Research-to-Resource: Applying a Self-Care Framework to Music Education

Abstract

Self-care is a topic that has gained traction among helping professionals. It is considered a preventive health care measure used to promote physical and mental health as well as personal well-being. In this article, I use a self-care framework created for social workers and adapt it to music educators with the intention of aiding music teachers in practicing and maintaining their own self-care. The self-care framework is categorized into two dimensions—personal and professional self-care—which each contains various domains. Pragmatic strategies grounded in relevant literature in music education are described in each category within the self-care framework. By providing a self-care framework and relevant strategies, I aim to improve knowledge of self-care practices of music teachers.

The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Music Education: A Review of the Literature

“…As a result of research analysis (Miksza et al, 2021;Rickers, 2021;Zabanal, 2021), it is concluded that music teachers should take care of their personal and professional well-being because the risk of a high level of stress and negative well-being is greater than the population average. As a consequence of paying attention to personal well-being, the music teachers improve their effectiveness and provide a positive learning environment for students.…”

“…What should be done to make music teachers and students feel good while teaching and learning in today's changing environment? Researchers determined that teachers should be compassionate (Kaschub, 2020), improve their knowledge of how to take care of their well-being (Zabanal, 2021), achieve work-life balance (Rickers, 2021), and play music or listen to music (Merve et al, 2021). On the one hand, music teachers gain more energy by being excited about what they are doing (Zabanal, 2021), but on the other hand, they should manage work time and define tasks to reach a work-life balance (Rickers, 2021).…”

“…Researchers determined that teachers should be compassionate (Kaschub, 2020), improve their knowledge of how to take care of their well-being (Zabanal, 2021), achieve work-life balance (Rickers, 2021), and play music or listen to music (Merve et al, 2021). On the one hand, music teachers gain more energy by being excited about what they are doing (Zabanal, 2021), but on the other hand, they should manage work time and define tasks to reach a work-life balance (Rickers, 2021). Understanding the elements that lead to burnout and paying attention to personal feelings can help music teachers respond to stress and take a rest on time if they feel tense (Napoles, 2022).…”