Music for Every Child, Every Week!
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 128 No 4, 9 June 2023, page no.17
Since the 1970s, Queensland has led the way in providing an in-depth study of music for children in classrooms across the state through the delivery of our world-class instrumental music programs.
Music was selected for its scientifically proven benefits for brain development, as well as the positive impact on wellbeing for students. This decision was made, not to diminish other arts subjects, but to provide deep learning in music.
During my primary years, music was taught by a music specialist and the classroom teacher would then deliver a follow-up lesson. This enabled me to develop the foundations and understanding of music, and from there to learn the trumpet through the instrumental music program. These days, specialist music teachers are resourced explicitly through the allocative model (music, physical education, and languages) so that students receive at least 30 minutes of teaching a week.
With the introduction of the Australian Curriculum, teachers and school leaders have dealt with the pressure of workload intensification to deliver quality learning experiences to students, which in turn has seen a reduction of music delivery in primary schools.
The Music for Every Child, Every Week campaign has been around for a couple of years now and as a result of QTU primary music specialist teacher advocacy, late last year the government committed to ensuring that every child in state primary schools is taught music every week by trained specialist music teachers. The department, the government and the QTU should celebrate this as a success in the steps towards reinvigorating specialist music education in state primary schools to its former world class position.
The QTU has begun meeting with the department on a fortnightly basis to build on this commitment. Initial conversations have commenced between the relevant stakeholders, including universities, on how to increase specialist music teacher numbers. This may include a suite of solutions fast tracking existing teachers with music experience, and a sustainable new workforce of primary music specialists. In addition, discussions have expanded to also include how instrumental music teachers and instructors can overcome Queensland College of Teachers registration issues through similar pathways for primary music specialists.
So, what can you do to support music in primary schools?
- If you are a primary music teacher, check your classification. You need to be listed as EST - MUSIC or Snort – MUSIC etc. It must have music in the title. To check your classification: Go to OneSchool, click on “system administration”, “user access”, “my OneSchool profile”, and “staff appointments.” You can then see your last appointment (ie the school and the year) and your classification.If you are not listed as a music teacher, please contact your regional HR and ask them to change it. If you receive a “no” from HR, please let the QTU know by emailing services@qtu.asn.au with the subject: Refusal to change music teacher classification.
- Is your school not delivering music for every child every week? Please email services@qtu.asn.au with the subject: Music NOT delivered to every child every week. Include the information about how music is delivered in your school. The QTU and the department will work towards a Term 1 2024 timeframe to implement changes.
Change will not occur immediately, but change is coming.
As Vice-President of the QTU and a former instrumental and classroom primary music teacher myself, I am proud to be a part of the music cohort in Queensland.
"Thank you to all the IM members who have been involved in this campaign, particularly the members of the QTU Instrumental Music Special Interest Group."