Music Teaching and Learning Growth Plan

Name: John Malarczyk

The development of a Teaching and Learning Growth Plan focuses the teacher candidate (and also the new and
experienced teacher) to reflect on his/her own teaching and learning practice. The Growth Plan (much like a new
or experienced teacher’s TPA – Teacher Performance Appraisal’s Annual Growth Plan that you will be required to
reflect on annually) will help you to decide where you are in the journey of developing your teaching and learning
skills based on various criteria: Professionalism, Learning Environment/Classroom Management, Communication,
Curriculum Planning (lesson/unit planning), Instruction/Delivery/Questioning, and Assessment/Evaluation. You
are responsible for your own growth and development as a music educator. After Practicum #1 and then #2, you
will be asked to assess the evidence of the various criteria based on your in-class experience, and then set
particular professional goals for yourself, the strategies you intend to use to help you reach those goals, the
rationale for the goals and strategies you have selected and then form a realistic action plan with timelines to
achieve those goals. After each practicum experience, you will be asked to self-asses and put a plan in place. This
Music Teaching and Learning Grown Plan will form one part of your Digital Music Teaching and Learning portfolio.

FD= Frequently demonstrated OD = Occasionally demonstrated BD = Beginning to demonstrate

NYD=Not yet demonstrated

After Practicum #1 After Practicum #2

Criteria
FD OD BD NYD FD OD BD NYD
Professionalism
Demonstrates consistent punctuality and attendance
Arrives well before school starts and leaves well after the children
leave
Understands and follows school/board policies
Demonstrates an ability to adapt to new challenges
Maintains a positive attitude
Demonstrates initiative, creativity, enthusiasm and commitment
Interacts productively with a variety of staff members
Demonstrates leadership
Exhibits professional curiosity
Demonstrates flexibility, adaptability and risk-taking
Participates actively in the school community (activities: co-
curricular, extra-curricular, staff meetings)
Demonstrates an interest in the larger school community
Follows school practices and routines

Learning Environment and Classroom Management

Demonstrates rapport with students based on mutual respect
Establishes a positive classroom climate, one that is inclusive and
equitable
Maintains an organized and inviting environment
Maintains consistent routines
Monitors behaviour closely
Uses preventative management strategies
Uses appropriate strategies to get students’ attention
Uses effective transition strategies
Uses strategies to engage all students
Incorporates appropriate accommodations/modifications
Uses materials that allow students of varying abilities and
backgrounds to participate
Prepares materials, resources and sets up classroom
appropriately for lessons
Demonstrates a commitment to getting to know students’
interests and strengths

Communication
Appropriate use of language
Uses an audible and clear voice in the classroom
Correct grammar and pronunciation
Effective use of voice
Appropriate use of subject-specific terminology
Demonstrates clear, engaging, supportive and instructionally
effective language
Seems comfortable in the teacher role
Demonstrates eye contact and positive body language
Provides opportunity for students to engage in lesson-related talk
Poses relevant, higher order thinking level questions

Curriculum Planning (lesson plans, unit plans)

Lesson plans are detailed and prepared ahead of time
Plan reflects the Ministry of Education music expectations
Prior knowledge is identified
Learning goals are based on the curriculum expectations
Success criteria is based on the learning goals
Use of creativity in lesson planning
Lessons address the individual needs of students (differentiated
learning and multiple learning styles)
Appropriate learning resources are used
Lesson aligns expectations, instruction and assessment
Utilizes an appropriate format for formal lesson plans
Uses technology effectively in the lesson
Use of materials that reflect the diversity of the classroom
community
Use of visuals that can enhance the learning
Content level is appropriate for the learners
Show understanding of the three-part lesson template
Shows a clear understanding of Universal design for learning
(UdL)
Shows evidence of the backward design process in lesson
planning
Curriculum material chosen is inclusive and equitable
Designs appropriate and meaningful student tasks
Accesses appropriate resources to effectively plan lessons
Has a very strong knowledge of the subject matter
Instruction, Lesson Delivery and Questioning
A variety of teaching strategies are used
Teaching strategies are appropriate for the age level and subject
specific content
Delivery of lesson is engaging
Lesson is logically sequenced and scaffolded
Students are actively engaged and participating
Pacing is appropriate for the level of the class
Appropriate time is included for all parts of the lesson (Minds On,
Action and Consolidation)
Instructions are clear and sequential
Choice of delivery is appropriate for the age level and ability level
Questions are appropriate for the age and ability level
Students are given sufficient ‘wait time’ to think
Questions are logically sequenced
Some questions are pre-planned
Questions demand higher level thinking skills of the students
Asks questions of a wide variety of students
Questions encourage curiosity and inquiry of the students
Varies instructional groupings
Promotes student interaction
Monitors pacing of lesson and effective time management
Provides students with opportunities for guided practice
Provides students with some choice
Provides ongoing feedback to students
Assessment as, for and of Learning
Shows an understanding of the differences between different
types of assessment and evaluation
Consistently provides students with quality formative feedback
Understands that assessment drives instruction
Designs appropriate and meaningful student assessments
Provides opportunities to self-assess (assessment as learning)
Uses appropriate assessment strategies and tools that align with
the curriculum expectations and/or learning skills
Uses a variety of assessment/evaluation strategies
Designs a variety of assessment/evaluation tools
Uses assessment data appropriate to inform planning and future
instruction
Provides students with quality summative feedback

Please see next page. Based on your self-assessment (assessment ‘as’ learning) above, please set three
professional growth goals that you hope to accomplish before your next practicum (or your first
teaching position), what strategies you will use to help you reach those goals, the rationale for the goals
and strategies and finally, your action plan and specific timeline in which to achieve them.
 After Practicum #1
Before
Practicum #2

Professional Professional Growth Rationale for Action Plan and Reflection:

Growth Goals Strategies to Help Reach Professional Timelines Have I achieved
(What) Your Goals Growth Goals and (Start/end time, Definite my goal?
(How) Strategies steps and potential How will this
affect my
(Why) resources to help you
teaching in
reach your goal) Practicum #2?
1. Improve my - Spend more time - To engage - Dec. 2017 - I did not
ability to plan before lessons thinking students as  Look at OERB and reach my
creative lessons about how to make much as possible find 3 technologies goals, BUT
and activities them creative and - To avoid that will help being
and avoid over- unique creating lessons cognisant of
planning - Explore/do research that go longer - Dec. 2017 – Jan. 2018 how I need to
on possible technology than 75 minutes  Practice teach and improve and
that will help - Make class use those technologies what I need to
- Read current exciting and fun with private students look out for
literature for students will guide my
- Talk to colleagues and lesson
peers planning and
2. Improve my - Practice teach/seek - To keep my - Dec. 2017 in-class
ability to out volunteer lessons moving  Read 2 articles practices in
manage opportunities as smoothly as about classroom Practicum 2,
distracting - Look at the literature possible without management which should
behaviour & to inform my practice distraction or Dec. 2017 – Jan. 2018 produce
develop - Speak with colleagues wasted time  Create a list of ‘best better results
preventative and associate teachers practices’ to use in my than
measures to second practicum Practicum 1
avoid it
3. Develop an - Speak to professors - So that I am - Dec. 2017
understanding and former teachers prepared to plan  Go to OERB, select 3
of how to plan a - Find examples on a unit in units and review them
unit OERB and borrow ideas Practicum 2 if I - Dec. 2017 – Jan. 2018
- Practice planning am asked to do  Speak to professors
units myself so  Make a mock unit
plan on my own time
 After Practicum #2

Professional Growth Professional Growth Rationale for Action Plan and

Goals Strategies to Help Professional Growth Timelines
(What) Reach Your Goals Goals and Strategies (Start/end time, Definite
(How) (Why) steps and potential
resources to help you
reach your goal)
1. Develop strategies - Speak to colleagues - To give students Start: Now
to give students more and associate more opportunities to Steps: Make contact;
choice throughout teachers express their artistic record notes/ideas;
lessons and activities - Use the OERB online voices in lesson, create lesson plans
resource for assessments, and End: September
inspiration classroom activities
- Ask students for Resources: OERB;
input colleagues; teachers;
students
2. Get more involved - Seek out other - To connect my Start: Now/September
with the larger school teachers and ask if department to the Steps: Contact fellow
community and create they need help with larger school TCs and former ATs;
opportunities for their own extra- community and ask for advice;
cross-curricular curricular activities practice networking compile ideas; go for
activities both during - Ask former A.T.s with colleagues it!
school and through about how they have - To practice stepping End: Never
extra-curricular achieved this goal in out of my educational
clubs/events the past comfort zone and Resources: Fellow
learn from colleagues teachers; school
administrators;
school bulletin boards
3. Create a wider - Access the OERB - To best meet the Start: Now
variety of assessment website and look for needs of all students Steps: Explore OERB;
tools that are creative, new ideas on a consistent basis speak to staff; create
fun for students, and - Speak to Educational - To make my practice mock assessments
differentiated based Assistants and SERT as equitable and End: Never
on students needs and staff and ask them engaging for students
abilities about their strategies as possible Resources: OERB;
colleagues; EAs; SERT
staff; students