Inside-out: a look at the MTNA Assessment Tools for the Independent Music Teacher.(Forum Focus: Independent Music Teachers)(Music Teachers National Association)

In preparation for the IMT Forum meeting held during the 2005 Conference, and because it also provided certification renewal points, I recently decided to take the Assessment Tools for the Independent Music Teacher in hand and evaluate it by actually DOING it? The experience has taught me much more than I anticipated, and I encourage members to take advantage of this tool with eyes wide open to the great insights it will provide, as well as the pain that accompanies a request for critique.

The Assessment Tools are designed to aid studio teachers with assessing the many aspects of their work through a three-part evaluation:

* Self-Assessment

* Peer Assessment

* Client Assessment

College faculty members are very familiar with the process of being evaluated by their students, as routine evaluation is required. Those of us who have played in juries or competitions open ourselves up to evaluation and, in fact, desire the insight these experiences provide. However, independent music teachers rarely receive detailed evaluations of their work and, consequently, are limited to their own perspective of the effectiveness of their studios.

The purpose of evaluating our teaching is straightforward; that by assessing it, we may improve it. It is an "inside-out" approach; a process that requires inspection, honesty and courage. As we scrutinize our philosophies, practices, even our deepest feelings about teaching, we realize that change comes from the inside-out. Only when we sincerely desire to enact a change, realizing the need and the potential for growth, can it actually occur. As Wayne Dyer states, "Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change." Through careful evaluation, we will see areas that need improvement, updating, revamping and even amputating. It is our way of keeping current and it is a necessity in our changing world.