Singaporean pre-service music teachers’ identities, motivations and career intentions

What is it about?

This article investigates the career motivations and intentions of pre-service music teachers in Singapore. We advocate the need for open discussion with students about their future selves and careers, to rethink the recruitment of pre-tertiary students into teaching programs, and to track and understand teacher attrition.

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Why is it important?

In return for study sponsorship, participants were contractually bonded to teach for up to seven years post-graduation. Many students had already planned their exit from teaching once their bond commitment had been met. Instrumental performance proficiency did not align with participants’ self-identity as teachers. It did, however, align with their intentions to remain in teaching. Implications include the need to support educators as they develop students’ music teacher identities at the earliest stages of teacher training. For bonded students, this includes discussion about the period of their bond and the extent to which developing interests might be accommodated. It also includes discussions about possible future selves and careers with students in high school, before they make long-term commitments. Finally, there appears to be a need for flexible teaching appointments that accommodate other activities such as performance.

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