David Potter

Dr. David
Potter

Assistant Professor
Music Department
Teacher Education | Music | Music Education
Email:
Phone: 715-394-8509
Office: Holden Fine & Applied Arts Center 1106

About

David is the assistant professor/coordinator of Music Education at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, where he has taught Introduction to Education, Introduction to Music Education, General Music Methods, Teaching Music in the Elementary School, Music Appreciation, and Songwriting. He also serves as the director of the University of Wisconsin-Superior Community Music School. Before coming to UW-Superior, David supervised student teachers and taught courses in Elementary Methods and Materials in Music and Songwriting at Michigan State University, where he earned his Ph.D. in music education.

Prior to collegiate teaching, David taught elementary music in Memphis, TN, where he also directed community bands and choirs. During his time in Memphis, he was named Teacher of the Year and co-wrote the Tennessee state standards for music education.

Research Interests

David’s research interests include assessment, evaluation, and policy in music education, and his articles on these topics have been published in peer-reviewed journals at the state and national level. Additionally, he has developed online resources for the National Association for Music Education and has presented on the topic of improvisation at conferences across the United States. He serves on the editorial board for Arts Education Policy Review, and as College and University Chair of the Wisconsin Music Educators Association. 

Publications

  • Potter, D. (2023). Creativity, compassion, and connection: (Re)discovering the joy of music teaching and learning. Wisconsin School Musician, 92(2), 18–19.
  • Potter, D. (2023). Music educators’ perceptions of portfolio-based teacher evaluations in Tennessee. Arts Education Policy Review. doi:10.1080/10632913.2023.2177918
  • Potter, D. (2022). More spaces, more voices: Music learning through satellite sessions. Wisconsin School Musician, 92(3), 18–19.
  • Potter, D., & Dixon, E. (2022). Designed with love: Learning contexts in higher education and their implications for music education. Active & Integrative Music Education, 2, 49–55.
  • Potter, D. (2021). Music teacher perceptions of evaluation: A case study of the Tennessee fine arts portfolio model. Arts Education Policy Review. doi:10.1080/10632913.2021.1992324
  • Potter, D. (2021). “How are you?”: Centering student voices in music education. Wisconsin School Musician, 92(1), 18–20.
  • Shaw, R. D., & Potter, D. (2021). A content analysis of music teacher student learning objectives in Michigan. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 229, 29–46. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/bulcouresmusedu.229.0029
  • Potter, D. (2021). (In)visible power: A critical policy analysis of edTPA. Arts Education Policy Review, 122(2), 101–114. doi:10.1080/10632913.2020.1744053

Presentations

  • Potter, D. (2023, October 26). Strategies for songwriting. Presented at the Wisconsin State Music Conference, Madison, WI.
  • Potter, D. (2023, August 3). From resting tone to harmony: Developing improvisation. Presentation at the Ninth International Conference on Music Learning Theory, Oak Park, IL.
  • Taggart, C., & Potter, D. (2023, August 2). Engaging students in harmonic tapestries to develop harmonic audiation and improvisation skills. Presentation at the Ninth International Conference on Music Learning Theory, Oak Park, IL.
  • Potter, D. (2022, November 4). From resting tone to harmony: A sequence for developing improvisation. Presentation at the National Association for Music Education National Research and Teacher Education Conference, National Harbor, MD.
  • Potter, D. (2022, October 27). From resting tone to harmony: Developing improvisation in minor. Presentation at the Wisconsin State Music Conference, Madison, WI.
  • Potter, D. (2022, October 15). Cultivating a musical learning environment. Presentation at the Wisconsin Music Teachers Association Annual Conference, Superior, WI.

Education

  • 2020 – Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) – Music Education, Michigan State University
  • 2011 – Master of Music (M.M.) – Music Education, Crane School of Music, The State University of New York at Potsdam
  • 2008 – Bachelor of Music (B.M.) – Music Education, Eastman School of Music, The University of Rochester