The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.

Standard 10 is all about teachers stepping up, being leaders, and developing a school environment where students are able to thrive. I see this standard as the source of the passion that should be behind all teachers. A passion not only for their own discipline, but one that emanates to the whole school and community. It is important for the music teacher to get out of their corner of the school and make themselves available and active. A great music teacher takes leadership responsibilities in the school, volunteers to head committees and is an active participant in meetings. A music teacher should work with other subject teachers to better understand their students, their communities, and the types of education opportunities available to the students. A great teacher finds way to bridge the gaps between the subjects and put together collaborative project with other teachers. Teachers need to be able to communicate their ideas to the collective and have high expectations for their student, school, and community. 

This is a standard where I have not done much work in considering my role as a college student. As I enter the student teaching experience, I will have more opportunities to work with other teachers and take on more responsibilities. However, in my experience with peer teachings, it is common that myself and other students will make comments on each others teaching. There have also been teaching experiences where we co-teach a class period. These experiences are valuable because it allows us as developing teachers to discuss our lesson plans and teaching strategies. Being able to teach with another person is a skill in and of itself. The practicum experience will allow me to discuss plans both with my mentor teacher and peer teaching partner. I have also talked to mentor teachers about ways that they are apart of the school community and how to be a leader in the school. As a student at Ball State, I am apart of a ground call United Sound that works with differently abled members of the community to make music on band and string instruments. I believed this experience has greatly improved my understanding of leadership and community outreach. 

The practicum and student teaching experiences will allow me the greatest opportunity to improve in standard 10 thus far. the student teaching experience will give me the greatest opportunities for growth given that I will be in the same school every day for an entire semester. I will have the opportunity to meet other subject teachers, attend sports and other after school activities and be apart of the greater community. I will be sure to reach out to my mentor teacher for ideas on how to get active and be a leader in the band program as well as the school. As a student teacher, I will get as many experiences as possible which will greatly prepare me for my first year as music teacher. As I continue with my career, I will attend music education conferences. Any opportunity for professional development will impact my development with the standard. Conferences are all about discussion and collaboration among educations. I will not just attend these conference, but take on leadership roles and always be an active participator.