Sydney Catholic Schools and Australian Youth Orchestra Continue Partnership for ‘Music in Me’ Teacher Mentoring Program in 2025
Following the success of the 2024 pilot program, Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) is excited to announce the continuation of its partnership with the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) to deliver the ‘Music in Me’ teacher mentoring program to its teachers in 2025. This collaboration will continue to foster the professional growth of educators engaged in the SCS Amadeus program, enhance music education in primary classrooms, and inspire students through enriched learning experiences.
The ‘Music in Me’ program is designed to upskill classroom teachers through tailored mentoring from expert music educators. Teachers participating in the program benefit from one-on-one mentorship, enhancing their confidence and competence in teaching music. This initiative is in direct response to the growing demand for quality music education in schools and aligns with research that highlights the developmental benefits of structured music learning.
In 2024, the pilot program saw tremendous success, with SCS mentors reporting the benefits of collaboration with other music teachers, valuing the rich conversations about how to approach teaching music, as well as building confidence for teachers creating their own programs to suit their context.
Eva Spata, from the Performing & Visual Arts – Curriculum, The Arts Team at Sydney Catholic Schools, expressed her enthusiasm for the continuation of the program:
“The feedback we received from the pilot was overwhelmingly positive. Teachers were not only able to integrate music more confidently into their classrooms, but they also saw firsthand the positive impact this had on their students’ engagement and learning outcomes. We are thrilled to continue this partnership with AYO and look forward to extending the benefits of this program to even more schools in 2025.”
The AYO, a longstanding leader in music education in Australia, is equally committed to the program’s success. By supporting the work of their mentors, AYO ensures that teachers in Sydney Catholic Schools receive the highest quality of professional learning, building a foundation for sustainable music education practices.
‘Music in Me’ has been instrumental in addressing the gap in music education in Australian primary schools. Research by Alberts The Tony Foundation in 2023 revealed that many graduating primary teachers feel underprepared to teach music, receiving an average of just eight hours of music education during their degree. The mentoring provided by ‘Music in Me’ directly addresses this issue by pairing teachers with experienced mentors, fostering both confidence and competence.