David Potter

6703 Windmill Lane #2  Memphis, TN 38120

Phone: (585) 354-5687  E-Mail: davidpotter531@gmail.com

Education

Ph.D. Michigan State University (in progress). Music Education. Currently hold a 4.0 average.

M.M. Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam. Graduated with distinction with a Master of Music
degree in Music Education. Earned a 4.0 average.

B.M. Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester. Graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree
in Music Education.

Employment

• Graduate Assistant – Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. 2017 – Present
 Orff Music Teacher – Shelby County Schools (Levi Elementary and 2011 – 2017
Willow Oaks Elementary), Memphis, TN.
• Music Director/Praise Team Leader – St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran 2012 – 2017
Church, Cordova, TN.
• TN Standards Writing Team – TN State Board of Education, Nashville, 2016
TN.
• Peer Reviewer – State Department of Education, Nashville, TN. 2016
• Graduate Assistant – Crane School of Music, Potsdam, NY. 2010 – 2011
• Music Director – Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Potsdam, NY. 2010 – 2011
• Music Director – Spring Valley Church of God, Reading, PA. 2008 – 2010
• General Music Teacher – Little Angels Childcare/Victory Christian 2008 – 2010
Academy, Reading, PA
• General Music Teacher – Asbury Daycare, Rochester, NY 2007-2008
• Music Director – Fruitful Vine Christian Church, Ft. Edward, NY. 2001 – 2008

Certifications

• NY Professional Teacher Certification, K-12 Music Education.

• TN Professional Teacher Certification, K-12 Music Education.

• Level III certification in Orff-Schulwerk.

• Gordon Institute for Music Learning, Level I (in progress).

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Experience
• Taught as the assistant of record for MUS 463: Method and Materials of Elementary Music.

• Provided instructional coaching for the Educational Residency Engagement Program.

• Supervised and lectured Music Education students for MUS 495: Student Teaching Seminar.

• Guest lectured on standards, evaluation, and race for MUS 177: Introduction to Music Education.

• Wrote new music standards for the state of Tennessee with a new focus on movement, and
advocated for creativity-driven music education reform.

• Raised over $30,000 for school music programs through grants and community partnerships.

• Co-wrote district-wide curricula for Shelby County Schools in which all objectives align with the
college and career ready standards described in Common Core.

• Designed curriculum for the IRIS Orchestra in their partnership with local schools as part of the
Memphis Music Initiative.

• Developed, planned, co-constructed, and integrated culturally responsive music curriculum to

meet the needs of students with varied and intersecting identities.

• Conveyed evidence of 2 levels of musical growth per year via state assessment data.

• Established an annual musical theater performance in cooperation with other teachers, parents
and volunteers from local community groups.

• Coordinated field trips giving the students the opportunity to perform in various community
settings, and also brought in local artists to perform in the school.

• Became one of the highest-ranked teachers in the state in the groundbreaking teacher portfolio
evaluation system.

• Completed relevant coursework in the application of instructional methods including Orff,

Kodaly, Dalcroze, Gordon, Suzuki, Reimer and others.

• Over 20 years of experience directing small and large vocal/instrumental ensembles of all ages.

• Directed the choir of Levi Elementary, growing participation from under 10 to over 75 students.

• Guest conducted ensembles with over 100 adults and over 300 elementary school children.

• Commissioned to write music curriculum for all ages and musical subjects for UNO Charter
Schools in the Chicago area.
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Publications/Presentations

• Potter, D. (2018). Music teacher assessment and critical race 2018

theory: A narrative of standards usage in county A. Paper
presented at the sixth international conference on Narrative
Inquiry in Music Education, Boston, MA. (Presenting in May).
• Bernard, C., Cote, H., Potter, D., & Sturdevant, R. (2018). Discourse 2018
& feedback in music teacher evaluation, part 2. Symposium
conducted at the NAfME Music Research and Teacher Education
Conference, Atlanta, GA.
• Potter, D. (2018). Music teacher perceptions of assessment: A 2018
phenomenological study of the Tennessee fine arts portfolio.
Poster presented at the NAfME Music Research and Teacher
Education Conference, Atlanta, GA.
• Potter, D. (2018). Music teacher assessment and critical race 2018
theory. Poster presented at the Minnesota Music Educators
Association Midwinter Clinic, Minneapolis, MN.
 Potter, D. (2018). Music teacher perceptions of assessment: A 2018
phenomenological study of the Tennessee fine arts portfolio.
Paper presented at the Michigan Music Educators Association,
Grand Rapids, MI.
• Potter, D. (2016). Universal techniques for top-notch observations. 2018
Presented at the NAfME National In-Service Conference,
Grapevine, TX.
• Selected to present on successful teaching observations in the Orff 2016
classroom at a Shelby County Schools Professional Development
Workshop for new and non-tenured teachers.
• “Courageous Teaching & Learning in Music Education." Employee 2015
Hub. Shelby County Schools, 28 Apr. 2015. Web. 04 Jan. 2016.
• “Music for Everyone: Orff in the Urban Environment.” The 2015
Tennessee Musician 67.3 (2015): 20-21. Available at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/phvt1ieno5y0nnj/Article.pdf?dl0

Affiliations/Memberships
• The American Orff-Schulwerk Association

• National Association for Music Education.

• Michigan Music Education Association.

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Awards
• 2018 Three Minute Thesis Competition (2nd Runner Up), Michigan State University.

• 2017 CBS/WREG Educator of the Week

• 2017 Legacy Award (Levi Elementary)

• 2016 Tennessee Music Education Association Outstanding Young Music Educator Award

• 2015 Teacher of the Year (Levi Elementary)

• 2012 New Teacher of the Year (Levi Elementary)

Teaching/Conducting Samples
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyULdVLE6bA&t=1110s&index=1&list=PLHMIp5BPupPFa
QGOHa6NygurYHFvdFy0b

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOFvfbgxjFo&list=PLHMIp5BPupPFaQGOHa6NygurYHFvdF
y0b&index=2

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfjtaBqmviY&list=PLHMIp5BPupPFaQGOHa6NygurYHFvdF
y0b&index=3

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8JxgwSM63I&index=4&list=PLHMIp5BPupPFaQGOHa6Ny
gurYHFvdFy0b

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnpH50-
Mo5U&index=1&list=PLHMIp5BPupPHROs3BViaCCxhEcmphRh2T&t=0s

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s0eCa2EyJw&list=PLHMIp5BPupPHROs3BViaCCxhEcmph
Rh2T&index=2

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyM2rUPfC6Q&list=PLHMIp5BPupPHROs3BViaCCxhEcmph
Rh2T&index=3

• https://www.dropbox.com/s/fh7psp5za9q4xdx/Agnus%20Dei.mp4?dl=0

• https://www.dropbox.com/s/2yazvmejbf0pz3v/NOP%20Take%201.wmv?dl=0
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References

Dr. Mitchell Robinson Dr. Cynthia Taggart Dr. Juliet Hess

Associate Professor Professor Assistant Professor
Music Education Music Education Music Education
Michigan State University Michigan State University Michigan State University
208 Music Practice Building 209 Music Practice Building 214 Music Practice Building
East Lansing, MI 48824 East Lansing, MI 48824 East Lansing, MI 48824
(517) 355-7555 (517) 432-9678 (517) 432-1813
mrob@msu.edu taggartc@msu.edu jhess@msu.edu

Dr. Mark Campbell Dr. James Madeja Dr. Dru Davison

Assoc. Professor, Music Education Professor, Music Education Fine Arts Advisor
SUNY Potsdam SUNY Potsdam Shelby County Schools
44 Pierrepont Avenue 44 Pierrepont Avenue 2485 Union Avenue
Potsdam, NY 13676 Potsdam, NY 13676 Memphis, TN 38112
(315) 267-3229 (315) 267-2436 (901) 416-3432
campbemr@potsdam.edu madejajt@potsdam.edu drudavison@gmail.com