Page 26 - Bandmasters Review - 2017 June

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T TESS: Showcasing What We Do

As Music Educators (Part 4 of a 4-part series)

Monica Ruiz-Mills

Now, before you leave the band hall a progress measure. As you develop appropriate classroom management
for a few weeks, is an ideal time to a framework to guide your practice, techniques that maximize instructional
reflect on your overall T-TESS appraisal set goals that foster improvements in time); Professional Practices and
and End-of-Year (EOY) conference. teaching and learning. Review the data Responsibilities (managing student
Earlier in this series, we discussed collected from the year and establish data, communication with stake-
that T-TESS was designed to provide how it contributed to student growth holders). In order to grow
continuous feedback and engage and enhanced the professional learning professionally, teachers need to create
the teacher and the administrator in community. Also, evaluate if your goals an individual professional learning
authentic conversation. The Pre- and aligned to the campus and district plan that focuses on a set of purposeful
Post-conference were opportunities initiatives. Examples of future goal planned actions. Professional learning
to demonstrate what your program setting can include partnerships with choice should address student
entails and to advocate and inform community organizations, participation achievement, personal learning goals,
your appraiser about your program. at school and district events, fostering and district/campus initiatives. In
As you plan for the new year, what collaboration and growth through our profession, we cannot teach the
goals and professional development professional development at the same way every year without any
activities were determined during the TBA convention, and reflection on self-reflection and program evaluation
EOY conference, and what revisions your teaching practices and content because of varying student needs.
are necessary? Summer is the perfect knowledge. What type of We must con-
time for music educators to reflect feedback did you provide REFLECT stantly improve and
on their goals for the upcoming year students? Was feedback evolve in our craft
and to participate in self-selected given designed for higher- to make our bands
professional learning offered at the level thinking or was it a better. Reflect on the
TBA convention or other conferences. statement to simply firm the PLAN upcoming program,
embouchure and try again? DO plan your lesson and
Considerations when choosing At any time, did you provide implementation, do
professional learning opportunities: opportunities for students it (plan in action):
Learning model for
• Does it support your T-TESS goals? to reflect on their own practice instructional practice: Repeat the process with
• Does it align to your campus and and describe the process? San Marcos CISD. reflection.
district goals?
• Does it promote research based and These are all essential questions to ask
yourself while you plan your program
classroom-tested strategies?
Monica Ruiz-Mills holds a Bachelor of Music
• Does student data show that for the upcoming school year. Education and a Master of Music from The
training in this area is needed? One last thought University of Texas at San Antonio and earned
Finally, as we march into the 2017-18 the Principal Certification through Region
Developing a framework school year, recall that T-TESS centers 20, Cohort XIII. She is currently the Assistant
During the reflection process, on four domains (T-TESS Rubric, Superintendent for Teaching, Learning and
celebrate your successes and take a 2016): Planning (TEKS based lessons Assessments in the San Marcos C.I.S.D. She
broader view of defining the word designed for effective instruction and has served as a Fine Arts Coordinator in the
Harlandale I.S.D. and as an Assistant Principal
success. Ratings do not define success, assessment); Instruction (strategies for Curriculum and Instruction in North East
though we use ratings as a data mark, which engage students in meaningful I.S.D. Mrs. Ruiz-Mills was a Band Director
it truly is not the final outcome. Think learning, student-centered); Learning for 22 years, holding positions at the middle
school and high school level. Mrs. Ruiz-Mills is
of student growth and personalized Environment (establishing a culture pursuing a PhD in School Improvement at Texas
learning for deeper understanding as of high expectations for learning and State University (Cohort 15).

Bandmasters Review • June 2017 24 Texas Bandmasters Association