Clinical and Field Experiences

In addition to Conservatory courses, music education students take liberal arts courses, including educational psychology, reading in the content area, and the principles of education. The state of Ohio has approved the curriculum for its initial teaching license - licensure in Ohio is reciprocal with that in virtually all other states - and the division has an excellent record of success: nearly all graduates who have sought teaching positions are employed.

The Music Education Division recognizes that sound teaching principles can be applied in settings at the preschool, elementary, secondary, and university levels or in the private studio. Flexible content and sequence within the program plus regular advising permit students to meet specific needs, interests, and career goals while satisfying state licensure requirements.

Beginning in the first semester, each Oberlin student's course of study incorporates clinical (controlled environment) and field experiences at both elementary and secondary levels. Later, in practicum, conducting, and methods courses, students function as observers, participant-aides, project directors, and intern teachers, applying in actual classrooms their knowledge of the foundations of music education, various pedagogical approaches, instructional planning, and classroom dynamics.

To ensure field experiences of outstanding quality, the Music Education Division conducts ongoing "scouting expeditions" and assessments of area teachers who have had three or more years of successful teaching experience. It then selects individual student placements to ensure the best possible educational experience for all. Field experiences outside the Conservatory of Music occur in school districts in and within an hour's drive of Oberlin.

During this first course in the music education major sequence, class members observe the Music Education faculty teach or rehearse at their respective laboratory settings. Preparation for conducting these observations is provided during class sessions preceding the visits, and opportunities for reflection and discussion occur following each experience.

Practicum in School Music Experiences is designed to provide music education majors with an early field experience and to enable them to begin to view educational settings from a teacher's perspective. Typically, music education majors take the course during their second or third semester in the music education program. The course has two components: an academic class that meets twice weekly and a field experience that comprises some non-music observation and a music "project" in one instructional setting. Often, the project is undertaken by students in pairs, who begin by observing and proceed to work individually with small groups of students or together as team teachers of small instructional segments. Two visits are made by the instructor and/or the Coordinator of Field Experiences; the observed teaching segments are videotaped for later review by the student, and a supervisory conference follows each visit.

To ensure suitable placements during this semester, students should keep free one half day weekly or two shorter time blocks to permit travel to an area school. A valid driver's license is also necessary.

General:  To encourage and enable students to discover the value of self-education, Oberlin College provides a Winter Term of four weeks in January.  This term affords students an opportunity to devise and pursue programs of independent study or research and to undertake, individually or with a group, other projects of educational value that the structured curriculum during the academic year may not accommodate easily.  In order to graduate from Oberlin College, each student pursuing a bachelor's degree must earn three full Winter Term credits.  (Transfer students must earn one credit in each Winter Term during their enrollment at Oberlin, unless this would result in more than three credits.)

This program, offered to children in grades four and five, is staffed by Conservatory students who have qualified by completing the String Pedagogy course. Both music education and string performance majors participate as teachers of individual lessons and as observers and aides in group musicianship classes taught by the director. In addition to classes and lessons taught at the Conservatory, the program includes satellite sites in arts magnet elementary schools in nearby cities, to which Conservatory students drive once a week and teach individual lessons and a group class to participating children.

The program's curriculum emphasizes singing and movement as they relate to string development in the early stages. As a student progresses, composition skills and improvisatory techniques are developed. Concerts are demonstrations of student progress, with an explanation of the pedagogy employed; they often include parents' participation.

MusicPlay, taught by Peggy Bennett, is for children ages 3 to 5, and provides a field experience for music education students enrolled in the elementary methods course taken generally in the sixth semester. Other students participate in MusicPlay as Practicum students or just out of interest; parents remain as observers during the class.

After an initial observation period, individual students plan, teach, and evaluate several short segments during the course of the semester. Each segment is taught twice in succession (two sections, each with 12 children) with opportunity for revision as necessary the second time. During the course of the semester, participating students develop skills in engaging children in singing, moving, listening, playing, and creating activities as well as in pedagogical techniques such as questioning, designing directives, analyzing and breaking down tasks, and replying appropriately to children's responses. All segments are videotaped for subsequent analysis and reflection.

Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra is an organization that draws students from a five county area to audition for and participate in two groups. The younger group, Symphonetta directed by Joanne Erwin, is comprised of students who have completed at least two years of study and are in grades 4-9. The older group, Philharmonia, is for high school students. The groups perform three formal concerts in the year and additional "runout" events. Students in the Music Education program serve as assistant conductors and also gain rehearsal experience as a part of Instrumental Conducting class.

The Women's Chorale, directed by Dr. Jody L. Kerchner, is the newest choral ensemble in the Conservatory of Music.  The chorale's purpose is to provide singers the opportunity to explore a variety of choral music written specifically for female voices.   The choir will sing three-(SSA) or four-part (SSAA) music including songs from the “classical”, contemporary, world music, secular and sacred genres.

As part of the requirements for MUED 301, Teaching Music to Children, music education students observe three area elementary music teachers. Observing elementary general music clases serves to offer a context for seeing K-5 methods and materials in practice, to supplement the methods and materials presented in coursework, to acquaint students with elementary school settings, and to continue developing skills of observation and reflection in considering music for children.

Through collaboration between the Oberlin Conservatory Music Education Division and the North Ridgeville Middle School, students enrolled in Music in the Secondary School (MUED 300) begin the semester by observing and analyzing mentor music educators "in action" with middle school (grades 6-7) general music students. After several observations, the students individually and cooperatively plan and teach segments of general music lessons developing effective pedagogical strategies and meaningful lesson activities embracing the National Standards for the Arts. Teaching episodes focus on analyzing and describing music, singing, playing instruments, movement, listening, composing, improvising, and relating the arts. Students gain first-hand experience with adolescents of diverse musical skills and backgrounds and are supervised by mentor teachers from North Ridgeville Middle School and the Oberlin Conservatory Music Education Division. Each teaching episode is videotaped for subsequent analysis and reflection. For this semester, it is necessary for students to have two hours on Tuesdays free for travel and teaching. A valid driver's license is also necessary.

One semester of full-time student teaching is required for certification and is normally done in school systems which are in or near Oberlin. To satisfy state licensing requirements, placements encompass both elementary and secondary levels, often necessitating more than one cooperating teacher or even more than one school district. Each student teaching experience begins with a period of professional orientation and observation and moves gradually through a planned sequence of teaching assignments, culminating usually in the student teacher's assuming full responsibility for the cooperating teacher's classes/ensembles.

Frequent visits are conducted by assigned faculty supervisors and by the Coordinator of Field Experiences; the observed teaching segments are videotaped for later review by the student teacher. A supervisory conference follows each visit.

Full-time student teachers are not permitted to participate in large ensembles that meet during school hours while student teaching. Half-time student teachers may participate in such ensembles providing that rehearsal schedules do not conflict with after-school student teaching commitments.

Students are encouraged to have a car available at this time, and they receive mileage reimbursement; students without cars are accommodated as for earlier field experiences. A student may arrange for off-campus student teaching; however, at least one semester of half-time teaching experience must be done in or near Oberlin prior to full-time student teaching. (MME and MMT candidates must consult with the director regarding full-time and part-time teaching.) Off-campus teaching may occur in school systems overseas. Students who wish to arrange for this experience must initiate their plans through the director of the Music Education Division at least one full semester in advance.