Impact of aesthetic music education philosophy on early childhood teachers’ professional identity: an exploratory mixed-methods perspective on SDG 4

Purpose The professional identity of early childhood teachers plays a crucial role in improving teaching quality, job satisfaction and children’s holistic development. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of integrating aesthetic music education into early childhood teachers’ lesson planning and its influence on their professional identity while contributing to SDG 4 – quality education. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods approach was used, with qualitative inquiry as the primary focus. Quantitative data were collected through a survey of 200 early childhood teachers to assess overall levels of professional identity and aesthetic music education role identity, providing contextual support for the study. Qualitative data were gathered through lesson-planning observations, semistructured interviews and analysis of planning records from ten teachers with diverse backgrounds to examine teachers’ perceptions, experiences and challenges in practice. Findings Results indicate that aesthetic music education enhances teachers’ professional identity, shifting their role from “knowledge transmitters” to “aesthetic guides,” improving their sense of professional mission and teaching confidence. Research limitations/implications The qualitative component included only ten teachers, which, while allowing for in-depth exploration, may limit the transferability of the findings across contexts. Future research should expand sample sizes to include more diverse teacher groups. Further comparative, longitudinal and cross-cultural studies could be conducted to examine the impact of aesthetic music education on teachers’ professional identity. Practical implications The findings suggest that teacher development programs, resource support and policy reforms may strengthen the role of aesthetic education in enhancing teachers’ professional identity and improving the quality of early childhood education. Social implications This study highlights the importance of aesthetic music education in strengthening teachers’ confidence, which may contribute to improved teaching quality and more positive outcomes for children and society. It also underscores the importance of skilled early childhood educators in providing equitable educational opportunities in line with SDG 4. Originality/value This study enriches research on professional identity by integrating aesthetic music education and highlighting lesson planning as an important context for the formation and reshaping of teachers’ professional identity. It offers insights for optimizing teacher training programs and promoting aesthetic education in early childhood teaching.