Mind the Gap! : edTPATM John B. Wayman, Ph.D.


Editor’s Note: This article appears as one of a series written especially for Ala Breve by experts in the field of music education. Mind the Gap! At this time of year


all professors, preservice teachers, and administrators alike seem to be maneuvering as carefully as possible through the gaps. The gaps in curriculum, assessments, and most abundantly the gap in time (or the lack thereof). How do we get everything done in the time given…preservice teachers performing at advanced levels, developing proficient pedagogy skills, reflecting and assessing themselves and the classroom students they’re teaching, not to mention writing lesson plans for each class, tracking high order thinking skills, and advocating for future programs while explaining to administration and non-music teachers that music classes are equal to other core classes in cognitive and social development? First of all, breathe! Teacher


education preparation programs are often faced with navigating the implementation of these new requirements set forth by their institution, state and national agencies. In the state of Alabama, edTPATM


(Education


Teacher Performance Assessment) is one of the newly required assessments for teacher candidates along the pathway to certification. This assessment focuses on three major areas (Planning for Instruction and Assessment; Instructing and Engaging Students in Learning; and Assessing Student Learning) and the supportive commentary/video evidence of choices and actions made during the teaching process. Research has been conducted on the process of implementing edTPATM


into traditional classroom programs


(Peck, Gallucci and Sloan, 2010). The above listed challenges are


common for everyone going through the implementation process of edTPATM


, both


professors and preservice teachers. What has brought me some comfort is knowing that I am not alone, and that this is actually the norm. Although the edTPATM


process may


feel a bit clouded at this point, I feel the outcomes focus on in increased effective communication by music teachers with those that are not, assessments that assist creative minds in tracking concrete and esthetic goals in more specific manner, and assisting with validation of cognitive, emotional, and esthetic development of our students through music teachers being able to convey the effectiveness of their teaching through tracked


30


student outcomes. However, the real question for most of is: How can I make it through the year with greater success for my students and program, track what I need to change in the future, and maintain the hair I have left?


Step 1: Mindset! The mind is a powerful tool. If we


allow ourselves to be negatively influenced, you will have a much harder time achieving success in the implementation of edTPATM


.


Note, I did not say this made it an easy process, but a bearable process. Taking the time to reminisce the past assessment processes can be useful, but primarily for the reasons of making cross connections to the new system. Teachers guiding the minds of future music educators have a wealth of knowledge and convey the same information assessed in a multitude of ways, which allows for a vast pallet of differentiated instruction to help guide the specific outcomes needed for the edTPATM


assessment process. teacher and edTPATM


Preservice teachers, you are a novice can be seen as a tool to


help you develop a process of engaging classroom students in successful learning. What does that mean? When a preservice teacher is growing in the art and science of teaching it often takes on a cyclical process of self-centered focus - to curriculum focus - to classroom student focus then back again. Highly successful teachers spend more of their time in the realm of classroom student success (Fuller, 1969; Fuller & Bown, 1975; Killian, Dye, & Wayman, 2013). Therefore, using edTPATM


as a tool to assure student


focused teaching, and placing the idea of student outcome success as the primary. This challenged my preservice student’s thinking from the direction of placing curriculum first to students first by asking: How do my students learn (visual/aural/kinesthetic)? What are some of their interest in which I may connect the curriculum? and How do my students think and process information? By answering these questions, preservice teachers may have greater insight on how to differentiate instruction to assure student success. Then providing specific feedback through formative and summative assessments to determine the amount of student success in obtaining the learning objective.


Step 2: Know Your Handbook! This sounds simple, but most people


overlook or assume they know what they need for edTPATM


. Do NOT fall into this trap.


Know your handbook forwards and backwards as if it were a music score. Write in the definitions of unfamiliar terms, and those that are defined a bit differently than we’re accustomed. Remember the glossary is not suggestive in its defining of terminology. Write out music curriculum examples of each of the different section to assure effective communication and understanding. Chart a plan of action by working backwards from your completed edTPATM


rubric goals.


Step 3: Big Picture This is currently a new process for


many, and will always be a new process to incoming preservice educators. It is important that everyone keep a perspective of the overall picture. This is not a music evaluation. It is a teaching evaluation, and is from the perspective of a tradition subject classroom; therefore, effective


communication


connecting the world of music and education must be maintained from that perspective. Error on the side of using edTPATM language.


academic


Task 1 – Context & Preplanning a Know your students! What is important about your students that will help you teach them more effectively?


a Where are you starting from, and what is your curricular destination?


a How will you know if the students are meeting the objective?


Task 2 – Instruction & Student Engagement a Objective a Student Focused – Action Verb/Measurable


May/June 2016


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