Curriculum
The hours dedicated to Music teacher training range according to each department’s programme studies. In Education Departments, music education is included with different emphases according to each institution. In Preschool departments (age 4-6) there is more focus on music pedagogy (45%), than in those for Primary (age 6-12) or Infantile departments (age 0-4) (see Graph 1), as is evident from the time given to music education courses in the whole curriculum. Music education can be taught in one or two semesters (3 to 6 hours per week) as a compulsory subject; in some departments this can be doubled. The limited focus on music courses in primary education teacher training might be due to the fact that music is expected to be taught in primary schools by specialists. This can be problematic because the number of music specialists may not be enough to cover the needs of all schools, in which case primary teachers are unprepared to cover the needs of music in the classroom.
- Graph 1: Average focus on music pedagogy at Educational Departments
Despite this situation, few hours are devoted to music teaching and learning in the programme of studies for generalists: 10% of their total programme of studies. In Music Education Departments 9 hours per week are allocated to modules on music education. An analysis of the focus of the studies offered at music departments, demonstrates that despite the fact that music specialists have a rich variety of music content in their curriculum, with a lot of weight given to music theory (65%) and artistic skills (29%), little time is allocated to music pedagogy (6%):
- Graph 2: Average focus on music pedagogy at Music Departments
The different weight given to music pedagogy in the different music departments can be seen in Graph 3.
Graph 3: Focus on music pedagogy at different Music Departments in Greece
The number of subjects, both obligatory and optional, offered for gaining a teaching qualification in Greek universities is 40. The programme of studies aims to involve students in gaining artistic and musical competencies at different levels or depth according to each institution: (a) in performance and composition; i.e. in music departments emphasis is on current skills in performance or orchestration, whilst in education departments, emphasis is put on learning basic performing or composing techniques on simple percussion instruments; (b) in music theory and history and (c) in music pedagogical and teaching competencies based on current inter-disciplinary approaches.
Music teacher training courses are closely linked to work in schools although some more progressive approaches might also be introduced. Those new teaching approaches aim to help student teachers develop their teaching identity and to get in touch with current music educational approaches. The organisation and length of teaching practice in schools for students involves observation of actual music lessons as well as teaching in primary or secondary schools for ten lessons of 40 minutes. The students in education departments are involved in observation of lessons and then actual teaching for 4 semesters. The actual teaching of music mostly in preschool settings, takes place in one semester midway through their studies. Thus, music is part of their general preparation for teaching. In their last year of studies, generalist teachers are responsible for the whole school programme with one class; they can decide on the different ways of integrating music or interdisciplinary approaches within their teaching.
The quota for ECTS for the whole pedagogical/teaching field as well as for the students’ teaching practice in schools has not yet been decided upon all universities in Greece, as the system of teaching credits that each university decides is still being explored.