“Pedagogical Creativity” as a Framework for Music Teacher Education

Abstract

Creativity research has a long history in music education, including the development of theories and strategies to foster the music creativity of students of all ages and levels. Underexplored is how teacher education programs can cultivate pre- and in-service teachers’ abilities to develop their educational creativity when designing curricula and delivering instruction. By reviewing key research in creativity and the traits of creative persons, this article demarcates characteristics of creative music teachers, as well as their instruction and curricula, in order to offer implications for music teacher education. This framework suggests that creative pedagogues (a) are responsive, flexible, and improvisatory; (b) are comfortable with ambiguity; (c) think metaphorically and juxtapose seemingly incongruent and novel ideas in new and interesting ways; and (d) acknowledge and use fluid and flexible identities. The article provides possible strategies music teacher educators can employ to help pre- and in-service educators develop the dispositions and core practices of creative music pedagogues.