
of the development of self-awareness, and the
moral formation of a person who perceives
oneself as an individual. Self-improvement of an
individual as an internally determined process is
considered by modern philosophical schools such
as philosophical anthropology, existentialism,
personalism, and others. In philosophical theory,
the process of self-improvement is associated with
self-reection, that is, interpretation of one’s own
life; a special kind of activity aimed not simply at
realizing the leading motives, but at coordinating
the personality as a whole. This involves the search
for meaning not just in individual actions, deeds,
or even activities, but in life as a whole. The search
for life’s meaning is one of the most important
functions of self-awareness. This search can be
presented as a process aimed at the complete
integration and coordination of the individual’s
motivational sphere (Philosophy, 2020).
On the other hand, self-improvement is
associated with the process of self-education,
which is regarded as a conscious activity aimed
at the fullest possible realization of oneself as
a personality. Based on the activation of self-
regulation mechanisms, self-education involves
the presence of clearly dened goals, ideals,
and meanings. Personality development is
associated with a certain level of self-awareness,
critical thinking, ability and readiness for self-
determination, self-expression, self-disclosure,
and self-improvement. Self-education is based on
adequate self-esteem that corresponds to a person’s
actual abilities, as well as in the critical analysis
of one’s individual characteristics and potential
capabilities. As awareness increases as a process
and result of personal development, self-education
becomes an increasingly signicant force for
personal self-development. It is inextricably linked
with education, not only reinforcing but also
advancing the process of personality formation.
The essential components of self-education
include self-analysis of personal development,
self-reporting, and self-monitoring.
In the psychological aspect, the concept of
“self-improvement” is interpreted as a continuous
process of personal growth and development,
aimed at enhancing an individual’s qualities,
knowledge and skills in order to achieve internal
and external goals. The terms most closely related
to the category of “self-improvement” are the
concepts of “development” and “self-development”,
although these concepts are not entirely
synonymous. Such a process of self-improvement
is typically accompanied by self-expression and
self-fulllment (M. Kononova, 2022).
In psychological literature, self-development
(also known as self-improvement or self-growth)
is a process in which an individual or personality
consciously and actively improves themselves
in various areas of their life in order to become
a better version of themselves. This concept is
associated with the idea of a continuous process of
self-awareness, self-reection and improvement,
aiming to achieve a higher level of knowledge, skills,
creative abilities, and enhanced psychological
and physical well-being. Self-development can
relate to various aspects of life, such as education,
spirituality, morality, and more. The main idea
is that the constant pursuit of improvement
and growth helps to achieve personal harmony,
satisfaction and success. It is important to note that
self-development is not an automatic process that
occurs over time, but rather a conscious activity
towards self-improvement. It is a process that
requires self-awareness and active participation
(R. Pavelkiv & N. Korchakova, 2009).
As R. Pavelkiv notes, the process of personality
formation includes, as an essential component, the
formation of consciousness and self-awareness: it
is a process of developing a conscious personality.
Without consciousness and self-awareness, a
personality does not exist. As a conscious subject,
a personality becomes aware not only of the
surrounding world, but also of oneself in relations
to it. The awareness of oneself as an “I” is, therefore,
the result of development. At the same time, the
development of self-awareness takes place within
the very process of the formation and development
of an indovodual’s real independence as of an
active subject. Self-awareness is not something
externally added to the personality; rather, it is
integrated within it. Therefore, self-awareness
does not have a separate path of development
apart from that of the personality, but is included
in this process as its moment, part, component
(R. Pavelkiv & N. Korchakova, 2009).
Self-development of a personality in
pedagogical reference sources is viewed as the
fundamental ability of a person to become and
remain the true subject of one’s own life; the
ability to transform one’s own life into an object of
practical transformation. The structural elements
of self-development of a personality include: self-
knowledge, self-regulation, self-organization, self-
realization, and self-determination (Glossary, 2021
& Dictionary of Terms, 2020).
Considering professional self-improvement
as a a continuous enhancement of professional
competence and the development of a teacher’s
socio-moral qualities, O. Antonova connects the
specied concept with the development of one’s
abilities and talents. It is noted that the process
of personal self-improvement consists of certain
stages which encompass a whole system of
interconnected methods, among which the most
effective are the methods of self-inuence, self-
programming self-motivation, and self-knowledge
(Antonova, 2014).
The analysis of the scientic literature shows
that a teacher’s professional self-improvement
in a broad sense is a system of ideas, concepts,
and notions regarding the development of the
personality and its culture at certain stages of
professional training. In a narrow sense, it is a
system of knowledge about individual and personal
qualities, the mechanisms of self-knowledge and
self-improvement, ways to solve problems arising
in pedagogical activity, professional development,
and methods for overcoming them (O. Antonova,
2014; K. Zavalko & E. Provorova, 2021; M. Kononova,
2022).
In the eld of music pedagogy, the issue
of future music teachers’ professional self-
improvement, self-education, self-development,
and self-realization has been addressed in the
scientic works of such educators and researchers
as O. Komarovska, O. Oleksiuk, O. Otych,
A. Rastryhina, O. Rebrova, N. Seheda, V. Tusheva,
V. Cherkasov, and others.
Thus, for N. Szegeda, a music teachers’ self-
improvement is one of the ways and means of their
self-realization. Finding out the essence of a music
teacher’s professional self-realization by comparing
it with the category of pedagogical activity, N.
Szegeda concludes that the former reects the
personal aspect of the latter and lies in revealing
one’s own “self” through the conscious, purposeful
realization of a personally valuable, freely chosen
social role of a teacher. The idea is substantiated
regarding the essence of a music teacher’s
professional self-realization, which is concentrated
in one’s professional individuality and is dened
as a conscious, purposeful objectication of a
teacher’s individual professional and pedagogical
potential in the pedagogical process of co-creativity
with students. A music teacher’s artistic self-
realization is seen as involving continuous self-
improvement and striving for ongoing creative
self-development. It is quite right to conclude that
the process of a teacher’s artistic self-realization
should be lled with the experience of self-
organization, self-education, and self-learning. In
this way, the above-mentioned approaches create
the conditions for their effective creative and
professional self-realization (N. Segeda, 2002).
In her dissertation research, I. Sklyarenko
interprets the concept of “a music teacher’s
professional self-improvement” as a specic
stage in the transformation of the consciousness
of a future teacher’s personality identifying with
the student role to identifying with the role and
status of a future specialist in the eld of music
and pedagogical education. It is described as a
creative process that reects a teacher’s level of
musical literacy, personal development, and the
specic outcomes of their professional activity.
From the researcher’s perspective, a future music
teacher engaged in professional self-improvement
is capable of independently dening goals,
directions, and methods for achieving the heights
of their own creative subjectivity and professional
culture, setting tasks for themselves and seeking
ways to solve them (I. Sklyarenko, 2008).
From the perspective of a personality-oriented
approach, K. Zavalko considers a music teacher’s
self-improvement as a conscious activity within the
system of continuous education, which is aimed
at enhancing a teacher’s professional level, their
professional self-realization, further development
of professionally signicant qualities, and
increasing the educational process effectiveness
(K. Zavalko & E. Provorova, 2021).
The provision on a teacher’s further
professional development and self-development
in the process of implementing professional self-
improvement, which ideally affects the level of
their professional culture, and expressed in a
teacher’s music-pedagogical activity is conceptual
for our research. Therefore, in the development
of theoretical provisions on a music teahcer’s
Professional Art Education Volume 6 (1) 2025
Scientic Journal
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Volume 6 (1) 2025
Professional Art Education
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