Music PGCE

Who is the course designed for?

This programme will suit people who aspire to become excellent music teachers and want to develop their understanding of music education. We aim to develop reflective and dynamic practitioners who are committed to promoting the learning of all pupils and to helping every youngster to make music, both in the classroom and beyond. Graduates of this course have gone on to successful careers as classroom teachers, music service teachers and private teachers.

How does the training take place?

The full–time, one year, course starts in early September and continues through to the end of June, with breaks over Christmas and Easter. It aims, through a combined effort from the university and the partnership schools, to develop your knowledge of music and your teaching skills through a range of approaches: workshops, demonstrations, seminars, tutorials and visits to schools, through independent and group research and through working with music technology. It involves a highly interactive and practical approach to teaching and learning.

Are there any particular features of the course?

The university parts of the course are linked closely with practical work in schools. For example,

• A workshop on African music is closely followed by a visit to a school, to teach a group of children this topic
• An seminar on music technology is followed by a visit to help pupils use music technology
• An illustrated lecture on composing at GCSE is followed by a day, spent working with a small number of pupils, supporting them as they tackle a GCSE composition
• A workshop on music for Special Educational Needs is followed by two visits to a Special School, to observe and to teach groups of children
• A taught session about teaching style and analysis to A Level students is followed by a visit to a Sixth Form College to observe the teaching of A Level music

The course has close links with a large variety of schools, with Southampton Music Service, Hampshire Music Service and Taunton’s College. During your work with schools you will have the support of trained mentors and, in the university, the support of competent and knowledgeable tutors. Another feature of the course is the strong mutual support given by the PGCE group to one another.

The central focus of the course is on teaching music in a challenging and accessible way, understanding how children learn and how teachers can make this process exciting and rewarding.

Modelling a keyboard-based task

If someone is interested in this course, how would you recommend them prepare for the course?

You should try to spend some time in one or more secondary schools, observing music teachers and working with pupils. Reflect on what makes a ‘good’ lesson and ask yourself, ‘Would I enjoy teaching music in school?’

It is also helpful to do some teaching, perhaps instrumental or vocal teaching. Think about the people you have taught: how each person learns, what interests them, motivates them, and what teaching strategies best help them develop musically.

Broaden your own knowledge of music. In addition to your own specialism(s) it is helpful to know something about classical and popular music, world music, folk music and jazz. It is also helpful to know something about music technology – to be acquainted with software such as Sibelius, Cubase or Logic. Playing an instrument that can accompany others – piano or guitar – is useful. Although it isn’t necessary to be a virtuoso player, you should be able to play your instrument to a competent standard, and you need a reasonably secure knowledge of music theory.

Visit websites which are related to music education such as the Music Teachers’ Resource Site (www.mtrs.co.uk) The Subject Resource Network for Music (www.music-ite.org.uk) Sound Junction (www.soundjunction.org/section1/default.aspa) The music National Curriculum (curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/subjects/music/index.aspx) or the Musical Futures’ NuMu site (www.numu.org.uk/numuhq/index.asp). When you visit such a website, think ‘what sort of information is presented here, and how could I use it?’

Dr Tim Cain

We aim to help you become an inspiring and practical music teacher. In the process, it is hoped that you will become,

An even better person than you already are:

• A more confident and imaginative communicator
• A more effective and inspiring motivator
• A more reflective and divergent thinker
• A more empathic and understanding listener
• A more open and self-critical colleague

And an even better musician than you already are:

• With a broader knowledge of music
• With a deeper understanding of what music means to people
• Able to teach music musically
• Able to learn new skills

Working with groups

Much of the course takes place in two partner schools, chosen so as to give you a variety of experience. The university-based sessions often consist of practical workshops, where students can develop their musical skills as well as learning the pedagogical knowledge needed to teach. There are visits to schools and other educational sites during the course and post 16 teaching is taught in association with the staff at Taunton’s College.

Throughout the Music Programme there are five Key Themes:

1. Qualifying to teach
2. Myself as a teacher of music
3. Students as learners
4. Resources for learning
5. Developing and using a set of principles

1. Qualifying to teach

This theme underlies everything on the programme, and consists of the Q Standards, set out by the Training and Development Agency (TDA). It includes the values, skills, understanding and knowledge you need to be a teacher in England at the present time.

2. Myself as a teacher of music

Although the first theme is the most important, it is quite general – not specific to Music. Music teaching is different from History or Mathematics (although there is some overlap with both subjects) and this theme will help you to teach music musically – in a way which is true to the subject. From the beginning of the course through to the end, you will work on improving your skills, knowledge and understanding in the following areas:

• Singing
• Playing
• Improvising
• Composing & arranging
• Harmony
• Counterpoint
• Analysis
• Conducting & directing.
• Recording & PA
• Sequencing
• Scorewriting
• Internet, CD-ROM & presentation software
• World music
• Popular music
• Western classical music

3. Students as learners

Understanding and motivating school students is a major element of the course. You will develop your understanding of the following issues, as they relate to music:

Performing in the classroom

4. Resources for learning

Although you, as a teacher, are the main resource for the learners, it is impossible for you to give individual help to 30 or more students simultaneously. It is important to be able to produce good, user-friendly resources that will inspire and support students’ learning. Increasingly, the use of electronic technology is making resources easier to create and to edit and, as a teacher, you need to be critically aware of the need to adapt resources to the individual students in front of you. In this theme, you will produce resources for learning, both individually and as a member of a group.

5. Developing and using a set of principles

This theme helps you anchor your decisions to your personal beliefs and your ethical and moral code, and will make it easier for you to chart your own course in the face of conflicting demands. The following key questions can be used for stimulating your thinking about this theme.

• What is music?
• Why should it be taught in schools?
• Is some music better than others?
• What sort of music should be taught in schools?
• Is everyone musical?
• What is creativity?
• Can it be taught?

Trainees are assessed formatively and summatively across the course. This ensures that progress is reviewed regularly and you are aware of the progress being made against the Standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). There are informal activities that need to be completed, and are important in developing a deeper insight into effective teaching.

Besides completion of all subject based tasks there are three elements common to all trainees in order to complete the course successfully. All trainees have to demonstrate that their teaching is suitable to meet the Standards for QTS. Secondly, as part of the Standards everyone must pass QTS skills tests in literacy, numeracy and ICT (there is a TDA test centre on campus). Finally everyone must pass two major assignments, called the Curriculum Subject Assignment (CSA) and Special Study Assignment (SSA). The CSA is based in an aspect of subject teaching, whereas the SSA is based around a study of a whole school issue. The assignments are marked at Masters level and if successful trainees will leave with 60 credits towards a Masters degree and a Post-graduate Certificate in Education. It is possible to complete these two assignments at H level, which will lead to the award of a Professional Certificate in Education. Both awards lead to QTS and therefore enable you to teach in school.

Careers Prospects:

Teaching is a rewarding profession in more ways than one, offering fantastic career prospects and development opportunities. The variety of potential career paths available can see you enjoy all kinds of experiences, roles and responsibilities. In secondary schools you can move up the management structure to gain responsibility as a subject leader or beyond. In addition many teachers have responsibility for aspects of school life, such as supervising Newly Qualified Teachers, having responsibility for coordinating provision for Gifted and Talented pupils, having a pastoral role.

Ultimately, you could progress to a senior management position such as deputy or assistant head and/or headteacher - at which point you would have overall responsibility for the management of a school and the education its pupils receive.

The course at Southampton provides you with a very firm foundation for your teaching career. We have high employment rates from the course and many trainees are actually employed in our partnership schools. The Masters credits are an additional boost to your career. There is a growing expectation that increasingly teachers will gain Masters level qualifications. Not only do we offer the chance of gaining 60 credits at the start of your career, but we have developed a number of routes for teachers to continue their study, allowing them to obtain a full Masters degree.

This course is designed for those with a degree in music, although applications from those whose degrees contain a substantial amount of music, and degree-equivalent diplomas from music colleges are also welcome. The course has a large practical component and good performing and musicianship skills are an advantage.

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Details on how to apply for the Secondary PGCE are available here...

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