INTASC STANDARD ONE
LEARNER DEVELOPMENT
The teacher understands how children learn and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
Council of Chief State School Offices. (2011, April). Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Model Core Teaching Standards: A Resource for State Dialogue. Washington, DC: Author.
InTASC Standard #1 embodies the fundamental understanding that children’s learning and growth are complex processes, and they show these complexities differently in how they think, talk, interact, feel and move. It is the job of the music educator to recognize the diverse patterns of learning and development of each student. The teacher must acknowledge that some students may have a natural aptitude for music, while others may require more time and support to grasp musical concepts. In the music classroom, educators must design and implement learning experiences that are not only developmentally appropriate but also sufficiently challenging to engage and empower all students, fostering growth and proficiency in the world of music. This standard encourages music teachers to tailor their teaching methods to meet the unique developmental needs of each learner while striving for inclusivity and excellence in their educational endeavors. Music educators should strive to provide positive learning experiences that allow their students to grow musically. Teachers must be flexible and adapt to the student’s needs so they can have the most opportune learning experience. It is important to know that all students come from unique and diverse backgrounds and experiences, which can impact the way they learn. A music teacher should take the time to observe how students learn and interact. Doing this will genuinely create a positive learning environment that will support every student no matter who they are.
As I work towards mastering InTASC Standard #1, I have found that working with my private lesson students has led me to pay more attention to each of their learning patterns. The more and more students I work with, I realize the importance of recognizing each of their different learning styles, and working with that to individualize lesson plans to tailor them to specific learning needs. I have found myself especially using this standard in regards to some of my students with special needs, such as autism, or even students with ADHD. I have taken multiple classes at Ball State where I have learned about developmental stages, both physically and mentally, especially within the adolescent age. Knowing what happens to a student as they develop can help better understand their thinking process, what they are going through and how to best meet their educational needs. As a teacher, it is important to recognize patterns of learning to help teach students different concepts, such as breaking concepts down in certain ways, using sound before sight approach, separating right side from the left side etc. I have also worked in a large group setting, where I have had some English Language Learners. Those students learn differently than English speaking students, and I have had to pay extra attention to how I explain and teach different concepts that best meet the needs of all my students, including English Language Learners.
​While I have some experience with this standard, teaching private lessons and taking multiple classes in which this standard was discussed, I feel like I fall short in meeting the needs of all learners in a large group setting. It is easy to individualize lesson plans for one-on-one private lessons, however, in a group setting, it is the job of the teacher to help every single student, which can be difficult to ensure this happens. In working as an adjunct teacher, I have some experience with this, but wish to gain more opportunities. I do not have much experience working with multiple students that may have IEPs, and how to create lesson plans that help all types of learners. I have created some lesson plans with this in mind, but would love to have more experience. I would also like to do more research on different ways to cater to the needs of different learners. Learning how to teach certain musical concepts in a way that can help all learners. While I do have some experience and have done some research, it would only be beneficial to learn more, since research continues to be done on this subject.
ARTIFACTS
Attached below are two artifacts which demonstrate this standard during my time at Ball State. The first artifact is a paper I wrote in my Adolescents and Secondary General Music class. It was in this class where I learned about the adolescent developmental period, specifically what happens to the adolescent brain as the student grows and develops. Due to the adolescent brain going through a phase of circuit refinement, a process called, synapses pruning, is used to eliminates extra synapses in the brain. The pruning cycle starts to eliminate connections in the brain that are no longer used, which allows connections to be strengthened. Along with this, the adolescent brain is also growing and maturing. In any brain, the prefrontal cortex is the last region of the brain to fully develop, which explains adolescents' lack of organizational skills, regular mood swings, forgetfulness, and social awkwardness. In the paper which is listed below, I decided to focus on bullying during the adolescent years. Unfortunately, bullying is a common problem a lot of teenagers deal with, especially in Middle School. There are many factors that lead to bullying, including physical, emotional and mental developmental changes that occur during the adolescent years. Teachers have an important role to ensure that bullying is not the norm and not accepted in the classroom. Music teachers can use their platform as a way to connect students and to embrace diversity. Music has a way of breaking down the social boundaries that commonly cause bullying. Music teachers can use this to their advantage and create a forum where students can be relieved of social pressures. The second artifact is a Summary and Reaction assignment I completed in my Band Methods course. This was completed after reading Chapter 8 in the book Instrumental Music Education: Teaching with the Musical and Practical in Harmony, written by Evan Feldman and Ari Contzius. This chapter discussed Curriculum, Assessment and Grading. In my Band Methods course, we examined the importance of understanding the different aspects of curriculum development and how to apply them to the classroom. It is important to consider the individual differences of each student and use assessment and grading systems to accurately measure student progress which can then help music educators design learning experiences and curriculum that is engaging and meaningful to all students. Music educators should have a deep understanding of how children learn and develop and recognize that each child has unique patterns of growth and development. Knowing this, it is important to design and implement learning experiences that are challenging, age appropriate and cater to the diverse needs of each student. By adhering to the State and National Standards and Curriculum, music educators can create lessons that meet the requirements of each grade level.