Playful (music) teaching and learning in Irish primary school classrooms

ABSTRACT

The value and importance of play for children’s well-being, learning and development is evidenced by its inclusion within the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and its increased policy and research presence on a national and international stage. However, with a need for educators and pupils to navigate a range of implicit tensions in understandings of play and formal learning, enactment of playful pedagogy in primary schools is not without its challenges. This article situates playful teaching and learning in the primary education sphere, drawing from the broader policy and research context, and findings from empirical case study research conducted with Irish primary school teachers (n = 6) exploring playful music pedagogy over a 6-week period in their classrooms in 2019. Results indicated teacher perceptions of a capacity for playful music pedagogy to facilitate deep, holistic learning in tandem with enhanced engagement and motivation for children. Also of note is a blurring of boundaries between play and work with implicit shifts to classroom culture, ownership, and associated movement outside comfort zones for teachers and pupils alike. Recommendations are made pertaining to cultural and policy shifts, and sustained support for educators in navigating tensions, paradoxes and challenges associated with implementing playful pedagogy in the Irish primary education context.

KEYWORDS:

• Play
• education
• primary school
• music
• policy
• ownership

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rachael Byrne

Rachael Byrne is currently seconded from her post as a primary school teacher, and working for the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in the role of Education Officer (Primary). She completed doctoral research on playful music pedagogy within Dublin City University, School of Arts Education and Movement. Her research interests are in music and arts education, playful pedagogy, curriculum, child voice, and teacher professional learning.

R. Murphy

Regina Murphy, PhD is Associate Professor and teacher educator at the Institute of Education, Dublin City University, Ireland. Socially inclusive music education is a key focus of her teaching and research interests. She recently led an longitudinal study of Creative Schools (2018-2022) and a further study that explored processes of inclusion and creativity in music education in schools. She currently chairs the NCCA Arts Education Development Group in reformulating primary arts education curriculum.

F. Ward

Dr Francis Ward is a music educator and ethnomusicologist based in Dublin City University. He teaches on a number of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, mainly focused on the area of primary music education. He also supervises a range of postgraduate research to doctoral level. A former Irish Research Scholar and Fulbright Scholar, Francis has published journal articles and book chapters on a variety of topics in the fields of music education and online learning.

U. McCabe

Una McCabe is a drama educator and Head of the School of Arts Education and Movement at Dublin City University Institute of Education. Her research interests and current research projects include drama, play, creativity and the arts.