Self-transformation in an Australian teacher-trainer: Framing musical process for vocal agency in early learning

Abstract

It seems that music in early childhood is often taught without reflective process. To break an ‘I cannot sing’ cycle, I imagined change in my professional development approach with teachers. I sought an enabling vocal-play-based process to create awareness, guidance and motivation to develop change through understanding of reflective pedagogy, self-trust, self-beliefs, self-efficacy and metacognition. Vocal-play process is largely omitted in early childhood settings and pre-service teacher training, with focus on song or performance. This self-reflective action research case study developed as I, mentor-researcher, challenged myself to change my professional practice to introduce musical process to generalist educators. The ‘Contour Vocal Play’ Framework emerged.