Certification and the college student.

Invite collegiate faculty and students to take advantage of the MTNA Professional Certification program in order to recognize collegiate students' academic, performance and teaching competencies. Although I am the collegiate chapter advisor and pedagogy professor at Wichita State University (WSU) and the certification chair for two local associations in the Wichita area, I admit I have not consistently stressed the importance of certification.

Upon reviewing the certification standards, I realized that collegiate students are presently being prepared to meet the requirements for fulfilling the standards through their music and pedagogy curricula.

Collegiate music students satisfy the performance and academic preparation requirements of Standard I through their coursework. Piano pedagogy students can satisfy the teaching competency--two years of teaching experience--by student teaching in the university's community music program. At Wichita State, at least three faculty members observe the student's teaching--the pedagogy and performance teachers and the preparatory director. Therefore, they could serve as the three references required for the application for MTNA Certification.

The MTNA Assessment Tools were part of each student's pedagogy final examination last spring. The assessment resource assists teachers in evaluating their competency and progress in meeting Standards II, III, IV and V. The students assessed their own teaching and that of their peers in regard to lesson and curriculum issues, as well as a self-evaluation of the studio environment and personal attributes. One student commented, "The Assessment opened my eyes about how many wonderful activities and resources are available, that there are many scheduling options and that teaching piano is a business and should be run as such." Another student said, "I used the MTNA Assessment to see what I don't do. I need to begin to listen to the student's ideas, because I usually only give directions rather than build on the student's ideas."

After reviewing the students' responses, I evaluated the pedagogy curriculum and my strengths and weaknesses in delivering instruction. Although I value teaching with current technology, the students rated themselves low on using digital instruments. The students learn to arrange accompaniments on digital instruments as part of the pedagogy course syllabus, and I plan to make the instruments available for student teaching and require their use!

I was pleased that the student teachers said they frequently include improvisation and sight reading in their teaching. However, they commented that ear training, harmonization and transposition are skills they neglect. I plan to give student teachers conceptual strategies that will help them use these skills often.

MTNA Certification Standards II, III and IV can be met in one of three ways. Option 1: Certification Examination--a written, practical examination in which the common body of knowledge validated to fulfill Standard I is applied to everyday teaching situations. Option 2: Certification Portfolio--a portfolio of documents and materials that reflect the candidate's professional preparation, teaching practices, ability to operate a successful studio/classroom, professional involvement and ability to develop partnerships. Option 3: Administrative Verification--only available to college or university faculty.

MTNA is considering a process for collegiate students to complete MTNA Professional Certification by the time they graduate. It occurred to me that if I had each pedagogy student build a portfolio that would include class assignments and lesson plans, the students would have acquired most of the materials required for Option 2 by the time they graduate. Also pedagogy course tests are comparable to questions in the certification examination, Option 1, and course tests could be expanded to include questions more similar to the certification examination.

Collegiate chapters are the perfect place to make students aware of Standard IV: Professionalism and Partnerships and Standard V: Professional and Personal Renewal. The WSU chapter organizes recitals and participates in Kansas MTA annual comprehensive exams for their students while networking with local association members. They give pedagogy lectures and presentations on campus and at state and national conferences, where they attend inspiring and informative recitals and sessions.

I think collegiate students can successfully meet the requirements for fulfilling the MTNA Standards for Professional Certification. I welcome responses to this idea and suggestions from professors, collegiate chapter advisors and students about how to expedite the awarding of MTNA Professional Certification to college students.

National Certification Standards

I. Professional Preparation

II. Professional Teaching Practices

III. Professional Business Management

IV. Professionalism and Partnerships

V. Professional and Personal Renewal

Sylvia Coats is professor of piano pedagogy and class piano at Wichita State University. She authored Thinking as You Play: Teaching Piano in Individual and Group Lessons, published by Indiana University Press, 2006.