Research Shorts: Professional Development in Music Education for Generalist Teaching Staff

This week I’m talking with Ruth Atkinson, author of Mastering Primary Music (Bloomsbury, 2018). Ruth has recently published a journal article ‘Incidental professional development in music education for generalist teaching staff through supporting pupils in expert-led authentic music projects’. The project researched the experience of ‘generalist teachers of children with special educational needs’ with a professional music organisation that had come and run projects in the schools.

The article explores how generalist staff in special school settings navigate feelings of anxiety about their own musical confidence, as Ruth explained:

‘Staff had lots to tell us about the importance of the music for their pupils. It was only when we asked how staff felt about being involved in the music project that they realised they hadn’t been nervous, which surprised them.’

This was one of the key findings of Ruth’s research, as she explained, ‘We found out that when teaching staff are busy concentrating on supporting pupils, they don’t feel nervous or self-conscious even when the activity is music-making (with experts running a music project in school). They also notice just how much the children benefit from music.’

I asked Ruth who this research was relevant for, and she said:

‘Since it is often the case that teaching staff lack confidence with music, headteachers and Music Hubs could find an approach like this useful for ‘breaking the ice’. It can make a good scene-setter for further music CPD, avoiding staff anxiety and at the same time convincing staff how valuable music is for children. It also represents a way of achieving more value for money from such expert-led initiatives.’

Ruth has recently retired from a career in education as a primary school teacher, headteacher, and then lecturer in Initial Teacher Education. She explained ‘I’ve championed non-elite music education throughout my teaching and in my research’.

Where can we find out more?

Read Ruth’s article here: “Incidental Professional Development in Music Education for Generalist Teaching Staff through Supporting Pupils in Expert-Led Authentic Music Projects.” British Journal of Music Education, 2024, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0265051724000184.

Read Ruth’s book, supporting generalist primary teachers to get started with teaching music.

Interview by Dr Sarah K. Whitfield – Research Manager for Music Mark