Childhood to teacher: Pre-service educators' formative musical experiences and their decision to become a classroom music teacher

Abstract

This study explores the relationships between formative musical experiences, narrative constructions of music teacher identity and the influence of these identity constructions on the decision to become a classroom music teacher among a group of pre-service music educators. Case studies of 15 participants were conducted. Participants were from the Bachelor of Music (Music Education) degree program at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with the participants. The study explored the musical, schooling and cultural backgrounds of these pre-service music educators. Data were analysed through open coding and narrative analysis. Narrative responses to questions about formative musical experiences, their relationship to music teacher identity construction and how these relate to the decision to become a classroom music teacher, encoded five key frames. These are: individual cultural background; memories of patterns of pedagogy; impressions of music teachers; the cultural and educational status of music; and music's importance within family and social life. The findings of this study contribute to the growing body of research and literature in this field and generate a number of avenues for future research.