A professionally trained music teacher teaches in all educational levels – from kindergarten to upper-secondary school. Due to that circumstance a music teacher training has to focus on providing wide-range knowledge and skills music education field, where professionalism is a prerequisite for a prospective music teacher’s position.

Our Song Celebration tradition, which is listed as UNESCO oral and intangible heritage, relies a lot on music teachers. A regular music teacher is the one who prepares all the school choirs for the participation in Song Celebration and therefore plays the crucial part in maintaining the cultural heritage.

Higher education in training a prospective music teacher is divided into the bachelor and master levels. The bachelor level degree can be any bachelor curriculum in the music field while in the master level the teacher training curriculum is required (not master in music).

Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre is the only institution running bachelor studies in music education.

Music education curriculum (bachelor 180 ECTS) is focussed on musical issues. The goals of the program are:

– forming a basis for personal development and growth as a prospective music teacher with musical competence, awareness of educational science, pedagogic determination and strong motivation to work in the field of music education;

– supporting an open learning environment that helps and further contributes to the specific skills and knowledge obtained from the curriculum;

– establishing conditions for personal and artistic growth;

– developing communicative competence, responsibility and co-operation abilities.

 Learning outcomes of the program

Upon completing the curriculum, the student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate educational and musical knowledge and apply skills and methods appropriate for music teaching at elementary and secondary (gymnasium) level.
2. Play an instrument and sing on a level that affords and contributes to music teaching at various elementary and secondary schools.
3. Reflect the student´s growth both as musicians and as persons, displaying
4. Apply a variety of thinking strategies and techniques that help solving a wide range of problems that can emerge in the process of learning and/or practicing music.
5. Display awareness of Western music history and music theory, and its cultural background in different periods.
6. Integrate the learnt topics, issues and musical material into one´s own musical projects in various ways.
7. Communicate and participate, both written and colloquial, in his/her own language of instruction, and at least one more language, in musical discussions and on various musical topics.
8. Successfully participate in team work and various initiatives that contribute to society and community in a wider and responsible way.
9. Assess critically one´s own level of knowledge and skills, and continue with music or pedagogical studies on the next academical level, or in other relevant and meaningful ways.

The music education curriculum in the bachelor level consists of the following components and modules:

• Music didactics and educational science and psychology (30 ECTS): C.Orff pedagogy, the method of relative solfeggio by Z.Kodály, musical activity of infants and small children, music teaching in general education schools, pedagogical practice, rhythmics in music education, educational sciences and general didactics, communication psychology, introduction to research etc.
• Practical courses of music (100 ECTS): choir, choral training, choral conducting, jazz-rhythmics, ensemble, main instrument in rhythmic music, jazz theory and solfedge, additional instrument, piano accompaniment and arrangements, solfeggio, etc
• Courses related to music theory, music history, and humanities (40 ECTS)
• Bachelor´s exam (10 ECTS).

Master level program – Music teacher (Master of Arts in Education) is offered as a joint program by Tallinn University and Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.

The  conditions of admission to the master level is the bachelor´s degree in music.

The objectives of the  study programme

The joint degree program is designed to provide a comprehensive academic education in music in the field of educational sciences and teacher training, the competence to work as a music teacher (at the primary school, basic school and upper secondary school level) and a readiness for continuing studies, including doctoral studies. To create opportunities to form a knowledge and research-based approach to teaching and a willingness for continuous professional development. To enable the development of a music teacher with an understanding of multicultural society who values national traditions and modern teaching methods.

The  learning outcomes of the study program.

The student:

• knows and understands the aims, principles and tendencies of music education, and values music in a broader socio-cultural context;
• has broad and systematic knowledge of educational sciences and subject didactics and practical skills for working as a music teacher in preschool, basic school or upper secondary school;
• is able to carry out musical activities and music lessons using the didactic possibilities included in various methodological approaches;
• is able to reflect on their activities as a music teacher, plan the student’s development and one’s further development in general educational and interdisciplinary competences;
• orients in music history, music theory and different music genres, applying this knowledge in practical activities, and is able to play music at a level adequate for a music teacher;
• has acquired the knowledge and skills for conducting scientific research in their profession;
• is able to work with different target groups and to treat specific expertise in the broader context of society and culture, and to express themselves professionally in at least one foreign language.

The music teacher curricula  in the master level consists of the following modules and subjects:

• Research in Educational Sciences (6 ECTS)
• Subject-specific courses (27 ECTS). Compulsory: classroom strategies for interactive music learning; foundations, philosophy and history of music education; piano free accompaniment, recorder in classroom; voice training. Elective: basic training cource in rhythm section instruments, ensemble etc
• Subjects in General Educational Science and Psychology (30 ECTS). Compulsory: emotional and social aspects of learning; supporting learning and development; differentiation of instruction; teacher and student as learners in school and society. Elective: educational technology in school, qualitative and quantitative methods in educational studies etc.
• Subject-specific didactics and placement (37 ECTS): teacher training practice, music education didactics, music teacher`s main school practice, music didactics for early childhood and preschool, practice for early childhood and preschool
• Electives (2 ECTS)
• Master’s Thesis (18 ECTS)

Find more:

Song Celebration  https://2019.laulupidu.ee/en/song-celebration/

Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre  https://ema.edu.ee/en