Music Teacher Education Partnerships as Professional development

This paper reports my reflections on a partnership between a school and the university carried out in Semester One 2008 by the music education specialist in the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary/Secondary) Course at a University in Melbourne. The students have a specific ‘situated learning ’ experience at a primary school, and their five-week visit during the ten-week semester acts as onsite professional development by both the music teacher and myself. Good exemplars of best practice in music education are a form of professional development for students. I contend that provisions of such opportunities by universities can only improve teaching and learning and better prepare the students for entering the teaching profession. In this paper I report on my pre-service music education students ’ experience as school based music teaching and learning being an effective form of professional development. My reflections are supported by my observations and journal notes and are informed by self-study methodology. I consider the link between tertiary and school partnership as an effective way forward to improve both the teaching and learning of music education skills. Universities in Australia are increasingly encouraged to forge links with schools where students and teacher educators have the opportunity to observe best practice, engage in teaching and learning onsite and reflect on both content and pedagogical knowledge. Such practice promotes educational praxis for a sustainable future