Professional Growth Plan – Part 1 (EDUC 394)

1a. What data are you using to guide the development of your professional learning goal (e.g.

reflections on teaching, teaching observations, mid-program evaluations, student feedback)?

Danielson Assessment C, student feedback, and reports from CT.

1b. What do the data tell you? Describe your areas of strengths and weaknesses based on the

data collected above. Strengths: Conducting and interaction with students Weaknesses:

Specific Related Feedback and Maintaining focus within feedback

2. Using the information from question 1, what is your focus area (write both the Danielson

domain and the component that you have identified as having the greatest potential for

increasing student learning below)? Remember to choose from Domains 2 and 3. Domain: 3

Component: D: Using assessment in instruction

3. What goal will enable you to strengthen your practice (write your goal statement using the

Danielson Framework language)? My goal is to use assessment regularly to monitor the

progress of students while also providing specific related feedback.

4. Describe what will you do to build professional background knowledge related to the domain

and component that you have selected in order for you to achieve your goal (e.g. what

articles/books will you read, what Internet resources will you use, what workshops will you

attend, will you interview or observe teachers)? Describe four specific professional development

activities. FMEA conference, read “Assessment tools and feedback in Performing Ensembles”,

Midwest Band Clinic, read “Five Research based tips on assessment in the classroom”

5. What activities/actions will you implement to help attain your goal (e.g. administer a student

interest inventory, develop lessons that include multiple project options for students, include the

use of formative assessments during instruction, video tape and critique one’s practice,

establish procedures for the distribution and collection of materials and supplies)? How will

these help you attain your goal? Describe three specific activities based on current professional

background knowledge related to your goal (this section will be updated during student teaching
as you continue to build your professional background knowledge described in question 4). Plan

lesson with assessment built in, monitor how the assessment is effecting students, use of video

taping myself so I can watch my lesson back.

6. How will you collaborate with other professionals to meet your goal? I will talk with my CT,

classmates, and professors to gain feedback on how I am using assessment, as well as asking

how to improve my use of assessment, or to make it more clear.

7. What evidence/artifacts will you collect to demonstrate that your goal is being met? List three

specific evidence/artifacts you will collect. Student feedback via formative assessment

Summative assessment from students, Student engagement, in regards to answering

questions.

PGP Part 2: Final Report

1. I did several things to build my professional background knowledge related to using

assessment in instruction. I read several articles and listened to podcasts recommended
to me by colleagues. There are four specific ones that stood out to me and made a
lasting impression on my use of assessment in instruction.
i. Music Assessment Concepts by Edward P Asmus from the Music
Educators Journal. This article has a list of assessment types and how
they can be applied in musical instruction. This was very helpful because
it gave me ideas for how to create a better series of assessments that
could be seamlessly integrated, rather than seemingly stopping class to
give assessment.
ii. Assessments in Instrumental Music by Thomas Goolsby from Music
Educators Journal. This article discussed direct assessment for
instrumental music classes. This included wonderful ideas of self
assessment that was done in class.
iii. Everyday Musicality Podcast- a podcast discussing the use of Edwin
Gordon’s Music Learning Theory in everyday education. This podcast
discusses several educational techniques that were created by Edwin
Gordon. It covers a variety of subjects including learning and assessment.
iv. Effects of listening conditions, Error Types, and Ensemble Textures on
Error Detection Skills by Dori T Waggoner. This article is a study that was
conducted about band environment and how it affects the conductor’s
ability to detect errors while the band is playing.
2. As a result of reading and listening to these materials I implemented several activities
and actions to help me obtain my goal of improving on my use of assessment in
instruction.
 i. Immediate feedback and performance assessment. I started giving
immediate feedback when I identified something that was incorrect. This
helped both me and the band to make improvements. This helped me
improve with calling out the errors I hear, because I immediately stop to
correct it. I do not forget areas that need improvement anymore. This was
a technique that was recommended by The first article- Music
Assessment concepts by Asmus.
ii. Where do you rank your confidence? This is a technique that was
recommended by the article Assessment in Instrumental Music by
Goolsby. This activity has students rate their own performance on a scale
of 1-5 by putting their hand up in front of them. I could ask a question
such as “How well do you understand the directions” or “How confident
are you that you have this rhythm correct?” They would then rate
themselves on this scale. This was a great way for me to gauge the
student’s understanding. This is amazing for me and the students
because it makes us think about how each student is individually
understanding and helps increase students who are lower more
effectively.
iii. Listening with my eyes closed or from off the podium. This was suggested
by the podcast called Everyday Musicality. It said that a lot of musicality is
lost simply by being over involved in the student process. They are
inherently musical, so closing your eyes and listening for it is a way to
help them increase the musicality and for you to hear what is being
produced.
iv. Error detection and listening to recordings. I listened to many recordings
of my band playing while I was on my way home from work. Hearing a
different format of them playing helped me to hear more errors than when
I was right in front of the band. It took away the pressure of hearing things
in that moment, which helped me relax a bit. This allowed me to hear
more things.
3. I believe that I met my intended goal of improving my ability to use assessment in
instruction.
a. Artifact 1 Formal Observation 1. This artifact is an image of the sheet that my
cooperating teacher filled out in regards to my ability to use assessment in
instruction. He has written many phrases that I said that count as assessment.
He also included many things that he thinks that I could improve on.
b. Artifact 2 Formal Observation 2. This artifact is an image of the second
Professional Growth Plan observation form filled out by my Cooperating teacher.
c. Artifact 3 Microteach Video.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fpTS0mNwIX0W5miBr3nxxyLmHDPLduMa/view?
usp=share_link
This link takes you to my micro teach video from the beginning of my internship.
This is used as a benchmark for how much I have grown in comparison. I am
using assessment only by asking questions rather than hearing things that are
 incorrect and fixing them. I am still using formative assessment, but it is in a more
streamlined way.
d. Artifact 4 Unit Plan assessment
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sBC_KVCTwIySm61rg6flK06AdHkEZUn3Ar8t
M8TcKm8/prefill
This document is an example of a summative assessment that I had the students
complete in class for my unit plan. It has to do with rhythm and counting. This
contains one of many of the ideas that I worked on with my assessment in
instruction, including counting rhythm correctly individually and as a class.
e. Artifact 5 Assessment C from observation number 2 in VIA. This is the second
assessment I received from my Cooperating teacher. I have included an image
captured from VIA that depicts the highest rating I can receive for using
assessment in instruction, showing improvement!
4. I took the recommendations and teachings of both Mr. Dupuis and Mr. Robinson every
time they observed me. They both gave me large amounts of feedback, which I added
into my teaching. They always gave me the chance to enhance my assessment, which
has been very helpful
5. I learned that there are several different ways to conduct assessment in a band
classroom and that not every assessment looks the same. This gave me insight into the
world of assessment. If all the assessments were the same it would be very hard to
understand the true depth of a student's knowledge.
6. I feel as if I were impacted greatly by this experience. I have a whole new level of
understanding about the world of assessment. They can be big or small, take a long
time, or only a very short amount of time. Assessment can constantly be happening,
without the students knowledge or nerves about a test. With this knowledge I believe
that I will be a much better teacher.
7. My increased level of awareness from assessment increased the students overall
achievement and ability to play the music presented to them. We got higher scores at
our assessment of the music because of this as well. The bar was raised for them. This
increased their musical ability.
8. I will continue to grow by continuing to learn more about assessment and increasing my
knowledge of types that can be seamlessly integrated into my lessons. This will help me
grow as a teacher and in my ability to assess my students in real time.
Artifact 1:

Artifact 2:

Artifact 5: