In Search of New Routes

Since 1974, many teachers, musicians, scholars, and researchers have been making strong efforts to promote and establish music composition as an integral and regular activity within music education in general schools. However, and despite the excellent composition practices that were and are developed in some of our classrooms, the truth is that it is not yet possible to say that music composition has become widespread in Portuguese general schools.

From my experience working as a teacher and researcher in several schools, and also from discussing these matters with music education teachers and researchers, I still feel there is a certain anxiety when it comes to plan and implement music composition projects in the classroom. Teachers seem to fear failing in planning the adequate strategies; that their pupils—not used to this kind of activities— will not commit themselves to work seriously; that they will be unable to manage a noisy and chaotic classroom; that in the end they have nothing to present as a fruit of their work. It is in this way that I have to admit—not without some perplexity—that even now, in 2020, it is possible to find in Mota’s words, written in 2001, a significant parallel in relation to what is happening today:

Although the curriculum clearly prescribes the three areas of composing, listening and performing, composition is largely excluded. Children, instead, do a lot of notation, music reading and aural-training activities which often diminish their motivation to continue learning music. This is exacerbated by the way in which some teachers who have difficulty managing the classroom environment use these activities as a means of controlling pupils: other, more interesting musical activities, such as composing and performing, are thus perceived as being of secondary importance. (Mota, 2001, p. 155)

Analyzing what has been described in the first part of this chapter, it is clear that part of the problem seems to be related to the teachers themselves and to their education in college and university (Economidou Stavrou, 2013; Kaschub & Smith, 2013; Mota, 2007; Stringham, 2016). Thus, to address this issue in Portugal, I suggest four changes be made to teacher preparation. First, initial teacher training should focus more on creativity and creative activities, both in theoretical and in practical terms, through the development of workshops, seminars, and projects involving professors, researchers in the field, and also contemporary composers and musicians.

These moments should be organized in such a way that teacher- students have enough room to reflect on their perceptions, beliefs, doubts, and fears in shared, open dialogues with all those involved in their training. Learning is strictly related to the reorganization and transformation of old perspectives into new ones (O’Neill, 2012). Leading students to such moments where they might move beyond their pre-conceptions and beliefs should, therefore, be an aim of all learning institutions, including, of course, the colleges and universities that educate future music education teachers.

Second, teachers should have more time during their teacher training period to implement creative projects and activities in the classrooms, working together—and as soon as possible—with children and youth. This would give them more confidence, as they would have the opportunity to see, listen, and analyze their planned projects and activities in real contexts, critically reflecting on children’s’ words, actions, feelings, and ideas.

Third, these moments shouldn’t be exclusive of initial teacher training. On the contrary. Teachers should have the opportunity to engage and participate in such educational initiatives throughout their professional lives, so that their practice might not stagnate in time.

Finally, it would also be necessary to give teachers new tools and materials to teach. The old classroom, equipped with a few Orff instruments and soprano recorders, and with desks and chairs distributed in rows, is no longer appropriate. Schools and teachers need autonomy to organize their classrooms in line with the projects that are being developed, modifying issues related to space and time according to the best interest of their pupils. They also need new musical instruments, related to contemporary practices of different styles and genres, and equipment related with music technology.

A special note here should be made in recognizing that the digital age has enriched and transformed music-making through unique and appealing resources. Nowadays, children and youth are very familiar with electronic and digital tools in other realms of their experience (O’Neill, 2015; Seedorf & Schultz, 2017). Why shouldn’t teachers enhance those skills in their music education classrooms? This would be an excellent way not only to strengthen children’s expertise on electronic and digital devices and means, but also to promote the development of music projects where they might combine acoustic and digital resources, acknowledging students’ diverse cultural backgrounds, and opening them to other creative possibilities.

Throughout this process that involves multiple interactions of numerous and sometimes quite different realities, it seems also important that the teacher might look at herself not as the “holder of the truth” but as another, more skilled collaborator. A musician that brings into the classroom, like the rest of her pupils, all her musical and non-musical past experiences. Someone who is open to share these experiences with her pupils—guiding them on their individual and collaborative paths, broadening their horizons while reflecting, questioning, and challenging—can create a musical community where pupils might feel safe to try, to explore, or as Ranciere (1991) would put it, “to speak.”

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Boal Palheiros, G. & Encarna^ao, M. (2008). Music education as extra-curricular activity in Portuguese primary schools. In G. Mota & S. Malbran (Eds.) Proceedings of the XXIIISME International Seminar on Research in Music Education. Porto, Portugal: ESE/FCT, p. 96-104.