ABSTRACT
This chapter reports on a study which examined how Portuguese music educators’ attitudes towards teaching were shaped by their previous experiences in music education. This was a qualitative study based on 64 questionnaires and 26 life-history interviews. Findings from this study indicated that educators’ previous experiences as students and their different educational environments impact their current attitudes and teaching practices. Despite its exploratory nature, these findings have significant implications for the understanding of how musical learning experiences may have an impact on musical lives. Furthermore, this chapter demonstrates the importance of reflective practice in teaching careers in order to understand the complex interaction between past experiences and current practice.
