Music Teacher Training in The Netherlands

I. Background / Organisation

II. Curriculum

III. Learning and Teaching Approaches

IV. Assessment / Examination

V. Current and Future Challenges

I. Background / Organisation

In The Netherlands music education cannot be seen as an isolated domain or subject – music education should be seen in a general context of education in art and culture. Culture and school has the aim to make pupils familiar with art and cultural heritage. By offering more education with and about culture, pupils learn to know the value of art and culture. This will widen insight and activates creative talents. The national government is concentrating on structural provisions for schools, teachers and pupils, knowledge development and communication about cultural education.

Training for music teachers is provided by ten conservatoires and one university:

Conservatoires offer two kinds of programmes: Bachelor/Master of Music (Musician) and Bachelor/Master of Music in Education (Music Teacher). Music teachers for primary and secondary schools are educated in the programme Bachelor of Music in Education. Instrumental teachers are mostly trained in the programme Bachelor of Music. The Master studies at conservatoires are quite new. Most Master studies focus on Art Education in general. There is one institute (The Hague) which has a Master in music pedagogy.

Music teacher training in universities: A music teacher trained at a university has studied musicology (Master) plus an additional programme – a one year curriculum which leads to a certificate of a two year Master programme.

Music teacher training for primary and secondary education: Specialist music teachers are rare in primary education. General teachers are trained in teacher training colleges (PABO) and receive minimal music instruction as part of their training. Sometimes specific music programmes are added to the general curriculum by bringing in professional musicians or through cooperation with the local music school. In secondary education, music is taught by a specialist teacher. Most music teachers are trained in a conservatoire (Music teacher programme).

Most of the teacher training programmes in The Netherlands at Bachelor level, certificate for the lower levels (e.g. secondary schools up until the age of 14). Teacher training in Music, Gymnastics and Fine Arts is an exception. Music teacher training certificates for all levels of education. This means that there is an ungraded system. In practice this means a certified music teacher can teach at all levels - from primary to secondary and even in higher education. In principle, there is no specific orientation towards primary or secondary, although secondary education has the most focus in Music teacher training. There are just a few students who follow a Master’s programme.

Recently the name for Music teacher training programmes was changed from “school music” to Music Teacher (“Opleiding Docent Muziek”). The new term fits better with the description of the programme and the competencies of the students. The field of music and art education is rapidly changing and music teachers also have ambitions to work in community settings and as educational workers for professional organisations, such as orchestras and concert venues.

II. Curriculum

Bachelor of Music in Education

Specialist music teachers for primary and secondary schools are educated through this programme (the Music teacher programme or Bachelor of Music in Education). This programme is offered by almost all conservatoires; it is a four year full time programme. Each institution has autonomy to develop its own curriculum and its own profile by placing certain emphases on the study programme. However, the curriculum must fit the learning outcomes and competencies described by the HBO-raad (the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences) and the Dutch government. (Once every four years the institutions are reviewed by a special external committee for quality assurance; in future, the music teacher programmes will be subject to the new accreditation system for higher education.) On average, a total of 120 students start music teacher training each year. In general, for primary and the first level of secondary education (year 1-3/4) prospective teachers must hold a Bachelor (second degree) and for higher levels of secondary education a Masters (first degree). For music teachers and sports however a Bachelor degree leads to a qualification to teach at both levels.

The curriculum consists of three domains in which knowledge, skills and personal characteristics are developed in an integrated way. There is a balance in musical, theoretical and pedagogic-didactical skills. In general there is a strong emphasis on artistic and musical skills, although this differs from institute to institute. Students have classes which is focus on musical development:

·         a weekly lesson in their main instrument (at some institutes, for up to four years);

·         choir singing;

·         recitals (pop, jazz, classic, mixed);

·         lessons in improvisation and composition;

·         lessons in playing pop/rock music and non-western music (e.g. African drumming);

·         music history and music theory lessons: understanding of musical principles and structures (aural, analytical, theoretical); knowledge and understanding of music history up until modern times;

·         some institutes offer music philosophy.

In some lessons with a focus on artistic and musical development there is also a didactic angle: singing lessons, piano lessons, pop lessons, conducting and combo playing.

During the educational programme students are asked to reflect on all these skills in an integrated way. The practice of teaching pedagogic-didactic and musical skills (e.g. adequate and tasteful piano accompaniment, care for musical quality) is equally important.

In general all genres and styles are represented (classical, pop and rock, jazz and world music). Approximately 50% of the students have expertise in classical music and 50% in pop/rock and jazz. In all programmes students learn focus on all genres and styles, but depending on the main musical expertise of the student, a certain genre can be trained more extensively. Increasingly, however, there are students who have a more broad background when they enter the course (e.g. playing classical, jazz and rock/pop). Folk music is not present.

Didactics includes didactic, philosophy of education, pedagogy, etc. School practice includes work placement, orientation in the field of work (all in educational settings outside the training institute). Music theory consists of solfège, theory, music history, etc. Musical skills covers a main instrument, accompaniment at the piano, singing, choir, ensemble leading, arranging, composing, improvising, rock and pop music making, etc. Choice means that the student can go deeply into an area of own choice (e.g. musical skills or pedagogy).

III. Learning and Teaching Approaches

The majority of the curriculum is fixed. Students can, however, make choices in what/how they want to develop specific skills/needs. Most lessons are in small groups (with maximum of 10-15 students). There is much emphasis on group work; lectures are limited. There is some ‘micro-teaching’ as part of the course. Teaching skills are learned by observations and teaching practice in schools. Students are placed in different schools during the programme; in the fourth year a period is spent on independent teaching.

IV. Assessment / Examination

Below is an example of how assessment and examinations are organized in one of the institutes (the Royal Conservatoire). This approach is more or less the same in all institutes.

V. Current and Future Challenges

The main change in higher education was the implementation of the Bachelor and Master degree system (in 2002). Currently all study programmes at conservatoires, including Music teacher training are being accredited. A major problem is still the available study time. Some years ago the music teacher programme was reduced from five to four years. At the same time the field of study was broadened because of the introduction of an interdisciplinary art subject in schools. Art as an interdisciplinary subject asks for extra knowledge and skills by music teachers. Currently there is discussion going on to decide whether a Master level could solve part of this problem.