James Coleman
Standard 1
Standard 1: The teacher of PK-12 music has skills in pedagogy (planning, delivery and instruction, and assessment) for vocal, instrumental, and general music.
I have taken a plethora of courses that cover educational philosophies, general music education ideals, instrumental playing techniques and conducting, vocal techniques and conducting, music theory and aural skills, and instrumentation and arranging. All of these course combine to form a skill set that I believe has set me up to successfully lead any kind of music classroom. Planning, delivering, and assessing the instruction are skills that have come to fruition through the multitude of courses, and will continue to develop throughout my music education career.
I have developed a basis for my own instruction and will continue to do so throughout my coursework, my experiences in the classroom, and professional development opportunities. This consistent inflow of knowledge that I have will be readily available for helping the growth and development of my students both now and in the future. The skillset I have includes the ability to lead a rehearsal from the podium with all of the necessary knowledge of score reading, score analysis, conducting, and listening. Included in listening is my ability for error detection which is of extreme importance in developing budding musicians. Being able to aurally distinguish wrong notes, incorrect rhythms, or discrepancies in harmonies or technique gives me a huge advantage while leading a classroom. These skills for leading a class and constructively criticizing my students’ (for the sake of their own improvement) can come in handy in any kind of rehearsal whether it be large, small, mixed instrumentation, choir, or a random assortment of students who walk through my door. More specifically, these skills allow me to design, engaging, interesting, and productive lessons for my students. A great way to connect with young musicians is through lessons using songs such as “hickory dickory dock” combined with movement to create a full body musical experience. My ability to lead older, slightly more performance based groups is directly affected by my own musical experience. I have participated in vast assortment of musical ensembles that span plenty of musical styles. These include wind ensemble works, chamber wind works, brass band pieces, brass/ woodwind ensemble pieces, individual instrument ensemble pieces, solo works, jazz charts (both big band and combo), Latin jazz tunes, and marching band shows. The skills I’ve learned/will learn through my own performance career are directly relatable to the lessons that will be used in my classroom for years to come.
The experiences that I will be able to share with my students are many, but one stands out quite jarringly. One of the most influential opportunities that I had for growth as a musician and educator was attending the Conn Selmer Institute in the summer of 2018. The experience included master classes from sages of the profession, workshops with some of the best players and performers available, conducting symposiums with world-renowned conductors, and an extreme amount of networking. These experiences all make me more equipped to give my students a complete, and fulfilling venture while in my classroom. I have musical skills, but also gained a lot of knowledge with regards to the students’ psyche. Being able to understand the thought processes of my students allows me to connect with them on an intellectual level, which leads to further growth and retention of content. Giving my students an authentic experience allows them to learn the standards, as well as allowing them to explore their interests. This can be accomplished through activities such as songwriting, solo performances, extra-curricular ensembles, music theory work, aural skills, and reflection activities. As the years go on, I will continue to attend events such as CSI and The Midwest Clinic for the sake of developing myself as a professional, and becoming a more complete resource for my students.
From all of these past musical endeavors, I know that I am equipped with the knowledge and skills to lead instruction in a music classroom. Planning, delivering, and assessing the instruction are within my skills that have been refined, and will continue to be uplifted during my career as a music teacher so that I can better serve my students.
I have developed a basis for my own instruction and will continue to do so throughout my coursework, my experiences in the classroom, and professional development opportunities. This consistent inflow of knowledge that I have will be readily available for helping the growth and development of my students both now and in the future. The skillset I have includes the ability to lead a rehearsal from the podium with all of the necessary knowledge of score reading, score analysis, conducting, and listening. Included in listening is my ability for error detection which is of extreme importance in developing budding musicians. Being able to aurally distinguish wrong notes, incorrect rhythms, or discrepancies in harmonies or technique gives me a huge advantage while leading a classroom. These skills for leading a class and constructively criticizing my students’ (for the sake of their own improvement) can come in handy in any kind of rehearsal whether it be large, small, mixed instrumentation, choir, or a random assortment of students who walk through my door. More specifically, these skills allow me to design, engaging, interesting, and productive lessons for my students. A great way to connect with young musicians is through lessons using songs such as “hickory dickory dock” combined with movement to create a full body musical experience. My ability to lead older, slightly more performance based groups is directly affected by my own musical experience. I have participated in vast assortment of musical ensembles that span plenty of musical styles. These include wind ensemble works, chamber wind works, brass band pieces, brass/ woodwind ensemble pieces, individual instrument ensemble pieces, solo works, jazz charts (both big band and combo), Latin jazz tunes, and marching band shows. The skills I’ve learned/will learn through my own performance career are directly relatable to the lessons that will be used in my classroom for years to come.
The experiences that I will be able to share with my students are many, but one stands out quite jarringly. One of the most influential opportunities that I had for growth as a musician and educator was attending the Conn Selmer Institute in the summer of 2018. The experience included master classes from sages of the profession, workshops with some of the best players and performers available, conducting symposiums with world-renowned conductors, and an extreme amount of networking. These experiences all make me more equipped to give my students a complete, and fulfilling venture while in my classroom. I have musical skills, but also gained a lot of knowledge with regards to the students’ psyche. Being able to understand the thought processes of my students allows me to connect with them on an intellectual level, which leads to further growth and retention of content. Giving my students an authentic experience allows them to learn the standards, as well as allowing them to explore their interests. This can be accomplished through activities such as songwriting, solo performances, extra-curricular ensembles, music theory work, aural skills, and reflection activities. As the years go on, I will continue to attend events such as CSI and The Midwest Clinic for the sake of developing myself as a professional, and becoming a more complete resource for my students.
From all of these past musical endeavors, I know that I am equipped with the knowledge and skills to lead instruction in a music classroom. Planning, delivering, and assessing the instruction are within my skills that have been refined, and will continue to be uplifted during my career as a music teacher so that I can better serve my students.
Artifact #1
peer_teaching_1_2.docx | |
File Size: | 785 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Above is a link to a lesson plan that I wrote, and then gave in a workshop with some of my colleagues. It demonstrates my ability to sequence, and get from one concept to another in a way that makes sense. It starts off rather simple, then moves onto concepts that are "harder" for the grade level. It also shows my ability to utilize transitions that tie lessons together for a more cohesive educational experience. Adding creative elements such as body percussion can spice up a lesson and give students a better chance at retaining new concepts. The concepts shown in this lesson plan are applicable to any and all other lesson plans for the same, and different grade levels alike. Sequencing, planning, creativity in lesson design, and organization are all intricate pieces in my lesson planning process for the classroom.
Artifact #2
full_year_curriculum.docx | |
File Size: | 39 kb |
File Type: | docx |
In my experience with writing a full year curriculum for a high school concert band, I learned a ton about planning and all the details that go into the scope and sequence for a secondary curriculum. Setting both long and short term goals helps to plan for the students' success, then I can guide students along the way and asses their progress in order to give them feedback. This whole process can only be accomplished by a teacher who is knowledgeable in pedagogy and is dedicated to their students; I represent both of these ideals which make me a qualified pedagogue to teach students.