Standard #5: Application of Content
Past Essays
MUSE 350
There is a saying that "those who can't do, teach." This statement could not be further from the truth. In fact, in my experience, there are many professional musicians who struggle to adequately teach their students. Some of these musicians may have found some big secret to professional playing, but when a student comes to them for private lessons the teacher has little advice on fundamentals or simply cannot convey ideas effectively. The go-to advice from professional players to bright-eyed students is often "practice, practice, practice." These are mass generalizations of course, but it is important to consider two things in regards to communicating concepts to a student: first, a teacher must be able to effectively demonstrate or communicate the content through nonverbal means, such as singing, playing, sharing a recording, or conducting. Second, a teacher must also be able to organize complex ideas and communicate them verbally to his students in a way that is succinct and manageable.
At Ball State University, I was required to take EDPS 390, an educational psychology class that focused on how learners learn, how to create practical assessments, and how to organize information to effectively teach a concept. Two terms in particular have stuck with me from this class: Scaffolding, and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Scaffolding is an instructional strategy that is best represented by the metaphor itself. This strategy is an essential element of effective teaching in that it helps bridge the gap between what students have learned and what they are expected to understand or be able to demonstrate at a certain point in their education. Supportive strategies are removed in increments as the students learn. For music educators, this includes using visual or auditory aids such as a perception chart or a 12-bar blues grid to introduce a concept, and as the students develop you slowly take these aids away and challenge the students to eventually recreate the content or describe it in their own words. Similarly, the ZPD is the difference between what a learner can do with help and what they can do without help. You have three primary zones: the student's current level of achievement, the ZPD, and the zone that is simply beyond their reach at that moment. Understanding where a student is at in their development is crucial because it allows the teacher to create a curriculum that challenges them within the ZPD. If something is too easy for the student, they lose interest, but if it is too difficult then they may lose progress or become frustrated. As a music teacher, I would not expect an average 8th grade band to perform Blue Shades by Ticheli. However, I might challenge them with Themes from Green Bushes by Percy Grainger because that's something they could eventually manage.
With much of the world entering into the digital age and American schools beginning iPad/tablet initiatives for their students, teachers must be able to communicate and teach using technology as well. One example would be my e-portfolio. For parents, colleagues, and future employers, this website serves as a means of exploring my philosophy of education and pedagogical goals for my students. Social media is another great outlet to reach out to students. For recruiting purposes, I could have student leaders in my music program create a hashtag to use on sites like twitter or facebook. I could create a facebook group for my students and their parents to relay information quickly en masse. This could be homework assignments if school is canceled, information for an extra dress rehearsal, or even just a congratulations after a great performance. Using e-mail to send out newsletters to parents and administrators with concert dates or information about an upcoming instrument petting zoo would also be beneficial. SmartMusic is a great tool as well, as it allows me to create assignments for my students to practice at home. It also allows me to hear recordings of my student, evaluate their musical accuracy, and respond to their submission with instructions and feedback. There are numerous means of communication available, and it is important that teachers explore all possible outlets.
MUSED 100/150
Since communication skills are used to pass information from one person to another, it can be said that clear, well-developed communication skills are essential to good teaching. A diverse array of ways to communicate to one’s students provides more opportunities to teach effectively.
Though I find conversation and social events natural and comfortable, communicating my thoughts and ideas to someone who has little or no knowledge of the topic is sometimes difficult for me. I feel that I over-analyze what I’m prepared to say and end up saying too much. I feel that my public communications class and music education classes at Ball State University have, and will continue to prepare me and help me develop the communication skills I need to keep my teaching clear and concise.
I believe that it is critical for an educator to practice self-assessment, especially if he wishes to check and develop the quality of their communication skills. Video taping and recording a lesson for later review is an excellent means of critiquing what needs to be done to accomplish better education of one’s students.
There is a saying that "those who can't do, teach." This statement could not be further from the truth. In fact, in my experience, there are many professional musicians who struggle to adequately teach their students. Some of these musicians may have found some big secret to professional playing, but when a student comes to them for private lessons the teacher has little advice on fundamentals or simply cannot convey ideas effectively. The go-to advice from professional players to bright-eyed students is often "practice, practice, practice." These are mass generalizations of course, but it is important to consider two things in regards to communicating concepts to a student: first, a teacher must be able to effectively demonstrate or communicate the content through nonverbal means, such as singing, playing, sharing a recording, or conducting. Second, a teacher must also be able to organize complex ideas and communicate them verbally to his students in a way that is succinct and manageable.
At Ball State University, I was required to take EDPS 390, an educational psychology class that focused on how learners learn, how to create practical assessments, and how to organize information to effectively teach a concept. Two terms in particular have stuck with me from this class: Scaffolding, and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Scaffolding is an instructional strategy that is best represented by the metaphor itself. This strategy is an essential element of effective teaching in that it helps bridge the gap between what students have learned and what they are expected to understand or be able to demonstrate at a certain point in their education. Supportive strategies are removed in increments as the students learn. For music educators, this includes using visual or auditory aids such as a perception chart or a 12-bar blues grid to introduce a concept, and as the students develop you slowly take these aids away and challenge the students to eventually recreate the content or describe it in their own words. Similarly, the ZPD is the difference between what a learner can do with help and what they can do without help. You have three primary zones: the student's current level of achievement, the ZPD, and the zone that is simply beyond their reach at that moment. Understanding where a student is at in their development is crucial because it allows the teacher to create a curriculum that challenges them within the ZPD. If something is too easy for the student, they lose interest, but if it is too difficult then they may lose progress or become frustrated. As a music teacher, I would not expect an average 8th grade band to perform Blue Shades by Ticheli. However, I might challenge them with Themes from Green Bushes by Percy Grainger because that's something they could eventually manage.
With much of the world entering into the digital age and American schools beginning iPad/tablet initiatives for their students, teachers must be able to communicate and teach using technology as well. One example would be my e-portfolio. For parents, colleagues, and future employers, this website serves as a means of exploring my philosophy of education and pedagogical goals for my students. Social media is another great outlet to reach out to students. For recruiting purposes, I could have student leaders in my music program create a hashtag to use on sites like twitter or facebook. I could create a facebook group for my students and their parents to relay information quickly en masse. This could be homework assignments if school is canceled, information for an extra dress rehearsal, or even just a congratulations after a great performance. Using e-mail to send out newsletters to parents and administrators with concert dates or information about an upcoming instrument petting zoo would also be beneficial. SmartMusic is a great tool as well, as it allows me to create assignments for my students to practice at home. It also allows me to hear recordings of my student, evaluate their musical accuracy, and respond to their submission with instructions and feedback. There are numerous means of communication available, and it is important that teachers explore all possible outlets.
MUSED 100/150
Since communication skills are used to pass information from one person to another, it can be said that clear, well-developed communication skills are essential to good teaching. A diverse array of ways to communicate to one’s students provides more opportunities to teach effectively.
Though I find conversation and social events natural and comfortable, communicating my thoughts and ideas to someone who has little or no knowledge of the topic is sometimes difficult for me. I feel that I over-analyze what I’m prepared to say and end up saying too much. I feel that my public communications class and music education classes at Ball State University have, and will continue to prepare me and help me develop the communication skills I need to keep my teaching clear and concise.
I believe that it is critical for an educator to practice self-assessment, especially if he wishes to check and develop the quality of their communication skills. Video taping and recording a lesson for later review is an excellent means of critiquing what needs to be done to accomplish better education of one’s students.
