Internships in Music Education at Weber State University
(Music 4860)


Rationale


According to music education research, early field experience is often cited as a useful component of music teacher education programs. Early field experience provides pre-service teachers with opportunities to:

  1. observe and analyze music teaching and learning strategies;
  2. identify appropriate musical literature;
  3. develop and apply a variety of teaching strategies;
  4. develop assessment strategies for understanding musical achievement;
  5. identify philosophical and psychological perspectives on music teaching and learning;
  6. and develop a personal philosophy of music education.


Degree Requirement


All music education students at Weber State University are required to enroll in at least 1 credit hour of Music 4860 (Internship in Music). Music education students, however, may enroll in this course for up to a maximum of 3 credit hours.


Procedures and Course Requirements

  1. Discuss your internship and obtain further useful information from the Director of Music Education. (Thomas Priest, BC 351, tpriest@weber.edu).
  2. For each credit hour enrolled, music education students should experience 30 hours of field experience observing and working with students in grades 5 through 12.
  3. At least 5 of the 30 hours should include careful documented observation of music teaching and learning. During these five hours, the music education student should not be directly involved with the teaching and learning process. This allows the student to more objectively observe, analyze, and document what takes place in a music-learning environment.The remaining 25 hours should include careful documentation of the teaching and learning process.
  4. The music education student must keep a carefully documented journal of the entire field experience. The student should attempt to objectively document music learning and teaching behaviors exhibited by the cooperating teacher and the students.
  5. When the music education student is involved with lesson planning and administration of lessons, the music education student should seek feedback from the cooperating teacher and/or obtain feedback through videotape or audiotape. This way the music education student may obtain useful feedback concerning his or her teaching strategies and include this information in his or her journal.
  6. Caution: Since the goal of an internship is to gain useful experience and obtain useful feedback from an experienced music teacher, unsupervised teaching is strongly discouraged. In a public school situation, the law requires that a certified teacher is always present. Avoid field experiences where you do not feel you are getting adequate supervision by a cooperating teacher.
  7. Internships should not take place where a student teacher is completing his or her student teaching.
  8. Submit a digital copy (Word attachment) of your journal to the Director of Music Education on or before the last day of classes for the semester you are enrolled in Music 4860.

Examples of Student Journals of Classroom Observations

Junior High and Middle School

Annabelle Hummel Teresa Mansfield Russell Woodruff
Teresa Hooper   Janice DaCapo

High School

Tammy Jones Anna Hillerman Hannah Bandmaster

 

Evaluation

90-100% (A, A-)

The journal begins with:

The journal clearly documents what took place during the class.The writing is grammatically accurate, vivid, and the author spells correctly. These descriptions would include literature studied, student activities (behaviors), teacher activities (behaviors). The journal may include questions and comments.The journal may include lessson plans designed by the music education student.

80-89% (B-, B, B+)

The journal begins with:

The journal documents what took place during the class. The writing is grammatically accurate, spelled correctly, and provides a good description of what took place during the classes observed or taught. These descriptions would include literature studied, student activities (behaviors), teacher activities (behaviors). The journal may include questions and comments.The journal may include lessson plans designed by the music education student.

74-79% (C, C+)

The journal begins with:

The journal documents what took place during the class. The writing provides an adequate description of what took place during the classes observed or taught.There are some grammatical inaccuracies and/or words misspelled. These descriptions would include literature studied, student activities (behaviors), teacher activities (behaviors). The journal may include questions and comments.The journal may include lessson plans designed by the music education student.

60-73% (D-, D, C-)

The journal begins with:

The journal does not document the minimal amount of time required. The writing provides an inadequate description of what took place during the classes observed or taught.There are many grammatical inaccuracies and/or words misspelled. The descriptions do not include one or more of the following: literature studied, student activities (behaviors), teacher activities (behaviors).

0-59% (E)

The journal does not document the minimal amount of time required.