Professional Documents
Culture Documents
William Molnar
In order to develop a good professional development plan, it helps to take stock of my previous
accomplishments and assess my strengths and weaknesses. These assessments will enable
Walden University to place me with a mentor suitable for me. In addition, looking at the
accomplishments at the same time will enable me to realize what areas I need to focus on in
order to succeed in the doctoral program. With this in mind, I would like to address coursework
in the Social and behavioral science. I have not had any coursework in the social nor the
behavioral sciences. I am aware that had I had previous experience in these areas, it might have
helped me with my dissertation since societal issues is a major portion of the dissertation.
As far as academic coursework in other fields, I have extensive training in music and music
undergraduate studies, I did training at the graduate level also leading me to my first Masters
degree; MA in music education. Within this degree, I had numerous courses in music theory,
problem solving in the music classroom and modern movement in the arts. I focused the better
of my graduate time focusing on the study of opera, mainly opera of the Renaissance and
Baroque time periods. I also had courses in counseling theories and techniques of interviewing
and counseling. I was at one time planning to pursue a degree in student counseling, but instead
I have much training in academic coursework relating to Supervision and Administration since
this is the area of my second master’s degree (M.Ed). Within this degree, I had courses in
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I have had some experience with professional presentations, seminars and workshops. Within
my school, during one of our professional development days, I did a presentation to other
teachers on the use of music in other subjects, mainly science and mathematics. I also did a
workshop for the entire music faculty within my district on using music to enhance memory
within other academic courses. In 1997 I did a presentation to the New Jersey Symphony
Orchestra by supplying lesson plans for public schools that were designed to teach the music that
I have had many volunteer activities, some which are related to my field and some which are
not. My major volunteer activity is the church choir and tenor leader. I have been involved in
church choir for almost 15 years in three different parishes. I also am a member of the Holy Men
Society and the Knights Of Columbus. Both organizations are deeply involved in charity
activities. As a member of the Knights of Columbus, we would hold many charitable activities
to raise money for various venues. Our biggest activity is the pancake breakfast which we hold 4
times a year. In addition, we have flower sales, and sales of gift coupons to a local supermarket.
In 1989, when I taught in the South Bronx, New York City, I participated as a member of the
five units to be used in Intermediate and Senior High Schools throughout District seven.
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I had the opportunity to experience designing and executing research. In 1996, I was awarded
the Arts Genesis Grant, funded by HUD (Housing and Urban Development). With this award, I
researched the rhythmic ability between African-American and Hispanic students in grades one,
two, and three. I then reported my research in an article that is published by our district in their
monthly newsletter.
I also experienced designing and executing research in 1997 when I was honored the New
Jersey Symphony Master Teacher’s Collaborative award (Funded by the Geraldine R. Dodge
Foundation). The purpose of this award was to allow the teachers that were chosen throughout
the state to work with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in preparing lesson plans that
teachers can use in the classroom relating to the music of the season that the NJSO was
performing. There were 12 teachers chosen amongst hundreds across the state. These lesson
plans were discussed with the orchestra and then submitted in a book format and disseminated to
Another volunteer activity I was associated with was being appointed conductor and
coordinator of the 1995 and 1996 All City Orchestra. This was a huge undertaking but was very
rewarding at the end when we performed in front of hundreds of friends and family throughout
Jersey City.
Being a member of the Pupil Assistance Committee was a rewarding volunteer activity. The
PAC’s purpose was the responsibility for the assistance of staff members in designing,
coordinating, and monitoring with the peers intervention strategies that are effective for students
within traditional classroom setting prior to referral to the Child Study Team. Each student that
was PACed was given a work plan that lasted 6 to 8 weeks. If no progress was made, then the
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child was forwarded to the Child Study Team for further testing and possible placement into a
special education setting. Being a member of this committee was purely a volunteer position.
For four years 1992-1996, I served as the head of the “Cluster” choral music festival for
Division “B” schools which I initiated in 1992. Our district at that time was divided into two
districts, A and B. I initiated and coordinated a choral festival for our division. It ended in 1996
when there was a change of administration and the music festival became something of a lesser
importance. It was around this time that our school began to fail in the state testing, and the
One of my strong accomplishments was the designing of half-time shows for two of the Jersey
City High Schools. I took on this responsibility with no pay. It was a passion of mine to work
with marching bands. I have been involved in marching bands since my freshman year in high
school and was still at the time of writing the half-time shows, marching with professional drum
and bugle corps. My volunteering was no longer needed when the marching band programs
I had the opportunity to serve as the chairman of the curriculum committee for the Fine and
Performing Arts in 1993, 1999, and again in 2008. As chairman, I advised four other members
of the curriculum committee to revise the current curriculum to fit with the guidelines being set
forth by New Jersey and had to be realigned to match the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content
Standards. I respectively removed myself from the 2008 position to spend time working on my
doctorate. I felt the work would be overwhelming and I did not want to judge my academic
Experiencing designing and executing research is an area of weakness for me. The only
research I experienced was in the areas of music education and educational leadership. I did take
In publications and other writing experiences I have had several. The first experience I had was
one that I recently mentioned when I wrote the “Musical Styles” curriculum while working in the
South Bronx. I also had experience writing curriculum as mentioned before, both in 1993 and
1999. And lastly, my research on rhythmic studies amongst African-American students and
Hispanic Students in grades one, two, and three was published in the Jersey City Public Schools
monthly newsletter.
Teaching Assignments: My first experience teaching was in the South Bronx in New York City.
It was here I created the 57 lesson plans (Musical Styles) and purchased electronic keyboards to
enhance current music curriculum and created an electronic music program for students in grades
five and six. I also instituted a daily morning music exercise for the entire student body prior to
arriving to homeroom.
My second teaching experience was in an urban district in New Jersey where I enhanced
ethnically diverse children’s appreciation and understanding of classical music by creating lesson
plans that explored similarities with contemporary music. I also launched a successful string
My third teaching experience which is where I have been for the last 18 years and is also an
urban district in New Jersey is where I developed myself and grew into being the professional
and educated person that I am today. It was during my tenure here in Jersey City that I
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accomplished most of what I have mentioned above such as, the “Cluster” choral festival,
designing the half-time shows for the two high schools, appointed as conductor and coordinator
for the 1995 and 1996 all city orchestra, recipient of the Arts Genesis Grant funded by HUD,
recipient of the New Jersey Symphony Master Teacher’s Collaborative, member of the PAC
committee, chairman of the curriculum committee and mentoring two newly hired music
My professional training was done at the West Chester University of Pennsylvania and was a
very well designed program. I had extensive courses in music theory, history and aurals. In
addition, I had a lot of preparation for teaching by taking numerous courses in teaching methods
and student teaching for a semester. I then continued my training by completing my masters
My academic strengths lie in the fact that I am very well versed in the field of music and the
teaching of music to elementary students. I have had experience in teaching according to the
philosophies of Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze, and Suzuki. My weaknesses lie in being able to teach
the music of today and tie it in with traditional music. I find it very difficult to teach musical
concepts using music the students listen to; what I call “Street Music”.
My research strengths is best in the fact that I know how to do computer research in addition to
traditional library research. I am knowledgeable in using the Library of Congress and the Dewey
Decimal System of research. I also know how to use the Boolean system of research I Don’t
The only availability of library, reference, and information technology resources that I have is
my county library and the Walden’s library. In addition, my wife works for Baker and Taylor