Summative PDA Reflection (Submitted after completion of 15 PDA hours) Name: Ryan McCann Semester: Freshman Spring Semester

2013 Please provide evidence (written commentary and/or video) of what you learned about music teaching, learning or leadership as a result of your PDA experiences this semester. Consider: Musicianship skills (e.g., use of piano, modeling, conducting skills, knowledge of literature) Planning and implementing instruction (e.g., working toward objectives, instructional process, use of warm-ups, promoting critical thinking, student centered learning, assessment, helping students become independent, room set-up, teaching concepts through the rehearsal process, music literacy) Creating a positive learning environment (e.g., communication, engagement, motivation, student interactions, developing an environment for risk taking, love of music and music learning) Leadership or management skills (in your self or for students).

Over this semester, I have learned a lot more about teaching in a different way than I expected this semester through my PDA Hours. This semester I attended and volunteered at my first NJMEA Conference hosted in the Hilton in East Brunswick, NJ. I really learned that teaching is not all about preparing lesson plans and teaching them. There is a lot of work that has to be put in outside the classroom when it comes to preparation, fundraising, and everything you need to do. I also learned the most important thing at that convention. Just because you earn a degree and you are certified to teach, doesnt mean you have to stop learning. Teachers and humans in general are always learning. Teachers go to these conventions all the time to try and learn so they can become better themselves and make their classroom and lessons better too. Also this semester, I worked with Dean Frank Abrahams in his group called the Deans Singers. This ensemble really showed me that even high musical talent and ability is not always easy to work with. I learned that its still hard to get good voices to even sing the correct way and get a result you want. This experience of a quick amount of rehearsals for a short performance shows me that the statement of

practicing should be 95% of your time and performing should be 5% is extremely true. Both of these experiences have taught me that teaching is much more than I have expected before coming to Westminster. These PDA opportunities have showed me that along with trying to teach well in the classroom, the teacher must work and learn well outside of the classroom. The meaning of teaching has completely changed for me throughout this semester. I hope to keep learning just like this in my future semesters here at Westminster.