PDQP Progress Report



                                   
  PDQP Progress Report
Ciana L. Whitfield
National University


Author Note:
Ciana Whitfield, Department of Music, Parkside Middle School.
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for TED 690 Capstone for Professor Clifton Johnson.
Correspondence concerning this document should be addressed to Ciana Whitfield, Department of Music, Parkside Middle School, San Bruno, CA 94066. Contact: cwhitfield@sbpsd.k12.ca.us

Abstract
This document is document three for the Capstone PDQP.  A progress report providing an update of my PDQP implementation will include a discussion of goal achievements, frustrations, questions, concerns, and the next steps for myself and the learning community in developing a PDQP. TPE Domains C and D will be populated with three artifacts.  One artifact for each TPE domain will be a supporting literature review and each chosen artifact will be justified. 
Keywords:  pdqp, music education
PDQP “Progress Report”
            An important step in the process of creating a PDQP is self-evaluation.  Self-evaluation is the focus for this document as it is a progress report reviewing prior work for the purposes of improving the portfolio at a halfway point.  It is important to remember four major areas when self evaluating- “introduction and organization of the portfolio, performance standards or themes, documentation, and introductions, explanations, and reflections” (Costantino & De Lorenzo, 2009, p. 66).  Taking the time to ask yourself and others questions in order to gain access to constructive and creative thoughts will create and improve progress for a great PDQP. TPE Domains C and D will be populated with three artifacts.  One artifact for each TPE domain will be a supporting literature review and each chosen artifact will be justified. 
Literature Review
            There are two articles discussed in this document.  For TPE Domain C, the selected supporting literature review is entitled “Music Education: Perspectives from Current Ethnomusicology” from the Journal of Music Education in 2003 by Jonathan Stock. For TPE Domain D, the selected supporting literature review is entitled “Relationships” from the Music Educators Journal in 2006 by David Circle.
            Article number one to be discussed is for TPE Domain C, “Music Education: Perspectives from Current Ethnomusicology” from the Journal of Music Education in 2003 by Jonathan Stock.  Jonathan Stock is Professor & Head in Department of Music of The University College Cork in Ireland and is an ethnomusicologist that specializes in a variety of music from a variety of Asian cultures.  This article was selected for TPE Domain C as it is related to the content within the domain such as making content accessible and being related to standards, student engagement, developmentally appropriate teaching practices such as teaching a broad range of students at a variety of age levels, and teaching English learners.
            This article covers a multitude of areas regarding ethnomusicology in music education.  The elements covered include ‘the focus of ethnomusicology as a discipline, pointing to its concentration on music examined as intersocial activity and identifying the methodological givens that follow from that assumption, concerns shared with researchers in the field of music education and the concept of music and topics of musical transmission and ability, and finally the introduction of the writing of ethnography which identifies further areas of mutual interest’ (Stock, 2003, p. 135).  The author states the specific aim of the article to “to look further at some shared concerns, pointing out areas and ideas in the accumulated body of ethnomusicological practices and literature that might prove useful to the educationist as well” (Stock, 2003, p. 136).  There is a section that is included specifically to infuse ethnomusicology as a utility for music educators.  (Stock, 2003, p. 137).  
            The article begins with the explanation of ethnomusicology and the importance of the variety of definitions because the “definitions are applicable to any kind of music from any kind of people, and each implies a particular emphasis on the study of music-making as a human science” (Stock, 2003, p. 136).  This is followed by discussing the “idea of music” and the importance of how to approach music from an educator’s standpoint in order to best educate music students for school and for life.  The following section discusses “musical transmission” and how the process of music-making and passing of musical knowledge is an important element of music education and musicianship.
            Following the initial processes described that are overarching elements of ethnomusicology in music education is the topic of ability.  Ability is not necessarily as large a factor in ethnomusicology as it is in a western music education setting.  ‘In general, ethnomusicologists have tended to examine musical competence on a cultural (rather than cross-cultural) basis, perhaps fearing that the bases for comparison are not yet well established as in  some societies musical ability is considered restricted to a limited proportion of individuals; elsewhere, almost everyone is deemed able (and expected) to make music, which is to say that there may be no indigenous category of musical ability or of the musician at all’ (Stock, 2003, p. 140).  Following this discussion and a variety of examples from ethnomusicology studies, is the element of “voices and writing.”  This discusses the differences between those involved in thoughts of the music community.  It concludes with the importance of thinking outside of standardized and one-dimensioned music education to allow for the infusion of ethnomusicology for a greater music experience and training.
Article number two to be discussed is for TPE Domain D, “Relationships” from the Music Educators Journal in 2006 by David Circle.  David Circle was the National Association for Music Education’s National president from 2004 – 2006, which formerly was MENC, Music Educator’s National Conference.  David Circle has held a variety of music education positions.  This article was selected for TPE Domain D as it is related to the content within the domain such as learning about students and instructional planning.
This article introduces Circle’s writing to describe ‘the importance of relationship and how to develop good ones, one key of being successful--whether one is a music teacher, a doctor, a lawyer, or any other career--is one's relationship with people, and that in every human endeavor, one must deal and relate with people’ (Circle, 2006, p. 4).  Without the social bond of a relationship, all related training, preparation, and experience are rendered nearly useless.  ‘This has been reinforced many times over the past year and a half as in every human endeavor, we must deal with and relate to people’ (Circle, 2006, p. 4).  Circle describes visiting many places and in every place he has traveled, he has this same experience- the importance of relationships for a members of a social world as we are social beings.
The author describes the importance of a music educator being in a position where we do not sell tangible products but the passing of a service that affects students, community, and the nation (Circle, 2006).  What is also important to mention, as I am tying in the classes for my National Specialization of U.S. Education  in a Global Context, is that what Circle indicates also transgresses to the idea of globalization- we are not only passing a service on to our small community or nation, but also into the joined hands of a globalized society and into the future. 
  The author describes a relationship being a key part of being an educator and methods to do so even with others with which you might have a difficult relationship.  Suggestions include taking the initial step to forming a positive bond even in conflict, skillfully listening, and taking time to solve problems.  Each suggestion has an accompanying example that describes more steps to achieve relationship success with others be it students, co-workers, community-members, or others in the professional education world.  With these tools, an educator has multiple paths to success as opposed to only one path that may not work well when there is a need for success for all.
Discussion
An evaluative progress report update will be provided for all current work for the online PDQP Capstone. Goal achievements, frustrations, questions, concerns, and the next steps for myself and the PDQP learning community will be highlighted below.  TPE Domains C and D will be populated with three artifacts.  One artifact for each TPE domain will be a supporting literature review and each chosen artifact will be justified. 
Progress Report Update of PDQP implementation
This document is document three for the Capstone PDQP.  It will outline goal achievements, frustrations, questions, concerns, and the next steps for myself and the PDQP learning community as well as the TPE Domain C and D artifacts and rationale.  This is important in the development of a successful PDQP as each step contributes to and provides support for creating a full and well-rounded project that is reviewed by peers and the Professor as well as able to be utilized for the future of the teacher, students, and education community.
Goal Achievements.  I have had many goal achievements throughout the course of the last two weeks.  My first goal achieved was getting in touch with Professor Johnson before the class started in order to get a grasp on the project, map out the month, and do my best no matter how busy teaching and year-end concerts have kept me throughout the weeks.  Another achievement includes being able to review and understand a vast amount of information and instructions in a short period of time with a very busy schedule.  I also finished my first year of BTSA (clearing my preliminary credential I received summer of 2014 with one more year to go) on April 22, 2015.  I have come to be proud of my website that these papers have outlined- the website is where the stories from the documents come to life.  It is also promising to be linking multiple website together to share information such as blogspot and Google drive.  I initially truly enjoyed designing PowerPoints but I am now much happier utilizing blogspot.   Being able to also connect with other students and review their projects from classes past and current has been incredibly helpful.  I am also happy to achieve a wonderful PDQP to reflect upon my many educational accomplishments over the course of being at National since 2012 and throughout life.  I will be able to share this progress with those close to me as well as professionally.
Frustrations.  There have been multiple frustrations along the way but the positives most definitely overrule these issues.  The number one frustration is being able to teach in my job to the best of my ability while simultaneously doing my very best to build a great PDQP and receive an A grade in my final class at National and trying to manage my personal life.  Another frustration is getting blogspot to design exactly how I desire.  I am very particular about design and content and I simply do not have enough time to work out every design flaw and imperfection in my work.  As someone who has strict attention to detail with a side of perfectionism, this would be two frustrations tied into one- again the lack of time and also the need for near-perfect work. 
Questions.  The first questions are who made the PDQP a recommended choice for the end of a Master program, how did it become the recommended choice, and when? How popular is the use of a PDQP in today’s professional education circles?  These questions are explored on my own as well as through discussions in the class and with other students.  These questions are important as inquiry is an important component of critical thinking for a higher level of education and use in the professional world.  Many of the top-tier education systems in the world, as discovered through my Master program focusing on U.S. Education in a Global Context, has shown that many top nations such as Korea, Singapore, and Japan utilize the importance of inquiry and infuse this element into their lesson planning, standards, curriculums, and missions.
Concerns.  My first concern is if the PDQP will be useful in the future as I am quite set in my position.  Another concern is knowing the answers to the above questions and will the PDQP truly be useful in the future or will the future potential employers simply want the resume, credential, and letters as usual.  Another concern is making sure that the remainder of my PDPQ and class elements are completed to the best of my ability with a very limited amount of time.  Time is a major concern as I am a full-time music teacher with five performing groups and there are many, many events and intricate elements involved in completing everything successfully.  Additionally, time is constrained by various other elements so time-management and efficiency is extremely important at this time.
Next Steps for Myself and the Learning Community in Developing a PDQP.  One of the next steps for myself and the learning community in developing a PDQP is to finalize the work I have started for week four.  This will enable an early finish to leave room for improvements before the deadline.  Another step is to finish my competition next Friday, our 1,500 – person concert the following Thursday, grading, year-end activities (potentially including a last-minute parade with 90 students), and summer as well as next-year music education planning. 
Upon completion of my PDQP and TED690, the timeline steps from my professional development plan should be put into effect.  Planning for clearing my credential next year need to be examined (our district is most likely about to go on strike and I don’t know if our BTSA plan will be covered even if I know I have a job next year), and planning additional professional development with my school and for myself needs to be examined.  While examining the next steps of my career plans, I will contemplate how the use of my PDQP will benefit me and how I can put it to excellent use.
TPE Domain Artifact Review
            Regarding completed TPE domains, TPE Domain A addressed making subject matter comprehensible to students and included the “Telling My Story” assignment which included the exploration of the six TPE Domains and related artifacts as well as my introduction to my learning community where I shared my interconnected TPE Domain and artifact findings with the learning community.  TPE Domain F addressed the continuation of my quest to become a more effective teacher, developing as a professional educator, and included the “Professional Development Plan” and timeline assignment based on the week one goals.  Week three TPE Domain C addresses engaging and supporting students in learning while TPE Domain D addresses planning instruction and designing learning experiences for students.  This week has the assignment “PDQP Progress Report.”  Final week 4 Domain B is regarding assessing student learning and TPE E, creating and maintaining effective environments for student learning.  This final week has the assignment “Reflection on ePortfolio Process and Advice for Future Students.” 
TPE Domains C Artifacts and Justification/Rationale.  TPE Domain C is about engaging and supporting students in learning.  Domain C includes making content accessible, student engagement, developmentally appropriate teaching practices, developmentally appropriate teaching practices in grades 4-8, and teaching English learners.
            Artifact one is an example of informative classroom posters that are displayed for students to not only learn but also be intrigued, inspired, and engaged in lessons that are tied to required standards for their age level.  Students regularly utilize these posters during class lessons as they are used as a regular reference manual in addition to their class text and sheet music.
            Posters are important as they not only enhance the environment of the class but also give a picture to learn from instead of information only being posted in words.  Students have multiple intelligences and pictures not only access multiple intelligences, but provide additional information to build upon the student’s prior knowledge.  The posters allow for students to have an alternate method of learning and/or to delve deeper into the subject as on option.
            Artifact two is an example of a music theory poster that is tailored specifically to be shown in the English and Spanish languages.  The rationale and justification for this selection is that not only does it specifically adhere to TPE seven under Domain C-3 but also allows for an all-inclusive lesson that teaches students from both backgrounds the importance of a second language and multiculturalism.  In this method, the class would be more related to Spanish immersion instead of just having the students learn in a language with which they are uncomfortable.  What is quite alarming about this is that the lack of good posters and worksheets for students that need Spanish information.
            Artifact three chosen is a review of supporting literature entitled “Music Education: Perspectives from Current Ethnomusicology” from the Journal of Music Education in 2003 by Jonathan Stock. This article is important and was selected for TPE Domain C, as mentioned in the above literature review, as it is related to the content within the domain such as making content accessible and being related to standards, student engagement, developmentally appropriate teaching practices such as teaching a broad range of students at a variety of age levels, and teaching English learners. 
            How this article relates to TPE Domain C is that ethnomusicology must be included in music education because of many reasons such as the examples of it engaging students from a variety of backgrounds, creating a broader knowledge-base for music students, and reinforcing the importance of music class being about music-making and the aesthetics of music instead of just about completing music standards and competing. The incorporation of related ethnomusicology elements can greatly improve a program’s outcomes.    It is important to understand that not every element of music education should be about passing tests and winning, but also about the improvement of happiness, emotional outlets, and a sense of community.
            TPE Domains D Artifacts and Justification.  TPE Domain D is about planning instruction and designing learning experiences for students.  Domain D includes learning about students and instructional planning. 
            Artifact one is an example of a student’s class journal that is utilized for getting to know the student and to create inquiry regarding music into the young artist’s mind.  A music journal allows for the teacher to have a method to get to know their students on a schedule with very limited time.  If the teacher cannot meet with every student and guardian, the teacher can find a time to read the student’s journals and comment in order to connect and build the education relationship with the student.  Guardians can also have the option of being involved. 
            With journals, not only can the teacher reach out and form an educational relationship with their student but also create musical inquiry that reflects the standards of music as well as general music options. Included topics could be a music biography/timeline, creating music stories, writing a song, asking how the students can improve their lives and community with music, and inventing a musical instrument.  This creates inquiry that reflects the standards and moves the student’s learning into their long-term plans and understanding of the importance of music.
            Artifact two is a lesson plan from when I was student teaching for National University in my current position.  The lesson plans were designed by National University to outline my teaching to reflect the music standards for the state.  Lesson plans are important to utilize as they are goal-driven and allow for the teacher to realize the timeframe and time-management of completing the required tasks.  It assists in the development of calendars and yearly timelines as well as staying on track with minutes in each class.  It is important to be flexible and consistently update lesson plans to best suit the needs of the students, school, and community. 
            Artifact three chosen for TPE Domain D is a review of supporting literature entitled, “Relationships” from the Music Educators Journal in 2006 by David Circle. This article is important and was selected for TPE Domain D, as mentioned in the above literature review, as it is related to the content within the domain such as learning about students and instructional planning.
How this article relates to TPE Domain D is that, as described in the above literature review, is that in my experience, the professional and caring relationship between a student and a teacher has shown a strong link to success.  In a similar way to a store clerk will utilize a method of speaking with and have a customer try on a product to form a bond with the purpose of making a sale (although this is superficial while a teacher must be genuine), a teacher must engage and with and show their student how much they truly, and not superficially, care and want to form a learning bond in order to have the student engage in learning.  It is very similar to any social relationship where you want to succeed via creating a bond but the bond must be carefully and professionally balanced between the teacher, student, school network, and guardians.  ‘If we're going to be successful at providing our services, we must have positive relationships with those with whom we work and come into contact which includes students, their parents, our teaching colleagues, administrators, and members of boards of education as well as our community’ (Circle, 2006, p. 4).  Not only should music teachers have the skills to build this relationship with their students, they must be equipped with the ability to teach and perform music as a model as well as being able to be ready at all times to offer a desirable and meaningful lesson on a daily basis no matter what might try to stand in the way.
Conclusions and Future Study
            Self-evaluation, efficiency, and time-management are key to continued successful and updated teaching.  Utilizing these methods in conjunction with a developed professional development plan is designing a map for successful lessons and career milestones.  Developing a portfolio with rationale-driven artifacts creates a platform for storing and updating information for a planned and continuously evolving positive vault of knowledge that enhances the educational futures of students, education professionals, the community, and the world.
           

References
Circle, D. (2006). Relationships. Music Educators Journal, 92(3), 4. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.nu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/197198435?accounti
d=25320
Costantino, P. & De Lorenzo, M. (2009).  Developing a Professional Teaching Portfolio:
A Guide for Success, Third Edition. Pearson Education.
Stock, J. P. J. (2003). Music education: Perspectives from current ethnomusicology. British
Journal of Music Education, 20(2), 135-145. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.nu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/200916600?accounti
d=25320


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