As a future teacher I need to work on developing my pedagogical content knowledge. This means the knowledge I will need to effectively teach my students. Chapter 11 in our Educational Psychology text book focuses on content areas, and how to teach them. The 5 categories focused on were reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. As a future music educator, I tried to examine how these content areas would be used within my classroom.

The two of these content areas I have the most strength in are reading and math. As an avid reader, I feel I would definitely be able to help students to read in my classroom. You may be thinking that math can not be used in a music classroom, but it definitely can be used. Teaching note values to students involves math, however basic, but this skill is essential to understanding how to read music.

My weaknesses fall in science and social studies. As I further my education and career, I intend to work on incorporating these disciplines into my classroom. A website entitled Edutopia is a great place to start this search. They have pages developed specifically for teachers. One which relates specifically to this idea of expert knowledge and Teacher Development is particularly useful.

In order to become a successful teacher I need to focus on my specific area of music but also to pay attention to how to teach this subject effectively. I think teacher development is important even after finishing college. It is a process that should keep moving forward throughout my career.