INTASC Standard #10
Partnerships
The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students' learning and well-being.
Headings for INTASC standards are taken from - Campbell, D.M. et al. (1997). How to develop a professional portfolio: A manual
Networking is a fundamental practice in all lines of work but especially teaching because of the ability to share ideas and feedback on what works and what does not in educating students. Music educators need to foster strong relationships with colleagues, parents and the community. By fostering relationships with colleagues, you can continually improve yourself and you have access to a large pool of resources: music, instruments, ideas etc. As music educators, especially if there is an extracurricular aspect to our programs, we need the support of parents for student attendance at events, maintenance of student instruments, support of music practice at home and often fundraising through a booster club of sorts. Also, a relationship with the community is vital because music is created to share. If you do not have the support of the community, your audience will be less supportive of your concerts, your fundraising endeavors will be less successful and your program is more likely to be at risk of being cut.
Networking is at the basic level of professionalism and one of the most important areas in which teachers need to develop in order to successfully educate students through working together with colleagues and community members. I have had several experiences working in the field with both cooperating teachers and with my peers. Through these experiences, I have come to better understand the importance of strong professional partnerships between both colleagues and other people that are invested in your work such as parents, community members and other cooperating professionals.
Through my field experiences, I have learned some of the core elements in maintaining collegial relationships. The most important thing I have learned through my experiences is the importance of trust. I had a situation where I did not trust people on which I had to rely for the success of my education. This has instilled in me a great sense of importance when it comes to trust and being reliable and having integrity as a professional. These experiences have prepared me to foster professional relationships through reinforcing to me the importance of integrity and trust.
When running a music program, there are many people inside and outside of the school that music teachers need to foster relationships with. The music specialist needs to have strong relationships with all the teachers and administrators in the building. This allows for strong cross-curricular teaching as well as providing consistency for students through open and often communication among teachers. Additionally, teachers need to be aware of the concerns of parents and community members, especially ones that support the music programs in the district. Through open communication, maintaining integrity in all interactions, and allowing community members a voice in their students’ educations, teachers can foster relationships with community members that will help the program to thrive and can help serve as innate advocacy for your program.
While considering all input from parents would be impossible, there are several ways in which music teachers can foster a relationship in which the community members feel involved in the learning activities of the students. A few would be to have some sort of program that showcases what the students have learned. Additionally, allowing community members and colleagues a forum in which to offer opinions and suggestions about instruction will help them to feel invested and help the relationship between music specialist and other professionals and community members.
Instrumental music education can be a solitary business depending on the program in which you work. Often there are no other instrumental music educators in the building or if the community is very small, you could be the only instrumental music educator in the district. Therefore, professional relationships with colleagues is vital to effective teaching and the avoidance of burnout.
Networking is at the basic level of professionalism and one of the most important areas in which teachers need to develop in order to successfully educate students through working together with colleagues and community members. I have had several experiences working in the field with both cooperating teachers and with my peers. Through these experiences, I have come to better understand the importance of strong professional partnerships between both colleagues and other people that are invested in your work such as parents, community members and other cooperating professionals.
Through my field experiences, I have learned some of the core elements in maintaining collegial relationships. The most important thing I have learned through my experiences is the importance of trust. I had a situation where I did not trust people on which I had to rely for the success of my education. This has instilled in me a great sense of importance when it comes to trust and being reliable and having integrity as a professional. These experiences have prepared me to foster professional relationships through reinforcing to me the importance of integrity and trust.
When running a music program, there are many people inside and outside of the school that music teachers need to foster relationships with. The music specialist needs to have strong relationships with all the teachers and administrators in the building. This allows for strong cross-curricular teaching as well as providing consistency for students through open and often communication among teachers. Additionally, teachers need to be aware of the concerns of parents and community members, especially ones that support the music programs in the district. Through open communication, maintaining integrity in all interactions, and allowing community members a voice in their students’ educations, teachers can foster relationships with community members that will help the program to thrive and can help serve as innate advocacy for your program.
While considering all input from parents would be impossible, there are several ways in which music teachers can foster a relationship in which the community members feel involved in the learning activities of the students. A few would be to have some sort of program that showcases what the students have learned. Additionally, allowing community members and colleagues a forum in which to offer opinions and suggestions about instruction will help them to feel invested and help the relationship between music specialist and other professionals and community members.
Instrumental music education can be a solitary business depending on the program in which you work. Often there are no other instrumental music educators in the building or if the community is very small, you could be the only instrumental music educator in the district. Therefore, professional relationships with colleagues is vital to effective teaching and the avoidance of burnout.
Artifact 1- Observation Essay on Classroom Management
This artifact is a short essay that I wrote for my cooperating teacher during a Practicum placement on classroom management. My cooperating teacher asked that I reflect on the classroom management procedures that I saw through observations in his program and communicate what I liked, disliked and would change about the management in the program. This short essay demonstrates my ability to develop a professional relationship between myself and my cooperating teacher in my ability to professionally present my observations and suggestions. I would use the same skill of professional communication in the future in numerous ways.
Artifact 2- Student Teaching Communique
This artifact is an email that I sent to my cooperating teacher for Student Teaching as I was beginning to discuss the possibility of a placement with him for my Student Teaching experience. I was reaching out to a well-known teacher in the field and requesting that he consider if he would be willing and/or able to have a student teacher. This email demonstrates my ability to foster a professional relationship between myself and my cooperating teacher through professional communication and initiative. I will use the same skill of professional communication many times in my career.