The music teacher in ‘on-the-spot’ musical interactions: A practitioner research study

• Published in: International journal of music education Vol. 40; no. 3; pp. 364 - 377
• Main Author: De Baets, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.08.2022; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Classification; Educational Practices; Faculty Development; Foreign Countries; Music; Music Education; Music Teachers; Musicians; Program Descriptions; Secondary School Students; Secondary School Teachers; Secondary schools; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Behavior; Teacher Competencies; Teacher Effectiveness; Teacher Student Relationship; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Video Technology; Belgium; secondary education; Artistry; professional development; musical interaction; practitioner research
• ISSN: 0255-7614; 1744-795X
• DOI: 10.1177/02557614211061591

This practitioner research, conducted by a secondary school music teacher, deals with two complementary questions: the conceptual question how one could define the ‘artistry’ of a music teacher in the context of his teaching practice, and the empirical question in how far the music teacher’s actions can determine the quality of the musical interactions with his students. The paper elaborately describes the institutional context for this (doctoral) practitioner research study, and integrates two premises, one regarding the negative image of the school subject music, and another about the vagueness and the ongoing discussions about the required competences of a ‘good’ music teacher. The first question is dealt with in a theoretical way, resulting in a working definition for a music teacher’s ‘artistry’: ‘a music teacher’s “artistry” lies within the extent to which he can apply his musical competences in “immediate” teaching situations’. The second question is studied empirically using a set of qualitative data sources, derived from the practitioner researcher’s teaching practice, that were analysed by means of a self-developed ‘three-dimensional matrix of the music teacher’s real-time teaching actions’. This results in a set of 10 categories in which the music teacher clearly demonstrates ‘unprepared non-routinised musical actions’.