A Study of Student Teachers’ Perceptions of Teaching the Arts in Primary Schools

Abstract

Recent reform of initial teacher education has changed the balance of school-based training of students and has increased teachers' responsibility for training them in schools. This article reports on a preliminary study of primary undergraduate student teachers' perceptions of their experience in schools on their second year and final teaching practices. Through questionnaires and structured interviews we sought students' views of the effectiveness of university-based courses in preparing them to teach the arts and their perceptions of the support given to them by teachers in trainingthem to teach art, dance, drama and music in schools. The findings raised concerns about the quality of experience currently being offered to students by teachers. Indications were that the number of students able to learn from the teachers about the four subjects was significantly low. The students' comments suggested that existing teacher expertise in these subjects was lacking and this raises issues regarding school-based initial teacher education as well as in-service training for teachers.

Musikkfaget i norsk grunnskole: Læreres kompetanse og valg av undervisningsinnhold i musikk

“…På niende trinn finner vi en ganske annen prioritering. Her vektlegges spill på instrumenter, lytting planlagt av laereren, musikkhistorie og sjangerforståelse og rytmisk orienterte aktiviteter, områder som i tillegg til musikkteori er assosiert med høyere kompetanse og med en musikeridentitet (Bouij, 1998;Green et al, 1998;Hallam et al, 2009). Videre ser pop/rock/hip hop ut til å vaere den dominerende musikksjangeren på ungdomstrinnet.…”

Students’ Perceived Competence to Teach Physical Education to Children Aged 7 to 11 Years in England

“…Green et al (1998) were concerned about the teaching of art, dance, drama and music in primary schools. The team sought students' views of the effectiveness of university courses to prepare them to teach the arts, the opportunities they had to teach them in school based work and the support which teachers gave in developing their skills in teaching the arts.…”

Developing Preservice Primary Teachers’ Confidence and Competence in Arts Education using Principles of Authentic Learning.

“…Furthermore, Green et al (1998) note that students are not encountering adequate opportunities to practise arts teaching or model their class teachers. Without sufficient practice or exposure to valuable role models in the arts, students are effectively entering the classroom with limited working knowledge of how arts classes should be taught.…”

“…Many universities are unable to address these seemingly insurmountable problems. Green, Chedzoy, Harris, Mitchell, Naughton, Rolfe & Stanton (1998) investigated student perceptions of how university courses have supported their practice in schools, as well as their readiness to train students in teaching art, dance, drama and music. Through qualitative interviewing, it was understood that students are not encountering adequate opportunities to practise arts teaching or model their class teachers, particularly in the subjects of dance and drama.…”