Teacher Certification

Benefits For the Music Teacher

• Encourages improvement in teaching through continuous self-study and planning.
• Raises the likelihood for a higher level of teacher competency and effectiveness.
• Provides a goal for personal professional achievement for music teachers.
• Increases the potential for earning power for music teachers.
• Improves the level of professionalism within the field of music teaching.
• Identifies for the public competent music teachers.

Benefits For MTNA

• Fosters excellence in music education through the development of criteria, standards, and guidelines for assessing educational competencies in performance, music theory, music history/literature, and pedagogy/teacher education.
• Assures the educational community, the general public, and other agencies or organizations that the MTNA Professional Certification Program for music teachers has been clearly defined with appropriate standards.
• Provides a national forum for the discussion and consideration of concerns relevant to the preservation and advancement of standards in the field of music and music education.
• Develops a national unity and strength for the purpose of maintaining the position of music study in the family of fine arts and humanities and providing qualified teachers to guide that study.
• Sets a uniform national minimum standard of achievement without restricting the development of new ideas, experimentation, or the expansion of personal standards.

Philosophy

Certification is a process that validates an individual's qualifications for a specific field of professional practice. It demonstrates to employers, clients, and peers that which the individual knows and is able to do. It signifies commitment to continued excellence in professional practice. In addition, it increases visibility, builds credibility, provides a goal for personal professional achievement, and validates expertise for the individual and to those outside the field.

The MTNA Professional Certification program exists for teachers who teach music to students of any age level in private or group settings. The program is based upon a set of five standards defining what a competent music teacher should know and be able to do:

Standard I: Professional Preparation
Standard II: Professional Teaching Practices
Standard III: Professional Business Management
Standard IV: Professionalism and Partnerships
Standard V: Professional and Personal Renewal

Upon fulfillment of these standards, applicants are granted the MTNA Professional Certification credential with the designation, Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM). The credential and designation are granted without bias, discrimination, or favoritism between MTNA members and/or non-members or any other arbitrary differentiation. In order to maintain the MTNA Professional Certification credential and designation, NCTM must continue fulfilling the program's standards through the renewal process.

The MTNA Professional Certification program is objectively administered in a uniform manner to ensure fairness, accuracy, validity, and integrity. Due process for reconsideration and reinstatement is included in the program for certification candidates, renewal candidates, and for those who already hold the MTNA Professional Certification credential.

Information courtesy of the Mississippi Music Teachers Association

Scholarships for Certified Teachers

As a nationally certified teacher, you have already accomplished a significant goal in your professional education and standing in your community. MTNA recognizes that you have made a commitment to continuing education throughout your teaching career. In support of that decision, the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG) is sponsoring two scholarships available only to MTNA certified members. One of these annual scholarships in the amount of $750 is to be used specially for Recreational Music Making and the other in the amount of $1,000 for furthering one's teaching skills through continued education and/or performance study.

This is an exceptional opportunity to receive scholarship funds to continue teacher training, attend a conference or workshop that otherwise might not be available to you, or study with a master teacher.

Additional information and the application form may be found on the MTNA Certification Website.

April 2009 Certification Report

October 20, 2006: Deborah Wallace, NCTM (right) awards the first Certification Incentive Award
to Christine Jensen, NCTM (left) at a Treasure Valley Chapter meeting.

For More Information:

Visit the MTNA Certification Website

Idaho State Certification Chair
Deborah Wallace, NCTM
Phone: 208-585-2733
wallacenctm@sitestar.net
P.O. Box 14
Middleton, ID 83644

MTNA Certification Officer
Melissa Curtice
Phone: 513-421-1420 ext. 237
mcurtice@mtna.org