Music Teachers' Personal Concepts: Qualitative Classroom Research in Music Education

Abstract

How do music teachers reflect on planning and performing school lessons? How do their experiences influence their teaching arrangements? In a qualitative research project the author uses the "Individualkonzept" (personal concept) to explore what music teachers think while planning music lessons. In addition, the relationship between personal concepts and biographical experiences is investigated. In accordance with grounded theory methodology, interviews with teachers were analyzed first at the level of the single interviews; followed by developing a grounded theory about the music teachers' personal concepts and their embedding in biography. In doing so an integrative pattern emerged unfolding in time as a learning process. Results of the research suggest finding forms of in-service-training for teachers that will allow them to foster a self-conscious acquaintance with their own biographical background. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs080178