiple previous research studies that surveyed pre-

service and in-service music educators, along with teacher trainers on the importance of each

factor.

Mayhew outlines three characteristics of an effective music teacher in the beginning of

his essay: teacher intensity, conducting and nonverbal behaviors, and teaching patterns. A

teacher who is more intense has high-magnitude behaviors that include 1) maintaining eye

contact, 2) varying proximity to students during rehearsal, 3) using expressive conducting

gestures, 4) maintaining a rapid, exciting pace, 5) facial expressions that indicate a clear approval

and disapproval, and 6) varying the speed, pitch, and volume of speech (Yarbrough, 1975).

“High levels of intensity influence perceptions of teaching effectiveness more than accuracy of

instruction or student attentiveness,” Mayhew notes, after discussing a study where pre- and in-

service music educators labeled teaching excerpts as high- or low-intensity (p 19). When a high-

intensity teacher is effectively working with students, the students are more likely to have higher
respect for the conductor and remain engaged longer. This is why the six characteristics of

teacher intensity are important to understand and emulate in a rehearsal. Conducting and

nonverbal behaviors give students the opportunity to assess their conductor without the need to

physically engage. A student is able to see how confident, prepared, and excited a conductor is

before any musicking happens; however, they are also able to see how anxious or unprepared a

conductor can be. A student creates this impression of a conductor in the first moments of

interaction, so it is important for conductors to be conscious of all their behaviors. Eye-contact

and facial expression are two important ways a conductor can communicate their readiness,

creating a trusting environment where the students are engaged and understand the conductor’s

intension. Teaching patterns that are sequential are found to be the most effective for conductors

in order to relay understanding. There was an observable difference between the success of

different teaching patterns, however, Mayhew discovered that it was the skills and behaviors

viewed as important to students, pre-service and in-service teachers, and teacher trainers that

created the foundation effective music teaching. He looked at previous research that asked each

of those groups to identify these skills and characteristics, explaining the importance behind the

characteristics listed in these studies.

Mayhew reviewed multiple studies that investigate these skills and characteristics, paying

particular attention to Bergee’s 1992 survey that “identified three interpretable factors” that each

group studied (pre-service music teachers, in-service music teachers, and teacher trainers)

viewed as essential in rehearsal teaching patterns and effectiveness—conducting technique,

teacher-student rapport, and instructional skill (p 23). A conductor’s technique is an integral

factor in choral settings. It is important that the conductor practices the music before stepping up

to the stand and that they have full understanding of their gesture’s intensions. Preparedness is a
key factor for a conductor’s success, while also understanding that gestures will need to be edited

as a piece is being learned. This relates to how a conductor understands their choir, creating

rapport with the students individually and the ensemble as a whole. In Bergee’s study, they noted

ten sub-factors that relate to student-teacher rapport, including but not limited to: “demonstrates

the ability to motivate students, interprets accurately psychological mood of the group, [and]

provides for individual rates of learning,” (p 23). These three factors are most essential for a

conductor to understand and exhibit during rehearsals because they show that the conductor is

engaged, attentive, and understanding. A conductor’s ability to give instruction successfully can

be difficult but is molded throughout time and their strive to better themselves as a conductor.

Wordiness and lower-level vocabulary are two things that can make instructions difficult or

frustrating for students, so a conductor should plan out how they will give each instruction

during a rehearsal as to avoid these issues. These characteristics are important for a conductor to

understand and apply to their choir for a successful and effective rehearsal.

As a conductor gains more experience, they are able to see what works and what doesn’t

in a rehearsal. Mayhew explores Standley and Madsen’s 1991 demonstration, showing how

music teachers are able to recognize the qualities that show the effectiveness of a conductor, with

more effective teaching found in conductors with longer experience. They concluded that both

pre-service and in-service music teachers are able see the key characteristics in teaching

effectiveness, though they don’t always agree on assessments of teaching effectiveness.

Mayhew’s explanation and interpretation of these studies show us the characteristics and

skills that are most important for conductors to understand and apply when teaching. In order to

be a successful conductor there are many interwoven parts, making it essential for conductors to

consistently self-review and strive to live up to their potential as their career progresses.