MUS964: College Music Teaching

Fall 2020

MUS964: Seminar in College Music Teaching

Michigan State University

College of Music

Music Education Area

Course Syllabus

Day and Time: Thursdays, 6:00-7:50pm

MPB219

 

Instructor: Mitchell Robinson, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Music Education

School phone: 355.7555

Office: MPB 208

Email: mrob@msu.edu

 

 

Purpose of the Course

 

MUS964: Seminar in College Music Teaching is a course designed to help prepare graduate students in the College of Music for careers in post-secondary education while enhancing the quality of their teaching at Michigan State. The program will include course work, workshops, seminars and observations of teaching to provide basic information on the music teaching/learning enterprise, and will be tailored to meet the needs and goals of each participant. In addition, the program will require a mentored teaching experience and the development of a teaching portfolio (the portfolio will demonstrate the candidate’s accomplishments, documenting teaching philosophy, curricular development materials, faculty observations, student evaluations, and other supporting activities from the core components). These experiences and the materials developed in the teaching portfolio will assist graduates seeking employment in an increasingly competitive job market in higher education.

 

This course follows a discussion/seminar format, which means that there will be readings and/or written assignments for most classes. Sharing your questions, ideas, and perspectives is therefore a requirement for the course—we will learn a great deal from each other if we agree to share in this way.

 

 

The following 5 core components will be emphasized:

 

 

Core Areas

 

Knowledge about. . .

Discipline-Related Teaching Strategies

  • Design and facilitate learning of discipline-specific content
  • Instructional Design
  • Plan Course Objectives
  • Teaching Contexts:
    • Discussions
    • Small Groups
    • Laboratories
    • Lectures
    • Rehearsals
    • Office Hours
    • Lessons

Adult Students as Learners: Creating Learning Environments

  • Learning Styles
  • Diversity
  • Motivation
  • Communication Skills
  • Active Learning
  • Classroom Management Strategies

Assessment of Learning

  • Testing
  • Grading
  • Classroom Assessment
  • Portfolio Assessment

Incorporating Technology in the Classroom

  • Internet, e-mail
  • Multimedia
  • Distance learning

Understanding the University Context

  • Understanding 2- and 4-year Colleges
  • Community Colleges
  • Faculty Rights, Roles, and Responsibilities
  • Preparation of Materials (CVs, Cover Letters, Performance Portfolios)
  • Applying and Interviewing for Jobs in Higher Education
  • Navigating the Tenure and Promotion Process

 

 

 

Suggested Resources:

 

Bain, Ken. (2004). What the Best College Teachers Do. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

 

MSU TA Handbook: A Handbook for Teaching Assistants. This PDF resource can be found online at http://tap.msu.edu/handbook/docs/2010-2011_handbook.pdf

 

McKeachie, W. (2002). Teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers. (11th edition). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

 

National Association of Schools of Music (2003). 2003-2004 Handbook. Reston, VA: National Association of Schools of Music. 2003-2004.

 

Provitera-McGlynn, Angela. (2001). Successful Beginnings for College Teaching. Atwood Publications.

 

ATTENDANCE

 

We understand that you may have professional or personal commitments that require you to miss class, but class members are expected to attend all classes, as learning in the class is enhanced by the attendance of all. If you have an unusual situation that results in extended absence, please contact me so that I am aware of the situation and can make arrangements to meet your instructional needs. If you know in advance that you will have to miss class for any reason during the semester, please let me know as soon as possible.

 

There will be frequent class activities based on the readings and class discussions that require participation, and students are expected to be prepared. Class participation will be factored into grading. This means doing the required reading and actively participating in class every week so that discussion can be as meaningful as possible.

 

Student work must be turned in on time. Grades on individual assignments and projects will be reduced by .5 for every day that they are late.

 

 

ACADEMIC HONESTY

 

Article 2.3.3 of the Academic Freedom Report states that “The student shares with the faculty the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship, grades, and professional standards.” In addition, the School of Music adheres to the policies on academic honesty as specified in General Student Regulations 1.0, Protection of Scholarship and Grades; the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades; and Ordinance 17.00, Examinations. (See Spartan Life: Student Handbook and Resource Guide and/or the MSU Web site: www.msu.edu.) Therefore, unless authorized by your instructor, you are expected to complete all course assignments, including homework, lab work, quizzes, tests and exams, without assistance from any source. You are not authorized to use the www.allmsu.com Web site to complete any course work in MUS277. Students who violate MSU rules may receive a penalty grade, including but not limited to a failing grade on the assignment or in the course.

 

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DISABILITIES

 

Students with disabilities will need to contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (353-9642 or http://www.rcpd.msu.edu/Home/) and work with me to arrange any needed accommodations, per the Center's recommendation. It is the student’s responsibility to register with the RCPD and to inform faculty of any special accommodations needed by the student as determined by Disability Specialists at the RCPD; Faculty do not determine accommodations.

 

CHILDREN IN CLASS

 

It is my goal to create a family-friendly atmosphere in our class at all times. The policy described here is thus, a reflection of my own beliefs and commitments to student, staff and faculty parents. 

 

1. All exclusively breastfeeding babies are welcome in class as often as is necessary to support the breastfeeding relationship. Because not all women can pump sufficient milk, and not all babies will take a bottle reliably, I never want students to feel like they have to choose between feeding their baby and continuing their education. You and your nursing baby are welcome in class anytime.

 

2. For older children and babies, I understand that minor illnesses and unforeseen disruptions in childcare often put parents in the position of having to chose between missing class to stay home with a child and leaving him or her with someone you or the child does not feel comfortable with. While this is not meant to be a long-term childcare solution, occasionally bringing a child to class in order to cover gaps in care is perfectly acceptable.

 

3. I ask that all students work with me to create a welcoming environment that is respectful of all forms of parenting status.

 

4. In all cases where babies and children come to class, I ask that you sit close to the door so that if your little one needs special attention and is disrupting learning for other students, you may step outside until their need has been met. Non-parents in the class, please reserve seats near the door for your parenting classmates.

 

5. Finally, I understand that often the largest barrier to completing your coursework once you become a parent is the tiredness many parents feel in the evening once children have finally gone to sleep. The struggles of balancing school, childcare and often another job are exhausting. I hope that you will feel comfortable disclosing your student-parent status to me. This is the first step in my being able to accommodate any special needs that arise. While I maintain the same high expectations for all student in my classes regardless of parenting status, I am happy to problem solve with you in a way that makes you feel supported as you strive for school-parenting balance. My goal as your teacher is for you to be successful--both academically, and as a person; and that includes being the best parent you can be. 

 

SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY

 

As your teacher, I wish to create a positive, comfortable learning environment. Each student has different boundaries emotionally and physically. The teaching of music has traditionally embraced a wide range of methods and techniques that may include physical contact between teacher and learner with the arms, shoulders, abdomen, head, neck and lower back. There is no music teaching technique that requires and physical contact with the student’s breast/chest, pubic area or buttocks. I will not initiate physical contact with a student without express permission from the student, and any such contact would be for pedagogical purposes only. We can also discuss any pedagogical interventions with which you are personally uncomfortable, and seek alternative strategies to accomplish these goals. Further, anatomical and physiological discussions may occur during the course of instruction, given the nature of music teaching and learning. These discussions should never include anything that is inappropriately sensual, sexual or suggestive in nature.

 

Should you believe that any violations of this policy occur in or out of class, you are encouraged to contact the following resources:

1. Office of Student Affairs, Student Judiciary: 432-2471

2. Dean of the College of Music: 355-4583

3. Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives: 432-3898

 

 

ASSIGNMENTS

 

Each student will prepare and submit the items below, which will be included in the Teaching Portfolio. All assignments are to be submitted via email, as attachments in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx).

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Cover Letter 
  • College Degree Program Status Study Project 
  • Course Design Project: 2 Parts--Student Presentation & Written Project
  • Mentored Teaching Experience

 

A complete curriculum vitae and a cover letter; the cover letter should be designed with the type of job or position you hope to secure in mind. Due: Sep 10

 

Mentored Teaching Experience: According to the MSU CCT Guidebook, the Mentored Teaching Experience is meant to be an opportunity for students to work closely with a faculty mentor(s) to broaden their teaching experiences and develop their teaching skills. 

 

The Mentored Teaching Experience MUST go beyond simple laboratory or grading assignments. It should culminate in a Teaching Project developed by the graduate student in conjunction with a faculty member and focused on one aspect of teaching (i.e. testing, curriculum development, etc.).

 

The project should include:

1) a proposal, which will be approved by the instructor and faculty mentor,

2) the work of the project itself,

3) a reflection on the project written by the student to be included in the portfolio, and

4) a review of the project by the faculty mentor.

 

The Teaching Project can focus on one of many aspects of college teaching, depending on the possibilities and preferences of the student and faculty mentor. (Optional: Students may also wish to document their project with a paper intended for publication on a topic regarding an issue in higher education in music; bibliography must contain a minimum of 10 citations. Also submit a list of the possible journals to which you plan to submit the article.) Due: Arranged.

 

College Degree Program Status Study Project: Choose a college/university music program that you either know well or would like to know more about, and, through web search, email queries, phone conversations and other forms of “snooping,” gather information on either bachelors or masters level degree programs. Due: Student presentations in class on Sep 24

 

Possible lines of inquiry include:

 

• Type(s) of degrees offered (BA, BM, BS, BFA, BMEd; MA, MM, MFA, MMEd, DA, DMA, DM, DMus, PhD, EdD, etc.), and how are they same/different

• Accreditation held, from what body; national ass.—NASM, CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation); regional ass.—Middle States, North Central Association Commission, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Southern Association of Schools and Colleges; state boards—Professional Standards Commission of the State of Georgia (PSC), etc.

• Barriers/standards for getting in (entrance requirements), moving up (admittance to the major/college of ed, etc) and getting out (juries, exit exams, graduation requirements)

• 4 year vs. 5 year, results in B or M?

• # of credits required for undergrad and grad degrees?

 

Course Design Project: Drawing on the assigned readings and class activities, you will design an undergraduate, semester-long course in your field and write much of the supporting material. Due: Student Presentations due Dec 3 & 10; Written Projects due Dec 10

 

• You should choose a course that you realistically expect to teach in your first year as a faculty member, such as the introductory course to your discipline, a near-universal general-education/service course, or an upper-division core course for the major.

 

Your course design will help you shine in job interviews some day. You should choose your course as soon as possible in the semester so that you can start making basic “design” decisions, beginning with your textbook/book selections. Since you won’t have time to build relationships with publishing houses, ask faculty in your department to let you browse through their textbook/course-book collections. They usually receive more complimentary copies “for course consideration” than they know what to do with. Your department may also have its own library of course-relevant books. Of course, you can always check the MSU Library as well.

 

Your project should include the following components:

 

• A complete course syllabus, following the guidelines and models discussed in class. Decide on a specific year and semester (current or future), and insert all the expected holidays in the schedule. Assume the following: a three-credit-hour undergraduate course that meets MWF for 50 minutes OR TuTh for 75 minutes; a reasonable class size of 25-150, depending on the course; no TA, but 25 hours of grader time for a course over 100. Make up your office location, office hours (at least three per week), and everything else you need to bring realism to your syllabus and course design. Do not, however, make up books and articles that do not exist.

• A one-page graphic syllabus of the course visually representing its organization.

• A class-by-class listing of your classroom activities in which at least half the classes are primarily “student-active.” This means that most or all of a class period revolves around a modified lecture, directed discussion on a specific topic, one or more small-group activities, one or more writing exercises, web research, solving a case or other kind of problem, a problem-based learning exercise, a role play, a simulation or game, a service learning or field work assignment, student peer feedback, etc. Be sure to describe each student-active element in sufficient detail – for example: Monday, October 1: Modified lecture on sight-reading approaches. Midway I will pose the question, “What methods would be appropriate in regard to developmentally appropriate practice guidelines and what we know from research about how children learn music?” Student groups of 3-4 will have three minutes to develop an answer, and I will call randomly on 5 groups. Disagreements should spur class discussion for another 10 minutes.

• An original supporting class handout that presents a lesson/knowledge graphically, in addition to the graphics syllabus. This item could be in the form of a poster, a PowerPoint presentation, or another graphic representation. It should serve to visually depict, clarify, elucidate, explain, complement, analyze, synthesize, simplify, or summarize materials presented in an assigned reading, your lectures, or your student-active classroom activities.

• At least two different assessment tools. Be sure that these measures constitute an “authentic” approach to assessment, and derive data that are useful in understanding the nature and extent of student learning. They are for your informational benefit as an instructor and are not graded.

• The final exam (two hours or take-home) or capstone assignment (if a final exam is inappropriate for your student-learning objectives), plus a grading key or rubric. The exam or assignment should be cumulative and comprehensive, and most importantly, it should reflect your ultimate student-learning objectives for your course. Your final exam (if you choose this option) should include a variety of assessment items: some multiple-choice, some true-false, some matching or fill-in-the blanks, some short-answer or identifications items, and a short essay.

 

 

DETAILED COURSE CALENDAR


(Please Note:  This schedule is subject to change over the course of the semester, depending on events beyond my control—such as mid-Michigan weather!—special opportunities that may arise such as Lilly workshops and unexpected guest speakers, or the interests of class members.  In the event that changes must be made, I will make every attempt to let you know in plenty of time to avoid confusion or inconvenience.)

 


THE UNIVERSITY ECOSYSTEM


Sep 3         Describing The World of The University

 

Types of colleges and universities, Carnegie classifications

University structures, units, etc.

 

Discuss:

Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Cover Letter. 

College Degree Program Status Study Project. 

Course Design Project. 

Mentored Teaching Experience.

 


Sep 10           Describing the World of the Music School

 

Schools of Music, Colleges of Music, Music Departments and Programs, etc.

How music fits in?

 

Discuss: Administrative structures and governance systems; effects on music units; differences between programs, areas, departments, schools, colleges, etc.

 

Due: CV and cover letter

 


THE SCHOLARSHIP OF TEACHING & LEARNING


Sep 17         The Scholarship of Teaching 

Examine the MSU Faculty Handbook.  Available online at: 

 

https://hr.msu.edu/policies-procedures/faculty-academic-staff/faculty-handbook/ 

 

Choose two items of interest to you, print the appropriate sections of the document.  Discuss in class. 

 

Reading: Conkling, S. W., (2003). Envisioning a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning for the Music Discipline. CMS Symposium, vol. 43. 

 

College Degree Program Status Study Project, assigned (due Sep 24)

 


Sep 24        Course Development & Design II: Organization of Instruction

 

Due: College Degree Program Status Study Project, student presentations in class

 

College Degree Program Status Study Student Presentations

 

Students as Learners: Andragogy, Pedagogy and More

Learning styles and theories

Diversity

Motivation

Course Design

Syllabi

Texts & Readings

Assignments

 


Oct 1         Course Development & Design III: Teaching Strategies & Methods

 

Planning vs. Preparing to Teach

Case Studies

 


THE EMPLOYMENT SEARCH


Oct 8           The Job Search/The Job Offer      

 

Discussion on the state of the academic job market, finding job announcements, writing cover letters, and job interviewing.

 

Sources for job searching

The Application Process

CV, cover letter, letters of recommendation

The Interview Process

What to expect, what to do, what not to do

The Offer, Negotiating & Closing the Deal


 

Oct 15        Course Development & Design IV: Assessment  

 

Guest Speaker, Prof. Diego Rivera  (6:00-7:00pm)

 

7:15pm

Testing

Grading

Classroom Assessment, feedback

Portfolio Assessment

 


The normal curve is a distribution most appropriate to chance and random activity.   Education is a purposeful activity and we seek to have students learn what we would teach.  Therefore, if we are effective, the distribution of grades will be anything but a normal curve.  In fact, a normal curve is evidence of our failure to teach.            ~Benjamin Bloom


  


 

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS

 


Oct 22     Teaching & Learning in New Contexts: Expectations for Teachers in Community Music Schools

 

Finish up with:

The Interview Process

What to expect, what to do, what not to do

The Offer, Negotiating & Closing the Deal

 

 


Oct 29     NO CLASS

 

 


Nov 5        Your future in higher education

 

Keeping your Job: What you want to do vs. What you need to do; Balancing Teaching with Scholarly and Creative Work

 

Due: Submit a revised curriculum vitae and a cover letter.  Your cover letter should be aimed toward the type of job you hope to have. (See: CV tips--http://gradschool.about.com/cs/curriculumvita/a/vitae.htm

cover letter samples-- http://jobsearch.about.com/library/samples/blsampleCoverLetters.htm


Nov 12       NO CLASS           

 


Nov 19        Guest Zoom Lecture: Dr. Ann Marie Stanley, Louisiana State University: "Cover Letters and CVs: Extreme Makeover Edition, with bloopers!"  

 

Nov 26         NO CLASS--THANKSGIVING BREAK


Dec 3        Course Design Presentations

 


Dec 10        Course Design Presentations

                   Due: Written Course Design Project   

 


 

The juvenile sea squirt wanders through the ocean searching for a suitable rock or hunk of coral to cling to and make its home for life. When it finds its spot and takes root, it doesn't need its brain any more, so it eats it. It's rather like getting tenure.   ~Michael Scriven

 


 

Grading

 

Assignment/Activity Points:

 

Class Attendance and Participation 20

Mentored Teaching Experience 20

College Degree Program Project 15

Curriculum Vita/Cover Letter 5

Course Design Project 40

Syllabus (w/objectives) 10

Classroom Activities w/assessments 20

Final Exam/Capstone Assignment 10

Total 140

 

 

 

 

 

 

College of Music

Certificate in College Teaching

Approved by the Graduate Studies Committee

 

 

The College of Music’s Certificate in College Teaching (CCT) is designed to help prepare graduate students in the College of Music for careers in post-secondary education while enhancing the quality of their teaching at Michigan State. The program will include course work, workshops, seminars and observations of teaching to provide basic information on the music teaching/learning enterprise, and will be tailored to meet the needs and goals of each participant. In addition, the program will require a mentored teaching experience and the development of a teaching portfolio (the portfolio will demonstrate the candidate’s accomplishments, documenting teaching philosophy, curricular development materials, faculty observations, student evaluations, and other supporting activities from the core components). These experiences and the materials developed in the teaching portfolio will assist graduates seeking employment in an increasingly competitive job market in higher education. Once completed and approved, the CCT is designated on a student’s official transcript at the direction of the Graduate School.

 

Before beginning work on the Certificate, students should:

 

1.     Review the required competencies and guidebook at https://grad.msu.edu/CCTP

2.     Speak with their adviser or another music faculty member to obtain agreement to be the music faculty mentor.

3.     Develop a draft plan of activities and timeline to attain each competency.

4.     Complete the Application Materials: attached.

5.     Send the materials via email (rayld@msu.edu) to the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in the College of Music for review and approval. The Associate Dean will make the College’s recommendation to the Graduate School.

6.     Send a copy of the approved application to the Secretary of Graduate Studies for College records.

 

Eligibility

 

To be eligible, students must be in an M.A., M.M., D.M.A., or Ph.D. program in the College of Music and have a commitment to developing their teaching competence.

 

Requirements

 

1. Application to the Program

Interested students should consult with the College CCT coordinator (contact information below) about certification requirements. Applicants must:

  1. Complete the CCT Application Form (attached)
  2. Write a Statement of Interest, expressing a commitment to the program.
  3. Obtain a letter of support from the student’s graduate research advisor/major professor.

 

Submit these materials electronically to:

 

Dr. David Rayl (rayld@msu.edu)
Associate Dean for Graduate Studies
College of Music
211 Music Practice Building
East Lansing, MI 48824

 

 

 

 

2. Course Work

CCT participants must complete MUS 964: College Music Teaching Seminar (3 credits, fall of even years/spring of even years) with a grade of 3.0 or higher. The course is described below:

 

Course:           MUS 964: College Music Teaching Seminar
Instructor:       Mitchell Robinson
Semester:        Fall of even years/Spring of even years
Credits:           Total Credits: 3 Lecture/Recitation/Discussion hours
Description:     Applications of pedagogical techniques to music teaching and learning through discussions, presentations and activities.
 

 

 

3. Core Area Competencies

 

While working on the Five Core Competencies, students should:

 

1.     Be diligent in recording their work (e.g., attending workshops, completing a class) related to each competency. For a list of Lilly Teaching Seminars, go to: http://fod.msu.edu/opportunities/lilly-teaching-seminar-series.

2.     Write the reflection required as soon as possible after each competency is completed.

3.     Be sure to complete steps required by the Graduate School for specific competencies (e.g., mentored teaching project worksheet, portfolio checklist).

4.     Work closely and regularlywith your music faculty mentor.

5.     Enroll in MUS 964: College Music Teaching Seminar. 

6.     Maintain all work in a portfolio. See the sample portfolio that received high praise from the Graduate School for organization and quality of content at: http://education.msu.edu/kin/graduate/phd/phdtccp.asp under the “Certificate in College Teaching” heading. 

 

The CCT program was assembled around the following five core competency areas:

 

 

Core Areas

 

Knowledge about. . .

Discipline-Related Teaching Strategies

  • Design and facilitate learning of discipline-specific content
  • Instructional Design
  • Plan Course Objectives
  • Teaching Contexts:
    • Discussions
    • Small Groups
    • Laboratories
    • Lectures
    • Rehearsals
    • Office Hours
    • Lessons

Adult Students as Learners: Creating Learning Environments

  • Learning Styles
  • Diversity
  • Motivation
  • Communication Skills
  • Active Learning
  • Classroom Management Strategies

Assessment of Learning

  • Testing
  • Grading
  • Classroom Assessment
  • Portfolio Assessment

Incorporating Technology in the Classroom

  • Internet, e-mail
  • Multimedia
  • Distance learning

Understanding the University Context

  • Understanding 2- and 4-year Colleges
  • Community Colleges
  • Faculty Rights, Roles, and Responsibilities
  • Preparation of Materials (CVs, Cover Letters, Performance Portfolios)
  • Applying and Interviewing for Jobs in Higher Education
  • Navigating the Tenure and Promotion Process

 

 

 

Competency in these five core areas is a requirement of the CCT. Participation in workshops, seminars, specific courses, course-specific training programs and professional meetings may count toward completion of the core areas. Each of these competencies can be satisfied through the course work, assignments and activities required in MUS 964. However, participation in additional activities is strongly encouraged.

 

4. Mentored Teaching Experience

 

The Mentored Teaching Experience is a requirement for all students enrolled in MUS 964, and is meant to be an opportunity for students to work closely with a faculty mentor(s) to broaden their teaching experiences and develop their teaching skills. The Mentored Teaching Experience MUST go beyond simple laboratory or grading assignments. It should culminate in a Teaching Project developed by the graduate student in conjunction with a faculty member and focused on one aspect of teaching (i.e. testing, curriculum development, etc.). The project should include 1) a proposal, which will be approved by the instructor and faculty mentor, 2) the work of the project itself, 3) a reflection on the project written by the student to be included in the portfolio, and 4) a review of the project by the faculty mentor. The Teaching Project can focus on one of many aspects of college teaching, depending on the possibilities and preferences of the student and faculty mentor. (Optional: Students may also wish to document their project with a paper intended for publication on a topic regarding an issue in higher education in music; bibliography must contain a minimum of 10 citations. Also submit a list of the possible journals to which you plan to submit the article.)

 

5. Teaching Portfolio

 

The teaching portfolio that is required of all students enrolled in MUS 964 will demonstrate and document the participant’s accomplishments and growth during the CCT. The CCT program coordinator will review and evaluate the portfolio, initiating discussions of the contents with the program participant where appropriate. The completed portfolio should be a high quality, professional document that may be used by the participant as evidence of teaching experience during future interviews for academic positions.

Each student will prepare and submit the following items, which will be included in the Teaching Portfolio:

  • A complete curriculum vitae and a cover letter; the cover letter should be designed with the type of job or position you hope to secure in mind.
  • Mentored Teaching Experience: see above.
  • College Degree Program Status Study Project: Choose a college/university music education program that you either know well or would like to know more about, and, through web search, email queries, phone conversations and other forms of “snooping,” gather information on either bachelors or masters level degree programs.

            Possible lines of inquiry include:

·      Type(s) of degrees offered (BA, BM, BS, BFA, BMEd; MA, MM, MFA, MMEd, etc.), and how are the same/different

·      Accreditation held, from what body (national ass.--NASM, NCATE (National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education), Teacher Education Accreditation Council, Accreditation Committee; state boards-- Professional Standards Commission of the State of Georgia (PSC), etc.

·      Barriers/standards for getting in (entrance requirements), moving up (admittance to music ed/college of ed, etc) and getting out (graduation requirements)

·      Whether the degree(s) is/are tracked (vocal, instrumental, etc.) or untracked

·      Nature of student teaching experience (semester or full-year, single or multiple placements)

·      4 year vs. 5 year, results in B or M?

·      Is certification offered at graduate level?

·      # of credits required

  • Course Design Project:  Drawing on the assigned readings and class activities, you will design an undergraduate, semester-long course in your field and write much of the supporting material.
    • You should choose a course that you realistically expect to teach in your first year as a faculty member, such as the introductory course to your discipline, a near-universal general-education/service course, or an upper-division core course for the major.  Your course design will help you shine in job interviews some day. You should choose your course as soon as possible in the semester so that you can start making basic “design” decisions, beginning with your textbook/book selections.   Since you won’t have time to build relationships with publishing houses, ask faculty in your department to let you browse through their textbook/course-book collections.  They usually receive more complimentary copies “for course consideration” than they know what to do with.  Your department may also have its own library of course-relevant books. Your project should include the following components:
      • A complete course syllabus, following the guidelines and models discussed in class.  Decide on a specific year and semester (current or future), and insert all the expected holidays in the schedule.  Assume the following: a three-credit-hour undergraduate course that meets MWF for 50 minutes OR TuTh for 75 minutes; a  reasonable class size of 25-150, depending on the course; no TA, but 25 hours of  grader time for a course over 100.  Make up your office location, office hours (at least three per week), and everything else you need to bring realism to your syllabus and course design.  Do not, however, make up books and articles that do not exist.   
      • A one-page graphic syllabus of the course visually representing its organization.   
      • A class-by-class listing of your classroom activities in which at least half the classes are primarily “student-active.”  This means that most or all of a class period revolves around a modified lecture, directed discussion on a specific topic, one or more small-group activities, one or more writing exercises, web research,  solving a case or other kind of problem, a problem-based learning exercise, a role  play, a simulation or game, a service learning or field work assignment, student  peer feedback, etc.  Be sure to describe each student-active element in sufficient detail – for example: Monday, October 1:  Modified lecture on sight-reading approaches.   Midway I will pose the question, “What methods would be appropriate in regard to developmentally appropriate practice guidelines and what we know from research about how children learn music?”  Student groups of 3-4 will have three minutes to develop an answer, and I will call randomly on 5 groups.  Disagreements should spur class discussion for another 10 minutes.
      • An original supporting class handout that presents a lesson/knowledge graphically, in addition to the graphics syllabus.  This item could be in the form of a poster, a PowerPoint presentation, or another graphic representation. It should serve to visually depict, clarify, elucidate, explain, complement, analyze, synthesize, simplify, or summarize materials presented in an assigned reading, your lectures, or your student-active classroom activities.
      • At least two different assessment techniques.  Be sure that these measures constitute an “authentic” approach to assessment, and derive data that are useful in understanding the nature and extent of student learning.  They are for your informational benefit as an instructor and are not graded.   
      • The final exam (two hours or take-home) or capstone assignment (if a final exam is inappropriate for your student-learning objectives), plus a grading key or rubric.  The exam or assignment should be cumulative and comprehensive, and most importantly, it should reflect your ultimate student-learning objectives for  your course.  Your final exam (if you choose this option) should include a variety of assessment items: some multiple-choice, some true-false, some matching or fill-in-the blanks, some short-answer or identifications items, and a short essay.  

 

Completion of Program

The CCT participant must complete and illustrate competency in the above requirements to earn the Certification in College Teaching. The CCT program coordinator, along with the faculty mentor, will consult with the participant to develop a program appropriate for the student. The CCT program coordinator will determine when the participant has met all the CCT requirements. Upon completion of the program, the participant will receive a certificate from the College of Music and Michigan State University indicating the participant’s knowledge about and experience in teaching at the college level. Note: the participant will not receive a degree or state certification in teaching. Participation in the CCT program will also result in a notation on the participant’s transcript.

 

 

After completing all requirements, students should:

 

1.     Organize all their work in a portfolio and review for clarity and accuracy.

2.     Use the Graduate School checklist to ensure that all competencies are documented in the portfolio.

3.     Submit to music faculty mentor for review and approval.

4.     Send a final PDF copy of the portfolio and mentor approval to the Secretary for Graduate Studies in the College of Music, who forwards the complete portfolio to the Graduate School after review.

5.     Notify the mentor, the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, and the Secretary of Graduate Studies in the college when the Graduate School approves transcript designation.

 

 

 
 

 

 

CVs & Cover Letters

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CV3.docx
Microsoft Word Document 92.2 KB

Assistant Professor of Trombone: http://www.tenorposaune.com/cv.html

 

Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology: https://home.uchicago.edu/~travieso/Docs/cv.pdf

 

Assistant Professor of Wind Conducting: https://isearch.asu.edu/profile/1204254/cv

 

Assistant Professor of Violin: http://www.timothyschwarz.com/Vitae.pdf

 

Assistant Professor of Clarinet: https://www.tamuct.edu/syllabi/docs/CV/W01008963_Carney_Anna.pdf

 

Assistant Professor of Bassoon: https://arts.unl.edu/faculty/cvs/Jeffrey%20McCray%20CV.pdf

 

Assistant Professor of Trumpet: https://www.angelo.edu/faculty/cv/jirish.pdf

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Cover Letter
Cover letter_oare.doc
Microsoft Word Document 31.5 KB

Assignments & Readings

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ConklingSoTLSymposium.doc
Microsoft Word Document 60.5 KB
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Degreeprogramproject.doc
Microsoft Word Document 24.0 KB
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Certification in College Teaching information sheet
This file contains all of the information on this webpage concerning the College of Music's CCT Program in a downloadable format.
CCT.docx
Microsoft Word Document 154.0 KB
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CCT Checklist
CERTIFICATION IN COLLEGE TEACHING_UPDATE
Microsoft Word Document 22.8 KB