What advice would veteran music teachers offer to today’s future music teachers? MENC members Geoff Neuman, Steve Damon, Eileen Benedict, and Deborah Stegner offer these tips.
 

Tips for Student Teaching

• Be ready to ask a lot of questions, and be open to new things every day. College doesn’t completely prepare you to teach. Student teachers may know their content, but don’t have enough experience actually teaching. You cannot plan ahead for every type of situation you’ll encounter, but if you’re open-minded and take it all in, student teaching can be the most important part of your college experience. (Neuman)
• Teach classes that are out of your comfort zone. One of my cooperating teachers, knowing that I wanted to teach elementary band, had me conduct a vocal jazz ensemble at the high school. (Damon)
• Be willing to observe and assist when necessary for the first few days. Be prepared to assist students as well as the cooperating teacher when appropriate. Schedule a time to meet with the cooperating teacher prior to the first day of your placement to discuss any concerns or questions. (Stegner)
• Write down every single thing your supervising teacher does. You never know when certain games, songs, and tricks will come in handy. The finest teachers I've met are wonderful observers. They take what they like and reject what they don't, but they observe as many different styles and people as they can. (Benedict)

Traits in a Good Student Teacher

• Willingness to have as many failures as successes - We learn that we (like the students) are human. (Damon)
• A class management plan - He/she gives clear directions that lead to a peaceful, organized class every period. Management skills are one of the most important things to try to attain. (Benedict)
• Good musical skills and openness to learning – I’ve seen student teachers who are very eager to learn but are not good musically, or who are good musically but are not eager to learn. Good musicians can become great music teachers if they continue learning music and pedagogy. (Neuman)
• Confidence - I love to work with student teachers who aren't afraid of their own innate talents, and are willing to put themselves out there, using their voice, etc., to model for the students. (Benedict)

Geoff Neuman has been the orchestra director at Green Valley High School in Henderson, NV, for the past 11 years. He has performed at the Midwest Clinic in 2008, Carnegie Hall in 2006, in Europe, and also plays string bass in the Las Vegas Philharmonic and with his own jazz trio.

Steve Damon teaches elementary band and general music in the Gill-Montague (MA) Regional School District. He welcomes student teachers and enjoys collaborating with music educators.

Eileen Benedict has been a vocal music teacher, conductor, church musician and performer for over 30 years based in the Connetquot Schools, Suffolk County; at the USDAN Camp for the Creative and Performing Arts, and at Infant Jesus Church, Port Jefferson, NY. Benedict has been an MENC General Music mentor and has presented a "Sequential Approach to Composition" for the music educators of Long Island.

Debbie Kidd Stegner is from Kentucky, and has taught band, chorus, and general music at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Her answers were adapted from the article “Do’s And Dont's For Student Teachers,” by Deborah Stegner in Tempo (January 2005): 38-39. To read the full article, see New Jersey MEA’s magazine Tempo. Used with permission.

Read the entire Student Teaching Series:
Student Teaching: What Makes You Nervous
Student Teaching: Answers to Your Anxieties
Student Teaching: What I Learned


For help and support, visit the Future Teachers Forum.

Read other MENC resources about Student Teaching.
How to Make the Most of Your Student Teaching (Part 1)
How to Make the Most of Your Student Teaching (Part 2)
How to Make the Most of Your Student Teaching (Part 3)
Trouble in Paradise
Bee Ready For Student Teaching
MKOs (More Knowledgeable Others) on Student Teaching, feature article from February 2010 Newslink.
Tips for Student Teaching and Beyond, feature article in March 2010 Newslink.
Preparing to Teach Music in Today's Schools - Section 1, on MENC’s Web site.

--Jen Reed, March 24, 2010 © MENC: The National Association for Music Education