Characteristics of Music Teachers and the Progress of Young Instrumentalists

Abstract

This study investigated the role of some key characteristics of teachers in the development of musical ability. Interviewing 257 children who differed in the extent of their instrumental mastery, it was discovered that the most successful learners regarded their teachers differently to those children who ceased music tuition. The more successful learners rated their first teacher higher than other learners on personal dimensions such as friendliness, and rated their current teacher higher than other learners on task-oriented professional dimensions such as pushiness.Additionally, the highly successful learners studied, on average, with more teachers than the other learners. These learners also generally received more individual instruction than the children who eventually ceased lessons. These findings confirm the importance of matching teacher characteristics to the changing requirements of learners in enabling the development of high levels of musical expertise.

A New Framework for Music Education Knowledge and Skill

“…The practitioner ratings of the Schulman categories, specifically the fact that both content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge clustered consistently at the top of the importance ratings, reinforce the belief that content knowledge is important but not sufficient to guarantee effective teaching (Davidson et al, 1998).…”

Instrumental Performance Expertise and Amount of Practice among Instrumental Students in a Conservatoire

“…These variables include differences in accumulated practice time, differences in initial starting age with instruction and deliberate practice, differences in the quality of instruction received during many years of practice and development (cf. Davidson, Moore, Sloboda & Howe, 1998), differences in repertoire and use of practice strategies (cf. Nielsen, 1999a, b), and differences in motivation and aspirations.…”

“What Is a Good Musician?” An Analysis of Student Beliefs

“…The support of both parents (McPherson 2009) and teachers (Davidson et al 1998) is vital to motivation. This finding should not be a surprise, given that parents represent the core of students' home social network, providing support or lack of support for school pursuits, and teachers often are critical to students' first formal exposure to the study of music.…”