Sandness, Dorothy J2017-11-092017-11-092005-09https://hdl.handle.net/11299/190863A Plan B paper submitted to the faculty of the graduate school of the University of Minnesota in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music in music education, September 2005. Committee names: Judith A. Kritzmire, Stanley R. Wold, Jeanne Doty. This item has been modified from the original to remove the signature page present.The purpose of this study was to determine the views of public school choir directors regarding effective choral classroom management. Although it may be argued that a classroom management strategy may be central to a choir’s success, few research studies were found regarding the different methods choir directors might use. The subjects for this inquiry were eight choir directors from the upper Midwest (US). Interviews were conducted, inquiring about subject’s opinions regarding their pre-service training in classroom management, the classroom management strategies they employ, and the relationship between classroom management and ensemble success. Subjects were also asked to describe their grading policy (i.e., daily attendance, participation, and participation in concerts). Results were presented in narrative form and in tables. The results of this study highlighted the close relationship between effective teaching and classroom management. All the respondents agreed that a successful classroom management strategy is a critical element in helping choirs succeed, but that they did not receive adequate training in this area as undergraduate music education majors. When managing students’ behavior in the classroom, the majority of those interviewed indicated that speaking individually with disruptive students was preferable to a public confrontation. Maintaining a professional relationship with students and protecting the dignity of students were paramount. All of the directors interviewed included some assessment of student behavior in their grading policies, and indicated that this was an integral part of their classroom management systems. Most of the directors interviewed recommended that there should be more specific training in classroom management in the undergraduate curriculum, instead of new teachers having to learn classroom management skills “on the job”. Further discussion may lead to more undergraduate institutions requiring explicit instruction in this subject. It is also recommended that choir directors use this study to develop a classroom management strategy that is most appropriate for their choirs.enPublic school choir directorsChoral classroom managementClassroom management strategyUpper MidwestChoral directorsMinnesotaDepartment of MusicSchool of Fine ArtsUniversity of Minnesota DuluthPlan Bs (project-based master's degrees)Master of MusicMaster of Music in Music EducationScholarly Text or Essay