Continuing Education for Music Teachers

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Photo by JAY MID IMAGE
Professional Development for Music Teachers
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In order to be an effective teacher, it is
important to be an effective learner. By
committing to learning themselves, great teachers
create better learning environments for their
students. Engaging in learning opportunities that
are playful, open-ended, and ambitious enables
teachers to offer similarly challenging curricula
in the classroom. For these reasons, it is
critical for music teachers to engage in
professional development throughout their
careers. The only way for music learning to
evolve is for music instructors to adapt and
improve their learning styles as new methods and
teaching become available. In order to inspire
young musicians to be creative, music teachers
need to add to their understanding of the
artistic process. After completing many years
of higher education, the thought of disrupting
your schedule for more instruction about teaching
might seem superfluous or even unhelpful. Since
your time both in and outside of the classroom is
valuable, this is understandable. On the other
hand, every music educator stands to reap huge
rewards both professionally and personally from
engaging in professional development.
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• Educators Benefit in Multiple Ways
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• Taking advantage of professional development
  programs can benefit music teachers in many ways.
  Not only will educators get acquainted with the
  most current ideas and research in music
  education, but they will also acquire improved
  teaching techniques and classroom management
  skills. Clearly, professional development is
  beneficial whether youve been in the profession
  for a few years or a few decades.
• Educators and Their Students Reap the Benefits of
  Other Perspectives
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• One of the most important reasons for adding to
  your teaching skills is because no educator knows
  all there is to know about how music should be
  taught. By participating in clinics or seminars,
  educators can benefit from both the speakers and
  fellow participants. In other words, educators
  can sharpen their skills by listening to other
  viewpoints and hearing about their colleagues
  experiences. To strengthen their understanding
  of the craft, music educators should learn from
  each other throughout their careers.

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Educators Need to Maintain Their Thirst for
Knowledge   It doesnt take that much time in the
classroom before teachers settle into routines
and form habits and ideas about whats expected
of them. While these things arent necessarily
harmful to their growth, they can be if they
stunt their curiosity. When teachers are curious
about their profession, they are more likely to
pursue additional education and training. If they
can acknowledge that theres always room for
improvement, they will be open to different
teaching methods, outside ideas, and newly
available research. In as sense, it helps for
educators to be able to switch places with their
students. By remaining open to different ideas
and remembering how they experienced music for
the first time, educators can keep their thirst
for knowledge alive. Furthermore, professional
development through workshops, conferences, or
even online training can help educators gain
perspective about their students needs. For
educators who have become set in their ways, its
all about reigniting their own curiosity about
the subject matter.
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Obstacles to Continuing Education for Music
Teachers   Unfortunately, there are some
obstacles for music teachers trying to continue
their education. Many blame a lack of time due to
the constant demands of their classrooms. While
classroom hours may not seem very long,
afterschool meetings and paperwork can extend
workdays to as much as 12 hours or more. It
comes as no surprise that teachers wouldnt want
to devote even more time to their job.
Nevertheless, educators need to understand how
much they can benefit from professional
development. In actuality, the skills and methods
they acquire through these workshops and
conferences may help them manage their time more
effectively in the classroom. In addition, many
longtime teachers feel too burnt out to add to
their music education. In fact, one of the
biggest problems facing education nowadays is
teacher attrition due to burnout. For this
reason, attending extra clinics or classes might
not seem enticing to music educators already
exhausted by their schedules. Nevertheless,
additional education could be just what a jaded
educator needs to reinvigorate their teaching.
Moreover, a big part of music educator
development deals with how to inspire teachers
and stave off mid-career burnout. Another
factor which can hold teachers back from
professional development is a lack of funding.
With many educators having trouble paying their
bills, it may be a bit of a stretch to pay for
additional classes. However, most educators have
access to grants and other sources of funding
that can offset the costs of workshops and
seminars geared to raising their performance.
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Professional Development Opportunities   Luckily,
theres a wealth of different professional
development options out there for music educators
to choose from. Many are sponsored by music
companies, schools, and education initiatives
aimed at advancing music education. Weve
explored some of these opportunities below.

• Workshops
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• One of the fastest ways to further your
  education, music teacher workshops are usually
  hosted by different organizations throughout the
  school year. They also tend to be relatively
  inexpensive and take place for a few hours on a
  weekend day.
• They usually have the advantage of being local,
  so travel isnt an issue. While they may not be
  as involved as out-of-town conferences, you can
  still make strong connections with other local
  music teachers.

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Conferences   This kind of training is perfect
for music teacher professional development.
Usually, conferences are kicked off by a
headliner who will outline key points before the
educators break off into smaller sessions, which
may rotate throughout the day. Because you may
have to travel and stay somewhere out of town,
these trainings can cost more than workshops and
require more time. They also provide the kind of
in-depth learning experience that accelerates
your music education and helps you to form strong
ties with your colleagues. Graduate
Courses   Graduate classes are another way to
continue your music education. The biggest
advantage to this kind of instruction is that
youll have credits upon completion, which you
can apply towards a higher degree or a better pay
rate. Generally, these courses run the length of
a semester or about 4 weeks during the summer.
Graduate classes usually involve substantial
projects, research, and papers. However, these
assignments can really help your teaching.
Although these classes tend to be more expensive,
many schools offer the convenience of online
instruction nowadays. Online Training   A trend
in professional development accelerated by the
spread of Covid, many companies offer online
training alongside in-person classes. Not only
are many of these courses less expensive than
traditional workshops, but you dont even have to
leave the comfort of your home to attend them.
On the other hand, it can be difficult to stay
motivated or form lasting connections with
like-minded colleagues online.
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Good teaching doesnt happen in a vacuum.
Instead, it is the result of years of study and
practice. There will always be more for teachers
to know regarding how students learn, what
hinders their learning, and how teachers can
bridge that gap. And professional development is
the best way for teachers to acquire this kind of
knowledge. Regardless of their level of
achievement, students will always learn better if
their teachers continue their own learning
process. Whatever method you prefer, it is
important to realize how valuable professional
development is to your career. It will open you
up to new ways of teaching and it will help you
to inspire your students. It can also help you
form lifelong bonds with colleagues who will help
you to stay motivated and move forward in your
profession. If you want to become the best music
teacher you can be, then professional development
is something you need to participate in
throughout your career.