The Year in Review: Tools for Improving Your Teaching

As we begin refiling the music into the library, putting away the folders and the instruments, and sending our students off into the hazy days of summer, I never fail to find myself reflecting on the year. What did we do well? When were we our best selves as musicians, as conductors, as humans, and what helped us get there? And, of course, the flip side of the question: where did we fall a little short this year? What goals were left unmet or only partially attained? Where do we have room to grow and improve?

You may already have a keen awareness of something that is ready to change, and perhaps even have an idea of how to address it. In laying everything out before you, what needs the most attention will become clear. I suggest using a framework to measure your work against. For our purposes here, we’ll use the National Core Arts Standards , but you could also use one that looks as classroom culture and cultural responsiveness as well as educational content, like this one from New York City Schools .

In my early years of teaching, I think I found it easy to let exercises such as these devolve into self-flagellation. I would beat myself up for being imperfect, and the sheer number of things I could see and wanted to improve would overwhelm me. The more-seasoned teacher in me knows that a truly wonderful program takes time to build: with each year of focused attention toward the growth of the underdeveloped aspects of your program, you will get closer to your vision.

To that end, let me suggest a 3-step process:

1. Review : Describe the ways in which you see each standard operating in your classroom: What is going well? What is already working?
2. Reflect : Describe the ways in which this standard is not yet operating in your classroom, but could be: What is missing? Where would you like to go next?
3. Redirect : Target up to 3 standards and develop specific strategies and resources you can use to improve your teaching. This is an excellent time to look to people who have already solved the problem you’re facing: ask for assistance from mentors, take a professional development class targeted to the topic, attend a conference, or find classroom resources and materials you can purchase for your program.

You can use this printable to help guide your process. Once you get to the Redirect step, be sure to click over to alfred.com/events to look at dates for conference presentations or reading sessions with our clinicians, or to browse the catalog for classroom materials to help you make the best use of your limited time.

Best of luck, and may next year be your best year yet!