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Understanding music teachers’ perceptions of themselves and their work: An Importance–Confidence Analysis

Teachers’ confidence in navigating the complexities of ‘being a teacher’ influence their behaviour, how they are perceived, how they make sense of their environment and circumstances and their successes. A web-based survey was developed and distributed to music teachers via an online community of practice. This paper reports on the respondents’ self-reported confidence through the use of an Importance-Confidence Analysis. The responses of early career music teachers and experienced teachers are also compared to understand confidence over the career. Results show that both early career and later career teachers placed greater importance on pedagogical knowledge and skills relative to professional knowledge and skills and music knowledge and skills. Later career teachers reported greater confidence with respect to pedagogical knowledge and professional knowledge compared with teachers who were early in their career, whereas music knowledge and skills were viewed quite similarly by teachers across the career. The analysis highlights the need for ongoing support for experienced teachers alongside early career teachers. Recommendations are made for ongoing support to improve and assist teachers throughout their careers.