Factors Influencing the Working Lives of Australian Secondary School Music Teachers

Abstract

Secondary school music teachers can encounter considerable challenges as they progress in the profession. While teaching music to students can be motivating and stimulating, managing workload and maintaining a desire to stay with their vocation can be challenging. Moving through career stages, the joys and difficulties of the profession can affect self-efficacy and identity.

This study investigated the factors influencing the working lives of Australian secondary school music teachers. Utilising a national survey (n = 269) and interviews (n = 40), the researcher investigated, through a cross-examination of career stages, music teacher motivation, professional development, value, stress and burnout, challenges, work–life balance and career forecast.

The findings of this research revealed a positive workforce of secondary school music teachers who are motivated to make meaningful musical connections in classroom interaction and ensemble leading. Early-career music teachers were the most unsure of commitment and mid-career music teachers were the most uncommitted to the profession beyond five years.

This thesis offers three original contributions: it identifies factors that influence Australian secondary school music teachers in their work, names a new career stage of ‘super veteran’ (those in the final stage of their career) and introduces a typology of Australian secondary school music teachers devised to provide a new way to differentiate music teachers across career stages. This study aimed to fill a gap in the literature on Australian secondary school music teachers and to understand how to support these teachers as they progress in the profession.