The Music Teacher Mentoring Program (MiM) is an in-school professional learning program supporting quality music education in Victorian government schools.
MiM aims to increase classroom teacher confidence and capability to teach music to students in Foundation (Prep) to Year 6. The program pairs experienced music teachers (mentors) with primary level teachers (mentees) who need support delivering classroom music education, as aligned to the Victorian Curriculum F-10. The program provides individualised mentoring for teachers in their classrooms during Terms 2 and 4.
About the Music Teacher Mentoring Program (MiM)
MiM is a Commonwealth-funded initiative developed by the late Richard Gill (AO) in partnership with the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO)(opens in a new window) and is delivered across some Australian states and territories.
The Victorian Department of Education (DE) provides grants for schools to participate in the MiM, delivered in partnership with the AYO MiM. The MiM aligns with the delivery of the DE initiative Music in Schools(opens in a new window) which aims to support access to quality music education in primary schools.
The MiM:
- aims to strengthen the confidence and capacity of primary generalist teachers to deliver quality music education for their students, with a focus on Foundation (Prep) to Year 6. The program is also suitable for teachers new to delivering specialist music education for students Prep to Year 6
- gives primary teachers the opportunity to receive personalised mentoring from an experienced classroom music teacher
- offers flexible delivery negotiated between the mentor and mentored teacher's school
- takes place in the classroom(s) of the mentee teacher with a focus on team teaching and co-designed lessons.
- supports teachers to implement the Victorian F-10 Curriculum: The Arts Music(opens in a new window)
- has core content that is vocally based with a focus on building foundation skills in singing.
Impact of the MiM
2024 will mark the ninth year of the implementation of MiM in Australian schools. Since the onset of the program, 857 teachers have been mentored, directly benefiting tens of thousands of students in 444 schools across Australia.
Ongoing research demonstrates that the MiM results in substantial growth in teacher confidence and competence to teach music, and in student engagement in music. The positive flow effects of the program on the emotional, psychological, behavioural and learning outcomes (both in music and other subject areas) for students and teachers are clearly evident.
Mentee: Program structure and financial support
Funding is available for participating government schools to cover Casual Relief Teaching (CRT) for up to 2 participating teachers (mentees) per school. Mentees will undertake the following activities during Terms 2 and 3 (and early Term 4 if required):
| Activity | Allocation of CRT funding to support teachers being mentored (mentees) to participate in the NMTMP (total for two mentees) |
|---|---|
| 1. Each mentee attends a 1.5 hour planning meeting with their mentor at the start of the program to identify their learning needs/goals. | 1.5 hours |
| 2. Each mentee observes their mentor teaching primary classroom music at their mentor's school (two days allocated per mentee). Mentors from secondary schools mentoring in a primary school may make other arrangements with their partner school. | 12 hours |
| 3. A targeted 16 week mentoring program delivered in the classroom of each mentee teacher (approx. 3 hours per week for two mentees, based on 1.5 hours each per week). | Nil |
| 4. Each mentee attends a one day professional learning day delivered by a lead mentor. | 6 hours |
| 5. Each mentee attends a 1.5 hour mid-program meeting with their mentor to discuss progress and engage in feedback. | 1.5 hours |
| 6. Each mentee attends a 1.5 hour evaluation meeting with their mentor at the conclusion of the program and participates in a national evaluation survey. | 1.5 hours |
| Total casual relief funding per mentee teacher available to their school | Up to 22.5 hours (3.75 days) per mentee teacher per school |
Mentor: Program structure and financial support
Funding is available for participating government schools to cover school CRT costs to support mentors to participate in the program to undertake the following activities during Terms 2 and 3 (and early Term 4 if required):
| Activity | Funding provided by DE to mentor's school to support this activity |
|---|---|
| 1. New and experienced mentors will complete online professional learning to develop mentoring their skills, scheduled for Term 1. |
|
2. Deliver:
| 6 hours |
| 3. Deliver a 16 week mentoring program (approx. 16 half days or 8 full days) in the mentee's classroom. | 48 hours |
| 4. Deliver classroom music lessons in your own school to enable mentees to observe your teaching practice. | N/A (in own school) |
| 5. Each mentee attends a one-day professional learning day delivered by a lead mentor. | 6 hours |
| Total CRT for returning mentors funding available to mentor school | 60 hours (10 days) |
Key contacts
For enquiries about the delivery of the MiM in Victorian government schools, contact Felicity O'Halloran, Senior Project Officer, Curriculum Implementation Division:
- Phone: 03 7022 1358
- Email: felicity.ohalloran@education.vic.gov.au
For enquiries about the delivery of the MiM in Victorian non-government schools and other states/territories, contact Bernie Heard (National Program Manager) on 1300 668 500.
Find out more about the National Music Teacher Mentor Program(opens in a new window).
Terms and conditions
Funding for government schools will be processed in accordance with the Department’s Schools Targeted Funding Governance Model.
Schools are initially required to use their own funds to cover CRT costs. DE will create an Initiative Agreement in the Schools Targeted Funding Portal so that reimbursement requests for expenditures incurred against the MiM can be provided.
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