Jumping through Hoops: Troubling Music Teacher Dilemmas in the New Era of Accountability

2019 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 23-29
Author(s):  
Ryan Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Standardized Test ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Student Growth ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Production Model ◽  
Accountability Systems ◽  
New Era ◽  
Student Learning Objectives

Conversations around changes to music teacher evaluation have publicly played out for the last decade. These discussions largely have focused on discrete aspects of the new accountability systems, including the particulars of observations, measuring student growth in non-tested grades and subjects, the motivation for changes to teacher evaluation, and myriad potential problems and unintended consequences involved. However, the underlying logic that drives these changes has been relatively ignored. I suggest that lurking beneath the surface of recent accountability systems is performativity, an approach to education that reorients schooling toward the competitive needs of the economy. In this “production” model, teachers are narrowly defined as effective if they produce specified results in the form of standardized test scores or successful completion of student learning objectives. This article offers vignettes of music teachers’ struggles under performativity to illustrate the dilemmas faced by conscientious educators, and it addresses some of their concerns.

Validation of a Statewide Teacher Evaluation System

2016 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 203-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianxuan Xu ◽  
Leslie W. Grant ◽  
Thomas J. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Teacher Effectiveness ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Outcome Measure ◽  
Internal Validity ◽  
Academic Progress ◽  
Student Growth ◽  
Student Growth Percentiles ◽  
Student Learning Objectives ◽  
The Relationship

This study examines the validity of a statewide teacher evaluation system in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Three hundred and thirty-eight teachers from 16 at-risk schools located in eight school districts participated in an evaluation system pilot during the 2011-2012 academic year. Teachers received ratings on six teacher effectiveness process standards and one student academic progress outcome measure. For the outcome measure, student academic progress was measured by student growth percentiles (where available and appropriate) and student achievement goal setting (i.e., student learning objectives). The study examines the internal validity of the system, specifically (1) the relationship between the six teacher effectiveness process standards and the student academic progress outcome measure and (2) the relationship between ratings on outcome measure for teachers with student growth percentile data and without.

Preparing Preservice Music Teachers to Teach in PreK Settings through the Use of Service Learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 105 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-32
Author(s):  
Roy M. Legette
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Field Experiences ◽  
Student Growth ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Music Teacher Education ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

Teacher education programs have long recognized field experience as an essential part of the professional development of aspiring teachers. While much attention has been given to providing preservice music teachers with rich and varied field experiences in grades K through 12, experiences in prekindergarten field settings are much less common. This article discusses the need for preK field experiences in music teacher education programs, the value of service learning as an integral part of these experiences, and preservice music teachers’ perceptions regarding their experiences in a prekindergarten service-learning practicum. While the challenges of service learning are acknowledged, its capability of promoting student growth while providing service to the community is underscored.

Observations of Music Educators for Teacher Evaluation

2019 ◽  
pp. 829-850
Author(s):  
Johanna J. Siebert
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Teacher Effectiveness ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Effective Teachers ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Education For All ◽  
Teacher Observation

This chapter explains the rationale supporting current practices in teacher evaluation as demonstrated through the main event of the teacher observation, with a focus on their application to the professional practice of music teachers. Formal teacher evaluation models and their observation protocols are described that include recommendations for use in improving teacher performance and contributing to ongoing professional growth. The value and integrity of such practices in music teacher observation is discussed, supported by participants’ responses to a nationally administered survey that queried music teachers’ observation experiences. Of particular interest are music educators’ feelings of dissatisfaction with their observers’ lack of content expertise, both in supplying informed feedback and in evaluating their performance as effective teachers. Suggestions for addressing music teachers’ concerns are offered that reflect the goals of teacher evaluation, improved teacher effectiveness, and their inclusion in the actualization of a “well-rounded education” for all students.

Music Teacher Evaluation

2019 ◽  
pp. 793-829
Author(s):  
Douglas C. Orzolek
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
American Education ◽  
Effective Teacher ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Evaluation Systems ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Music Teacher Evaluation

This chapter outlines the nature of music teacher evaluation found in existing and related literature and research. From these writings, there are an abundance of emergent themes that provide stakeholders with an opportunity to examine this topic and consider its application in their own settings. These themes include ideas related to the following: the intent of teacher evaluation; the role of teacher evaluation; what an effective teacher is; the importance of multifaceted evaluation systems; the place of student learning in the evaluative process; the various forms of evidence used to evaluate educators; the fact that research and practice should be intertwined in developing evaluation systems; the role of testing; the degree to which observation and self-reflection should be involved in teacher evaluation; the importance of clear and concise goals for learners; and the impact that systems of evaluation will have on the educators, schools, students, and American education as a whole. This chapter intends to allow stakeholders the opportunity to reflect on all of these issues and challenges.

Courses for Secondary Instruments

2019 ◽  
pp. 344-363
Author(s):  
Molly A. Weaver
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Promising Practices ◽  
Education Curriculum ◽  
Music Teacher Education ◽  
Teaching Activities ◽  
School Based ◽  
Secondary Instrument ◽  
Institutional Model

The main purpose of this chapter is to synthesize the literature regarding courses for secondary instruments in the interest of making recommendations for promising practices. The chapter also is intended to “push boundaries from within the system” of music teacher education. That is, it is intended to be a resource for those who prepare preservice music teachers (PMTs) for the realities of P-12 school-based music education and who aspire to instill in these new colleagues a disposition toward change. The chapter is divided into six sections: importance of secondary instrument courses, characteristics and configurations of secondary instrument courses, focus and content of secondary instrument courses, peer teaching activities and field experiences within secondary instrument courses, recommendations for promising practices (including professional development beyond the preservice music education curriculum and an institutional model for secondary instrument courses), and future considerations.

Developing Effective Dispositions for Teaching Music

2019 ◽  
pp. 321-344
Author(s):  
Michael Raiber
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Teacher Dispositions ◽  
Teacher Concerns ◽  
Teaching Music ◽  
The Impact

The impact of teacher dispositions on the professional development of preservice music teachers (PMTs) has been substantiated. This chapter describes an approach to dispositional development within the structure of an introduction to music education course. A teacher concerns model is used to organize this systematic approach through three developmental stages that include self-concerns, teaching task concerns, and student learning concerns. A series of 11 critical questions are presented for use in guiding PMTs’ dispositional development through these developmental stages. Activities to engage PMTs in the exploration of each of these questions are detailed for use by music teacher educators desiring to engage PMTs in dispositional development.

Characteristics of Early Childhood and Elementary General Music Methods Coursework for Preservice Music Teachers

2021 ◽  
pp. 105708372110245
Author(s):  
Karen Salvador ◽  
Mara E. Culp
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
General Music ◽  
Music Teacher Education ◽  
Music Methods ◽  
Elementary General Music

Although many music teacher candidates begin university studies planning to teach secondary ensembles, most will ultimately be certified to teach younger children and may be called to do so. The purpose of this study was to examine how music teacher education programs prepare preservice music educators to teach music to children from birth through elementary school through coursework. We emailed survey invitations to representatives from 512 institutions accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music to prepare music educators. We received 134 usable responses (response rate = 26%). Nearly all respondents offered elementary general music methods (EGMM), and over three quarters required EGMM for all students in initial licensure programs. Only about one in ten responding institutions offered early childhood music methods (ECMM). We describe findings on EGMM and ECMM course structures, content, and materials as well as the employment status, degree background, and other qualifications of the person who typically taught this coursework

Leaders’ Negotiation of Teacher Evaluation Policy in Immigrant-Serving Schools

2021 ◽  
pp. 089590482110156
Author(s):  
Reva Jaffe-Walter ◽  
Adriana Villavicencio
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Collective Responsibility ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Institutional Practices ◽  
Teacher Evaluation Policy ◽  
Evaluation Policies

This paper examines how school leaders working within schools serving immigrant English Learners negotiate teacher evaluation policies, including how they influence compliance with mandated policies, communicate those policies to teachers, and guide implementation within their professional communities. We explore how a leader in a school with positive outcomes negotiates external policies to support authentic professional growth and maximize learning opportunities for immigrant ELs. In addition, we draw on data from a comparison school that also serves a high proportion of ELs, but where policies have been enacted in ways that focus on compliance, increase anxiety, and add little value to EL students. In doing so, we show how leaders can mitigate the unintended consequences of mandated policies by addressing teachers’ uncertainty and anxieties, while reaffirming humanizing institutional practices that honor the local knowledge of teachers and deepen teachers’ collective responsibility for immigrant youth.

scholarly journals Policy at the Intersection of Curriculum and Music Teacher Agency

2020 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-42
Author(s):  
Janet Revell Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Choral Music ◽  
Policy Process ◽  
Hip Hop ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Music Programs ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Music Curriculum ◽  
Policy Environments ◽  
District Initiatives ◽  
Principles Of Change

Music teachers seek imaginative openings to expand the reach and scope of the music curriculum, particularly by engaging more students in creative production and culturally relevant offerings. This article describes the work of a high school choral music educator who implemented new courses in Hip Hop Production by strategically navigating the policy process for course approval in his school district, informing the proposal with readily available data, consulting with colleagues, and aligning the purposes of the courses with district initiatives. As a case of music teachers’ curricular agency, this story illustrates valuable orientations and principles of change that open up avenues for the expansion of music programs in the context of district-level policy environments.

Pre-service music teachers' satisfaction: person–environment fit approach

2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serkan Perkmen ◽  
Beste Cevik ◽  
Mahir Alkan
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Vocational Satisfaction ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Service Music ◽  
And Control ◽  
Future Work

Guided by three theoretical frameworks in vocational psychology, (i) theory of work adjustment, (ii) two factor theory, and (iii) value discrepancy theory, the purpose of this study was to investigate Turkish pre-service music teachers' values and the role of fit between person and environment in understanding vocational satisfaction. Participants were 85 students enrolled in the department of music education in a Turkish university. The Minnesota Importance Questionnaire (MIQ) was used to examine the participants’ values in six dimensions: achievement, comfort, status, altruism, safety and autonomy. Results revealed that the pre-service teachers value achievement most followed by autonomy, which suggests that they would like to have a sense of accomplishment and control in their future job. The degree to which their values fit their predictions about future work environment was found to be highly correlated with vocational satisfaction. These results provided evidence that the vocational theories used in the current study offers a helpful and different perspective to understand the pre-service teachers' satisfaction with becoming a music teacher in the future. We believe that researchers in the field of music education may use these theories and MIQ to examine the role of values in pre-service and in-service music teachers' job satisfaction.

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