Dale Ramirez
2-3-2015
Intro to Music Ed – Questioning Project
1. I have met many former band directors that have told me that the reason that they are
currently in their position (no longer a band director) is because they got “burned out.”
What are some of the reasons why directors in competitive communities get burned out
so often?
2. What can I do, as an aspiring band director, to ensure that my drive always meet the
challenges of the job?
3. How important is it to find a mentor in the field of education?
4. In the current context of music in schools, how does one remain a flexible and exceeding
musician when he/she is expected to teach classes in areas that they are not formally
trained?
5. Many directors that I’ve known have stopped playing their main instrument. In such a
demanding occupation, how does one retain their musical “chops?”
6. Some directors that I’ve known have pursued higher training in musical performance,
some in wind band conducting, and some in music education. What are some of the
different aspects of these master’s degree programs and how do those differences take
effect in their teaching?
7. In some of our studios, we are required to take a more “performance-oriented” approach
to music. How do we retain a focus in music education when required to perform at a
level far higher than we will ever teach?
8. Some have said that it is very difficult to get a solid grasp on unfamiliar instrument
groups in second year MUE labs because such little time is allotted for each instrument.
Are there any things being done to address these concerns, especially as a need for
flexible musicians who are capable in more than one instrument group grows?
9. How do excelling modern music teachers differ from excelling music teachers from the
past? Besides a difference in resources, what is happening today that differs in pedagogy?
10. In developing a personal orientation to music education, are there any major groups or
schools of thought that populate the field today?
11. With such a difference in coursework in comparison to other teaching careers, how do
music teachers from ASU remain competent teachers as well as excelling musicians?
12. Some allude to a natural gift of teaching. Does this “gift” exist?
13. How are there differences in teaching philosophy for teachers who are more focused on
different areas of music? For example, how would a teacher who is most driven toward
marching band have a different teaching philosophy than a piano teacher?
Questions from Others
National Coalition for CORE ARTS Standards
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Why are art standards important?
Why are there new arts standards?
How do the 2014 national core standards improve upon the 1994 national arts standards?
Who wrote the standards?
How were these standards funded?
Education Commission of the States
1. What are the characteristics of those individuals who enter teaching?
2. How do those individuals who remain in teaching compare with those who leave?
3. What impact do various strategies related to teacher preparation have on teacher
recruitment and retention?
4. What impact do induction and mentoring programs have on teacher retention?
5. What are the most effective strategies for educating and training teachers?
6. To what extent does subject knowledge contribute to the effectiveness of a teacher?
7. To what extent does pedagogical coursework contribute to a teacher’s effectiveness?
8. To what extent does high-quality field experience prior to certification contribute to a
teacher’s effectiveness?
9. Are there “alternative route” programs that graduate high percentages of effective new
teachers with average or higher-than-average rates of teacher retention?
10. Are there any teacher preparation strategies that are likely to increase the effectiveness of
new teachers in hard-to-staff and low-performing schools?
Jill Sullivan
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What should students be evaluated on?
What should teachers be evaluated on?
Are grades important in music?
How do we ensure accountability in classes/rehearsals/lessons?
How do we allow for individual differences in the classroom?
How do we address the needs of all students in a music program which has students of
many skill levels?
7. How do we promote multiculturalism in the classroom?
8. What do we expect of the students on our classroom?