Specialized Program Association (SPA) Standards

The candidate for licensure and certification:

• Has a sound philosophical understanding of visual art education and is able to support, justify, and implement the visual art curriculum

• Has an understanding of past, current, and future trends and issues in art education as well as art education research

• Has a knowledge of developmentally appropriate visual art content including aesthetics, art criticism, and art history, around a core of art production

• Has a working knowledge of and has had experience in integration of the arts with other fine arts areas as well as other academic disciplines

• Understands and has experience in the application of the elements and principles of art and design

• Understands art history including various styles, periods, ethnic groups, and cultures from around the world

• Has a knowledge of aesthetics (the field of study that relates to beauty in the arts) and art criticism (art review and commentary), along with teaching strategies appropriate for both areas that involve a variety of media and awareness of developmental levels

• Understands and has experience in various methods of art production and creative development including drawing, figure drawing, color and design, painting, printmaking, sculpture, clay, applied design, and technology. Additional experience should involve metal, stone, fiber, papermaking, wood, and mixed media

• Has proficiency in teaching strategies that are developmentally appropriate and inclusive of various student learning styles and is sensitive to the needs of diverse ethnic and cultural groups and those with disabilities

• Develops a portfolio of his/her own artwork

• Understands that contests and competitions have a valuable place in art education; however, they should not drive the development of the local curriculum

• Has a knowledge of a wide variety of arts resources including community resources, materials, equipment, and information about exhibitions and/or major collections

• Recognizes the important role of technology in education and that it may serve as a supportive tool in art education

• Understands the art-related competencies in the Oklahoma core curriculum and knows how to incorporate them into various art classes

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The candidate for licensure and certification:

• Maintains a current knowledge of concepts of the field of speech communication including: oral interpretation of literature, theater, the electronic media, public speaking, argumentation, and critical thinking skills

• Applies comprehension, analysis, interpretation, synthesis, and evaluation of vocal, verbal and nonverbal messages

• Applies appropriate learning strategies for critical thinking, research, organization, and presentation of messages appropriate to participation in a democratic society

• Communicates effectively in interpersonal, small group, and public communication situations using appropriate language and nonverbal signals

• Understands the influence of social and historical contexts, and culture on public address and literature of the theater

• Understands the impact of cultural diversity upon the communication process

• Establishes a communication climate which encourages reflection, creativity, and critical thinking

• Uses differing assessment strategies to evaluate student competencies in a variety of speaking/listening situations

• Uses technology (i.e., videotaping of presentations, computers to generate visual aids and as a research tool) to enhance instruction

• Understands and uses teaching strategies appropriate for the analysis and presentation of a variety of forms (genres) of public address and literature of the theater, available in electronic media and from printed sources

• Understands the importance of effective communication skills in the personal and professional arenas

• Understands the role of co-curricular and extracurricular activities in the development of student interest as an extension of the classroom instruction

• Understands, teaches, and implements Oklahoma's Core Curriculum

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The candidate for licensure and certification:

• Understands the basic philosophy of music education and is able to justify music within the school curriculum

• Understands how music and fine arts experiences enhance student life experience and can promote music and the other arts in the community as well as within the school (including group motivational strategies and group management methods)

• Participates in ongoing professional development which includes involvement with professional associations and current experiences in performing endeavors

• Has knowledge of effective methodologies and practices for encouraging self-analysis and musical independence

• Has mastery of a major instrument, including appropriate techniques of breathing, embouchure (mouth position), posture, and hand position

• Has a broad understanding of music history, including various styles and musical contributions of different cultural and ethnic groups

• Has the ability to play an instrument(s) and teach a beginning instrumental music class, using current methods and quality music literature (collection of written music) for band, small ensemble, and solo

• Is able to recognize and evaluate the sequential development of students, including those with disabilities

• Has knowledge of where to locate printed musical resources and professional consultants

• Has a working knowledge of how music integrates with all other academic disciplines, including other fine arts areas

• Has the skill to collaborate and coordinate experiences with teachers of other academic disciplines, including other fine arts areas

• Has competency in conducting techniques

• Is able to teach basic fundamentals of embouchure (mouth position), hand position, technique and other related skills, of all the standard band and orchestra instruments at a basic Grade 6-8 level, including making a characteristic sound

• Is able to sing a diatonic melody at sight, using a consistent sight-singing method, and the skill to teach that method appropriately at each grade level. Diatonic means relating to a musical scale having eight tones to the octave and using a fixed pattern of intervals without chromatic deviation

• Is able to count rhythms using a consistent rhythm reading system and demonstrates the skill to teach that method appropriately at each grade level

• Has knowledge of music education approaches such as Carl Orff, Zoltar Kodaly and Jaques-Dalcroze and is able to prepare and teach a lesson according to each of these approaches

• Has basic proficiency in piano, including a knowledge of keyboard harmony and is able to play functional progressions and simple accompaniments

• Has the ability to use technology in the music classroom, such as basic knowledge of MIDI (musical instrument digital interface), sequencing and notational software programs, sound system set-up, and to make successful recordings of music ensembles

• Understands basic laws of copyright pertaining to the correct use of copyrighted printed music and related responsibilities

• Understands the competencies in General Music in Oklahoma's core curriculum and exhibits the skill to incorporate them into various instrumental music classes

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The candidate for licensure and certification:

• Understands the basic philosophy of music education and is able to justify music within the school curriculum

• Understands how music and fine arts experiences enhance student life experience and can promote music and the other arts in the community as well as within the school (including group motivational strategies and group management methods)

• Has knowledge of effective methodologies and practices for encouraging self-analysis and musical independence

• Understands proper breathing techniques and tone production techniques

• Has a knowledge of quality literature (collection of written music), both choral and solo, as well as folk songs appropriate for children

• Understands the changing voice, both male and female

• Has knowledge of where to locate professional consultants and printed music resources, such as music stores, music publisher catalogs, and textbook companies

• Has a working knowledge of how to coordinate vocal music with all academic disciplines including other fine arts areas

• Has proficiency in piano, including knowledge of scales, chords and the ability to warm up a choir and play simple accompaniments

• Participates in ongoing professional development which includes involvement with professional associations

• Has the ability to recognize and evaluate sequential musical development for all students, including those with disabilities

• Has competency in conducting, including the ability to show musical nuance (subtle distinction or variation)

• Is able to prepare a series of lesson plans appropriate to each teaching level K-12

• Has the ability to sing a diatonic melody at sight, using a consistent sight singing method and the skill to teach that method appropriately at each grade level."Diatonic" means relating to a musical scale having eight tones to the octave and using a fixed pattern of intervals without chromatic deviation

• Has the ability to count rhythms using a consistent rhythmic reading system and the skills to teach that method appropriately at each grade level

• Has knowledge of the music education approaches such as Carl Orff, Zoltar Kodaly and Jaques-Dalcroze and is able to prepare and teach a lesson according to each of these approaches

• Has broad knowledge and understanding of music history including various styles, periods and cultures

• Has broad knowledge and understanding of a variety of music and musical practices representative of different cultural and ethnic groups

• Has the ability to use technology in the music classroom, such as basic knowledge of MIDI (musical instrument digital interface), sequencing and notational software programs, sound system set-up, and to make successful recordings of music ensembles

• Understands basic laws of copyright pertaining to the correct use of copyrighted printed music and related responsibilities

• Understands the competencies in General Music in Oklahoma's core curriculum and exhibits the skill to incorporate them into various vocal music classes

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