1) If you are a teacher of a music performance group, compare your current job

description to the one most similar to your job in the Part I reading (p.9-on). How
are they alike? How are they different?
Job Description: High School Band Teacher
1. Primary function: Instructs classes in band so that students develop individual and group performance skills and understanding of music.
2. Responsible to: Building principal or music supervisor.
3. Assigned responsibilities:
3.01 Conducts rehearsals and performances, demonstrating understanding of differences in style among various types of music.
3.02 Presents performances of high musical quality in which groups are well disciplined and make a good appearance.
3.03 Uses music of high quality in a variety of types and styles.
3.04 Builds and maintains a program that attracts and holds at least enough students to perform standard concert band literature with a characteristic
ensemble sound and standard instrumentation.
3.05 Teaches to and assesses specified MENC National Standards for Music.
3.06 Identifies and diagnoses problems in individual and group performance skills, and prescribes appropriate and effective corrective feedback.
3.07 Designs or selects and uses planned sequences of instruction for the development of band instrument technique and music reading.
3.08 Collaborates with other district band instructors to ensure continuity in enrollment from elementary to middle to high school.
3.09 Selects and requisitions required music, instructional materials, instruments, equipment, and supplies.
3.10 Ensures that instruments and equipment are properly used, maintained, and stored, and that inventory records are accurate and current.
3.11 Participates cooperatively in school and districtwide activities. Additional responsibilities:
3.12
3.13
3.14
Minimum qualifications:
4 01 Teaching license valid for assignment.
4.02 Working knowledge of band instruments.
4.03 Conduct music accurately and expressively with self-confidence
4.04 Perform on own instrument to illustrate and demonstrate correct technique, corrective measures, and musical expressiveness
4.05 Strong personal musicianship.
Additional qualifications:
4.06
4.07
4.08
5. Minimum term of employment: Teacher contract.
Salary level: Placement on teacher salary schedule.
Evaluation: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with the board's policy on evaluation of professional personnel.

Looking at that list, I’d say that it’s pretty inline with my current job description. The only thing that I wish I
could do is have more input with the feeder-schools. Unfortunately, working at an international boarding
school, we have limited options when it comes to the students who come to the high school. They come from
all parts of the country. This is especially true now that the government of China has been making sure that
the international schools of the lower grades are discouraged and receive lesser funding.

2) Using the Observation guide on page 69-70 (Appendix C: Observation Guide) as a

rating scale, choose a typical teaching day and class and rate yourself on each item using
0=never, 1=sometimes, 2=usually and 3=always. Do not give yourself a composite rating
for how you feel you usually are, rather rate according to "what you see that day"; as if a
supervisor or colleague were coming in to observe you. (You could always video a
lesson and then go back to watch it to complete this self-evaluation.) What did you
learn? Was anything surprising to you?
A. Quality of the classroom environment
Is the classroom task oriented, yet relaxed? 2
Is the teacher continuously aware of everything going on? 3
Is the environment productive? 3
Is there a seriousness of purpose? 3
Does the teacher vary the intensity level, or is there a sameness to the class? 2
Is there evidence of planning? 3
Are routines and procedures well-established? 3
Are students actively participating and enjoying the class? 2
Is there an absence of indiscriminate playing and talking during instruction? 3
Is there a shared sense of accomplishment? 2
Do students take pride in what they’re doing? 2
Are students concentrating? 2
Do students evaluate their own efforts and progress, and take some responsibility for their own learning? 2
Do students show respect for one another and for the teacher? 2
B. Quality of teacher-student interaction
 1. Is there an absence of negative affect: put-downs, sarcasm, and the like? 2
2. Is the teacher supportive and encouraging? 2
3. Does the teacher react with sensitivity to the students’ needs and feelings? 2
4. Is there an absence of off-task comments by students, such as 2
"Why do we have to do this?"
5. Do facial and body language reflect concentration, interest, and 2
enthusiasm as opposed to boredom and frustration?

C. Quality of Instruction
1. Does the teacher give clear instructions? Do the students know what is expected? 3
2. Does the teacher practice "preventive medicine" by careful teaching of fundamentals in order to avoid future problems?
3
3. Does the teacher demonstrate effective use of diagnostic and prescriptive procedures? Does the teacher:
a. Recognise when something is wrong? 2
b. Find the problem? 2
c. Prescribe and try a solution? 2
d. Persist until the problem is fixed, or leave it by design and not by default? 2
4. Does the teacher present instruction, provide corrective feedback and reinforce instruction on the following?
a. Individual and group performance skills:
Breathing 3
Position 3
Tone quality 1
Balance and definition of parts 2
Phrasing and expressiveness 1
Style 1
Dynamics 2
Technique 3
Embouchure 2
Intonation 2
Rhythm (accuracy) 3
Rhythm (style) 1
Articulation 3
Fingerings 2
Bowing 2
Vowels 3
Focus 2
Diction 3
b. Other learning outcomes:
Scales 3
Intervals 2
Chords 3
Key relationships
Major and minor 2
Modulation 1
Cadences 2
Contrapuntal devices 0
Phrase relationships
Antecedent 0
Consequent 0
Variation 1
Sequential 0
Historical consideration 2
Major forms, style and genre 2
D. Teacher behaviours. Does the teacher:
1. Have high standards and expectations and demonstrate an inner desire for excellence? 3
2. Show enthusiasm? 2
3. Have an emotionally flat style, or is the energy and intensity level varied to correspond to the instructional context?
2
4. Know the music? 3
5. Maintain good eye contact? 3
6. Take responsibility for getting results? 2
7. Do more than just mention corrective procedures, and show persistence until results are achieved? (Instruction must be substantive-- that
is, more than saying "Open your mouth;'"Watch the dynamics: "Tenors are flat;' or "Breathe from the diaphragm:')
2

I’m a pretty self-critical person. Even when things go well, I always try to figure out how things could have
gone better. So, seeing a list like this is encouraging to me and my practice. I would say that I have instilled
good habits of mind. The parts where I was weakest on the list were to do with phrasing, which is something
I really haven’t thought about since I was in university. Honestly, I forgot about the terms ‘antecedent’ and
‘consequent’ when talking about phrasing, and it’s something I’ll attempt to incorporate this next week.