2023 Undergraduate MSOE Teacher Application

The CSU Middle School Outreach Ensembles (MSOE) is a community-based music outreach program that provides an after school, large ensemble band and orchestra experience for young instrumental musicians. The MSOE will be made up of nearly 150 local middle school band and orchestra musicians and will meet on Wednesday evenings, Feb. 1 – April 12, with the final concert occurring on Saturday, April 15 at the University Center for the Arts located on the CSU campus. The 2023 MSOE program will be two band and one string orchestra comprised of 7-8th graders (6th graders with school teacher approval and audition).

As an undergraduate teacher, you will join a forty-person teaching staff made up of undergraduate and graduate CSU music education students, CSU music education faculty, and other music teachers from the greater Fort Collins community. All undergraduate students chosen to teach in the program will create lesson plans and run activities while maintaining classroom management. Additionally, all teachers will receive feedback from peers, mentors, graduate students, guest teachers, and Dr. Johnson.

Undergraduate MSOE Teacher Program Description

The Middle School Outreach Ensembles are a collaborative musical experience designed for both middle school band and orchestra students and undergraduate Music Education majors from Colorado State University. The program will provide supplementary musical experiences for community children while simultaneously providing opportunities for undergraduates to further develop their teaching skills. Undergraduates selected may receive a scholarship ranging from $150 to $300 depending on the role and responsibilities assumed. Undergraduates selected may also be asked to mentor high school students who are interested in music teaching as a career.

Undergraduates are eligible to hold one of the following positions:

ONE—Section Coach: first through fourth-year music education students may apply to fulfill this position.

Duties Include:

• recruit MS participants by attending local middle school Dec. concerts
• plan and leading weekly sectionals to a homogenous group of varied instrumentation
• complete written reflection of teaching video and submit to mentor
• provide instruction relevant to pedagogical issues
• create a website for your section/group
• foster a sense of community within the section/group
• mentor and provide weekly written feedback to assistant section coaches (HS participants)

TWO—Feedback Leader: second, third, and fourth-year music education students may be chosen for this position. This position is a secondary position meaning that FL’s will also be in other leadership positions.

Duties Include:

• provide feedback on lesson plans for 4-5 co-teaching artists
• provide feedback on weekly teaching videos for 4-5 co-teaching artists
• design/modify teaching evaluation rubric
• facilitate timely discussion of major teaching issues for feedback group
• attend a single three-hour feedback leader training session

THREE—Ensemble Conductor: third and fourth-year music education students who have completed their sophomore promotion interview and have successfully completed conducting 1 (may be enrolled the semester prior) may apply to conduct and rehearse one piece with the ensemble. Ensemble conductors may also be chosen as section coaches. Up to four ensemble conductors will be chosen per ensemble.

Duties Include:

• recruit MS participants by attending local middle school Dec. concerts
• plan and leading weekly rehearsals
• complete written reflection of teaching video and submit to mentor
• provide focused instruction relevant to pedagogical issues
• provide written and electronic resources for musical growth outside of ensemble
• foster a sense of community within the ensemble
• mentor and provide weekly written feedback to section coaches

FOUR—Undergraduate Program Director (UPD): third and fourth-year music education students who have completed their sophomore promotion interview and have successfully completed conducting 1 (may be enrolled the semester prior) may apply to conduct and rehearse one piece with the ensemble. If you are interested in the UPD position, please approach/email Dr. Johnson prior to Nov. 11. The UPD may also serve as an ensemble conductor and section coach. One UPD per large ensemble will be chosen.

Duties Include:

• organize, copy, and distribute all learning materials
• coordinate all rehearsal schedules
• design concert program
• coordinate fall middle school recruitment activities
• all responsibilities listed for ensemble conductor and section coaches

FIVE—Feedback System Coordinator (FSC): third and fourth-year music education students who have completed their sophomore promotion interview and have at least 1 year of experience in MSOE may apply to serve as the feedback system coordinator. The FSC may also serve as an ensemble conductor and section coach. One to four FSC’s will be chosen. If you are interested in the UPD position (one for band, one for orchestra), please approach/email Dr. Johnson prior to Nov. 11.

Duties Include:

• Organize no fewer than 3 meetings to train all section coaches
• Facilitate feedback to design and implement a holistic feedback system for all MSOE teachers
• During week 4 and 7, redesign feedback rubrics
• Design feedback rubric for visiting guest artist teachers
• Manage, maintain, and oversee entire feedback system
• all responsibilities listed for other assigned positions

SIX—High School Student Liaison: Upper division students in music education who have experience with MSOE are eligible for this position. In collaboration with the MSOE senior leadership team (Director and Associate/Assistant Directors), the HS Liaison(s) will be responsible for coordinating all activities and communication with HS Students. 

Duties Include:

• Be the first line of communication for all HS Students
• Help to pair HS students with CSU students and determine teaching dates
• In collaboration with FSC, facilitate feedback system for HS students
• Teach lesson plan design
• Organize and facilitate HS Service Project

SEVEN—Carnival Coordinator: Upper division students in music education who have experience with MSOE are eligible for this position. In collaboration with the MSOE senior leadership team (Director and Associate/Assistant Directors), the Carnival Coordinators(s) will be responsible for coordinating all activities associated with the MSOE Carnival. 

Professional Compensation

Upon successful completion of all assigned teaching and program administrative responsibilities, individuals who are chosen as teachers in the program will be eligible to receive a small scholarship for teaching compensation. Scholarships will be awarded after the conclusion of the program and will be applied directly into the student’s CSU student account. Depending on available funding sources, scholarships can range up to $200 for section coaches; $250 for ensemble conductors; $300 for UPD and FSC. Individuals will be eligible for only one scholarship and will be considered for a scholarship associated with their highest level of responsibility. NOTE: monies applied to your CSU student account may be garnished by the university to pay an existing balance. NOTE: you must be in good academic standing with the university and your GPA must be at least a 3.0 to receive funds from CSU.

• NOTE: monies applied to your CSU student account may be garnished by the university to pay an existing balance.
• NOTE: you must be in good academic standing with the university and your GPA must be at least a 3.0 to receive funds from CSU.

Application Requirements

Interested undergraduate music education students must be:

• a performer on string, wind, brass, or percussion instrument in good standing with your applied prof.
• a student in good standing – both as a CSU student and within the music education area (minimum 3.0 GPA)
• be registered as a performer in a band or orchestra at CSU
• able to commit to all required dates and responsibilities including fall recruiting, Saturday seminars, MSOE Carnival, Wednesday rehearsals, and the final concert

If you are interested in this opportunity, please complete both the electronic and paper versions of the application below, and upload the required documents with the electronic application.

Dr. Erik Johnson
Associate Professor of Music Education
Colorado State University
Questions? Contact: e.johnson@colostate.edu and jessica.warner@colostate.edu

• TEMS TO SUBMIT: (1) application form (electronic AND paper versions); (2) resume; (3) written statement; (4) Unofficial Transcript(s)
• Resume and Unofficial Transcript(s) should be uploaded with your electronic application below.

Undergraduate Teaching Artist Staff will be announced via email on Friday, Nov. 19, 2022.
MSOE High School Trying-on-Teaching Participants will be announced Friday, Jan. 13, 2023.