How students learn to teach? A case study of instrumental lessons given by Latvian undergraduate performer students without prior teacher training

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe and discuss the way students of the Latvian Academy of Music teach before having entered a teacher training programme. Five hours of students’ teaching work was video-taped, analysed and discussed with them between the spring of 2010 and the winter of 2011. The descriptive and analytic results of this study were also contrasted with their own views on pedagogy, which were drawn from a previous study that had been conducted with the same students and their peers in the fall of 2009. The role of the teaching habits and skills that students have acquired from their own teaching, temperament or background is discussed, as well as their needs starting teacher training. Suggestions for improving teacher training practices are put forth.

Keywords:

• performer-teacher
• teaching experience
• conservatoire student
• instrumental teacher training

Acknowledgements

This work has been supported by the European Social Fund within the project Support for Doctoral Studies at University of Latvia