Who helps who? A Mutual Support Programme for Secondary Novice Music Teachers

INTRO: Over the last few years, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has developed an induction programme whose goal is to offer on-going training and support to new secondary school teachers possessing a master’s degree. This programme is presented in a seminar format over the course of a year, and brings together newly qualified and early-career teachers from diverse backgrounds and with varying levels of experience. This chapter reports on a study carried out in the context of this programme which sought to garner a deeper understanding of teachers’ concerns and needs, and to identify the
contributions that the participants bring to this seminar. Non-participant observation and interviews were used as research methods for this purpose. The results highlight four main areas of concern, with classroom management emerging as the most pressing issue, alongside challenges specific to music teaching, its compatibility with school culture, and the early construction of professional identity. Participants’ contributions varied according to their level of teaching experience, revealing the significance of exchanges and connections
among teachers at different stages of their careers. Overall, the study underscores the importance of organising and promoting both general and discipline-specific spaces for professional dialogue and growth, while also pointing to their impact on the quality and relevance of initial teacher education.