Quality music education - chapter 3

The ideal music school management supports the music teachers∙e∙s in their daily work, communicates transparently when it has extra work to distribute and ensures that the teachers∙e∙s can understand the division of tasks. She senses when someone feels disadvantaged and then engages in dialogue with the teacher∙e concerned∙e.
The music school management is aware that most teachers have insufficient working hours at their school, forcing them to take on several additional jobs, whether as a music teacher, musician or in another field altogether. She therefore understands that teachers cannot always be available for all school duties outside the classroom, as this could lead to scheduling conflicts with their obligations in their other jobs. It also takes into account the fact that a person with a very small workload cannot take on as many additional tasks (meetings, presentation of instruments, conventions, talks with parents) as a person with a large workload.
The music school management ensures that classrooms are pleasant, well-lit and equipped with a tuned piano, both at the music school and in external classrooms such as elementary school halls, and also ensures that the infrastructure is suitable. She enables different forms of student performance, creates the basis for teaching and ensemble performance, and attends as many student concerts as possible. Her comments are encouraging and constructive, and teachers can accept the necessary criticism, as they generally feel valued.
The music school's management plans strategically, is creative in its conception of new teaching formats, takes creative ideas from teachers and examines whether they are feasible. In particular, it offers flexible subscriptions for adult courses, which could attract additional students. The management has a good network, and works with music school associations to improve working conditions for its employees. It lobbies for music teaching to be possible during normal school hours, and for the planning of new school models to take account of the need to provide time and space for music teaching. It also lobbies politicians to ensure that music teaching is not seen as an unimportant leisure activity, but as an essential part of a complete education. It works with other music schools, music school associations and professional associations of music teachers to create the legal basis for sufficient subsidies to offer as wide a range of courses as possible.

Policy

This brings us to politics and the question of how it can support quality music education. Politicians who promote music education understand that a favorable environment for music education doesn't come cheap. They∙elles resist the temptation to reduce the financial means allocated to music education, because they know that various studies have shown that music education is extremely beneficial for brain development, even if the first attempts on an instrument produce discordant sounds. They∙ellesunderstand that music education is therefore an important investment in the future. And they recognize that children and young people who receive musical training are more likely to join a music association or choir later on, i.e. associations that enrich local cultural life. They therefore allocate a reasonable budget to music education, and make a commitment in education policy not to forget, when planning compulsory school education, to provide space for music teaching. In the area of university policy, they ensure that a sufficient number of music teachers are trained in all classical and pop/jazz disciplines, and make the necessary financial resources available for these courses.