A study with public state schools of Porto Alegre, Brazil: searching for data to elaborate policies of music education

Abstract

This paper presents data from a research that aimed to map out the music teaching practices developed at public state schools of Porto Alegre, Brazil. The method and the technique chosen to carry out the investigation were the survey and the questionnaire, respectively. The questionnaires were aimed to schools’ deans and music and arts teachers. The results reveal a variety of music teaching practices developed at schools, but also suggest the maintenance of what has been called “artistic education” (polyvalent arts teaching). This points to the need to admit specialist music teachers at schools and to elaborate projects of continuous education in music in order to put in practice the current educational law.
Keywords: school music education; music in primary and secondary schools; mapping music teaching in schools.