OBERLIN COLLEGE
MUSIC EDUCATION DIVISION
"Continuing a heritage: Preparing music educators for the future"
Field Experiences
<http://www.oberlin.edu/musiced/fieldexp.html>
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The Music Education Division recognizes that sound teaching principles can be applied
in settings at the preschool, elementary, secondary, and university levels or in the private
studio. Flexible content and sequence within the program plus regular advising permit
students to meet specific needs, interests, and career goals while satisfying state licensure
requirements.
Beginning in the first semester, each Oberlin student's course of study incorporates
clinical (controlled environment) and field experiences at both elementary and secondary
levels. Later, in practicum, conducting, and methods courses, students function as
observers, participant-aides, project directors, and intern teachers, applying in actual
classrooms their knowledge of the foundations of music education, various pedagogical
approaches, instructional planning, and classroom dynamics.
To ensure field experiences of outstanding quality, the Music Education Division
conducts ongoing "scouting expeditions" and assessments of area teachers who have had
three or more years of successful teaching experience. It then selects individual student
placements to ensure the best possible educational experience for all. Field experiences
outside the Conservatory of Music occur in school districts in and within an hour's drive
of Oberlin.
Introduction to Music Education (MUED 101)
During this first course in the music education major sequence, class members observe
the Music Education faculty teach or rehearse at their respective laboratory settings.
Preparation for conducting these observations is provided during class sessions preceding
the visits, and opportunities for reflection and discussion occur following each
experience.
Practicum in School Music Experiences (MUED 102)
Practicum in School Music Experiences is designed to provide music education majors
with an early field experience and to enable them to begin to view educational settings
from a teacher's perspective. Typically, music education majors take the course during
their second or third semester in the music education program. The course has two
components: an academic class that meets twice weekly and a field experience that
comprises some non-music observation and a music "project" in one instructional setting.
Often, the project is undertaken by students in pairs, who begin by observing and proceed
to work individually with small groups of students or together as team teachers of small
instructional segments. Two visits are made by the instructor and/or the Coordinator of
Field Experiences; the observed teaching segments are videotaped for later review by the
student, and a supervisory conference follows each visit.
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To ensure suitable placements during this semester, students should keep free one half
day weekly or two shorter time blocks to permit travel to an area school. A valid driver's
license is also necessary.
Winter Term
General: To encourage and enable students to discover the value of self-education,
Oberlin College provides a Winter Term of four weeks in January. This term affords
students an opportunity to devise and pursue programs of independent study or research
and to undertake, individually or with a group, other projects of educational value that the
structured curriculum during the academic year may not accommodate easily. In order to
graduate from Oberlin College, each student pursuing a bachelor's degree must earn three
full Winter Term credits. (Transfer students must earn one credit in each Winter Term
during their enrollment at Oberlin, unless this would result in more than three credits.)
Music Education: For the music education student, one of the three required Winter Term
Projects must be a full-time field experience at a school other than her/his home high
school, preferably not in the Oberlin area. Typically, this experience occurs during the
third year, but no earlier than the second. While in the school setting for five hours or
more every day for at least three and a half weeks, the student may serve a variety of
functions, including observing, tutoring, coaching, serving as a teacher aide, etc. In order
for our students to experience diverse classroom situations, one class occurring daily
should include special learners. A music education faculty member sponsors and
supervises the project, reviewing with the student at the end of Winter Term both an
analytical journal of daily experiences and a one-to-two page summary of the entire
project; the latter is kept in the student's music education file. At a pre-determined time
during the project, the student is expected to submit a videotape of representative
teaching/assisting segments to the sponsor and to participate in a subsequent phone
conference.
String Preparatory Program (MUED 103)
This program, offered to children in grades four and five, is staffed by Conservatory
students who have qualified by completing the String Pedagogy course. Both music
education and string performance majors participate as teachers of individual lessons and
as observers and aides in group musicianship classes taught by the director. In addition to
classes and lessons taught at the Conservatory, the program includes satellite sites in arts
magnet elementary schools in nearby cities, to which Conservatory students drive once a
week and teach individual lessons and a group class to participating children.
The program's curriculum emphasizes singing and movement as they relate to string
development in the early stages. As a student progresses, composition skills and
improvisatory techniques are developed. Concerts are demonstrations of student progress,
with an explanation of the pedagogy employed; they often include parents' participation.
MusicPlay (MUED 303)
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MusicPlay, taught by Peggy Bennett, is for children ages 3 to 5, and provides a field
experience for music education students enrolled in the elementary methods course taken
generally in the sixth semester. Other students participate in MusicPlay as Practicum
students or just out of interest; parents remain as observers during the class.
After an initial observation period, individual students plan, teach, and evaluate several
short segments during the course of the semester. Each segment is taught twice in
succession (two sections, each with 12 children) with opportunity for revision as
necessary the second time. During the course of the semester, participating students
develop skills in engaging children in singing, moving, listening, playing, and creating
activities as well as in pedagogical techniques such as questioning, designing directives,
analyzing and breaking down tasks, and replying appropriately to children's responses.
All segments are videotaped for subsequent analysis and reflection.
Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra
Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra is an organization that draws students from a five county
area to audition for and participate in two groups. The younger group, Symphonetta
directed by Joanne Erwin, is comprised of students who have completed at least two
years of study and are in grades 4-9. The older group, Philharmonia, is for high school
students. The groups perform three formal concerts in the year and additional "runout"
events. Students in the Music Education program serve as assistant conductors and also
gain rehearsal experience as a part of Instrumental Conducting class.
Oberlin Youth Chorale
The Oberlin Choristers, a community choir composed of singers in grades 4-8, has been
extended to include the Oberlin Youth Chorale, developed to enrich the choral music
education received by students in the Northern Ohio public and private high schools. The
Youth Chorale rehearses each Thursday evening, 7:00-8:30 p.m., at the New Union
Center for the Arts in Oberlin.
An auditioned choir of approximately 60 high school students, the Oberlin Youth Chorale
is a field site for Choral Methods (MUED 302) and Choral Conducting (APST 262).
After a brief period of observation, individual students conduct vocal interviews and plan
and conduct portions of the choral rehearsal including warm-ups, vocalises, and choral
literature to be performed in concert. During the semester, students develop conducting
technique, score preparation and rehearsal planning skills, as well as knowledge of the
adolescent/changing voice, choral tone, and effective rehearsal techniques. All segments
of students' teaching are videotaped for subsequent analysis and reflection. The Youth
Chorale is conducted by Jody Kerchner.
Elementary Music Observations (MUED 301)
As part of the requirements for MUED 301, Teaching Music to Children, music
education students observe three area elementary music teachers. Observing elementary
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general music clases serves to offer a context for seeing K-5 methods and materials in
practice, to supplement the methods and materials presented in coursework, to acquaint
students with elementary school settings, and to continue developing skills of observation
and reflection in considering music for children.
Secondary General Music Lab (MUED 300)
Through collaboration between the Oberlin Conservatory Music Education Division and
the North Ridgeville Middle School, students enrolled in Music in the Secondary School
(MUED 300) begin the semester by observing and analyzing mentor music educators "in
action" with middle school (grades 6-7) general music students. After several
observations, the students individually and cooperatively plan and teach segments of
general music lessons developing effective pedagogical strategies and meaningful lesson
activities embracing the National Standards for the Arts. Teaching episodes focus on
analyzing and describing music, singing, playing instruments, movement, listening,
composing, improvising, and relating the arts. Students gain first-hand experience with
adolescents of diverse musical skills and backgrounds and are supervised by mentor
teachers from North Ridgeville Middle School and the Oberlin Conservatory Music
Education Division. Each teaching episode is videotaped for subsequent analysis and
reflection. For this semester, it is necessary for students to have two hours on Tuesdays
free for travel and teaching. A valid driver's license is also necessary. Jody Kerchner is
the coordinator and co-teacher of the laboratory situation.
Student Teaching (MUED 400/500)
One semester of full-time student teaching is required for certification and is normally
done in school systems which are in or near Oberlin. To satisfy state licensing
requirements, placements encompass both elementary and secondary levels, often
necessitating more than one cooperating teacher or even more than one school district.
Each student teaching experience begins with a period of professional orientation and
observation and moves gradually through a planned sequence of teaching assignments,
culminating usually in the student teacher's assuming full responsibility for the
cooperating teacher's classes/ensembles.
Frequent visits are conducted by assigned faculty supervisors and by the Coordinator of
Field Experiences; the observed teaching segments are videotaped for later review by the
student teacher. A supervisory conference follows each visit.
Full-time student teachers are not permitted to participate in large ensembles that meet
during school hours while student teaching. Half-time student teachers may participate in
such ensembles providing that rehearsal schedules do not conflict with after-school
student teaching commitments.
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Students are encouraged to have a car available at this time, and they receive mileage
reimbursement; students without cars are accommodated as for earlier field experiences.
A student may arrange for off-campus student teaching; however, at least one semester of
half-time teaching experience must be done in or near Oberlin prior to full-time student
teaching. (MME and MMT candidates must consult with the director regarding full-time
and part-time teaching.) Off-campus teaching may occur in school systems overseas.
Students who wish to arrange for this experience must initiate their plans through the
director of the Music Education Division at least one full semester in advance.
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