Music Education: Student Teaching Advice
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Music Education: Student Teaching Advice

Go out into the world and teach music!

61
Music Education: Student Teaching Advice
Storify

I just recently finished student teaching in the Fall and was required to write some advice for my fellow music education student teachers. I thought I'd share.


Hi music ed. friends,

This letter is for you. The ones who are about to go out into the world and student teach. It's a big, huge, scary step, and having completed student teaching, I have some advice for you.

First of all, make sure you have a good sense of time management and a good handle on rehearsal techniques. I was a little nervous going into student teaching because I was not sure of how well I would run rehearsals. Reviewing rehearsal strategies from other teachers and previous classes definitely helped me, and having time management skills made rehearsal easy.

Second, don't be afraid to just jump right in. This will be your best experience - it'll definitely help you to prepare for the "real world". Where I was student teaching, my cooperating teacher let me take over the 5th grade band. I was able to just jump right in and start working with them. Take over a group and make it yours! Don't be afraid to make mistakes - your cooperating teacher will still be there to help and give pointers.

Third, take a look at how you conduct. Before you get up on the podium with the students, take a few minutes and conduct in the mirror at home. You might be a little rusty, or there might be something in your pattern that is a little bit off.

Fourth, play your secondaries!!! Modeling on those instruments for your students will be the greatest help when teaching lessons. If you're uncomfortable with a secondary, grab a method book and take it home with you. Face your fear of instruments you don't like and just go for it.

Fifth, look over edTPA documents before you even get there for the first day. Read through the handbook and don't be intimidated by it! It's huge, but extremely helpful and thorough. Start to scope out a lesson group or class you want to use immediately. It took me a long time to find a group due to the restrictions in edTPA and lesson attendance at my school, so I feel that if I had looked them over earlier, I would have been more prepared.

Sixth, be prepared for anything. Literally anything. If there's a fire drill and there's only five minutes left in your lesson period, have a back up plan. If there's a lockdown drill and you get nothing done, oh well, move on. If someone comes into the room you're in and tells you they have it signed out so you have to leave, find somewhere else and just keep going. Be prepared for whatever may pop up!

Seventh, really get to know your cooperating teacher. My cooperating teachers are two of the kindest, funniest, and most knowledgeable people I have ever met. They like to make up songs, tease each other, and crack jokes in the office. Get to know things about their home life and their families and hobbies and things about them the students won't know. And don't be afraid to laugh with them! Laughter is the best kind of stress relief.

Eighth, get to know the students and the school district. I started to do this right away and I am so thankful I did. I got to have a little more fun with the students because of it. Also, getting to know the district as a whole was fantastic. I learned that the district I was placed in was the reason why schools have many laws about fire safety. I also met more teachers than I thought I would and having a friendly face to see in the hallway is always nice.

Ninth, ask questions. There is no stupid question. If there's a situation, ask your cooperating teacher how they've handled those kinds of situations. If there's a mad parent on the phone, ask your cooperating teacher how they handle mad parents. Ask about the hiring process at the school and how to be a sub. Ask all of the questions you can.

Tenth, if you're like me and some of my friends, you might enjoy sleeping until the last possible second. Or you might even just wake up way later than normal. Instead of panicking and not making a lunch and not having good clothes, lay out your clothes the night before and pack your lunch the night before. This makes for an easy morning. I had plenty of days where I got up late and didn't have a lunch. Don't be that guy.

And finally, just have fun. Stressing about lesson plans and observations and edTPA will make your semester not so fun. So relax and enjoy your student teaching experience. Good luck!!!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

39860
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

24423
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

950336
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

130198
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments