This year’s annual Kansas Consortium of Music Teacher Education Professors and Students, also known as KCOMTEPS, was a great success! This year’s registration far exceeded the numbers from the 2017 convention by clocking in at over 140 registrations!
On the Sunday September 30, Senseney Music opened the conference by hosting a plethora of clinics ranging from panels, drum circles, folk dancing, music programming, and much more! Some of the Clinics that stood out to attendees according to a post conference survey included: “Teaching in Urban Schools” by Matt Nutter of USD 259 Wichita, “Surviving the Interview” with KMEA Vice-President Martha Gabel of the Olathe Public Schools, “Drum Circle” with Ashley Reichenborn of USD 259 Wichita, and Choral Music Programming with Melissa Seiler, from Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in Wichita.
A new element that was added to Sunday’s activities that was successful was the addition of mock interviews for students approaching, or already in their student teaching. These interviews took place parallel to the clinic sessions and were scheduled by appointment. This year’s interviewers were Holly Taylor, former Vocal Music Curriculum Coach of the Wichita School district, and Martha Gabel, Fine Arts Coordinator of the Olathe Public Schools. Students who participated in the mock interviews raved about how much they enjoyed the opportunity to interview with experienced interviewers, as well as the feedback they received during the interviews. This addition to the Sunday’s portion of the convention is one that will hopefully see more growth in future years.
This year’s Featured Clinician was Dr. Ann Marie Stanley from Louisiana State University. Having graduated from Derby High school, Dr. Stanley was happy to come back and present in her home state. Dr. Stanley’s Sunday night session focused on how Reflective Practice is a buzzword in contemporary education. Sometimes, unfortunately, “reflection” becomes just another assignment to check off the list: not always meaningful or helpful. She touched on how often, we ask teachers to reflect on teaching after-the-fact, which can become a focus on “what went wrong” or “what I should have done.” Dr. Stanley then spoke on Core Reflection as an alternative to the typical types of reflection and how to use core reflection when teaching music.
The Monday morning session at Wichita State University focused on asking the right questions in the classroom, making all the participants think about what questions to ask in order to elicit desired responses. Music teachers have limited instructional time, a lot to accomplish, and can’t have a class or rehearsal derailed by constant interruptions. Dr. Stanley asked, “How can music educators manage and control engaged students’ eager responses—and assess student understanding—without stifling student contributions or relying on the ‘quiet raised hand’ as the only response technique?” The session was very forward-thinking and progressive.
After KCOMTEPS 2018
Looking towards the rest of the school year, there are many very exciting things to look forward to. The most relevant activity for KMEA Collegiate would have to be voting and running for the Kansas Collegiate NAfME officer positions in February. There are also some scholarships that are specifically targeted towards collegiate members.
Running and serving in a collegiate office is a great opportunity that offers opportunities for growth in the fields of communication, leadership, time management, and organization. Serving as State President has granted me a plethora of networking opportunities with music educators from around the world. I would encourage anyone who is interested in running for an office to send me an email at collegiate@ksmea.org to learn about what each officer position entails, as well as how to best prepare for running for a state office. One could also visit the website at: http://ksmea.org/collegiate/officer-application/
The deadline for application materials is February 1st, 2019
Scholarship applications for college students are also due February 1st, 2019. The three scholarships that are specific to KMEA Collegiate include the Robert & Myrabel Hollowell Scholarship, the Don & JoAnne Corbett Scholarship, and the Kansas Music Merchants Association Scholarship. More information can be found at: http://ksmea.org/scholarships/
