Why I choose this institution type:
As I contemplated the type of institution I would choose for this project I wanted to create a community college because of my experiences working as an academic advisor at Owens Community College the last year and half. The more I worked on putting together an outline I found myself being caught up in the details and pitfalls of Owens Community College and other community colleges in the area. Every time I took a step forward, it felt like I took two steps back. Through my experiences and research, I have an understanding of what community colleges need, and what can and should be used to help their students succeed, yet it’s not something that community colleges can afford to give their students (so much is based on what Tinto refers to as “entry characteristics”) (Braxton, Hirschy, & McClendon, 2011, p. 9). I love the job that I have as an Academic Advisor as the community college, but so much of the growth and development students have at a community college is from the relationships they form and the faculty and staff that go above and beyond what is required of them; not something that can be put into a implementation plan, or as requirements of an institution; the money isn’t there. I was faced with a choice: I could create an ideal community college, knowing it would not be realistic or affordable, or change my plan.
As an undergraduate student I attended a 4-year public institution, and now work at a community college, however I have no experience with a liberal arts institution, something that I feel many of my peers have experience with. Although I was interested in creating a liberal arts institution, I wanted to do something that would motivate and inspire me. Since I started Suzuki piano at age 3, music has been a part of my life. I met my music mentor, Sue Wiseman, when she came into our elementary school and encouraged students to sign up to be a part of the band and orchestra. From that moment, my life changed. After I started to learn the violin, it became a part of who I was. I attended arts camps each year, and performed a concerto with the Toledo Youth Orchestra and was concertmaster of our high school orchestra my senior year. My senior year was spent practicing for college auditions, an extremely stressful process. I knew I wanted to major in Psychology (with aspirations of being a Clinical Psychologist), but I also wanted to continue to improve myself musically I audition for a music minor at Bowling Green State University, and Miami University and for the double major program at Oberlin College (at the time my dream school). I was accepted into Miami and BGSU for music, but was only accepted into the School of Arts and Sciences at Oberlin (my audition was the most embarrassing moment of my life). I loved the idea of having the opportunity to do two things that I loved (not just focusing on one thing or another). Through those experiences, I decided to create a liberal arts institution with a focus on dual major in music and an arts and sciences degree. I liked the idea of now forcing students to choose between music and another aspiration, I believe that passions can and should be combined if they are important enough. As I continue on my journey in grad school, I've had to choose between music and school, there’s just not enough time. Crescendo College does not force students to choose: the choice is both.
References
As an undergraduate student I attended a 4-year public institution, and now work at a community college, however I have no experience with a liberal arts institution, something that I feel many of my peers have experience with. Although I was interested in creating a liberal arts institution, I wanted to do something that would motivate and inspire me. Since I started Suzuki piano at age 3, music has been a part of my life. I met my music mentor, Sue Wiseman, when she came into our elementary school and encouraged students to sign up to be a part of the band and orchestra. From that moment, my life changed. After I started to learn the violin, it became a part of who I was. I attended arts camps each year, and performed a concerto with the Toledo Youth Orchestra and was concertmaster of our high school orchestra my senior year. My senior year was spent practicing for college auditions, an extremely stressful process. I knew I wanted to major in Psychology (with aspirations of being a Clinical Psychologist), but I also wanted to continue to improve myself musically I audition for a music minor at Bowling Green State University, and Miami University and for the double major program at Oberlin College (at the time my dream school). I was accepted into Miami and BGSU for music, but was only accepted into the School of Arts and Sciences at Oberlin (my audition was the most embarrassing moment of my life). I loved the idea of having the opportunity to do two things that I loved (not just focusing on one thing or another). Through those experiences, I decided to create a liberal arts institution with a focus on dual major in music and an arts and sciences degree. I liked the idea of now forcing students to choose between music and another aspiration, I believe that passions can and should be combined if they are important enough. As I continue on my journey in grad school, I've had to choose between music and school, there’s just not enough time. Crescendo College does not force students to choose: the choice is both.
References
- Braxton, J. M., Hirschy, A. S., & McClendon, S. A. (2011). Understanding and Reducing College Student Departure: ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report(Vol. 16). Jossey-Bass.
About
I choose to make Crescendo a highly selective institution because a dual-degree program requires a certain amount of academic achievement and dedication, especially when paired with a time-consuming major like Music (which required a lot of outside practice time). I wanted to choose a location that was near a larger community or city so that students would have opportunities to perform as well as work as instructors (Suzuki instructors). I choose a liberal arts institution because a liberal arts education, in the most general sense is education that liberates and opens the mind, thus preparing students for responsible action” (AAC&U, 2002). Upon graduation from any institution, students should have the ability to continue growing, learning, and achieving; a benefit of a liberal arts education. Giamatti (1998) says that the study of the liberal arts creates a freedom of thought, something that all students should have. For this particular institution, location, and type were the most important.
References
References
- American Association of Colleges & Universities. (2002). Greater expectations: A new vision for learning as a nation goes to college. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http://greaterexpectations.org/
- Giamatti, A. B. (1988). A free and ordered space: The real world of the university. New York, NY: W. W. Norton
At a Glance
For the demographics part of this page, I based some of the demographics information off of the demographics of Oberlin College because they provide a dual-degree program with music and an Arts and Sciences degree (so I knew those demographics would work well and are possible for this particular institution type). Because this is a small, private, liberal arts institution, tuition will be higher which is why I wanted to make sure that this education was available to all students. To do so, I made is that a large amount of students receive tuition assistance. Many of the institutional practices that I’ve put together at Crescendo College are aimed to help the involvement (Astin, 1984), and aid in retention of students from year-to-year, which is why I’ve marked the retention rate as high as I have. I based my institution in Elmhurst, Illinois because of its close proximity to Chicago, as well as the name (my elementary school was Elmhurst). I used the description of the Elmhurst College campus to describe Crescendo’s location (because it is the same) so it was accurate. Faculty/Staff ratio’s were based off of Oberlin Colleges stats (again because the similarities in programs and institution size). Concepts of “involvement” were used based on Astin’s (1984) theory of student involvement.
References
References
- Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40, 518-529.
- Elmhurst College. (n.d.) Location & campus. Elmhurst College. Retrieved date: November 21, 2012. From http://public.elmhurst.edu/about/location
- Oberlin College. (n.d. ). At a glance. Oberlin College & Conservatory. Retrieved date: November 20, 2012. From http://new.oberlin.edu/applying/at-a-glance.dot.
Mission and Values
Mission
The motto, name, and slogan of the instution were explained earlier. Parts of the Mission and Values of the institution are based on the mission statements and values of Elmhurst College, the values of York College, Astin’s (1977) theory of involvement, Bowen’s (1977) learning outcomes, and the Suzuki Method (Miles, 2012).
References
The motto, name, and slogan of the instution were explained earlier. Parts of the Mission and Values of the institution are based on the mission statements and values of Elmhurst College, the values of York College, Astin’s (1977) theory of involvement, Bowen’s (1977) learning outcomes, and the Suzuki Method (Miles, 2012).
References
- Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40, 518-529.
- Bowen, H. (1977). Goals: The intended outcomes of higher education. In Foundations of American Higher Education, edited by J. L. Bess and D. S. Webster, 2d ed. 1991, 23–37. Needham Heights, Mass.: Simon and Schuster.
- Elmhurst College. (n.d.) Mission vision and values. About Elmhurst College. Retrieved date: November 21, 2012. From http://public.elmhurst.edu/about/101584548.html
- Miles, L. (2012, August 20). The method and the movement. The Strad, 34-40.
- York College (n.d.). Missio, vision, and values. Retrieved date: Novemeber 22, 2012. From http://www.york.cuny.edu/produce-and-print/contents/bulletin/mission-vision-and-values
History
Crescendo College was founded the day my parents were married (June 21, 1980), and became a dual-degree institution the day that I was born (September 1, 1988). Although adding another degree to a program makes it more difficult (just like having a child is difficult and makes your life more difficult), it is a more rewarding experience.
Admissions
Admissions standards were based off of Oberlin’s standards (again because of the similarity of the institutions). Because a dual-degree can be extremely rigorous, Crescendo has high standards to ensure students will be successful. Audition criteria is based on a mix of personal experiences with my college auditions as well as our yearly contest criteria in high school. Theory placement scores are important because students are expected to be at college level theory before entrance (there are no remedial courses). Co-curricular experiences are important criteria because it shows the students ability to balance schoolwork and outside engagements (especially because music often requires a lot of outside class time). Personal essays shows the students ability to articulate what they help to receive from our program and help to distinguish whether faculty-student match is a good fit.
References
References
- Oberlin College. (n.d.). Arts and sciences admissions. Oberlin College & Conservatory. Retrieved date: November 20, 2012. From http://new.oberlin.edu/applying/at-a-glance.dot.
Liberal Arts Education
Boyer (1987), AAC&U (2002, 2007), and Giamatti (1988) all explain the importance of gaining an liberal arts education which I used to explain why Crescendo offers a liberal arts education through courses that encourage students to think about how they are linked to one another, and use those viewpoints to enhance their specialization. The General Education requirements are based off Bowling Green State University’s BG Perspective courses. I feel that the BG perspective offers a well rounded set of courses that gives students experience with different sets of courses. All faculty at Crescnedo are aware of the learning outcomes and incorporate them into all of the course (mostly cognitive and practical competence…emotional competence is something that I believe happens in AND outside the classroom) I choose to add a logic course to the Quantitative Literacy requirement because it can help enhance critical thinking abilities of all students if taught in an intentional way (Ikuenobe, 2001). Winter Term and Crescendo Transition courses will be explain in more detail in their respective pages.
References
References
- Bowling Green State University (n.d.) BG perspective. Spring 2013 Undergraduate Catalog. Retrieved date: November 23, 2012. From http://www.bgsu.edu/catalog/Acad_policies/Acad_policies19.html
- Boyer, E. L. (1987). College: The undergraduate experience in America. New York: Harper & Row.
- American Association of Colleges & Universities. (2002). Greater expectations: A new vision for learning as a nation goes to college. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http://greaterexpectations.org/
- American Association of Colleges & Universities. (2007). College learning for the new global century. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http:/www.aacu.org/advocacy/leap/documents/GlobalCentury_final.pdf
- Giamatti, A. B. (1988). A free and ordered space: The real world of the university. New York, NY: W. W. Norton
- Ikuenobe, P. (2001). Teaching and assessing critical thinking abilities as outcomes in an informal logic course. Teaching in Higher Education, 6, 19-32.
Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes I have put into place at Crescendo college are from Bowen’s (1977) Intended Outcomes of Higher education. Most simply, Crescendo college hopes to create a student that is cognitively, emotionally, and practically competent. Bowen (1977) breaks these competencies into different categories (much of which I kept the same or narrowed down).
For cognitive competence students should be competence in communication skills (written, spoken, and musical languages), possess quantitative literacy, have an awareness of culture (self and others), and be able to think and at in a rational manner (facilitated by Logic course). Students should also possess intellectual tolerance (be able to engage in thoughtful dialogue with those that have differing opinions), have aesthetic sensibility and creativeness (have an interest in the arts) which should be no problem for music students, but we hope to broaden passed the musical arts to the fine arts, and students should have the ability to continue learning after college.
For emotional competence students should be able to gain a sense of self and understand what psychological well-being is (and be able to seek help if they are not well). Students should also posses a human understanding and have a capacity for empathy, be able to articulate their own set of values and morals, and understand how to live a healthy life both physically and psychologically.
For practical competence, students should be able to take what they’ve learned (cognitively and emotionally) and ally it to the world around them. Students that are practically competent will be motivated to achieve greatness and be able to be future orientated rather than present oriented. Students will also be able to adapt to the constantly changing environment in a constructive way as well as be a leader among others (with understanding that there are various leadership styles). Most importantly, students that are practically competent show citizenship are aware of what is going on in the world, and are able to respond in a constructive way. This means that students understand that they have a social responsibility to share knowledge with the outside community and use that knowledge to create a better society. Lastly, students that are practically competent should be able to be economically productive in society (know how to use their money and resources), as well as understanding the importance of engaging in leisurely activities (for psychologically well-being)
References
For cognitive competence students should be competence in communication skills (written, spoken, and musical languages), possess quantitative literacy, have an awareness of culture (self and others), and be able to think and at in a rational manner (facilitated by Logic course). Students should also possess intellectual tolerance (be able to engage in thoughtful dialogue with those that have differing opinions), have aesthetic sensibility and creativeness (have an interest in the arts) which should be no problem for music students, but we hope to broaden passed the musical arts to the fine arts, and students should have the ability to continue learning after college.
For emotional competence students should be able to gain a sense of self and understand what psychological well-being is (and be able to seek help if they are not well). Students should also posses a human understanding and have a capacity for empathy, be able to articulate their own set of values and morals, and understand how to live a healthy life both physically and psychologically.
For practical competence, students should be able to take what they’ve learned (cognitively and emotionally) and ally it to the world around them. Students that are practically competent will be motivated to achieve greatness and be able to be future orientated rather than present oriented. Students will also be able to adapt to the constantly changing environment in a constructive way as well as be a leader among others (with understanding that there are various leadership styles). Most importantly, students that are practically competent show citizenship are aware of what is going on in the world, and are able to respond in a constructive way. This means that students understand that they have a social responsibility to share knowledge with the outside community and use that knowledge to create a better society. Lastly, students that are practically competent should be able to be economically productive in society (know how to use their money and resources), as well as understanding the importance of engaging in leisurely activities (for psychologically well-being)
References
- Bowen, H. (1977). Goals: The intended outcomes of higher education. In Foundations of American Higher Education, edited by J. L. Bess and D. S. Webster, 2d ed. 1991, 23–37. Needham Heights, Mass.: Simon and Schuster.
School of Arts and Sciences
The list of programs of study was based off of Oberlin’s School of Arts and Sciences programs (again because of the similarities in the programs. I added Business to the list of courses because I many students may wish to pursue a degree in Music Business (or start their own ensemble or band). I believe the skills gained would be beneficial for students. I looked up the closest business school in the area and Loyola University of Chicago has a business program (I thought it would be a good idea to build a liaison between the two schools (especially because many of our students go to Chicago quite regularly). This may be a partnership that can grow more in a couple of years. I thought it would be important to showed that even though faculty are top researchers in their field, that Crescendo College faculty are willing to dedicate their time and efforts to teaching. To show the emphasis on teaching, I created a Teaching workshop (based off of Carnegie Mellon’s teaching workshop). This again goes back to Astin’s (1984) theory of involvement, which is why I believe having teachers more involved in the teaching process can help with the academic involvement of students, and thus create an environment of greater student success.
On this page is also a sample double-degree program (Psychology and Music performance: Spring). This gives an example of what a student will need to complete for graduation.
References
On this page is also a sample double-degree program (Psychology and Music performance: Spring). This gives an example of what a student will need to complete for graduation.
References
- Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40, 518-529.
- Carnegie Mellon (n.d.) Fall 2010 faculty workshop series. Carnegie Mellon
- Fisher, R. Cavanagh, J., & Bowles, A (2011). Assisting transition to university: Using assessment as a learning tool. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 36, 225-237.
- Loyola University Chicago (n.d.) Quinlan school of business. Loyola University of Chicago. Retrieved date: November 22, 2012. From http://www.luc.edu/quinlan/undergraduate/
- Oberlin College. (n.d.). Academic departments and programs. Oberlin College & Conservatory. Retrieved date: November 20, 2012. From http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/
Winter Term
Winter Term is based off of a talent workshop that my past violin teacher, Vasile Beluska created and implements with all of his students. The workshop is required for all students in their first, third, and fifth years. This workshop helps to develop confidence and view the idea of “talent” in a new light. This course will help to develop personal self-discovery, psychological well-being, as well as morals and values, all of which are a part of emotional competence (learning outcome). This workshop also speaks to the idea that students develop critical thinking skills throughout college (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005) which is why this workshops is done different times during our students’ time a Crescendo College.
Assessment (Qualitative):
We assess whether a student has developed more emotional competence during Winter Term by having students write critical reflections how the workshops has helped them grow. We then compare the students’ critical reflection from their 1st, 3rd, and 5th year to see how they have developed cognitively, emotionally, and practically during their time at Crescendo.
References
Assessment (Qualitative):
We assess whether a student has developed more emotional competence during Winter Term by having students write critical reflections how the workshops has helped them grow. We then compare the students’ critical reflection from their 1st, 3rd, and 5th year to see how they have developed cognitively, emotionally, and practically during their time at Crescendo.
References
- Bowling Green State University (n.d.). Talent Development Workshop. Bowling Green State University. Retrieved date: November 19, 2012. From http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/music/outreach/page106622.html
- Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students: A third decade of research, (Vol. 2). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Crescendo Transition
The Crescendo transition courses were created to help ease the transition to college. Many transition programs are only for first-year students, but we extend it to the first 3 years and link it with a Suzuki teacher training workshop to help students gain experience in a teaching pedagogy so they have the skills needed to teach private lessons if they wish to do so. Crescendo college believes in preparing students for the world after college (Outcome: practical competence, specifically citizenship, leadership, and economic productivity). Based off of the idea of the crescendo in the slogan (empower your mind, find your forte) the classes are named after the different dynamics, starting soft (piano) and growing to a forte (loud). Each course has some of the same requirements but they also build upon one another. The Suzuki Philosophy is explained on this page. Much of the Suzuki Philoophy is embedded in the curriculum already
Environment: cognitive: verbal skills, awareness, aesthetic sensibility, lifelong learning; emotional: values and moral; practical: need for achievement/future orientation
Mentor Involvement: cognitive: intellectual tolerance, verbal language (musical sense), lifelong learning; emotional: human understanding; practical: leadership
Repetition: cognitive: verbal skills, awareness, aesthetic sensibility, lifelong learning; emotional: values and moral; practical: need for achievement/future orientation
Groups Lessons cognitive: intellectual tolerance, verbal language (musical sense), lifelong learning; emotional: human understanding; practical: leadership, need for achievement/future orientation.
Whole person: Culmination of all learning outcomes
Assessment: Much of assessment is based on reflection (qualitative) and the crucial reflections that occur throughout the course (formative and summative). Some formative assessments are done for Suzuki workshops and supervised practice times.
References
Environment: cognitive: verbal skills, awareness, aesthetic sensibility, lifelong learning; emotional: values and moral; practical: need for achievement/future orientation
Mentor Involvement: cognitive: intellectual tolerance, verbal language (musical sense), lifelong learning; emotional: human understanding; practical: leadership
Repetition: cognitive: verbal skills, awareness, aesthetic sensibility, lifelong learning; emotional: values and moral; practical: need for achievement/future orientation
Groups Lessons cognitive: intellectual tolerance, verbal language (musical sense), lifelong learning; emotional: human understanding; practical: leadership, need for achievement/future orientation.
Whole person: Culmination of all learning outcomes
Assessment: Much of assessment is based on reflection (qualitative) and the crucial reflections that occur throughout the course (formative and summative). Some formative assessments are done for Suzuki workshops and supervised practice times.
References
- Barefoot, B. O. (2000). The first-year experience. About Campus, 4(6), 12-18.
- Fisher, R. Cavanagh, J., & Bowles, A (2011). Assisting transition to university: Using assessment as a learning tool. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 36, 225-237.
- Niles, L. (2012, August 20). The method and the movement. The Strad, 34-40.
1st, 2nd, and 3rd-year Crescendo Transition
All Crescendo Transition Courses Require:
Common Reading: The common reading increases sense of community, adjustment, perceived social support, and satisfaction with school, all which correlate with positive academic and social outcomes (and also help with retention) (Chipuer & Pretty, 1999; Kaya & Weber, 2003; Pritchard & Wilson, 2003; Samdal, Nutbeam, Wold, & Kannas, 1998) . The common readings give students a common ground and helps promote conversations outside the classroom (all students have read this books so it also can promote conversations among students from different years.
Mentor (for supervised practice): All students in Crescendo Transition are paird with a mentor that is a fourth or 5th year student who supervises them in weekly supervised practice (aspect of mentor involvement in Suzuki method). According to research, “mentors can facilitate immense positive change in individuals who have failed to respond to other forms of intervention, and confirms the many favorable benefits long-thought to be associated with mentorship, including positive effects on protégé behaviour, health, interpersonal relations, attitude and motivation.” (Power, Miles, Peruzzi, & Voerman, 2011, p. 76). Mentoring will help students gain a connection to the institution and help provide a role model for the student
Mandatory Academic Advising : Crescendo College has mandatory advising for all 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year students. We hope that by requiring advising the first three years will help students get in the habit, and realize the importance of seeing an advisor. Metzner (1989) found that “good advising” was associated with lower attrition rates compared to “poor advising” and “no advising”.
Reflective Essays: Help student develop critical thinking skills needed for cognitive, emotional, and practical competence. Reflective essays use verbal skills, awareness, rationality, and lifelong learning skills (cognitive). Reflective essays promote personal self discovery and development of values and morals (emotional). Moreover, reflective essays promote, future orientation, adaptability, and citizenship (practical). Reflective essays also give instructors a for of assessment to ensure that students are achieve these learning outcomes.
Suzuki Workshop: Crescendo sees the importance of implementing the Suzuki workshop to help students prepare for private teaching (if that is what they want to do) as well as instilling the values of the Suzuki philosophy in all of our students. This workshop specifically helps with the learning outcome of practical competence: leadership, citizenship, and economic productivity
Mental Health Counseling: We require this to ensure that if our students need psychological help, they are receiving the services that they need and have more self awareness. Sometimes awareness along can help students perform better in academics and beyond Another reason we require students to attend a counseling session is to raise awareness on campus of mental illness, and erase the stigma that some students may have. Lastly, we require students to attend one counseling sessions a year for 3 years because there may be some students that don't feel comfortable going for help when they need it. This helps take the ownership off of the student that many be anxious about asking for help, and giving them an opportunity to receive it, hopefully opening up opportunities for subsequent visits if they are needed. This helps students become more emotionally competent.
Crescendo Transition: Piano
Students are required to attend an "Erase the Stigma" program put on by Student Services. This exposes students to those with mental, learning, and physical disabilities and raises awareness and erases stigma surrounded by disabilities. Many colleges do not seek out students with disabilities so they may not be receiving the help that they need. Students with disabilities (mental, learning, or physical) also internalize stigma placed on their disabilities. Our hope is that presenting first-year students with this idea will help creating a more inviting campus environment for all students and help students feel more comfortable seeking the help the need.
Crescendo Transition: Mezzo-forte
Students are required to keep a time diary, something that Alexander Astin (1984) recommends to help students and faculty/staff assess students' different forms of involvement. Students vary considerably in the amount of time they spend on such diverse activities such as studying, socializing, sleeping, daydreaming, travelling, etc. A time diary is a great assessment tool to see how frequently students interact with each other, faculty, institutional personnel, and people outside the institution. This assignment will also help assess what extracurricular activities students participate in. This assignment will allow students to see how they are really spending their time and encourage any adjustments that need to be made.
All students are required to attend one 1-hour session at our Career-Services office and undergo career assessment (based off of John Hollands Typology. This will help students to understand their strengths and weaknesses and how they will work with others in various settings.
Crescendo Transition: Forte
Students are required to attend one resume development session at our Career-Services office and receive help in development of a clearly worded and creatively (but professionally) designed resume. If students intend to go on an teach, or find students through private study (using the Suzuki training they have receive), we want to ensure that resumes are properly developed and showcase the skills they have gain. If they do not intend to teach, students still must posses proper skills to develop essays and write the appropriate cover letter.
Students are required to attend a leadership workshop to help prepare students for their duties as mentors in their fourth and fifth year. Much of the workshop is created an facilitated by fourth and fifth year students (their mentors). Having already established relationships will help with trust and understanding during the workshops (volunteer faculty and staff supervise sessions to ensure they are productive)
References
Common Reading: The common reading increases sense of community, adjustment, perceived social support, and satisfaction with school, all which correlate with positive academic and social outcomes (and also help with retention) (Chipuer & Pretty, 1999; Kaya & Weber, 2003; Pritchard & Wilson, 2003; Samdal, Nutbeam, Wold, & Kannas, 1998) . The common readings give students a common ground and helps promote conversations outside the classroom (all students have read this books so it also can promote conversations among students from different years.
Mentor (for supervised practice): All students in Crescendo Transition are paird with a mentor that is a fourth or 5th year student who supervises them in weekly supervised practice (aspect of mentor involvement in Suzuki method). According to research, “mentors can facilitate immense positive change in individuals who have failed to respond to other forms of intervention, and confirms the many favorable benefits long-thought to be associated with mentorship, including positive effects on protégé behaviour, health, interpersonal relations, attitude and motivation.” (Power, Miles, Peruzzi, & Voerman, 2011, p. 76). Mentoring will help students gain a connection to the institution and help provide a role model for the student
Mandatory Academic Advising : Crescendo College has mandatory advising for all 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year students. We hope that by requiring advising the first three years will help students get in the habit, and realize the importance of seeing an advisor. Metzner (1989) found that “good advising” was associated with lower attrition rates compared to “poor advising” and “no advising”.
Reflective Essays: Help student develop critical thinking skills needed for cognitive, emotional, and practical competence. Reflective essays use verbal skills, awareness, rationality, and lifelong learning skills (cognitive). Reflective essays promote personal self discovery and development of values and morals (emotional). Moreover, reflective essays promote, future orientation, adaptability, and citizenship (practical). Reflective essays also give instructors a for of assessment to ensure that students are achieve these learning outcomes.
Suzuki Workshop: Crescendo sees the importance of implementing the Suzuki workshop to help students prepare for private teaching (if that is what they want to do) as well as instilling the values of the Suzuki philosophy in all of our students. This workshop specifically helps with the learning outcome of practical competence: leadership, citizenship, and economic productivity
Mental Health Counseling: We require this to ensure that if our students need psychological help, they are receiving the services that they need and have more self awareness. Sometimes awareness along can help students perform better in academics and beyond Another reason we require students to attend a counseling session is to raise awareness on campus of mental illness, and erase the stigma that some students may have. Lastly, we require students to attend one counseling sessions a year for 3 years because there may be some students that don't feel comfortable going for help when they need it. This helps take the ownership off of the student that many be anxious about asking for help, and giving them an opportunity to receive it, hopefully opening up opportunities for subsequent visits if they are needed. This helps students become more emotionally competent.
Crescendo Transition: Piano
Students are required to attend an "Erase the Stigma" program put on by Student Services. This exposes students to those with mental, learning, and physical disabilities and raises awareness and erases stigma surrounded by disabilities. Many colleges do not seek out students with disabilities so they may not be receiving the help that they need. Students with disabilities (mental, learning, or physical) also internalize stigma placed on their disabilities. Our hope is that presenting first-year students with this idea will help creating a more inviting campus environment for all students and help students feel more comfortable seeking the help the need.
Crescendo Transition: Mezzo-forte
Students are required to keep a time diary, something that Alexander Astin (1984) recommends to help students and faculty/staff assess students' different forms of involvement. Students vary considerably in the amount of time they spend on such diverse activities such as studying, socializing, sleeping, daydreaming, travelling, etc. A time diary is a great assessment tool to see how frequently students interact with each other, faculty, institutional personnel, and people outside the institution. This assignment will also help assess what extracurricular activities students participate in. This assignment will allow students to see how they are really spending their time and encourage any adjustments that need to be made.
All students are required to attend one 1-hour session at our Career-Services office and undergo career assessment (based off of John Hollands Typology. This will help students to understand their strengths and weaknesses and how they will work with others in various settings.
Crescendo Transition: Forte
Students are required to attend one resume development session at our Career-Services office and receive help in development of a clearly worded and creatively (but professionally) designed resume. If students intend to go on an teach, or find students through private study (using the Suzuki training they have receive), we want to ensure that resumes are properly developed and showcase the skills they have gain. If they do not intend to teach, students still must posses proper skills to develop essays and write the appropriate cover letter.
Students are required to attend a leadership workshop to help prepare students for their duties as mentors in their fourth and fifth year. Much of the workshop is created an facilitated by fourth and fifth year students (their mentors). Having already established relationships will help with trust and understanding during the workshops (volunteer faculty and staff supervise sessions to ensure they are productive)
References
- Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40, 518-529.
- Canto, A. I., Proctor, B. E., & Prevatt, F. (2005). Educational outcomes of students first diagnosed with learning disabilities in postsecondary school, Journal of College Admission, 152, 8-13.
- Chipuer, H.M., & Pretty, G.M.H. (1999). A review of the sense of community index: Current uses, factor structure, reliability, and further development. Journal of Community Psychology, 27, 643-658.
- Fichten, C. S. & Amsel, R. (1986). Trait attributions about college students with a physical disability: Circumplex analyses and methodological issues. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 16, 410-427.
- Fisher, R. Cavanagh, J., & Bowles, A (2011). Assisting transition to university: Using assessment as a learning tool. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 36, 225-237.
- Gottfredson, G. D., & Johnston, M. I. (2009). John Holland's contributions: A theory-ridden approach to career assistance. Career Developmental Quaterly, 58, 99-107.
- Hadley, W. M. (2011). College students with disabilities: A student development perspective In W. S. Harbour & J. W. Madaus (Ed.), Special issue: Disability services and campus dynamics. New Directions for Higher education, (No. 154 pp. 77-81). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
- Hartley, M. T. (2010). Increasing resilience: Strategies for reducing dropout rates for college students with psychiatric disabilities. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 13, 295-315.
- Hadjikakou, K., Polycarpou, V., & Hadjilia, A. (2010). The experiences of students with mobility disabilities in Cypriot higher education institutions: Listening to their voices. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 57, 403-426.
- Kaya, N. Weber,M.J. (2003). Privacy regulation and college adjustment : A comparison of American and Turkish freshmen living in residence hall. College Student Journal. 37(1),79-92.
- Klein, M. C., Ciotoli, C. & Chung, H (2011). Primary care screening in depression and treatment engagement in a university health center: A retrospective analysis. Journal of American College Health, 59, 289-295.
- Metzner, B.S. (1989). Perceived quality of academic advising: The effect on freshman attrition. American Education Research Journal, 26, 422-442.
- Niles, L. (2012, August 20). The method and the movement. The Strad, 34-40.
- Power, R. K., Miles, B. B., Peruzzi, A. Voerman, A. (2011). Building bridges: A practical guide to developing and implementing a subject-specific peer-to-peer academic mentoring program for first-year higher education students. Asian Social Science, 7, 75-80.
- Pritchard, M. E. & Wilson G S. (2003). Using emotional and social factors to predict student success. Journal of College Student Development, 44, 18-28.
- Samdal, O., Nutbeam, N., Wold, B., & Kannas, L. (1998) Achieving health and educational goals through schools—a study of the importance of the school climate and the students' satisfaction with school. Health Education Research, 13, 383-397.
- Suzuki Associations of the Americans (n.d.). Teacher Training. Suzuki Associations of America Retrieved date: November 22, 2012. From http://suzukiassociation.org/teachers/training/
Conservatory of Music
This page has a sample program and a link to a Youtube video that is a performance of a piece I played my junior year in All Sate Orchestra The director we had for this pieces was one of the best directors we had because he created as sense of community among us all. That year I was far in the back yet he helped us all feel like we mattered, something that doesn’t usually happen in the back of the orchestra. Usually there is a sense of diffusion of responsibility; not with David Barg (http://www.davidbarg.com/). Because of my fond memories with this piece, I chose to put it on the main page of the conservatory. The description I placed below the link is an example of how faculty have a partnership with the Chicago symphony (setting an example for students), and they care and give to the outside community (setting an example). For faculty a Crescendo is more than research, faculty emphasize teaching and service.
About Our Program
The page on the website goes into detail about why every program is in place (based off of Suzuki Method). I choose the programs I felt should be offered. I narrowed it down to Music Performance and Music Composition because they fit best with the ideas of supervised practice (music composition majors are supervised while constructing pieces), and juries at the end of the semester (qualitative assessment of the student) can be done with these particular majors (would be hard to do with Music Theory).
References
References
- Bowling Green State University (n.d.). Talent Development Workshop. Bowling Green State University. Retrieved date: November 19, 2012. From http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/music/outreach/page106622.html
- Niles, L. (2012, August 20). The method and the movement. The Strad, 34-40.
- Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students: A third decade of research, (Vol. 2). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
- Powers, R. K., Miles, B. B., Peruzzi, A., & Voerman, A. (2011). Building bridges: A practical guide to developing and implementing a subject-specific peer to peer academic mentoring program for first-year higher education students. Asian Social Science, 7, 81-92. .
Graduate Program
I based my idea of the graduate program off of the University of Toledo's Clinical Nurse Leader program. This program is meant for students with a bachelors degree in something other than nursing. Once a student graduates from the Clinical Nurse Leader program that are considered a Registered nurse of RN. I believe this idea fits with the Crescendo school because it is a different option to a dual degree program for students that are interested in music but do not want to narrow their options (or want a well rounded education). This is "hearing the other side" (the motto)
References
References
- The University of Toledo (n. d.). Master of Science in Nursing Graduate-Entry Clinical Nurse Leader Program. The University of Toledo. Retreved November 30, 2012, From http://www.utoledo.edu/nursing/clinical_nurse_leader.html
Ensembles
I based my ensembles off of what is offered at Bowling Green State University. I liked the idea of having different levels of ensembles for each instrumental group (that has ensembles), and also providing the opportunity for students to take more diverse types of ensembles (something that BG offers and I was never able to take part of… but I loved watching them perform). Ensembles are a great opportunity for students to interact. Socializing with peers has numerous benefits for students. Peer interaction can enhance a student’s academic self-concept as well as promote gains in interpersonal skills (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Moreover, Kokotsaki and Hallam (2007) explain that music ensembles enhance a range of social and personal skills because of the interaction they have with the people they are performing with, and well as the interactions with their teacher and the environment.
References
References
- Bowling Green State University (n.d.) College Ensembles. College of Musical Arts. Retrieved date: November 25, 2012 From http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/music/ensembles/index.html
- Kokotsaki, D. & Hallam, S. (2007). Higher education music students’ perceptions of the benefits of participative music making. Music Education Research, 9, 93-109.
- Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students: A third decade of research, (Vol. 2). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Faculty
Although I did not go into great detail on the music faculty page, I believe it is an important page for music institutions to have on their website. For music schools, fit between music faculty and student is viewed as very important. The quality of anyone's experience is a function of his or her congruence, or degree of fit, with the dominant group (Strange, 2000, p. 21). When an individual is in an incompatible environment they are less likely to be reinforced for preferred behaviors and are more likely to leave. Gaunt (2011) found that one on one interaction is the most effective teaching/learning environment for musicians, the personality of the teacher, and the student is definitely something that should be taken into consideration (p. 160). The faculty member I chose to have featured, Hilary Hahn, is a world renowned violinist that both my high school and college private teachers were found of. The piece from Youtube that she is performing is the piece I played for my college auditions.
References
Pictures from:
References
- Gaunt, H. (2011). Understanding the one-to-one relationship in instrumental/vocal tuition in higher education: comparing student and teacher perceptions. British Journal of Music Education, 20, 159-179.
- Hilary Hahn (2011). Facts. Hilary Hahn. Retrieved: November 21, 2012, From http://hilaryhahn.com/about/facts/
- Strange, C. (2000). Creating environments of ability. In H. Belch, Serving Students with Disabilities. (New Directions in Student Services, no. 91, pp 19-30) San Francisco:Jossey
Pictures from:
- String faculty picture from: http://www.jmu.edu/music/ensembles/monticello/
- Brass faculty picture from: http://www.wcu.edu/23706.asp
- Voice Faculty picture from: http://www.uncsa.edu/music/voice.htm
- Woodwind Faculty picture from: http://www.belmont.edu/music/ensembles/faculty_woodwind_quintet.html
- Percussion faculty picture from: http://music.yale.edu/news/?p=3890
- Piano faculty picture from: http://www.ithaca.edu/news/releases/ithaca-college-school-of-music-will-dedicate-steinway-grand-piano-at-guest-faculty-concert-15150/
- Guitar faculty picture from: http://www.uncsa.edu/music/guitar.htm
- Composition faculty picture from: http://www.cgu.edu/pages/1097.asp
Student Services
Students Services is my second macro element of this project. Student services is important at Crescendo college because it ensure that students are receiving the help they need and be empowered to succeed in all aspects of their education (emotional competence). According to Stiggins and Chappuis (2005), "we must help them [students] believe they are capable of succeeding and that success is worth the investment" (p. 11) The goal of students services is to increase student involvement, and thus give an avenue for students to be successful (becoming cognitively, emotionally, and practically competent)
References
References
- Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40,518-529.
- Stiggins, R. & Chappuis, J. (2005). Using student-involved classroom assessment to close achievement gaps. Theory Into Practice, 44,11-18.
Academic Advising
Academic advising at Crescendo is extremely important because the dual-major program must be followed in a systematic way so students don’t miss taking a course and then have to stay another semester. The academic advisors are Crescendo are informed about the college catalog, course offerings, and have strong relationship with faculty and staff. One of the problems that many institutions have is that academic advisors sometimes take the place of professional mental health counselors (Durdoye, Harris, & Boldon, 2000). Although the Counseling Center is located in the same building, academic advisors at Crescendo are also licensed counselors (few work in counseling center and in academic advising because we feel it important that advisors dedicate their time to their caseload). Having licensed counselors advise ensures that if a student is having problems or needs to talk during their advising meeting that the advisor is fit to do so and knows the next appropriate step. At Crescendo we have professional advisors. Many students form relationships with faculty through ensembles and private lessons. We like having professional staff that is specifically trained to advise students to do that job (rather than put something else on the plate of our faculty. Academic expectations are based off of Owens Community College’s advising syllabus.
References
References
- Allen, J. M., & Smith, C.L. (2008b). Importance of, responsibility for, and satisfaction with academic advising: A faculty perspective. Journal of College Student Development, 49, 397-411.
- Durodoye, B. A., Harris, H. L. & Boldon, V. L. (2000). Personal counseling as a function of the community college counseling experience. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 24, 455-468.
- O’Banion, T. (1994). An academic advising model. NACADA Journal, 14 (2), 10-16. (Reprinted from Junior College Journal, 42 (6), 1972, pp. 62-69.
- Owens community College (n.d.) Resources for new students. Academic Advising, . Retrieved: November 21, 2012, From https://www.owens.edu/advising/new.html
Office of Accessability
For my micro’s I focused on students with disability (my student group). I chose to break the micro down into two sections, students with learning and physical disabilities are addressed in the Office of Accessibility, and students with mental disabilities are addressed in the Counseling Center. Physical accommodations and learning support services adapted from The University of Akron, Owens Community College, and from examples on the Disability Friendly Colleges website. I was intentional in that students that need any academic guidance must go to this office (again to give anonymity to students with disabilities that do not want to disclose to their peers). The name “Office of Accessibility” also does not label students that use this office as “disabled” like the name “Disability Services” does. The Office of Accessibility works in conjunction with the Counseling Center, because understand that mental health disorders like depression often go hand-in-hand with physical disabilities (Turner, & Noh, 1988). The Office of Accessibility also gives students with disabilities, though all are welcome, a safe space to communicate with others that have disabilities. This helps to create a sense of community; a recipe for success.
Refernces
Refernces
- Disability Friendly Colleges (n.d.). A guide for students with disabilities. Disability Friendly Colleges Retrieved: November 23, 2012, From http://www.disabilityfriendlycolleges.com/
- Hadley, W. M. (2011). College students with disabilities: A student development perspective. New Directions for Higher Education, 154, 77-81.
- Owens community College (n.d.) Disability services. Owens community college. Retrieved: November 21, 2012, From https://www.owens.edu/disability_services/
- The University of Akron (n.d.) Welcome to the office of accessibility. Offive of Accessibility Home. Retrieved: November 21, 2012, From http://www.uakron.edu/access/
- Turner, R. J., & Noh, S. (1988). Physical disability and depression: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 29, 23-37.
Counseling Center
Counseling Services offers free counseling and assessment for students of Crescendo to ensure they are offering the best course of action for the student. The Workshops available through the Counseling office are modified from Bowling Green State University’s Counseling Center as well as Appalachian State’s Counseling Center. These workshops can be done in residence halls, through student organizations, and are held at certain time at the Counseling Center so students can show (free of charge) if they feel they could benefit from the workshop topic. The program “Erase the Stigma” is required for all first-year students and can help spread awareness of mental health issues, as well as physical and learning disabilities. We hope that spreading the awareness can help to create a campus environment in which students feel they can ask for help and receive support from their peers (rather than be stigmatized). All students at Crescendo College have attended “Erase the Stigma” at least once. As part of the Crescendo Transition we require mandatory counseling to ensure that if our students need psychological help, they are receiving the services that they need and have more self awareness. Sometimes awareness along can help students perform better in academics and beyond Another reason we require students to attend a counseling session is to raise awareness on campus of mental illness, and erase the stigma that some students may have. Lastly, we require students to attend one counseling sessions a year for 3 years because there may be some students that don't feel comfortable going for help when they need it. This helps take the ownership off of the student that many be anxious about asking for help, and giving them an opportunity to receive it, hopefully opening up opportunities for subsequent visits if they are needed. This helps students become more emotionally competent. Research shows that 10% of students reported anxiety or depressive disorders that significantly impaired their function in the past 30 days. By implementing this idea, students are screened for depression and mental health disorders (upon consent) so that if there are underlying issues that have no been diagnosed, students can be helped (Klein, Ciotoli, & Chung, 2011). Lastly, the Counseling Center offers Alexander Technique workshops that not only help reduce stress, they also help reduce pain (often associated from play an instrument) and re-wire the body to understand it’s movement, and prevent later damage (and reverse current damage). I participated in Alexander Technique sessions when I was at my peek playing and it made the world of a difference in my back, and was extremely relaxing. I thought this would be a good workshops to incorporate into a music school because it is meant to help musicians and can help combat stress.
- Alexander Technique (n.d.) Home. The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique. Retrieved November 25, 2012, From http://www.alexandertechnique.com/
- Appalachian State University (n.d.) Counseling center services. Counseling & Psychological Services. Retrieved November 23, 2012, From http://counseling.appstate.edu/index.php?module=pagesmith&id=11
- Bowling Green State University (n.d.) Basic information. Counseling Center. Retrieved November 26, 2012, From http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sa/counseling/page8661.html
- Canto, A. I., Proctor, B. E., & Prevatt, F. (2005). Educational outcomes of students first diagnosed with learning disabilities in postsecondary school, Journal of College Admission, 152, 8-13.
- Fichten, C. S. & Amsel, R. (1986). Trait attributions about college students with a physical disability: Circumplex analyses and methodological issues. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 16, 410-427.
- Hadjikakou, K., Polycarpou, V., & Hadjilia, A. (2010). The experiences of students with mobility disabilities in Cypriot higher education institutions: Listening to their voices. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 57, 403-426.
- Hadley, W. M. (2011). College students with disabilities: A student development perspective In W. S. Harbour & J. W. Madaus (Ed.), Special issue: Disability services and campus dynamics. New Directions for Higher education, (No. 154 pp. 77-81). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
- Hartley, M. T. (2010). Increasing resilience: Strategies for reducing dropout rates for college students with psychiatric disabilities. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 13, 295-315.
- Klein, M. C., Ciotoli, C. & Chung, H (2011). Primary care screening in depression and treatment engagement in a university health center: A retrospective analysis. Journal of American College Health, 59, 289-295.
- Lets Erase the Stigma (n.d.) Home. Lets Erase the Stigma. Retrieved November 29, 2012, From http://www.letserasethestigma.org/
Career Services
References
- Owens community College (n.d.) Career Services. Owens Community College, . Retrieved: November 21, 2012, From https://www.owens.edu/jobs/index.html
Student Health Center
Programs based off experiences at the Bowling Green State University Rec Center and the Bowling Green State University Health Center
References
References
- Personal experiences as a Bowling Green State University student
Campus Life
References
- Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40, 518-529.
- Bowling Green State University (n.d.) Office of campus activities. Orgsync. Retrieved November 24, 2012, From http://bgsu.orgsync.com/
- Chipuer, H.M., & Pretty, G.M.H. (1999). A review of the sense of community index: Current uses, factor structure, reliability, and further development. Journal of Community Psychology, 27, 643-658.
- College of William and Mary (n.d.). Campus life. Home. Retrieved November 23, 2012, From http://www.wm.edu/campuslife/index.php
- Kaya, N. Weber,M.J. (2003). Privacy regulation and college adjustment : A comparison of American and Turkish freshmen living in residence hall.College Student Journal. 37(1),79-92.
- Pritchard, M. E. & Wilson G S. (2003). Using emotional and social factors to predict student success. Journal of College Student Development, 44, 18-28.
- Samdal, O., Nutbeam, N., Wold, B., & Kannas, L. (1998) Achieving health and educational goals through schools—a study of the importance of the school climate and the students' satisfaction with school. Health Education Research, 13, 383-397.