The biography of music teachers, their understanding of musicality and the implications for secondary music education

Abstract

This paper summarises some of the key features of a doctoral research study into the influence that music teacher biography (background, education, environment) has on their practice as a teacher in the secondary music classroom in England. The research focuses principally on the development of a range of competencies and learning contexts necessary to the growing musician and how far these can be observed in the activities in which the young people participate in the classroom and the priorities placed upon them by the teachers. Springing from this research has also been a consideration of the developing identity of the music teacher, especially where it may conflict with their identity as a musician. There are a number of implications for teachers themselves, for schools and local authorities, as well as for education policy and its makers.