Professional Documents
Culture Documents
How Do The Music Subject Leaders Help To Manage The Primary Music Curriculum?
How Do The Music Subject Leaders Help To Manage The Primary Music Curriculum?
MUM100
Dr.Carol A. Gartrell
Kaewalin Prasertchang
MA in Music Education
K0733740
1
How do the music subject leaders help to manage the primary music
curriculum?
The study of music has always been important for people in society. In England, the
National Curriculum provides a structure for music education in the curriculum so that people learn
about music from a young age. Therefore, every school must have timetabled music lesson for
every child. The National Music Curriculum separates study into four key stages. Moreover, it is
important to have skilled music teachers to teach those children in the school.
• Beauchamp, Gary and Harvey, Janet, ‘It’s one of those scary areas’: Leadership and
(2006), 5-22
• Holden, Hillary and Button, Stuart, 'The teaching of music in the primary school by
the non-music specialist', British Journal of Music Education 23:1 (2006), 23-38
The purpose of first article is to study the role of the music subject leader or the music co-
ordinator in primary school from the leadership and management perspective. The data was
collected by the interviewing three subject leaders from three primary schools with successful
music programmes. All of the subject leaders have responsibility to manage the music curriculum
in the school by working with the head teacher, who plays an important role, ‘any decisions
regarding their area of responsibility would be taken by the head teacher and not by themselves.’
The second article considers teaching of music by non-music specialists. Moreover, this
2
article also examines attitudes to teaching music, support for music teaching, the relationship
between the teachers’ confidence and training support, teaching experience and musical background
(Holden and Button, 2006). The data was collected by questionnaire survey and the follow-up
interviews. The concern of teaching abilities is one of the most important issues, because music
teaching may be carried out by non-specialist teacher who may not have the skills required.
In my opinion, music subject leader is the important position to control music education in
the school. The reason is because they will have a chance to communicate with other teachers in
the school. There are lots of responsibilities of music subject leaders for instance, they have to
organize and manage curriculum in the school, to manage music activities in school and to prepare
the resource for good lesson. There are different ways of managing effective music curriculum, and
Firstly, music subject leader position has become increasingly rare in state of education
(Hennessy, 1998). Beauchamp and Harvey have listed the management responsibilities that related
to music subject leader, which include supporting staff, involvement of peripatetic staff, extra-
curricular groups and organizing concerts (2006:12). Weichsell (2006), as cited by Beauchamp and
Harvey (2006:13), indicated that an important part of music subject leaders’ management style is to
make the staff felt comfortable to come and ask for advice. Holden and Button agree that:
‘These generalist teachers are now required to teach music to specific levels which demand skills of a very
high order, irrespective of their inadequate training in music and lack of confidence’ (2006:23).
At this stage, music subject leaders should support the development of their colleagues in
order to improve the quality of teaching music for the pupils in school, ‘Co-ordination in primary
schools is an offer to provide a supportive function for the classroom teachers in respect of a
particular subject area in the curriculum’ (Nelson, 1996:184). However Button and Potter (2006)
3
note that, some of the generalist music teacher did not feel comfortable asking the subject leader or
the head teacher, and would like music subject leader to guide them in their use of resources. With
all of that support, they believe it could help the non-specialist to teach music in school more
effectively.
On the other hand, Button and Potter (1999), as cited by Button and Potter (2006), state that
the general class teachers sometimes argue that music subject leaders are not necessary in the
classroom, because they consider that music subject leaders are not always more experienced, or
better qualified than general class teachers. Such teachers tend to be willing to learn or get advice
from the subject leader or even to study the new developments in music curriculum. Moreover,
many teachers find that they have uncomfortable feeling when music subject leaders present in their
classroom. Such research provides sometimes the expectations of teachers and head teachers
concerning the role of the music subject leader are not always in agreement.
Secondly, Beauchamp and Harvey (2006) believe that the subject leaders should work to
improve the confidence of the general music teacher by provide the musical knowledge through In-
Service Education and Training (INSET) and support in classroom. This provides professional
development and an opportunity for teachers to improve their skill and quality of teaching.
‘if non-specialists are helped to find the confidence through in-service training, have appropriate access to
resources, are provided with professional in-class support then music can be taught effectively by the non-
However, from the respondents in Holden and Button’s research (2006) make the point that
they do not think In-Service Education and Training (INSET) in music helps them to teach music
effectively. Moreover, Holden and Button note the reports and reviews that were instigated by the
Department for Education and Science that ‘music was more often taught by specialist teachers at
primary level, than any other subject’ (2006:25). Indeed, this evidence would suggest that music is
4
a special case and needs teachers who have wnough musical knowledge to be able to teach.
Gambarini (2006) concurs agree, ‘I think maybe music is different from other subject areas, because
it might almost be a bit more personal’ (Beauchamp and Harvey, 2006:18). This suggests that In-
Service Education and Training (INSET) do not help those teachers to improve their musical
There is the meaning of ‘Music specialist’, which is a teacher that has the musical
knowledge and ability to teach music to the children. By this reason, many of teachers in primary
schools think that they do not have enough musical ability or knowledge to teach music. In
addition, many instrumental teachers, such as those who teach guitar, voice and drum kit are also
aware that because they have had no formal music education, they have no ability to read the music
notation. So they think they cannot, or should not, teach music in school. Some generalist teachers
believe that music cannot be taught except by the specialist teachers (Hennessy, 1998). According
to Holden and Button, ‘[…] music was found to be the subject which most teachers ranked last on
The third point deals with the peripatetic instrumental teachers. The aspect that has to be
considered is many primary schools have the visit from the peripatetic instrumental teachers. Those
peripatetic teachers are the specialist who teach the insrtumental or manage some the ex-tra
currilular. As Ben-Tovim make a point that ‘the peripatetic teacher who are deployed by the music
Harvey (2006) report that some schools work close to the peripatetic teacher because they think that
when make them feel like the part of the school, it will make the big progress in the future. By
contrast, some schools have the different point of view, they mark that it is like the individual lesson
that teach in school. There is nothing between school and the teacher or with the parent.
Finaly, music subject leaders have to organize the extra-curricular activities in the school,
5
for example, the choir, orchestra, ensemble concert and preparing the programme. By this reason,
the music subject leaders should have the musical knowledge and skill because of the role that they
have in school. Although, Nelson explains that ‘The music co-ordinator may or may not have
particular musical expertise’ (1996:184). Weichsell (2006), as cited by Beauchamp and Harvey,
describes that ‘the subject like music sets its leadership and management apart from other subjects,
and therefore the subject leader can hold a degree of real power here’ (2006:14). If the subject
leader does not have musical knowledge will have a difficulty achieving such tasks without
specialist help.
Moreover, one of the most important issues is that music subject leaders need to address
concerns effective model for the curriculum, which provides the basis for everyday lessons. The
curriculum is the programme that set out what the teacher should teach the pupil. Music subject
leaders should try to revise the current music curriculum, to keep it up to date (Mill, 1991). The
most effective curriculum is to teach knowledge, musical skill and understanding in music in a way
that is suited to each pupil’s abilities. The curriculum needs to be accessible to both boys and girls,
The fundamental importance to the success of the good music curriculum is the support and
understanding of the head teacher and the school (Hennessy, 1998). Their work is also to provide
the framework and focus on what should the curriculum needed to deliver to the pupils. The good
curriculum is to allow the pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding through the
coursework, activities and the visit of the music specialist. The models for music education for the
primary pupils should allow the pupils to have the independently working by their own thinking. It
is the good idea to develop their musical knowledge, musical skill and understanding through the
music activities, such as the game or the music exercises by having the classroom teachers or the
6
In my opinion, the schools and the peripatetic teachers should work together to make the
good benefit to the music curriculum in school and for the pupils. Those peripatetic teachers are the
one who have the knowledge and experience in music area. It is generally recognize that many
pupils get the musical experience in the rehearsing and performing in the instrumental or choir
(Swanwick,1992). By this reason, the subject leader should work together with the peripatetic
teacher and find the best solution to create the effective management in the curriculum.
In conclusion, from all this evidence can shows how necessary to have music subject leaders
in school. Music subject leaders can help to manage and organize manythings in school as can be
seen from the two researchs. The good music subject leaders can work to give the total benefits for
pupils. They should have abilities to inspire and encourage other people, because originally they
have to work in collaborating with many people, such as, the head teacher and the classroom
teacher, the parents and pupils. Moreover, they have to discuss and decide to find the best
curriculum that suitable for the pupils and school. The music subject leaders have the role to
manage curriculum in school. Under such condition, the music curriculum in primary school will
be good or success from some point of view it depends on the knowledge and ability of the music
subject leader.
Word Count:1,856
7
Bibliography (by MHRA)
- Beauchamp, Gary and Harvey, Janet, ‘It’s one of those scary areas’: Leadership and
management of music in primary schools’, British Journal of Music Education 23:1 (2006),
5-22
- Ben-Tovim, Atarah, Children and Music: A handbook for parents, teacher and others
interested in the musical welfare for children, (London: Adam & Charles, 1979)
- Button, Start and Potter, Allison, ‘Changing roles: The music co-ordinator in the primary
<http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3765/is_200611/ai_n17194300>
- Hennessy, Sarah, 'Overcoming the red feeling: the development of confidence to teach
music in primary school amongst student teachers', British Journal of Music Education 17:2
(2000), 183-96
- Hennessy, Sarah, The subject leader’s handbook: Coordinating music across the primary
- Holden, Hillary and Button, Stuart, 'The teaching of music in the primary school by the non-
- Mills, Janet, Music in the Primary School (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991)
- Nelson, David, ‘Co-ordinating music in the primary school’, in Teaching Music in the
Primary School, ed. By Joanna Glover and Stephen Ward (London:Cassell, 1996), pp,184-
203
- Swanwick, Keith, Music Education and the National Curriculum (London: Tufnell Press,
1992)