Encounters with engaging pedagogy: arts education for the pre-service primary generalist

The preparation of generalist primary teachers to teach the arts is an important role for universities in their teacher education programs. Preparation programs for primary generalist teachers in these settings usually include one or more specialised courses in the various art forms. These classes generally provide basic competency with skills as well as knowledge of instructional techniques, arts materials and content that are appropriate for use with primary school children (Jeanneret, 1996). It is intended that these arts courses will provide sufficient arts experiences, knowledge and skills to allow primary generalist teachers to successfully incorporate the arts into their classroom instruction on a regular basis, either through content integration or as discrete subjects (Imms & Lloyd, 2004). Most decisions regarding the content of specialised arts courses for pre-service primary generalist teachers are based on the professional wisdom of the lecturers and many of these opinions generally focus on what the discipline believes classroom teachers should know and use rather than on what knowledge and skills these classroom teachers will be likely to use (DeGraffenreid, Kretchmar, Jeanneret, & Morita, 2004; Jeanneret, 1997; McCullar, 1998). To date there has been little theorising about a framework or model for learning aimed at these particular students in the arts that takes into account their novice status as arts practitioners in the disciplines of drama, music and visual arts, and the need by the end of the course to be versed in the disciplines' approaches to pedagogy for primary children. The arts education team within the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne is exploring a basis for a common teaching philosophy that can inform arts education for the primary generalist. Of critical importance is the acknowledgement within the team of the development of students' confidence in engaging with arts education practices. Consistently positive feedback from students would appear to support the success of this arts education approach. This paper explores the common challenges and issues across arts form for the team and the beginnings of a model for the arts education of the pre-service primary generalist.