This INTASC standard serves, primarily, to prove my understanding of the content I will be teaching - music. Basic content examples include rhythm, form, melody, harmony, meter, and other theoretical concepts. In truth, all aspects of music theory, history, composition, rehearsal, and performance should be a part of my knowledge base. The tools of inquiry for music are ways that I can learn more about music and further my understanding thereof. Attending concerts and master classes are useful to improving my understanding of literature and different performers' perspectives on performing. Going to workshops can improve my knowledge in any specific area of music. Also, studying my major instrument privately helps me to become a better musician. Before I can be a teacher, I must be a musician.

My undergraduate work has given me so much knowledge and so many tools for teaching the discipline of music.  One of my most enlightening classes was MusEd 351 (see artifact below), because I previously had such little experience with general music classes.  Also, my music theory classes were very interesting to me (see artifact below), though much of the upper-level theory will only be used sparingly in most of my teaching settings.  Lastly, my music history classes have given me a lot of context for all the arbitrary facts about music, composers, and styles that I already knew.  Much of musical interpretation is done based upon history and knowledge of composers' original intentions; I can do that so much more effectively now than ever before.  I also submit as evidence of my knowledge of subject matter my cumulative grade point average; through six semesters my GPA for major-related classes is 3.838 (on a 4-point scale), so I think it is fair to say that I know my material very well (and my overall is 3.792, so I've done quite well in my non-major classes as well).

The following artifacts will demonstrate my achievement and growth in understanding the aforementioned concepts.  Though the first set of artifacts are from my first semester at Ball State (and, thus, contains very basic theoretical concepts), they show that, even upon entering college, I had a solid grasp on music theory; that only continued through the upper-level theory classes.  The second artifact shows the research I did to investigate various resources that are available for general music (elementary-level in particular), which is significant because it is the one area that I have the least experience and intrinsic ability.  Lastly, the third artifact shows continued study of rehearsal techniques, since these are likely to be most directly useful to my probable first job.

• I have included three examples of my achievement, and progress, in my first semester of Music Theory - our first homework assignment, the Midterm Exam, and our last Terms Quiz.
• The artifacts I have included are not perfect papers. While the scores are good, I want to show that I always will have some room for improvement.
• All three of these artifacts combine to demonstrate my ability in, and understanding of, the area of music theory. This competency will be very valuable when teaching, because it will help me to better instruct students and to have a firmer grasp of the material I will teach.
• [Note: these artifacts are in Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF) format. Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.]

Resource Review from MusEd 351

• For MusEd 351 I reviewed 20 general music resources.
• I included 2 series textbooks, 2 textbook supplemental materials, 3 websites, 2 computer programs, 1 "simple sing-along songbook," and 10 "other" items, including methodology books, thematic texts, and recorder books.
• This resource review can also be viewed through its index, listed alphabetically by title or author.

Journal Entry (Chapter 24) from MusEd 355

• Chapter 24 of Colwell and Goolsby deals with rehearsal planning. This aspect of our subject matter is crucial. How to prepare for and run a rehearsal is of utmost importance and is discussed in this article.

Conducting Video from Student Teaching

• On March 20, 2008, Highland High School held its annual Spring Concert Band Concert at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Anderson. I was fortunate enough to conduct on several pieces. This is a sample of my conducting from that concert.
• Conducting Video | Reflection

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