Music teaching as a profession. On professionalism and securing the quality of music teaching in Norwegian municipal schools of music and performing arts

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to reflect on whether and how music teaching can be understood as a profession, by looking into general traits of professions and seeing how they relate to music teaching. The discussion is centred on music teachers in the Norwegian municipal school of music and performing arts (MSMPA). For that reason, this article includes a section on the conditions of music teaching in Norway, as well as a discussion of music teachers’ professional identity. That is especially relevant considering how MSMPAs are transforming from traditional music schools into local resource centres for arts and culture. A key question is how quality is secured in music teaching in MSMPAs in Norway. Theories of professions provide the theoretical framework for the discussion. Organisational and performative traits of music teaching as a profession could be seen as mechanisms for securing its quality. The article also looks into different forms of knowledge and knowledge bases, and how we can understand them in relation to professions and music teaching. Music teaching draws on several fields of knowledge, much of which is tacit knowledge and embodied expertise, referring to the long tradition of the master/apprentice scheme. The relevance of discussing music teaching as a profession will be debated, and seen in relation to the ongoing public debate in Norway involving teachers’ working conditions. Keywords: music education, profession, school of music and performing arts, identity, quality