Advocacy is one of the strongest tools for teachers and leaders. Many times, decisions about budgets, resources, and policies are made by people outside of the classroom. Therefore, advocating for the profession and educating the community about student learning and needs can support teachers in achieving their goals. Many outside the classroom base their knowledge of education upon their experiences in school; however, thanks to research and development within the educational field, teachers and leaders understand that today's students are facing a different world and have different needs. It is essential for teachers to remember that not only do our students need to see the value in what we are doing in our classrooms, but all members of our community need to see the value of education.
Technology is an ever-evolving aspect of our daily lives. It is vital for teachers to be aware of current developments in education so that they can utilize technology tools and develop a curriculum that helps students understand how to consume and utilize technology. Additionally, educating parents on the benefits and dangers of technology is essential for creating a partnership and support for technology incentives. Following the SAMR model, I believe it is ideal to focus on engaging students in the modification and redefinition levels of technology, as these levels are the levels where students apply their knowledge and skills to create new projects and ideas. In my own classroom, I review my technology integration each year to align with technology standards in addition to music standards. I also reflect on the importance of the technology tool to avoid substitution activities that would increase student screen time. As a part of my graduate courses, I created a professional video to share my vision of technology in education and the role it plays it plays in our schools. As a leader, it is important to create succinct and clear messages to share with the community so they can better understand the school's values and goals.
I have found that as a music teacher, the most significant moments of advocacy for my subject, my resources, and contact time in the schedule are when I present community members with examples of my students’ musical skills and enjoyment. When parents and other community members get to see my students enjoying themselves while they create and perform music, they start to understand why music is an integral part of their child's education. Additionally, I use parent-teacher conferences as an opportunity to advocate for my content area and educate parents on the benefits of their child's musical education. Supported by research, simple musical skills such as singing and beat-keeping can aid the brain in aural development and support reading skills for young learners. When I share this knowledge with parents, I often get asked, “How can they help?” or “What can I do with them at home?” From my point of view as a teacher, these are the best questions that I can be asked. Parents and the community are our partners in education, and when we advocate for our content areas we can gain access to support that can enhance our students' education.