Lesson Reflection

This lesson went even better than I expected. After getting a glimpse of Casey and Kelsey’s lesson on Monday, I modified our plan a bit to make their plan more transferrable, and I think this worked well for both groups.

Incorporating videos into our lesson was really helpful for keeping the students engaged. It helped them to evaluate the music as well, reflecting on where they had heard the pieces before. I was very appreciative of the students’ responses, which were exactly what we were looking for, as well as some we weren’t expecting, which made the lesson more interesting.

I think our pacing was quite good, as we kept things moving, and covered enough material to meet our objective and allowed the students to participate sufficiently. I could have been stricter on how the students answered questions (raising hands instead of just letting them talk); however, I did acknowledge most of the raised hands I saw.

In my opinion, I provided enough feedback, but I need to make it more specific and varied. In the video, I counted how many times I used “okay” as feedback, and came up with a number greater than ten. The positive feedback I used was not very specific; however, my used of specific negative feedback was better, mostly consisting of motions or comments that related to the students talking too much or misbehaving.

As for delivery, I think I did pretty well. I was comfortable being in front of the class and tried my best to keep their attention. I attempted to cut off audio and video clips when as they lost focus. Doing this was helpful for creating better pacing throughout the lesson.

If I had to do this lesson again, I would probably try to vary the music even more, using samples from Baroque and Renaissance eras as well as the Classical, Romantic and Contemporary periods. I would also try to pay more attention to the behavioral issues in the classroom as well as be more diligent about asking for hands to be raised before taking answers to questions.

Chapter 12 11-20-09

Secondary Music
11-20-09
Kelsey Wilhelm

1. Treat students objectively according to their age. There is a difference from a 7th grade student to a senior in high school.
2. Keep your pacing steady and fast. When there is down time nothing is being learned and it gives students a chance to misbehave.
3. Use content that is concrete and relates to students.
4. Work with the supporting classes and teacher. If you do not handle the K-6 kids, you must know where they are coming from and have a voice in what they are learning to be prepared for the secondary music classes.
5. Always be enthusiastic and excited about what you are teaching. If you are not, students will sense that immediately and feel it’s something they don’t want to learn either
6. Be fair and consistent with disciplinary problems and corrections.
7. Stand your ground, as a teacher you must know that you have the upper hand in any situation. No matter what happens you must realize that if you falter for a second, you may have problems the rest of their high school career. Showing students you are confident and ready to teach or discipline is very important.

Chapter 12

Some of the things that I will use when writing my curriculum are:

**Keep it fast-paced. Don't spend more than a few class periods on one particular subject
**Try and relate the material to the students: Find a piece of popular music that would work along with a more traditional piece.
**Look for ways to incorporate technology and computer usage into activities.
**Use variety in my teaching. Use different ways of presenting the materials so the class doesn't seem to repetitive during the week.
**Pay attention to the text of songs that are picked for the choir(s) to sing.
**Remember to treat 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12 grade students subjectively within their own age groups.

Chapter 12--Teaching Middle School General Music

Ideas to incorporate into my curriculum:

• Keep in mind that 7-8 grade students should not be taught in the same manner as elementary students, nor should they be taught in the manner as high school students. They must still be exposed to concepts as well as repertoire of increasing difficulty.
• If I am not a K-12 teacher, I must confer with the K-6 or 9-12 music teachers to know how to develop my curriculum so it leads into or follows theirs. I don’t want my students to be unprepared for high school music, nor do I want them to feel they are not being challenged enough.
• Pay attention to the text of songs. Junior high students are picky about what they sing. Lyrics should not seem juvenile to them, nor should the lyrics be too mature. If students do not like the text, I need to be able to give them a reason as to why it is important they sing such a song.
• Use fast pacing within lessons and throughout units. Do not spend more than a few days on one concept. Spend just enough time so it is clear the students have grasped the concept and then move on, periodically going back to review concepts learned previously.
• Make the material relatable. Give the students a way to connect to the music somehow.
• Use variety. Students get bored easily. Use varied instruction as well as varied literature and learning activities.
• Allow students opportunities to research and present relevant material. (Current events in music, listening examples).

Chapter 12

This chapter pointed out many ideas on how to keep middle school students involved with and excited about general music classes. The characteristics for successful teaching was a section I thought was particularly important and useful, especially the section on relating the subject matter to the students. Our textbook listed and described a few ways to relate to the students such as keeping up to date on current musical events, selecting musical works that have a storyline that students can relate to, and having student talent day in class. Some of these strategies could be transferred to ensemble rehearsal classes as well, and I could potentially use them in my curriculum.

Chapter 7--Learning Activity 14; Sonja, Heidi

1. Refusal to go outside for recess.

a. Provide activities for them to do inside. Approval

b. Lock the classroom during recess so they have to go somewhere else. Disapproval

c. Threaten to take away their milk/snack break if they don’t go out. Threatening disapproval

2. School phobia

a. Give rewards after school for being there the whole day. Approval

b. Distract him with fun activities while the parents leave. Ignoring

c. “Be a big boy.” Disapproval

3. Blanket-bringing behavior

a. Do things that require the student to put the blanket down—two-handed activities. Ignoring

b. “Act your age.” “No one else needs a blanket.” Disapproval

c. Have a show-and-tell time where students show something that is important to them. Approval

4. Headaches

a. Use fun-colored paper to make it more attractive to do. Ignoring

b. “You can’t have a headache every day. You’re acting like the boy who cried wolf, and I won’t believe you when you actually might have a headache.” Disapproval

c. Send student to the nurse. Approval

5. Teasing handicapped child.

a. Lose recess privilege for the rest of the day. Disapproval

b. Make them apologize to the students they made fun of. Approval

c. Explain the problem with teasing and why they shouldn’t do it. Threat of disapproval

6. Pants-wetting in kindergarten

a. Ask them if they want to go back to wearing diapers. Disapproval

b. Make them sit in their wet clothes. Ignoring

c. “Don’t be afraid to ask to go to the restroom.” Approval

7. Tattling

a. “I appreciate that you notice things being done wrong, but I know about most of it already.” Approval

b. Ignoring what they’re saying. Ignoring

c. “Worry about your own actions and do what you know is right.” Disapproval

8. Book-stealing from library

a. “I appreciate your enthusiasm to read, but the books need to be checked out and returned properly.” Approval

b. Take away library privileges until brooks are returned. Disapproval

c. Tell the students there will be no consequences if the books are returned. Approval

9. Damaged musical instruments

a. Make students pay for damages. Disapproval

b. Participate in band, but without instrument (clapping rhythms, holding imaginary instrument). Withdrawal of approval

c. “Wow. You’re really strong. You bent that slide in half. Does it still work?” Approval

10. Damage to teachers’ automobiles.

a. Letter to parents. Threat of disapproval

b. If students step up with information about guilty party/parties, they will not get in trouble for it. Approval

c. “We can tell who did it by the video surveillance. If you admit what you did, the consequences won’t be as harsh.” Approval

11. Book slamming

a. “Make a rhythm out of that!” Approval

b. “Stop that.” Disapproval

c. Don’t’ do anything, they’ll get bored of trying to get attention. Ignoring

12. Lunch stealing

a. Hold them back from lunch until 5^th grade is already eating. Withdrawal of approval

b. Ignore situation. Ignoring

c. “Hey—give me your lunch.” Disapproval (oozing with sarcasm)

13. Kissing in the halls

a. Bring your spouse to work day. Kiss in front of the class. “How do you like it? Do you feel uncomfortable?” If they can do it, so can teachers. Approval (dripping with sarcasm)

b. Establish a no PDA rule with consequences for breaking it. Disapproval

c. Stop them. Disapproval

14. Turning assignments in late

a. Give bonus points on random assignments to those who turn homework in on time. Approval

b. Lose points for each day the homework is late. Disapproval

c. Meet with student at special study time to work on homework. Approval

15. Graffiti

a. Make students clean bathrooms. Disapproval

b. Repaint the stalls. Approval

c. Assign poetry and song lyrics to be posted in bathroom stalls. Approval

16. Teacher mimicry

a. Ask them if they would like to teach the class. Threat of disapproval

b. Send them out of the room (principal’s office) Disapproval

c. Give them a part in the school play because they’re so good at acting. Approval

17. Teacher threats

a. Go to the police. Disapproval

b. “The grades are up to you. If you work hard enough to pass, I’ll give you a passing grade. You’ll get what you earn.” Ignoring

c. “Well then, I hope you don’t fail. You’d better get to work.” Approval

18. Book tearing

a. Pay for new books. 10 times isn’t an accident. Disapproval.

b. “You’re really good at tearing.” Have them tear used paper out of spiral-bound notebooks and recycle. Approval

c. Pretend it doesn’t happen and they’ll get tired of it. Ignoring

19. Glue sniffing

a. Show informative presentation in health class about the dangers of drugs. Ignoring

b. Detention/counselor. Disapproval

c. “The last person who did that woke up in the hospital three days later and hasn’t fully recovered.” Threat of disapproval

20. Profane language

a. Swear jar. Once it’s full, I tell the principal, class gets detention. Disapproval

b. Make a list of all the good words that can be used instead of profanity. Approval

c. “That is totally inappropriate.” Disapproval

21. Abuse of privileges

a. “You may leave as long as I can pull you out of your Honor Society meetings to complete your class work.” Approval

b. Don’t let them leave because class is more important. Disapproval

c. "What are the other Honor Society students doing?" Ignoring