Exploring the Benefits of Music-Making as Professional Development for Music Teachers

Abstract

Although much has been written about professional development in general education and music education literature, little has addressed the benefits of music-making as meaningful professional development for music teachers. For music teachers, music-making and meanings of music-making have been connected with teachers' identity, well-being, beliefs, and effectiveness, as well as being a powerful pedagogical tool and a way to develop presence in teaching. Presence in teaching is linked with self-awareness, attentiveness, and pedagogical knowledge. The purpose of this article is to explore the benefits of music-making for music teachers in order to convince policymakers of the value of music-making as a professional development activity for music teachers. This article explores theories from psychology and education that link engagement, well-being, and identity to lay the foundation for a justification of broadening professional development policies. Then, literature is presented that connects teachers' art-making experiences (past and present), identity, teaching, and student learning. The third section draws on my previous work to illustrate the intersections between teachers' music-making and teaching. Then, suggestions for implementing professional development programs with music-making components are made. Although there are many ways musicmaking could be included as professional development, I offer four suggestions: including music-making in departmental or district-wide meetings, granting professional development credit to music teachers who make music outside of the classroom, setting up in-classroom reflection opportunities/action research based on integrating music-making and music teaching, and initiating a collaborative teacher study group that includes chamber music collaboration.

A lifelong perspective for growing music teacher identity

“…Music education scholars have given attention to developing teacher identity so as to prepare preservice teachers for their professional needs as educators (e.g., Ballantyne, Kerchner, & Aróstegui, 2012;Bouij, 2007;Garnett, 2014;Roberts, 2004). Others have advocated strengthening the musician identity (Bernard, 2005;Freer & Bennett, 2012;Pellegrino, 2011Pellegrino, , 2015. There are also scholars who have urged going beyond the binary focus on musician and teacher as constructs of music teacher identity (Dawe, 2007;Dolloff, 2007;Regelski, 2007).…”

Teacher Educator International Professional Development as Ren

“…Supported teachers are offered diverse and numerous personal (Wu 2010;Zeng 2008) and professional development opportunities (Webb et al 2009;, which counteract job stress and teacher burnout (Ross et al 2012;Peng 2012;Wang 2011) and enhance societal support for teachers, overall . Pellegrino (2011) emphasized use of the aesthetic to enhance teacher professional development, while other studies highlight that teachers feel more valued by peers, evaluators, and students (Wu 2010;Peng 2012) when they feel efficacious in contributing to a harmonious societal future (Gao et al 2010). discusses teacher autonomy and support as two sides of the same coin.…”

The occupational identity development of early-career music teachers: a two-case study of Chinese music teachers

“…In addition, the enthusiasm and interests in music provoked Tin to take up challenges at work and explore his professional area. Therefore, the improvement of music knowledge and skills and the abilities of organising extra-curricular activity benefited their commitment to being a music teacher (Pellegrino, 2011). At the same time, music teaching was a good way to demonstrate their professional skills to others.…”

“…Though conflicts may exist between performer and teacher identities (Mark, 1998;Scheib, 2003Scheib, , 2006Scheib et al, 2007;Wagoner, 2011), they may also be compatible in a unified music teacher identity (Pellegrino, 2011). In a recent study, Kokotsaki (2010) found that involvement in extra-curriculum music activities and music making outside school has both personal and professional benefits for music teachers.…”

“…The relationship between performer and teacher identities is discussed by many researchers (Ballantyne et al, 2012;Pellegrino, 2009Pellegrino, , 2011Scheib, 2003;Wagoner, 2011;Welch et al, 2011). Music teachers are socialised as musicians in the university setting, where they draw on strong technical performing skills and enter the teaching profession.…”