Current research

Enhancing Teacher Wellbeing and Career Sustainability through Mentoring 

A Collaborative Research Project by Music in Me and Monash University 

Introduction

At Music in Me, we believe every child deserves access to quality music education—and every teacher deserves the support they need to thrive. In partnership with Monash University, we’re proud to launch an important research initiative exploring how mentoring enhances teacher wellbeing, professional satisfaction, and career sustainability. This project deepens our understanding of how Music in Me’s proven mentoring model supports educators throughout their career, keeping them engaged in the profession.

About the Research

Led by internationally respected music education expert Professor Margaret S. Barrett and Dr. Katie Zhukov, this research examines the long-term impact of Music in Me’s unique mentoring model on teacher wellbeing, retention, and professional growth. 

Drawing on data from participating schools nationally, the study will explore three central questions: 

• How does the Music in Me mentoring program support teachers in their wellbeing and job satisfaction? 
• What role does the program play in professional development and teacher retention? 
• How does Music in Me assist in the induction of new music teachers? 

This research builds on previous studies that have already demonstrated the program’s effectiveness in boosting teacher confidence and student engagement in music learning.

See also: 

Zhukov, K., Barrett, M. S. (2025) Whole-school music mentoring: Effecting positive change for teaching and learning in early-childhood and primary education. Research in Music Education, 1-16.

Margaret S. Barrett & Katie Zhukov (18 Oct 2024): Enduring impacts of collaborative workplace music mentoring for early childhood generalist teachers, music mentors and students, Music Education Research, DOI: 10.1080/14613808.2024.2416244 

Barrett, M.S., Zhukov, K., & Welch, G.F. (2019). Strengthening music provision in early childhood education: a collaborative self-development approach to music mentoring for generalist teachers. Music Education Research, (21(5), 529 – 548. 

Barrett, M. S., Zhukov, K., Brown, J. E., & Welch, G. F. (2020). Evaluating the impact of a generalist teacher-led music program on early childhood school children’s singing skills and attitudes to music. Psychology of Music, 48(1), 120–136. 

Why This Matters

Across Australia, music education is in decline, and the teaching profession is under pressure. Contributing factors include teacher burnout, low confidence in delivering music curriculum, and limited access to specialist support. This project aims to provide solid, peer-reviewed evidence that Music in Me teacher mentoring program can help reverse that trend. 

By documenting and analysing the lived experiences of teachers and mentors, this research will: 

• Strengthen advocacy for music in schools 
• Support the case for funding music education 
• Align with national education goals on equity, teacher wellbeing, and workforce retention 
• Demonstrate how mentoring can be a transformative professional development model 

The Music in Me Mentoring Model 

What sets Music in Me apart is our collaborative, in-classroom mentoring model. Instead of isolated workshops, our approach pairs generalist teachers with expert music mentors in real school settings over extended periods. The result? Confidence, competence, and a school-wide culture of music. 

Research shows that this method: 

• Creates lasting communities of musical practice across schools  
• Builds trusting, mutually beneficial relationships 
• Increases teachers’ confidence to lead music 
• Improves student engagement, especially among ESL and neurodiverse learners 

Meet the Research Team

Professor Margaret S. Barrett 
Professor Barrett is the Head of the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music and Performance at Monash University. She is internationally recognised for her research in music education, pedagogies of creativity, creative collaboration, and artistic citizenship. Her extensive academic portfolio includes the Oxford Handbook of Early Childhood Learning and Development in Music (2024) and Music Education, Ecopolitical Professionalism, and Public Pedagogy (2024). Professor Barrett has been a central figure in shaping and evaluating the Music in Me program since its inception, ensuring its development is grounded in rigorous, meaningful research. 

Dr. Katie Zhukov 
Dr. Zhukov is a Senior Research Fellow at Monash University with expertise in instrumental music teaching, music performance, sight-reading, and music careers. She has published extensively in international journals and co-authored several evaluations of the Music in Me program. Her research brings clarity to the ways mentoring can empower teachers and deepen their musical pedagogy. Dr. Zhukov is also known for her work on performance anxiety and music education research methods. 

Together, their combined expertise ensures this research is both academically robust and practically impactful for schools across Australia. 

Get Involved / Learn More 

Interested in staying updated or supporting this work? 

• Are you a past mentor, or mentored teacher? Please complete the short survey below to confirm your details and we will send you details to participate in this important research.

• Join our newsletter using the subscribe form below

• Support our work: AYO Donation form (select Music in Me) 

• Contact us for more information: mentoring@ayo.com.au  

Together, we can ensure teachers feel empowered, supported, and inspired—and that music continues to play a vital role in shaping young lives. 

If the below survey window does not appear, please access the short survey at this link.