Assessment / Examination
Candidates for the Music teacher training must pass an entrance exam. At the Academy of Music (University of Ljubljana) it includes:
- a written test: first, the larger part of the test, includes tasks from fields of the harmony, counterpoint, music forms and music history. The second part is a short essay on different musical topics (30%);
- playing the piano (25 %);
- singing with an accompaniment (solfeggio is also included in this) (30%);
- a pedagogical interview with the candidate (15%).
Candidates who are successful at secondary music schools (music theory programmes) must do just the 3rd and 4th part of the entrance exam. Candidates who successfully finish general secondary schools (gymnasium) and additional music education from the music schools must pass all parts of the entrance exam.
Students study progress is assessed in all four years mainly through examinations. The form of the exam and the assessing time differ in relation to the nature, aims and tasks within the subject (written exam, aural exam, practical exam, combined exam, teaching portfolio, diary, observed teaching).
Teaching competence is assessed by university teachers (moderators of teaching practice), school teachers - mentors (partly) and peers (partly). The criteria for assessment are developed inside the course separately for students in years 1, 2, 3 and 4.
The final examination at the end of the study contains of:
- a final exam lecture at school (the student can choose the type of school),
- written work and defence of it (the student can choose the theme/title of the work and mentor),
- an aural exam – questions based on musical literature (students choose pieces from an extended list).
At the beginning of their time in school, the music teacher has the status of a trainee. Traineeship lasts for ten months. A teacher-mentor, an experienced music teacher, monitors the trainee and assesses him/her at the end of the traineeship. The report on trainees’ work is sent to the commission for professional examination. Once the traineeship has been successfully concluded the future music teacher takes a professional examination in front of the commission. After that examination the trainee is considered to be fully competent to work in the field of education and training.
Continuing professional development happens through programmes of knowledge improvement of professionals working in the field of education. In-service music teachers have the right to spend at least five working days per year attending improvement courses and to salary compensation due to their absence from work. Ljubljana Academy of Music is one of the institutions that offer such programmes, although these are not on an annual basis.
At the Faculty of Education, University of Maribor, it is only class teachers who have to pass the entrance exam to check their musical abilities. The absence of an entrance exam at the other two Slovenian Faculties of Education is a problem because some students have a low level of musical abilities. Further examinations through all four years of the study are carried out in similar ways as those mentioned in Music teacher training at Ljubljana. The final thesis can be also written on the musical area and defend on final graduate exam. The next stage is ten months of traineeship at a primary school and a professional examination. After that the class teacher is deemed fully competent for work with pupils.