STANDARD 10: Leadership and Collaboration
The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.
Even though the instructor is the one teaching, that does not mean the instructor stops learning. An effective educator seeks out opportunities to learn, grow, and improve in order to become better and more effective as an instructor. Too often music educators lock themselves in their own corner of the school and barely venture out. An effective educator would venture out and talk to the other school faculty and discuss various ways for cross-curricular learning. Thus, the instructor is able to show how his/her subject matter relates to the others found throughout the school.
In terms of my career, I do not view myself as solely an instructor; but, also as a forever student. I am always seeking out new opportunities, strategies, skills, and other means of learning and improving my craft. To me, I should never stop learning. I should always be seeking out new opportunities to learn and to grow as an educator. Part of that is becoming involved with professional development organizations. During my time at Ball State University I am an active member of our National Band Association collegiate chapter, serving as the chapter President in my senior year. As President, I seek out fellow music educators—either through my own network, or through conferences such as the Indiana Music Education Association (IMEA)—to bring to Ball State as guest lectures as part of our professional development series. This not only increases my collaboration and leadership skills, but also provides opportunities for my peers to do the same and increase their own networks.
This growth and involvement in professional development does not end when I graduate from Ball State University; instead, it shall continue to grow. As a music educator, I will continue to be active in professional development organizes in order to learn from colleagues and always strive to improve my own teaching for the benefit of my students.
MUSE 355: String Methods
Teaching and being a leader does not stop as soon as I become a string orchestra director at a school. Outside of the school, there are a variety of opportunities for me to continue being a leader in the profession. I can take part in honor ensembles, leadership roles in professional development organizations such as IMEA and ASTA. I can become an advocate for music education at the state level by attending meetings of the State School Board and working with the State legislation to help improve the education curriculum and standards in the state or even the nation. Leadership and being an advocate does not stop when I become a full time teacher. Instead, that just opens the door to a new network of fellow teachers to join in the cause of improving the system and advocating for music education.
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MUSE 375: Band Methods
Teaching and being a leader does not stop as soon as I become a band director at a school. Outside of the school, there are a variety of opportunities for me to continue being a leader in the profession. I can take part in honor ensembles, leadership roles in professional development organizations such as IMEA and ASTA. I can become an advocate for music education at the state level by attending meetings of the State School Board and working with the State legislation to help improve the education curriculum and standards in the state or even the nation. Leadership and being an advocate does not stop when I become a full time teacher. Instead, that just opens the door to a new network of fellow teachers to join in the cause of improving the system and advocating for music education.
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