Working in the Creative Industry – Music Education Essay – Jonathan Woods

Throughout history, music education has been a crucial element in understanding not only how to create music but also how to appreciate creative expression and evoke a sense of multiculturalism. Music teachers are found in a variety of sectors of working life, whether they work in a school department, across a number of schools teaching whole-class, small-group or individual one-to-one lessons, or within the home. However, being a Music Teacher today comes with an array of different challenges and obstacles. In this essay, I will consider the qualifications required and the issues faced when working as a self-employed Music Teacher and consider how these compare with issues that might arise when working for an employer.

In the UK, to work in a State Secondary School as a Music Teacher, you are typically required to have completed some form of music-related undergraduate qualification, followed by a postgraduate teaching qualification, such as a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) (Department for Education, 2023). These allow you to develop the knowledge and skills both as a musician and a teacher to be able to seek employment in a school or music service. Most employers will favour those who have experience working with young people, which most will have gained on placement during their postgraduate teaching qualification. Extra-curricular practical work is also valued amongst employers, especially for classroom teachers, who require a broad knowledge of the subject. This is highlighted by Ofsted (2023) in a study about the strengths and weaknesses of music education:

In about a third of secondary schools, leaders had assumed that, because music teachers were ‘specialists’, they did not need further subject-specific training. In some schools, this meant that significant gaps in subject knowledge, such as how to teach singing, were not being addressed. In order to flourish, music depends on strong and flexible leadership. We found that leaders in schools with a strong and vibrant musical culture made music part of the fabric of the school.

In contrast to this, to be self-employed as a private teacher, you aren’t legally required to have completed any form of university degree, making this type of work more accessible to more people. However, most students will seek teachers who have gained a reputation through their own musical experience. John Westcombe (1997) highlights this well when he states, “Most teachers acquire pupils by establishing a reputation, sometimes as a performer. A specialist teaching diploma or qualification is not essential, but most prospective pupils will choose to receive lessons from a teacher with such a qualification.”

As a classroom teacher, you have an innate responsibility to create lesson plans and keep on top of marking and assessing. This means taking time outside of set working hours to keep up to date on administration. According to Paul Blane (2021), “A good place to start when planning or preparing for a lesson is to get to know your students and their preferred learning styles and find out how much they already know about the subject. This will help to guide you when deciding the aim and objectives of each lesson and the best activities and resources to use.” Taking time to review lesson plans clearly creates an easier, more engaging lesson for students. It is also crucial to consider the size of a class and ensure all students are treated and encouraged in equal measure. Blane (2021) also comments on this, saying, “Students tend to become more engaged and learn more during lessons when participation is actively encouraged. Teachers should incorporate different techniques into lessons to help create a learning environment that encourages students to have a voice and participate.”

On the other hand, teaching small groups or one-to-one lessons requires getting to know students individually and discovering each of their strengths and weaknesses in their instrument/subject. In doing so, you create a sense of trust between yourself and the pupil, and an appropriate environment for them to be able to learn and grow. Lesson plans must also be tailored towards each group/student. Ingrid Wisniewska (2019) highlights this well: 

You can collaborate more, encouraging the student to take an active role in their learning and become more self-directed. You can also be more flexible by responding to language points as they come up, even though they weren’t necessarily in your lesson plan.

A large benefit of working for an employer is having a sense of financial security. As an employee, you are entitled to employment rights, such as protection against unlawful deductions from wages and the statutory minimum level of paid holiday, to name a couple (GOV.UK, 2025). One of the main differences between this and self-employment is that, when employed, you are entitled to payment during time off due to circumstances such as illness. However, in a report by the Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) (2022), they surveyed “over 350 peripatetic and instrumental vocal teachers, 41% of respondents described themselves as self-employed, 42% as an employee and 3% as a worker” and they state that results showed: 

93% of respondents were required to write reports as part of their role, but were not necessarily paid for the time to write them. Many teachers are working more hours than they are actually paid for as a result of large gaps in their day due to timetabling restrictions or having to rearrange lessons at short notice. This can also result in a loss of income where lessons are unable to be rearranged.

It’s clear here that although employment can offer financial stability, it may also involve completing extra, unpaid work. 

In contrast, self-employment allows more of an element of flexibility, as you can mould your timetable to suit your own needs. However, it is your own responsibility to ensure that it is compatible with your students’ timetables, which can often become tricky depending on when they are available. You must also take into consideration the time taken for travel, meals and any other necessary aspects of everyday life when creating a timetable.

Furthermore, a significant challenge you face as a self-employed music teacher is the risk of financial instability. Being self-employed requires hard work and discipline, as days off will likely result in not being paid, and possibly even loss of work. It is your own responsibility to earn a positive reputation amongst your students and build trust with them, whilst also charging fair prices that will allow you the financial security to live comfortably. It also means that you are responsible for your own taxes, pensions and insurance. Dr Elisa Janson Jones (2023) covers these points in great depth and discusses the importance of standing out amongst other teachers, concluding, “By defining your niche, setting up a solid business, and staying organised, you can build a successful career on your own terms.”

With that in mind, another key part of becoming successful as a freelance music teacher is marketing. A professional website, digital marketing strategies, job listings, social media and word of mouth are all significant ways to advertise yourself as a stand-out music teacher (Jones, 2023).

In all music education career paths, it is crucial that you are able to learn and expand your knowledge of your subject, especially considering that new musical styles are constantly emerging, and teaching techniques are ever-changing. For example, many new technologies are being introduced into schools and colleges. A report by Shanti Mahendra and Sandra Baxter (2011) states that:

Teachers’ motivation is both a contextually and culturally specific factor influencing teacher quality. It interacts with other variables to determine quality related outcomes for teachers, such as work conditions, relationships, expectations and behaviour. A number of studies have focused on the range of incentives that can be introduced to improve teachers’ motivation, enhance the quality of teachers and, hopefully, raise students’ performance.

The report examines the relationship between teacher quality and student achievement, providing evidence that higher-quality teachers lead to higher student achievement. It clearly suggests that gaining experience and learning as a teacher creates a higher reputation for yourself, which could be beneficial towards attracting more students, earning more pay, or even gaining a better, higher-paying job.

Music Education may also present an array of intellectual and personal challenges, including an impact on social life and mental health. On one hand, working in any form of Music Education can occupy a lot of your time, taking into account planning, arranging and travelling, to name a few things. Building your reputation can result in this too – as you gain new students, colleagues and friends, it is likely that many will ask you to lend yourself to extra work, such as lessons, tutorials, concerts, and so on. Many instrumental teachers must also set aside time for practice, for which they may need to travel to another location, such as a studio. After considering all these factors, it becomes abundantly clear that this profession can occupy a lot of your time, which can be mentally and physically taxing. It can also make it difficult to make time for relationships and family. Karen North (2024) highlights this:

For educators, burnout can manifest in various ways, including emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation (feeling detached from students and colleagues), and reduced personal accomplishment. Burnout among music educators is influenced by various factors, including workload, job satisfaction and support systems.

On the other hand, Music Education may cause mental strain due to job insecurity and financial instability. In the study by ISM (2021), it is stated that, “33% of respondents reported that their gross annual income from peripatetic teaching was less than £10,000 compared with 15% earning more than £25,000.” This clearly emphasises the lack of financial stability some music teachers have, which can carry a heavy toll on one’s mental health.

However, this doesn’t mean that Music Education is guaranteed to cause mental strain – in fact, it often creates an immense feeling of well-being amongst many people. For example, Vincent Berkmans (2024) states, “As music teachers, we have the incredible opportunity to pass the torch of inspiration to the next generation. Beyond teaching scales, chords, or theory, we are instilling in our students a passion that can stay with them throughout their lives.”

There are many ways to avoid burning out as a teacher, one being to strive to establish a healthy work/life balance, which, according to James Manwaring (2019), is “only possible through careful thought over why we are doing what we are doing. But it is also achieved by reflecting on how we do things, our own practice as a teacher.” He also writes about the importance of being honest about feelings of anxiety and stress to yourself and others, and suggests the idea of keeping a wellness agenda to keep in touch with those feelings.

Music Education can seem a daunting profession to pursue, as it requires hard work and patience, but it can also be extremely rewarding. Inspiring younger generations to open their minds to the world of music and giving them the tools to be able to express themselves through song is crucial to today’s society. Teaching is a skill that is nurtured, involves an immense amount of responsibility and requires extensive training and musical expertise. To be a teacher, you must be able to navigate both financial and intellectual hurdles, but with a strong personal commitment and passion for your craft, there is no doubt that it can be exciting, heartwarming and fulfilling.

Bibliography

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