Instrumental and vocal teaching: how do music students learn to teach?

Elizabeth Haddon

Music Department, University of York, Heslington, York, Y010 5DD, UK

Introduction

A survey of the final-year music students at the University of York for the Investigating Musical Performance research project.

Findings suggest that students learned to teach through increased experience rather than formal training, and although they were enthusiastic, reporting benefits to their own learning and performing, they could have been more pro-active regarding their development as teachers and more resourceful in their approaches towards lesson content and materials, strategies relating to modeling and motivation and the teaching of practice techniques.

Instrumental teaching

-not a planned career?

-back-up to other work

-relative stability and security

no formal training/pedagogical training implies ineffective teaching, partial understanding

Participants and Method

Starting to teach why teach?

Learning how to teach

Planning and materials

Lesson structure and content

Modelling and motivation

Examinations and performance opportunities

Aims and Approach

Pupil-teacher and parent-teacher relationships

Qualities needed to be a successful teacher

Challenges and rewards

Conclusion