Profession music teacher secondary school

Music teachers at secondary schools provide education to students, commonly children and young adults, in a secondary school setting. They are usually subject teachers, specialised and instructing in their own field of study, music. They prepare lesson plans and materials, monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary, and evaluate the students’ knowledge and performance on the subject of music through assignments, tests and examinations.

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Personality Type

• Social / Artistic

Knowledge

• Curriculum objectives

  The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.

• Musical genres

  Different musical styles and genres such as blues, jazz, reggae, rock, or indie.

• Musical instruments

  The different musical instruments, their ranges, timbre, and possible combinations.

• Musical theory

  The body of interrelated concepts that constitutes the theoretical background of music.

• Post-secondary school procedures

  The inner workings of a post-secondary school, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, the policies, and the regulations.

• Musical notation

  The systems used to visually represent music through the use of written symbols, including ancient or modern musical symbols.

Skills

• Observe student's progress

  Follow up on students’ learning progress and assess their achievements and needs.

• Develop course outline

  Research and establish an outline of the course to be taught and calculate a time frame for the instructional plan in accordance with school regulations and curriculum objectives.

• Secondary school procedures

  The inner workings of a secondary school, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, the policies, and the regulations.

• Guarantee students' safety

  Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.

• Manage student relationships

  Manage the relations between students and between student and teacher. Act as a just authority and create an environment of trust and stability.

• Perform classroom management

  Maintain discipline and engage students during instruction.

• Demonstrate a technical foundation in musical instruments

  Demonstrate an appropriate foundation on the technical workings and terminology of musical instruments such as voice, piano, guitar, and percussion.

• Liaise with educational support staff

  Communicate with education management, such as the school principal and board members, and with the education support team such as the teaching assistant, school counsellor or academic advisor on issues relating the students' well-being.

• Play musical instruments

  Manipulate purpose-built or improvised instruments to produce musical sounds.

• Give constructive feedback

  Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.

• Assist students in their learning

  Support and coach students in their work, give learners practical support and encouragement.

• Adapt teaching to student's capabilities

  Identify the learning struggles and successes of students. Select teaching and learning strategies that support students’ individual learning needs and goals.

• Monitor student's behaviour

  Supervise the student's social behaviour to discover anything unusual. Help solve any issues if necessary.

• Liaise with educational staff

  Communicate with the school staff such as teachers, teaching assistants, academic advisors, and the principal on issues relating to students' well-being. In the context of a university, liaise with the technical and research staff to discuss research projects and courses-related matters.

• Assess students

  Evaluate the students' (academic) progress, achievements, course knowledge and skills through assignments, tests, and examinations. Diagnose their needs and track their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. Formulate a summative statement of the goals the student achieved.

• Assign homework

  Provide additional exercises and assignments that the students will prepare at home, explain them in a clear way, and determine the deadline and evaluation method.

• Monitor developments in field of expertise

  Keep up with new research, regulations, and other significant changes, labour market related or otherwise, occurring within the field of specialisation.

• Demonstrate when teaching

  Present to others examples of your experience, skills, and competences that are appropriate to specific learning content to help students in their learning.

• Apply teaching strategies

  Employ various approaches, learning styles, and channels to instruct students, such as communicating content in terms they can understand, organising talking points for clarity, and repeating arguments when necessary. Use a wide range of teaching devices and methodologies appropriate to the class content, the learners' level, goals, and priorities.

• Compile course material

  Write, select or recommend a syllabus of learning material for the students enrolled in the course.

• Prepare lesson content

  Prepare content to be taught in class in accordance with curriculum objectives by drafting exercises, researching up-to-date examples etc.

• Teach music principles

  Instruct students in the theory and practice of music, whether recreationally, as part of their general education, or with the aim of assisting them in pursuing a future career in this field. Offer corrections while instructing them in courses such as the history of music, reading music scores, and playing a musical instrument (including voice) of specialisation.

• Employ pedagogic strategies to facilitate creative engagement

  Communicate to others on devising and facilitating creative processes through the use of a range of tasks and activities appropriate to the target group.

• Maintain students' discipline

  Make sure students follow the rules and code of behaviour established in the school and take the appropriate measures in case of violation or misbehaviour.

• Apply intercultural teaching strategies

  Ensure that the content, methods, materials and the general learning experience is inclusive for all students and takes into account the expectations and experiences of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Explore individual and social stereotypes and develop cross-cultural teaching strategies.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB