The professional journeys of music teachers

This chapter will explore the professional journeys and experiences of music teachers in both primary and secondary contexts in England. These journeys and experiences can be rewarding but complex, and full of tensions and challenges. The chapter will embrace my passion for storytelling and use this to articulate the individual values, experiences and aspirations that contribute to shaping the wider phenomenon of music education in practice. Listening to the voices of other music teachers can shed light on the diversity of experience, shared concerns, and hopes for the future of music education.
More specifically, this chapter presents the findings of a small-scale study that explores the stories of eight music educators. Each educator has a story to tell that reveals their passion for music education, and the celebrations and tensions they have experienced. Themes that emerge from these narratives represent key debates and issues shaping school music education and the experience of music teachers, today. Implications for policy and practice arising from these stories are then outlined.