A Year In Review

As the final few days of the school come to a close and the chaos wanes, I can finally take a moment to reflect on the entire course of this year.  And as I look back, I see that I am a far better, more effective teacher than I was on day one of this school year.  The evidence of this is clear, as I think through the triumphs of my students and grade their final exams.  This has been a year of growth and rigorous learning for all of us.  I am thankful for their graciousness as I tried new techniques, tried new lessons, attempted new assessment methods, and planned more discourse.  There were growing pains during much of the "change," but in the end, when I look at the joy on their faces, hear the beautiful music they perform, watch them sight-read a new piece of music in minutes, and listen to their intelligent and academic discussions, I'm in awe of the amazing things these students have accomplished.  So here are the three things, I'd say are the biggest changes in my development as a teacher that led to this beautiful result.

1. It is worth the extra time to slow down and empower students by giving them opportunities to tell and show what they know or are learning. 
2. Music literacy skills are only maintained if they are worked on daily. 
3. Simplify, simplify, simplify! Seriously, you don't need to do it all today!

So there is it folks.  This list is obviously not the complete index of what I've learned this year (I'd need a least another 50 pages to list all of the learning and growth), but it is important to note that these particular elements really made an impact on student engagement and learning.  So I will count that as a win, and continue to strive to be a better educator each day.  

Coursework & Practice Reflection

Internship Performance Criteria 4 states “The teacher uses content area knowledge, learning standards, appropriate pedagogy and resources to design and deliver curricula and instruction to impact student learning.”  In other words, the teacher must plan and implement successful instructional methods and strategies. 

During this course, we walked through nine themes relating to content knowledge: 1) assessing prior knowledge 2) integrating student assets 3) teaching academic language 4) scaffolding 5) supporting 6) deepening 7) providing and responding to feedback 8) student reflection 9) teacher reflection. When I began the course, I believed I had a pretty good idea of how to assess prior knowledge, scaffold learning, and reflect on my own practices.  That said, the biggest areas of growth for me were in integrating student assets, supporting, deepening, feedback, and student reflection.  My classes definitely benefitted from my learning in this course as I provided more inquiry based instruction, meaningful feedback, and opportunities for student reflection.  One of the ways I implemented inquiry was by asking students to identify the weaknesses in their performance rather than pointing them out myself.  The students were able to practice academic language and classes consisted of more opportunities for student voice.  Students also felt more confident and competent when they were able to evaluate their own performance and they deepened their learning by thinking critically about how to improve our ensemble sound. 

Additionally providing more meaningful, specific, and timely verbal and written feedback for in class and on assignments students were given the support necessary to reflect on ways they could improve.  I also made a point to reinforce and support academic language when providing feedback.  For example, I may re-state a student’s comment using correct academic vocabulary or ask the student to restate his or her comment using academic language.  Though painful at first, this commitment to consistent use of academic language has made each student more active and confident participants in our classroom discourse.  

Finally, by differentiating elements of my lessons, I was able to support all the learners in my classroom.  For example, I had a student struggling with melodic dictation.  In order to support her, I worked would come by and sing her whatever melody  she had written on her staff measure-by-measure and then play the original melody again.  She was able to compare the two melodies and change the “wrong” notes by noticing whether the “right” note was higher or lower.  Eventually, after a few weeks she was able to sing the melody to herself and self-correct the wrong notes.

Clearly, it is important to incorporate all of these themes when planning and implementing instruction.

ISTE 5: Professional Development Through Technology

ISTE 5

Good educators know that continued professional development is the key to a successful and lengthy career.  That said, professional development is evolving as our world makes more and more technological advances.  Online professional learning is becoming a commonplace method of professional development.  

This week, I researched the communities, resources, and methods that educators are using to continue developing their instructional strategies through the effective use of technology.  

The timing of this study was uncanny as I had just completed a teacher in-service where my fellow teachers and I collaborated and shared our ideas and successes with incorporating technology in class and as a school. I find face-to-face interaction with my colleagues to be especially valuable because I enjoy discussion and appreciate the innovative ideas that come out of establishing a collaborative culture within our school.  

That said, my research allowed me to discover many methods and opportunities for professional development through the use of technology.  Engaging in professional communities through social media platforms, blogs, or online discussion boards gives educators chances to ask questions, develop relationships, and share resources with educators around the world (EdSurge, 2014). 

Moreover, technology delivers learning opportunities for teachers at the click of a mouse.  In fact, many national educator associations are investing in online courses, videos, webinars, and more as they strive to provide accessible instruction for their members.  Gone are the days of traveling long distances for workshops and conferences.  Now teachers can sit in the comfort of their own home and learn about the latest trends in education.  Teachers can also find support from mentors and coaches in online professional learning communities.  Feedback on professional practice has never been so easy! Digital tools also allow teachers to track data on their students’ performance in a way measures the effectiveness of their instructional strategies.  This measurable data is useful when debriefing with administrators following a formal observation.  

It is clear to me that technology has opened up a whole new world of professional development possibilities.  I still enjoy collaborating with my colleagues in person, but I look forward to joining a professional learning community in order to expand my network and learn from those outside my school.

Resources

How Teachers Are Learning: Professional Development Remix (EdSurge Guides). (2014). Retrieved March 11, 2017, from https://www.edsurge.com/research/guides/how-teachers-are-learning-professional-development-remix

Digital Citizenship Poster

This week, I polled my high school students fellow staff members for their opinions on which of the eight digital citizenship topics (referred to in a previous blog post) represents the most immediate need for instruction and training in students ages 13-17.  Over 55% of the 60 participants in the poll believed that understanding one's "Digital Footprint" was the most immediate need.  In talking to some of the students, they specifically expressed concern over social media postings by friends. Due to these comments I developed a poster  that identifies some of the things students should think about before posting, considering once the comment or photo is uploaded, it is forever a part of their digital footprint.

ISTE 4: Digital Citizenship

ISTE 4

In a world where technology is integrated into nearly every element of society, it is imperative that educators equip students with effective and safe digital practices.  After all, the students of today will likely be living in a completely digital world and will need to establish themselves as responsible digital citizens. 

As I conducted my research on digital citizenship education this week, I was encouraged by the abundance of resources available to parents and teachers.  One of the largest organizations I found was Common Sense Media. This non-profit organization provides instructional materials, curriculum, webinars, websites, books, videos, and other resources that help educators and parents address teach digital citizenship to their students.  These resources focus on eight key elements of digital citizenship, shown in Figure 1. 

Figure 1: Scope & Sequence

One of the most interesting ideas I discovered this week was the idea of implementing an advisory class for all first year students.  For example, all incoming freshman would take one semester class where they would learn how to responsibly navigate and use technology. This could be extremely beneficial to their education and success later on in life. According to Ribble (2015), students should be equipped with digital access and develop an understanding of digital commerce, communication, literacy, etiquette, law, rights, health, and security.  Having a digital citizenship class at the beginning of one's schooling experience, like Common Sense Media's Digital Compass curriculum, would cover all of these aspects through simulation games, discussion, practical application, and reflective writing. 

Perhaps the most imperative component of educating students on the importance of digital citizenship is the effective modeling of best practices by the teacher.  This takes work, as technology is an ever-changing field. But with a commitment to innovation and integrity as well as a constant desire to continue developing their own skills, educators can effectively model and teach digital citizenship. 

References

Digital Compass in Action. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2017, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/digital-compass-in-action

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools: Nine elements all students should know. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

Scope & Sequence: Common Sense K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2017, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/scope-and-sequence

Multiple Intelligence Theory in the Classroom

As an educator, I approach Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence theory with apprehension. According to his theory, there are nine different intelligences that individuals can possess (Figure 1). Individuals will favor some intelligences over others which impacts how that individual processes information and learns.

Figure 1

In the education system, we have a diverse population of students with various intelligence strengths. This should inform our instruction as we observe the favored intelligences of each student. But how on earth are educators supposed to individualize instruction for the 20-30 students in each of their classes? It certainly seems like an intimidating task when we must first accurately assess or observe the strengths and weaknesses of our students', and then present instruction in the way that caters to each student's strength.

Adapting teaching methods and preparing this kind of instruction model takes more time than traditional approaches.  It seems impossible to expect that teachers could cater to learners with nine different intelligences.

However, technology and digital tools may be the key to successfully implementing intelligence-based instruction. By using the resources that contemporary technologies afford, teachers can provide experiential instruction that meets students where they are at.  Virtual field trips, WebQuests, interactive simulations, online collaborative projects, media presentations, and virtual classrooms tear down the four walls of a classroom and transcend time, space, and economic limitations (McKenzie, 2005).  Technology grants students the chance to deepen their learning while capitalizing on their intellectual strengths. Hence, it is safe to say that multiple intelligence instruction is possible in the 21st century classroom.

Citizenship & Moral Education

The moral ambiguity of our society illustrates the devaluation of virtue that seems to stem from the increasing influence of media. Kirk (2016) writes, "In no previous age have family influence, sound early prejudice, and good early habits been so broken in upon by outside force as in our own time." In other words, family exemplars and commitment to cultivating virtuous practices are undervalued in a world where media glorifies the unethical and mocks the honorable.  

So how do we combat this reality in our schools?  How do educators teach virtue?

Though Plato may have argued virtue is taught by implementing a curriculum that allows students to read about the virtuous leaders of the past, that is only one part of the equation.  Virtue must be caught more than taught.  

That said, teachers must model virtuous behavior and conduct themselves with integrity.  They must cultivate a respectful classroom culture where sound values are demonstrated.  Moreover, educators must provide opportunities for students to practice virtues within collaborative learning activities.  This practice is essential to forming good habits and re-enforcing honorable values.  Finally, virtues should not be taught or talked about separately, but integrated within a rigorous, thought-provoking curriculum.  Rather than lecturing students on the importance of virtuous character, educators must challenge students to recognize and admire noble values within the provided course content in order to embrace these characteristics as their own.  

B. (2016, March 22). Are Virtues Caught or Taught? Educating for Intellectual Virtue. Retrieved February 12, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2xNxsqJ3dM

ISTE 3: Model Digital-Age Work & Learning

         ISTE 3

        The technological demands of 21st century society require teacher preparation programs to equip future educators with the "knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society" (Figure 1).  It is essential that teachers have a familiarity with modern and relevant technology and can utilize available digital resources to communicate and collaborate with parents, students, and professional communities.  

Figure 1: ITSE 

How can I improve parent-teacher communication while demonstrating effective use of contemporary digital tools and technology?

       It is always a challenge to find effective communication tools to interact and partner with parents.  It seems as though many of the traditional methods of communication- email, classroom newsletters, parent portals- are not as effective as in years past.  The growing number of adults using social media and the rise in smart phone usage has transformed the way people receive information.  Figure 2 shows the percentage of people with social media profiles increasing from 24% in 2008 to 78% in 2016.  

Figure 2

      There are a wide array of beliefs on the usage of social media as an communication tool in education. Before researching technological tools used for parent-teacher communication, I thought I would not have guessed social media would be an effective method.  My initial hypothesis was that online grading parent portals, Google apps, and student portfolios might be the most useful tools.  However, my research led me to believe that when used correctly, social media networks are perhaps the most practical and efficient communication tools when it comes to parent-teacher communication. 

      Twitter offers an avenue for instant communication through the use of microblogging.  It can provide one-way communication to parents and community members regarding events, deadlines, policy changes, weather updates, and other school or classroom news (Carpenter & Krutka, 2014).  By sending out  brief 140-word or less Tweets that link to a school Facebook page or website with more information, you can connect with parents and community members immediately and provide essential information.  However, it is important to realize that microblogging is an art and successful engagement is closely tied to the quality of your tweets (Porterfield & Carnes, 2011).

     Facebook and Instagram are two other social media platforms that given parents ways to remain informed and get a glimpse into a school or classroom culture.  Teachers can use these networks to post pictures of student work, short videos of classroom activities, and information updates. Parents can engage with this information by commenting, "liking", and/or reposting.  Moreover, schools can use Facebook and Instagram to promote athletic events, student-life activities, and performing arts shows.  The interactive component as well as the accessibility of these social media platforms make them ideal parent communication tools. 

      Clearly, "the logical implication for educators is to experiment with social media and to explore its potential for communication and collaboration both in and out of the classroom (Wankel, 2011, p. 3).  With the research highly in favor of social media as a tool for parent communication, I am excited to see if using these networks will improve the efficiency of parent-teacher communication and boost parent involvement in my classes. 

Resources

Carpenter, J. P., & Krutka, D. G. (2014). How and Why Educators Use Twitter: A Survey of the     Field. Journal Of Research On Technology In Education, 46(4), 414-434. doi:10.1080/15391523.2014.925701

Edison Research; Triton Digital.  (n.d.). U.S. population with a social network profile 2016. Statistic. Retrieved February 12, 2017, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/273476/percentage-of-us-population-with-a-social-network-profile/

Porterfield, K., & Carnes, M. (2011). Twitter: Not just about ham sandwiches. Educational Leadership, 68(8). Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/ may11/vol68/num08/Twitter@-Not-Just-About-Ham-Sandwiches.aspx

Wankel, C. (2011). Cutting-edge Technologies in Higher Education : Educating Educators with Social Media. Bingley, GB: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning is an effective instructional strategy that deepen students' learning and lays a foundation for success in the collaborative workplace environment that exists in our 21st century world (Dean, 2012).  Cooperative learning provides students with opportunities to share their ideas and process new knowledge, therefore promoting self-confidence, inclusivity, and engagement in classrooms. However, it is important to note that effective cooperative learning must provide structure, accountability, and consistency.

The five elements of cooperative learning shown in Figure 1 provide a framework for educators seeking to use cooperative learning as an instructional strategy in their classrooms.  Face-to-face interaction is a staple of collaboration, and teachers must help students recognize and affirm their peers during discussion.  Moreover, interpersonal and small group skills can be refined during cooperative learning as teacher support students by outline guidelines for communication, decision making, conflict resolution, and leadership skills (Dean, 2012). Additionally, individual accountability is important because each student must understand their responsibility as a contributor to the group.  Teachers promote positive interdependence by developing a sense of teamwork as students work together to achieve a task or goal. Finally, group processing allows students to reflect on their finished product or knowledge as well as evaluate their team functioning.

As a practical example of cooperative learning, my students just began a songwriting unit.  They will work in small groups over the next 6 weeks on this collaborative project  Each week, we will focus on a specific element of the songwriting process (lyrics, melody, chord structure, instrumentation,  style, performance, etc.) and then the students will work in groups to complete that segment of the project.  By the end of the unit, each group will perform their original song for the class.  I'm excited to see how this cooperative learning experience will deepen their learning and am already seeing a high level of engagement after the unit introduction this week.

Dean, C. B., Hubbell, E. R., & Pitler, H. (2012). Classroom Instruction That Works : Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement (2). Alexandria, US: ASCD. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

ISTE Standard 2

How can I utilize technology to design formative and summative 

assessments for my music ensembles? 

ISTE Standard 2

Assessment in music ensemble classes looks very different than assessment in science, math, or english classes.  Due to the performance nature of ensemble classes, assessments often focus on applying skills and techniques during performance rather than taking tests, experimenting in a lab, or writing essays.  This said, technology can open up a whole new world of possibilities for formative and summative assessment in the music classroom. 

VoiceThread, Google Docs/Slides, Vlogs, Blogs, and SmartMusic are a few of the resources I am excited to use for assessment purposes in my classroom.  These programs and tools allow students the opportunity to collaborate while using technology, aiding in deliberate decisions and establishing effective problem solving strategies (Cicconi, 2013). Not only can teachers assess skills, content knowledge, and student progress by using these programs, but they also give students a chance to practice interpersonal communication and leadership skills through collaboration.  Cicconi (2013) believes "technology leads to a culture of social learning by empowering students of all abilities to take on the MKO (more knowledgable other) role."  This social learning environment engages and motivates students to contribute their interests and ideas openly during assessment.  Hence, it is appropriate to utilize these collaborative technology resources as formative and summative assessment tools in the music classroom. 

Advance Organziers

Contrary to many of the constructivist teaching philosophies of today, Ausubel believed that instruction should begin with a focus on teaching metacognition rather than student perception or induction models (Joyce, 2015). He advocated for the use of advance organizers as a mean to scaffold student learning.  Advance organizers facilitate students' cognitive structures by allowing them an organizational framework with which to process new information.  Educators can prepare students for learning by providing a general context or structured outline before launching into the more detailed and specific content.

In my high school ensemble classes, I utilize advanced organizers when we begin our music history unit.  Students are given a handout that gives them a general timeline of the musical periods and the main idea "Music is a mirror of the society that created it." This main idea provides the lens through which they process the more specific concepts and information for the remainder of the unit.  Moreover, I restate this theme before each lecture and facilitate student discussion about the conclusions they can draw about society based on their new knowledge of the musical elements at the conclusion of each class.  Not only has this instructional model has allowed my students to better retain the information they learn, but I've found that they are far more engaged in learning about music history when they understand the relevance to the greater society.

*Joyce, B., Weil, M., & Calhoun, E. (2015). Models of Teaching. Boston: Pearson Education. Ed. 9.

Concepts vs. Facts

The term "concept" and "fact" are often used as synonyms in our society.  However, concepts are abstract ideas that are generalized by specific criteria or evidence, whereas facts are simply bits of true information (Scheuerman, R.).  Concepts require inductive reasoning and inferences, while facts can be memorized just as they are.  This distinction is important to note as educators.  By knowing the difference between concepts and facts educators can teach with concept attainment and memorization models in order to deepen student learning and better inform instructional strategies (Joyce, 2015).  

The concept attainment model provides positive and negative examples of concepts and allows students to make inferences and hypotheses about what qualifies the concepts to be categorized this way.  Then students are encouraged to test these hypotheses by identifying additional unlabeled examples and generating their own examples.  The teacher then facilitates discussion by asking students to describe their thought processes (Joyce, 2015).  This model of teaching allows the educator to gain valuable insight into how their students process information and gives students the opportunity to practice inductive reasoning while categorizing and learning the attributes of new concepts. 

The memorization model focuses on creating associations between previous known information and new facts. Mnemonics, link systems, ridiculous association, and substitute-word systems are all strategies that aid in memorizing facts (Joyce, 2015).  By teaching facts in a way that allows students to create strong associations with sensory images or past experiences, students can better recall the information they learn.  It is also important to note the practicing this recall is essential because memorization takes repetition.  

Clearly, educators can help students learn and retain concepts and facts by practicing these models in their classrooms. 

Sources: 

*Joyce, B., Weil, M., & Calhoun, E. (2015). Models of Teaching. Boston: Pearson Education. Ed. 9.

*Scheuerman, R. (2017). EDU 6526: Survey of Instructional Strategies. (SIS Session 3 Lecture notes on Bloom’s Taxonomy).

ISTE Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

ISTE Standard 1: Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. 

As an educator is in imperative that I design lessons that utilize technology to promote student engagement, creativity, and technological competencies. One way to accomplish this is by creating a project-based music classroom where students are encouraged to explore, research, and compose using technology.  Moreover, the project-based classroom provides experiences that are authentic to 21st century music careers and develops necessary musicianship skills in a way that demonstrates practical application.  The creativity of music composition, video, graphic novel, newsletter, and audio-mixing projects advances student learning.

If I am to utilize these types of projects in my classroom, I must ensure that I support my students by providing instruction and modeling proper use of software programs and web-resources as well as demonstrating academic research practices. By scaffolding student learning in this way, I help my students develop their musicianship and their technology skills and in doing so, foster a more engaged and innovative classroom culture.

Music Standards and Charlotte Mason

Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of education is in agreement with the current Washington's State Music Standards.  Her emphasis on drawing connections, engaging students' natural curiosity, and providing context for how a discipline relates to the "real world" is well suited to the music and arts standards.  Let's take a closer look at how her principles apply to each of the four Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs).

1. EALR 1: The student understands and applies arts knowledge and skills in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts.

The language in this learning requirement explains that students must go beyond factual knowledge to the application of that knowledge.  The daily rehearsal process for performing ensemble classes offers students opportunities to apply the concepts they learn in an experiential format.  Therefore, the concepts are not just "fragments of knowledge", but are connected to real life application and skill practice. (Cooper, 2004).

EALR 2: The student uses the artistic processes of creating, performing/presenting, and responding to demonstrate thinking skills in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts.

By requiring that student learning require a creative and experiential process through which students demonstrate their skills and thinking, teachers are able to better engage their students.  Moreover, students feel a greater sense of responsibility for their own learning when they are fully engaged and have opportunities to share their ideas and evidence of learning in a variety of ways.  This standard is in alignment with Mason's beliefs that students should be able to test out their ideas, tap into their imaginations, and synthesize their learning in creative ways.

EALR 3: The student communicates through the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts).

Teaching students how to communicate through the arts enhances their emotional intelligence, expressive capacities, and even engages them spiritually.  Mason would be pleased that this learning requirement focuses on educating the whole child; academically, emotionally, and spiritually.

EALR 4: The student makes connections within and across the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts) to other disciplines, life, cultures, and work.

Mason believes strongly that students learn better when they can relate their learning to their life experiences beyond the classroom. This learning requirement demonstrates that principle by focusing on the connections of the arts to real life.

It is safe to say that Mason would feel comfortable implementing these EALRs, as they align with her individual philosophy of education.

* Cooper, E., Anderson, E., Schaeffer, S. McCauley, & others. (2004). When Children Love to Learn: A Practical Application of Charlotte Mason's Philosophy For Today.