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InTASC Standard 1: Learner Development

The InTASC Standards for teachers are some of the most important guidelines teachers

can use to be successful. The first standard is about learner development, and states the

following: The teacher understands how children learn and develop, recognizing that patterns of

learning and development vary individually within and across cognitive, linguistic, social,

emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and

challenging learning experiences. While this standard is long and chocked full of important

concepts, in music, we have no choice but to learn and apply this standard to our teaching

methods. If we do not understand that children develop and learn differently, we not only have

no accurate way of assessing them, but we are not able to give them the education they deserve.

A teacher who has mastered this concept will be prepared to teach any lesson in a different way.

For example, if a choral director is trying to teach his/her students about different ways to place

sounds in the mouth, not all students will be able to visualize the anatomy that they are speaking

of. This teacher could then sing with different placements for auditory learners, so that they can

understand through their own method of learning. For physical learners, the teacher might bring

in a model of the throat, and allow students to see and feel the anatomy so they understand what

is going on in their throats when they sing.

With this standard, I feel as though I have a great understanding of the concept, but I am

still learning how to implement it in real lessons. Through experiences of tutoring others in

subjects such as music theory and English, I have been faced with the problem of not quite

knowing how to explain a certain situation to others. I can sometimes have a hard time knowing

where a person may be in terms of understanding the concept, so I need to learn how to dig
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deeper into grasping where they are individually. I do however know that I will learn how to

implement this standard in the future through classes and skills I will learn at Ball State.

Finally, I understand that although I may not know this standard fully now, I will learn

how to use it in the future. Specifically, I will learn how to master this in not only my Music

Education courses I will take at Ball State, but my general education classes as well. Through

being assigned to teach my peers differing lessons, I will be able to gather experience in judging

how my messages are getting across, as well as the understanding of my students. After learning

how each students differs and their learning styles, I will be able to accurately plan lessons that

both challenge and intrigue each student.