ERIC Number: ED328531
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1990
Pages: 25
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Teacher Education as Identity Construction. Music: A Case Study.
Roberts, Brian
Music education students appear to acquire an identity as a "musician" which they seem to construct as having the core meaning "performer." This paper addresses the question of the individual student's search for a clear identity in the dichotomy between the concept of "teacher" and that of "musician." The paper is based on a qualitative research initiative with data coming from participant observation and interviews with music education students in five Canadian universities over a period of 18 months. There is widespread disagreement about the nature of the "musician" who eventually ends up as a teacher in front of children in the schools. Interviews with music education students reveal a difficulty in clarifying their roles as "performer,""musician," and "teacher." These students typically view themselves as either a "performer" on some specific instrument or as a general "musician." It appears that this latter category is the perception of self for students who see themselves less able to compete for the "performer" status. Despite the fact that all of these students are training to become teachers, they see themselves not as teacher candidates but as musicians. (JD)
Publication Type: Opinion Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A