“I Just Don’t Have the Capability”: Examining the Impact of Declining Arts Education on Teacher Beliefs

Abstract

Arts education is an essential component of a comprehensive education, requiring highly skilled teachers to achieve quality arts education (Andrews, 2004). Teachers gain such skills in teacher education, to enhance their confidence and capability in teaching the arts. Without these necessary skills however, they may develop a lack of confidence, motivation and knowledge (Henessy, Rolfe, & Chedoy, 2001; Russell-Bowie, 2004). Greater recognition of experiences in arts education in teacher training is necessary to shed light on the current problem of instigation of the arts in schools. This paper provides insights into a research project that attempts to contribute towards filling this void, in order to improve teachers' effectiveness in the arts domain. It examines beginning teachers' experiences during their arts teacher education and the impact of these experiences on their current engagement with arts education. Results suggest that with this group of beginning teachers, limited or negative exposure to arts education during teacher training may reduce the likelihood that a beginning teacher will engage with the arts as part of their teaching practice.