School Music Action Group

Submitter information

Name

School Music Action Group

Where are you located?

Victoria

What type of area do you live in?

Regional or rural

Are you an education professional?
(e.g. teacher, school leader, learning support assistant, teacher’s aide)

Yes

Which sector do you work in?

Tertiary

What is your occupation?

Lecturer in Arts Education (Music)

Elevating the profession

The actions proposed recognise the value teachers bring to students, communities and the economy.

Strongly agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

The sMAG committee believes highly able Music educators need to be included in this campaign to attract and retain the most effective music teachers in the system. The current wording excludes the arts and the significant benefits music and arts education have for children, communities and schools - especially in the early years where learning is embodied, sensory and play-based. There are many communities in which music and arts educators provide invaluable contributions to the sustenance of that community. To leave the arts and Music in particular out of this is neglecting a major area of learning and contribution.

Aligned with the recommendations of a number of international, national and local reviews into schools music education tabled over the past three decades, teachers providing music education to children with additional needs (e.g., First Nations children; children from low socio-economic circumstance; children from rural and remote communities; children with disabilities and impairments) should be acknowledged. Music educators embrace the notion of inclusive, differentiated music education in classrooms and the broader community. Teachers of music and the arts must be included.

Improving teacher supply

The actions proposed will be effective in increasing the number of students entering ITE, number of students completing ITE and the number of teachers staying in and/or returning to the profession.

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

5. The sMAG committee endorses this action and has been calling for Music Specialisation or Graduate Certificate within ITEs for decades.

Equal Access and Clear guidelines for training in ALL learning areas.
There is no formal designation for what constitutes a primary music specialist outside of Queensland. This must be addressed to ensure specialisations are clearly outlined and course and unit learning outcomes in the university align.
Most university education departments are supplementing their traditional four-year, self-contained teaching degrees with a two-year Master of Teaching (M.Teach) program which requires a bachelor’s degree in any discipline. Under the influence of state-based teacher registration boards and the national Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, the amount of music education training that can be delivered during the MTeach is very low. We would endorse minimum hours and demonstration of skills in the ATA Authentic Teacher Assessment.
Funding of CSP for Primary Music Specialisations
There are currently very few pathways to specialise in primary music education. Under the current system, the closest approximation to a primary music specialist would be a student who undertakes a Bachelor of Music (BMus) and several Arts education units as part of their MTeach.
Several factors inhibit this student’s ability to become a competent primary music teacher. Firstly, Bachelor of Music degrees are predominantly focused on performance rather than music teaching. Secondly, conservatoria and education departments rarely collaborate to improve pathways for BMus students to matriculate into MTeach programs.
Thirdly, collaboration with professional development associations who provide in-service teacher training, is low due to funding and time constraints. Finally, there is no system-wide understanding as to what outcomes are desirable for graduate primary music teachers.
We would advocate for bursaries for primary music education at the tertiary level and for Music and The Arts to be included as a target learning area.
Trialling music industry partnerships and TAFE pathways for music education would be valuable in regional areas.

Strengthening Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

The actions proposed will ensure initial teacher education supports teacher supply and quality.

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

The connection between the recommendations for increasing the number of students entering Initial Teacher Education (ITE), number of students completing ITE and the number of teachers staying in and/or returning to the profession are significant.
Employment based pathways only exist if there is a job at the end and for Music Education this is not always the case. There is not enough funding for Primary Schools to fund Music Education properly. In Victoria especially, no mandated hours for music education means that one year you may have a job and the next not.

SMAG endorses all of the recommendations especially for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People to become an instrumental teacher or registered music teacher.

Growing and Nurturing Educators project, in partnership with Independent schools and the tertiary sector to provide an alternative employment based pathway through teacher education has arisen as these school value and protect music education. ALL children deserve and have a right to an education that includes music.

• strengthening initial teacher education programs to deliver effective classroom ready teachers, with particular attention to teaching reading, literacy and numeracy, classroom management, cultural responsiveness, teaching students with diverse needs and working with families/carers - SMAG would add that Music education is most valuable in strengthening the teaching of reading, literacy and numeracy, as well as significant classroom management and behaviour management strategies. It is particularly significant in strengthening cultural responsiveness, working with differentiation and building community.

Professional Experience Placements - How can pre-service teachers have experiences of quality music education when there are no music educators in schools? We would advocate that ITE providers introduce a mandatory number of hours and experiences in Music Education that must be assessed by VIT and delivered by Accredited providers.
The sMAG committee endorses the development of a framework that recognises previous study and skills.

Maximising the time to teach

The actions proposed will improve retention and free up teachers to focus on teaching and collaboration.

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

The sMAG committee endorses this action. There is a lack of access to and understanding of cutting-edge research into music education and brain development among school principals and other leaders. Music Teachers are significantly disadvantaged in a system that does not know or understand what a music teacher does. A deeper understanding of the nature of music education provision and all that it takes to teach and sustain the school community is required.

15. Pilots must not be used to cut hours in learning areas such as music education. Equity of support for non-teaching activities must be ensured. For example preparation of science equipment and sporting equipment and music equipment should be seen as equal.

Curriculum content descriptors and how reporting and assessment is undertaken might be reviewed. We would advocate streamlined reporting and assessment requirements for schools and teachers, removing administrative burdens in the collection of student information, and the provision of non-contact time for all teachers in their agreements.

16.Queensland Curriculum into the Classroom (C2C) program provides up-to-date quality assured curriculum and assessment materials for all learning areas across Foundation to Year 10, and may be used as provided or adapted to local contexts. ALL Learning Areas is a key element. Music and the arts MUST be considered as an essential learning area.
The ability for the general public to see and compare schools via NAPLAN results (published on the MySchool website) has forced literacy and numeracy into a privileged position over all other subject areas. The impact of a STEM curriculum focus has done the same for STEM subjects and content. We do not wish to see music education monitored in the same way but we do advocate for acknowledgement of the benefits of learning in and through arts education and music.
18. Undergraduate teachers are rarely, if ever, placed with specialist Music teachers in primary schools. To improve outcomes in developing Music education shortages, undergraduate teachers need to be provided with the opportunity to specialise in music ed and be placed with a music specialist whilst on placement.

Better understanding future teacher workforce needs

How effective are the proposed actions in better understanding future teacher workforce needs, including the number of teachers required?

Moderately effective

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

19. The sMAG committee endorses this action and would be happy to assist with developing Music specific standards, including those working with children with additional needs.
20. The sMAG committee endorses this action. We would add that data is gathered from a wide perspective and includes ALL learning areas as equal.
21. The sMAG committee endorses this action and recommends that there be specific accreditation standards and criteria for each learning area taught in schools.
22. The sMAG committee endorses this action. However we would add that Victorian Schools and the education department are significantly disadvantaging their teachers by not including the same level of importance or hors to arts education as Queensland.
23 The sMAG committee endorses this action. To achieve this outcome, teachers would need assurances that their answers to data collection questionnaires are fully confidential. There may be reasons of culture within every school that pushes some teachers out of the profession.

Better career pathways to support and retain teachers in the profession

The proposed actions will improve career pathways, including through streamlining the process for Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) accreditation, and providing better professional support for teachers to retain them in the profession.

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

24 The sMAG committee endorses this action.
Music education specialists rarely, if ever, receive promotion.
Primary Music Specialist Teaching positions are rarely on-going, and this presents a significant barrier to retention of qualified staff and provision of a quality music education program. It does not engender a commitment to improvement or sustenance of a highly qualified music education specialist
Due to the isolated nature of their work, and the emphasis on literacy and numeracy, music education specialists are less likely to be offered promotional opportunities than generalist classroom teachers and their positions are less secure.
We would advocate that more permanent positions for music education are made available and that aspirational opportunities are provided equally
LEAP and PDP programs should include retraining to music education and Music as a learning area should be included as a teaching area of need.

We would also advocate that as part of the standards for middle leaders, an understanding of the benefits of music education to many areas of their school’s social, cultural and cognitive growth and development be included as an area of knowledge and that cutting-edge research into music education and brain development be made available.
We would also advocate for regional and rural support for music education.

25. The sMAG committee endorses this action. The guidelines will have regard to the needs of specific groups, ie Music and Arts Education including inclusive practice for supporting students with diverse learning needs, First Nations teachers and teachers in regional and remote areas.
26. The sMAG committee endorses this action. and ask that this include the importance of music to First Nations peoples.
27 Music Teachers must be included.
28 The sMAG committee endorses this action.
A suite of professional development programs/micro credentials for graduate/early career music teachers be developed for those working with children with additional needs.