student teaching

2010-04-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

The Singing Voice

2010-03-25T16:25:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, General Music and the singing voice. Oh, to be a trained vocalist to handle all the singing in a GM classroom!

Actually, not really. An untrained, but musical voice can be a better model for general music. What?!

Yep, an untrained, but musical voice (matches pitch, has a good tone and quality), can be a better model for kids because it sounds closer to their voices.

Imagine a full power Operatic voice singing the Tree Song. Not. Going. To. Fly. with 1st graders.

Why? Kids have light treble voices without vibrato. Vibrato doesn't happen naturally until sometime after puberty. They have a really hard time matching pitch when a song is being modeled with full throttle vibrato.

I approached my student teaching with all of the lovely sounds of my classically trained Bel Canto Voice. The kids were having a hard time matching my pitches. My co-op teacher pointed out what was going on and suggested I try singing without vibrato. So I did, and it worked! Gradually I removed my vibrato as I taught over the years. I have found that my kids have become better singers because I'm providing a better vocal model, a pleasing one, and it's one they can match.

Granted, when I'm singing Art Songs, or what have you, I put vibrato back in because it's appropriate for the style. But when I want the kids to match me, out it goes. So, it's something a trained singer always has to be aware of. We want to sing the "right" way, but what's "right" depends on the situation.

So not being classically trained in voice may be a benefit for you!

words from Kerry

2010-03-04T14:15:00.000-08:00

My first week of K-6 student teaching was filled with quiet, attentive, orderly students, and I remember it mostly for its peace and calmness. Ahhh….

That’s because the kids were totally engrossed in slideshow pictures and tales from Ms. Taylor’s trip to South Africa!

So my second week, when I was asked to pick a class of kids that I’d like to start teaching, I picked the first grade class. They looked like a safe bet, sitting in the dark looking up at the projector screen, with their tiny legs folded up “criss-cross-applesauce.” And little did I know, I’d just picked a class with some of the most ornery students.

I dove into that class with my lesson plan detailed on paper and locked into my mind. Teaching labs in college, everything went almost exactly as you’d written down…just follow the steps, right? I thought I knew just what pace I would teach at, what questions I would ask the kids, and just about how they respond. That wasn’t how it worked at all for my first lesson! I noticed quickly that the kids were restless and unfocused. I couldn’t seem to capture their attention in the way I’d imagined, and the two hyper ones partnered up and began distracting each other. When it was time to add movements, the class seemed completely crazy. I kept up with the lesson as best I could, and tried to separate the two kids I saw as a “problem,” but I was totally flustered! How could a roomful of first graders seem so intimidating?

After getting some feedback, I was amazed to find out that I had oversimplified the lesson. The kids were capable of much more than I was asking, and their fidgety reaction was a telltale sign. Even the two noisy boys I had separated were actually helping each other out on a partner exercise, and I had separated them right when they were the most engaged. I needed to adjust my teaching so that it was something the students could pay more attention to!

Biggest lesson learned for me: I could write all the detailed lesson plans I wanted, but nothing would replace being totally tuned in to the kids. I learned to let their discoveries and reactions guide the pace of my class. They really want to pay attention to their teacher, and so I should pay just as much attention to them while I teach. Adjusting on the fly made me nervous at first, but I gradually focused less on myself, and much more on the kids in front of me. That made for better teaching…and much more fun!

2010-02-19T11:51:00.001-08:00

Confidence is preparation. Everything else is beyond your control.
-Richard Kline

2010-02-19T11:41:00.000-08:00

No noble thing can be done without risks.
-Michel Eyquem de Montaigne

snow days... what to do?

2010-02-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

Here are some thoughts about snowdays:

Just because we are not in school with students, don't forget to keep your mind fresh! Take this as an opportunity to become well planned, organized, and prepared for the rest of your placement. This will be increasingly important after snowdays for one important reason. Your students are now on different stages of your plans. You have some students whom you have taught your first and second lesson to, while you have others you have yet to see. Get the schedule out, take a look at where you are, make a note as to what has been done each day, what needs to be done, and what could be eliminated in order to get your schedule back to a manageable gameplan.

It is often a very overwhelming thing to take over your general music placement's full schedule. Add to that the scatteredness that snowdays cause, and you may find yourself staring at a class to which you have just realized has "already done that" and you have no game plan.

Also, even though many of your planning sources are at school, there are things you can look at via the internet or past course work to aid in your planning. Dig out your methods notebook. Find plans you enjoyed watching or teaching. Go to the WVDE website or THIS BLOG to see the WVContent Standards and guides to assist you in planning. Search for lesson plan formats that may fit your needs more efficiently. Search for lessons on line (although, often this is hard). Go to various websites for sources and listen to recordings.. IE...New England Dancing Masters has a great website with many of the sources your placement teacher may have. You may get inspired for a lesson after listening to the recordings.

Contrary to public opinion.....most teachers do utilize, at least a portion of their snowdays, preparing, organizing and getting prepared for what lies ahead. You should do the same!

Finally, if you do find a lesson that you want to teach from an alternate source, make sure you cite where it came from. There is nothing more embarrassing for a student teacher than to teach a lesson that has actually come from your placement teacher, via another/former student. Remember, most of us have hosted 382 at one point or another, so if you get a lesson from a friend and turn it in, make sure you know where it comes from. IT'S OK to borrow, group plan, and share lessons with peers!!! Afterall, that is what your placement teachers have done for years... Imitation is one of the stages of learning in this placement. Just make sure to give credit where credit is due. It's a great way to learn! It will also help you in the future if you ever want to present that lesson publically. You must reference the source in order to present/publish any material.

20 pairs of eyes

2010-02-09T05:14:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much to Kevin for sharing his impressions.

I had done my first 7 week placement, like many others, in high school band dealing with the normal high school band world activities like percussion ensemble, marching band, concert band, theory classes, and a general mentality where the world pretty much revolves around band. I have to say, I was so wrapped up in that frame of mind when starting my elementary school placement, It didn't even occur to me what exactly I was going to experience until my first day.

I walked into Mason Dixon Elementary on my first day, signed in, and was shown to the music room where Becky was getting ready for her first class. She wasn't in a rush, but was definitely concentrated on getting things set up in a particular way. To be honest, I don't really remember what we talked about for the next several minutes, but I distinctly remember the kindergarten class coming through the door. They were escorted by their teacher, walking in a straight line, hands to themselves, very quiet, and ridiculously small! They came in and sat on the floor and unlike high school, they simply looked to the teacher for what to do next. Becky softly greeted them and introduced me and explained that I would be with them, helping, teaching, learning, for the next couple months and then quickly got them into a circle to play the name game. I joined in the circle with at least 20 pairs of eyes fixed on my every move. We completed the game and went through everyones name, including mine, with an accompanying movement and by this point I was feeling extremely uncomfortable as I wasn't used to being stared at. We then moved to a movement / interpretation exercise set to music in which we had to act out different sounds and I kept thinking how much I felt like a giant and was afraid of bumping into any of the kids. And of course, they never stopped looking at me! Next, we sat back down in a circle while the next activity was being explained and (while I was being closely watched) a boy sitting right next to me tapped me on the should and asked if I could tie his shoe. I shook my head yes and quickly tied his shoe, not thinking anything of it. As soon as I tied it and look up, without saying a word, another girl on the opposite side of the circle untied her shoe, stood up, walked over to me, and held her shoe out for me to tie too!

Now, I didn't think much of this at first, but actually that one silly, innocent action instantly took away my uneasiness and made me feel more comfortable in elementary school. Unlike high school, where the kids have very active social lives and numerous other influences, these kids, who have only been alive as long as you've been in college, want to hear what you have to say, how you act, how you react, how you sing, and most of all, they want to trust you and look up to you! After that, I wasn't really afraid to sing in my "high voice", or dance, or act, or pretend.

Words from Kathy

2010-02-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

Kathy is a former student teacher who now teaches elementary music in Marshall county. Thanks to Kathy for her perspective

Be professional in every way. Arrive on time. Leave when the cooperating teacher leaves. Attend all meetings and duties associated with the position. Use planning periods to plan. (Believe it or not, I have had to explain to a student teacher why it is inappropriate to sleep during planning periods.) Dress professionally. Don’t ask if your attendance/participation is expected. If you are excused, the cooperating teacher will let you know.

Have a plan. Lesson plans are to be completed in advance, so that they can be reviewed and discussed. Please see this as an opportunity. Your cooperating teacher will be pleased that you are prepared and will surely add constructive feedback to aid your success. Please align your plans with the Content Standard Objectives. There is a curriculum, and it must be followed. Make your life easier by setting up the classroom before the kids enter. You can learn a lot by watching your cooperating teacher, but even more by assisting, asking questions, and being a part of the process.

Be positive. We have all heard it before, “There is NO WAY that I would EVER take this job.” Let’s get this straight. We all have our preferred teaching assignments, and those will likely be taken by teachers with seniority. I have heard it from student teachers, and I don’t appreciate it. I just want to say, “It is MY job, and it means something to ME, so while you are HERE, it needs to be important to YOU!” Don’t let your disinterest diminish a meaningful classroom experience for the kids. Smile. If you have to, fake it.

Get a sense of the school environment outside of your assigned classroom. Be familiar with school policies and procedures. Are there policies regarding lesson plans? How do I make a purchase? What is the budget for the music program? Learn how to manage the budget. Ex. Who pays for all of these recorders?

Identify your strengths. Familiarize yourself with classroom resources. Observe the ability levels of the students. Study the CSO’s. NOW, make a plan based on all of that information.
Student teaching is your #1 priority.

Trust that this experience is going to take a lot of effort. You must learn to communicate effectively. You must plan accordingly. You must act professionally. Do not expect to shine because you show up, or because you wrote something down…make it worthwhile. Make it a positive experience for the kids. They need to learn. That’s what it’s all about.

Special Education Students

2010-02-05T07:26:00.000-08:00

An email from one of the WVU M382 lab students got me thinking about special ed students, so I'm going to post my reply with the specifics edited out.

Special ed includes: gifted, behavioral disorders, learning disabilites, as well as physical disabilities/handicaps.

Email reply:

How neat that you are able to take a special ed class. I did not have any special ed classes when i went through WVU, so I had to learn by trial and error, ugh.... Like i said, i did not had a special ed class in college, so i feel a little insecure about my special ed knowledge, because i learned it through experience (ie. mistakes!) and by asking our
special ed teachers lots of questions.

I will tell you that I am CPI trained which is Nonviolent Crisis Prevention Intervention. That is an 8 hour course that teaches one how to intervene and prevent a student from going into crisis (an out of control state usually including physical violence), and how to hold/remove a student who is in danger of harming him/herself and/or others. To remain certified, we
have to go to a 4 hour refresher course every two years.

I have all of the special ed students that are enrolled at my school, gifted, BD and LD. as a general rule, they are included in all of the related arts classes even if they are pulled from their general classes to go to special ed.

Without breaking student confidentiality, most of the modifications that apply to music include: preferential seating (either for hearing or vision problems, or for behavior problems), frequent checks for understanding, tests/assignments read aloud, repeat/rephrase directions, subject materials presented in more than one mode (ex. Verbal and visual
prompts), and extra prompts to follow directions before a consequence is given
(usually BD).

There are many more specific modifications that need to be made in a general ed setting where there is more pencil and paper work going on.

I tend to apply my modifications to the whole class, since most of our work is done as an ensemble/group, although there is some individual performance going on (hello song, playing on instruments, etc...). I use a seating chart to make sure i give preferential seating to those who need it. My classes include a lot of social interaction and self control, which can
be very challenging for students with behavior disorders, so I feel proud when
they are able to make their hands be in control, and when they are able to
participate successfully in a group.

I read everyone's files (there are a lot of files, because I see every student in the school) toward the beginning of the year when i have more time available. I do this to make myself familiar with each student's IEP. I am responsible for those modifications. I may keep a copy of the IEP sheet in my room as long as it is locked up. Some of the special ed teachers are good about
providing me with a copy of an IEP, but that does not always happen.

I think the most important thing, for me anyway, is to always keep my cool. So many times, things are not as they appear. A student may not be following directions, not because of refusal, but because they really don't understand what i want them to do. It's not always obvious when a student doesn't understand my words, and it's easy to jump to conclusions and get annoyed. I try to step back, take a deep breath, and reassess what's going on. That's not easy when I'm in a "get it done" mode but necessary if I want to prevent a situation from escalating.

Sick Days-Release Time

2010-02-03T18:24:00.000-08:00

If you are sick, stay home or go home.

You have to decide if you are sick.

You don't have to be a martyr but you should only go/stay home if you are really sick.

Cooperating teachers are happy to give you release time if it means that you are interviewing for a job or going for some professional development.

We resent it when you ask for release time for things that could or should be done outside the work day. It puts us in an awkward position.

Writing Lesson Plans

2010-01-31T08:23:00.001-08:00

The reality of teaching 6-8 classes a day means that seasoned teachers often do their best to condense what's required in a lesson plan to the bare minimum. This makes it difficult for someone just learning to write lesson plans to decipher what should be in them and why. There are some components of lesson plans that seem repetitive until you look more closely at what is being asked. Lesson plans keep a teacher "honest." Are you teaching what you think you're teaching?

The following information came from the web-site: http://www.adprima.com/mistakes.htm

I have not yet explored this entire site but there may be further information that you might find helpful in the coming weeks.

A "play by play" of a lesson plan- you may not need all of the components but it is good to know what each one is.

Lesson Plan Format:
Teacher_______________________________________ Subject_________________________ 
Grade Level_________________  Date___________________________

I. Content: This is a statement that relates to the subject-matter content. The content may be a concept or a skill. Phrase this as follows: I want my students to: (be able to [name the skill]) OR (I want my students to understand [a description of the concept]). Often times, this content is predetermined or strongly suggested by the specific curriculum you are implementing through your teaching.

II. Prerequisites: Indicate what the student must already know or be able to do in order to be successful with this lesson. (You would want to list one or two specific behaviors necessary to begin this lesson). Some research indicates that up to 70% of what a student learns is dependent on his or her possessing the appropriate prerequisites.

III. Instructional Objective: Indicate what is to be learned - this must be a complete objective. Write this objective in terms of what an individual student will do, not what a group will do. Limit your objective to one behavioral verb. The verb you choose must come from the list of defined behavioral verbs on my web site. Make sure your objective relates to the content statement above.

IV. Instructional Procedures: Description of what you will do in teaching the lesson, and, as appropriate, includes a description of how you will introduce the lesson to the students, what actual instructional techniques you will use, and how you will bring closure to the lesson. Include what specific things students will actually do during the lesson. In most cases, you will provide some sort of summary for the students.

V. Materials and Equipment: List all materials and equipment to be used by both the teacher and learner and how they will be used.

VI. Assessment/Evaluation: Describe how you will determine the extent to which students have attained the instructional objective. Be sure this part is directly connected to the behavior called for in the instructional objective.

VII. Follow-up Activities: Indicate how other activities/materials will be used to reinforce and extend this lesson. Include homework, assignments, and projects.

VIII. Self-Assessment (to be completed after the lesson is presented): Address the major components of the lesson plan, focusing on both the strengths, and areas of needed improvement. Determine here how you plan to collect information that will be useful for planning future lessons. A good idea is to analyze the difference between what you wanted (the objective) and what was attained (the results of the assessment).

This also came from the same site and is a list of common mistakes in lesson planning.

1. The objective of the lesson does not specify what the student will actually do that can be observed. Remember, an objective is a description of what a student does that forms the basis for making an inference about learning. Poorly written objectives lead to faulty inferences.

2. The lesson assessment is disconnected from the behavior indicated in the objective. An assessment in a lesson plan is simply a description of how the teacher will determine whether the objective has been accomplished. It must be based on the same behavior that is incorporated in the objective. Anything else is flawed.

3. The prerequisites are not specified or are inconsistent with what is actually required to succeed with the lesson. Prerequisites mean just that -- a statement of what a student needs to know or be able to do to succeed and accomplish the lesson objective. It is not easy to determine what is required, but it is necessary. Some research indicates that as much as 70% of learning is dependent on students having the appropriate prerequisites.

4. The materials specified in the lesson are extraneous to the actual described learning activities. This means keep the list of materials in line with what you actually plan to do. Overkilling with materials is not a virtue!

5. The instruction in which the teacher will engage is not efficient for the level of intended student learning. Efficiency is a measure that means getting more done with the same amount of effort, or the same amount with less effort. With so much to be learned, it should be obvious that instructional efficiency is paramount.

6. The student activities described in the lesson plan do not contribute in a direct and effective way to the lesson objective. Don't have your students engaged in activities just to keep them busy. Whatever you have your students do should contribute in a direct way to their accomplishing the lesson objective.

Thoughts on what to do

2010-01-28T09:07:00.000-08:00

Jamie kindly shared some of her perspective on student teaching and the first year of teaching.

I have so much to say, but not enough room to write. Please feel free to contact me at anytime: jamieruckerATmacDOTcom

The first day/week:

I would recommend sitting in with the kids rather than sitting off in a corner for the first week.....Don't be afraid to sit on the floor with them! You will get to know them by "playing" and they will respect and look up to you. You will learn from your cooperating teacher by being engaged in her music class....And like Molly Weaver always says "We learn by DOING". She is absolutely correct.

Make it a personal goal to learn 1-5 names each class. Take notes... draw pictures if you have to. Associate them with a trait they posses like "Booger Bobby" or" Jumping Jillian." Finally, ASK QUESTIONS... Ask them even if they feel simple.

Repertoire and Paperwork:

Learn where to find repertoire. Trust me, you didn't get enough pieces to fill a year with k-5 at WVU. Ask your co-op about good publishers, arrangers, arrange something yourself and try it out, ask him/her to leaf through his/her pieces, and make yourself a binder of good repertoire. In that binder, take notes on why they are good pieces. (EX: good for steady beat, good for rhythmic notation)

Learn how to fill out paper work and do administrative things. Ask if you can fill out some of your co-ops paperwork. Get used to doing it because sometimes it seems like that's all you do when you get a job. Talk to him/her about budget. Although not all schools are the same, it is nice to know how some schools budget for music. Then... ask what are good ways to use the budget.... especially if you walk into a situation with NOTHING.

It's all about the kids:

This is my 3rd year of teaching. I taught elementary music for a year and am now teaching high school band. No matter the age, kids need us. Especially in music because it is the one time of week or day that they get to express themselves and get away from all that is standardized testing. This is the best thing I can leave you with... and I remind myself of this EVERYDAY... " It's all about the kids!" This is why we are teachers... cause we all know it ain't about the money!

As a student teacher, you are learning too. You learn from the kids and you are learning from your co-op. Sometimes I think student teachers (I know I did) get so wrapped up in themselves. Asking questions like:
How am I teaching...
Was it ok to say that?...
Hows my singing?.....
Do I look dumb?...
Is my personality to lax or too bubbly right now?
The kids are talking... I must suck.

But when it comes down to it... IT'S ALL ABOUT THE KIDS.
(say this everyday!)

Rephrase these questions:

Did the kids learn from me?
Is my personality/energy appropriate for this lesson and for the kids?
Are the students engaged?
The students are acting a little wild, is it because I am talking really loudly today?
Are the kids talking right now because of my pacing?

Finally,

Be on time!
Be flexible!(it's kids!They are totally unpredictable so, adapt)
Do your job!

Good Luck to you!!!!

Jamie Rucker (Groves)
jamieruckerATmacDOTcom
WVU '06

Jamie, thanks so much for taking time to share!

Planning and Organization

2010-01-26T05:56:00.000-08:00

Once it has been determined which class you will pick up first, it's time to start planning and organizing.

Get a calendar and block out how many lessons you will need for this grade until the end of your placement.

Begin filling in those blocks with a possible sequence of lesson ideas around a theme/concept. These plans do not need to be fully developed but by searching out and plugging in material at this early stage you will find yourself less overwhelmed as you begin to pick up more classes.

Share these ideas with your cooperating teacher to be sure that they are grade appropriate concepts and materials. Don't be discouraged if you don't have a sense of what is appropriate for a given age level/class. This knowledge comes from experience and practice. If something you select doesn't work for one grade, you may find that it's good for another and can put it in the "maybe later" file!

Continue this process as you pick up more grades.

First-time teaching

2010-01-25T10:01:00.000-08:00

So, one of the things I've observed in 20+ years of having student teachers is the shock and surprise after the first real-non-methods class teaching.

You can't really know something until you do it. Watching someone who's been doing it for a long time doesn't really tell you much about where the stumbles and bumps will be when you begin.

I've invited former student teachers to share some first month moments to let you know how others felt along your same journey.

Glen writes:

I remember coming home several times during my elementary placement feeling like a failure. There were hundreds of things I didn't know when I first began teaching and it was eye opening. I would walk into my apartment and wonder why my cooperating teacher could get the kids to play simple borduns with ease but I struggled, or why children need to hear a song at least six or seven times before they can begin to sing it with fluency.

As I progressed in the placement, I learned why the abovementioned situations were not successful and I learned what I needed to do to make the lessons meaningful for the students. It was only through my mistakes did I really learn anything.

Understanding that body percussion precedes instrument playing or that kids need time to process information may or may not be common knowledge to you, but it definitely will be by the end of your placement. It's tough getting started, but everything does pay off if you put in the work.

You'll be surprised at how rewarding a successful lesson with kindergarten or first grade feels (to be honest, it feels good with any grade). Just remember you're teaching kids, not music. That may sound weird, but it's true.

Good luck with your placement!

P.S one word of advice: Make a list of every piece of repertoire you know share it with your co-op. That's a nice way to get a head start on planning.

Thanks to Glen for sharing his words!

some thoughts

2010-01-06T05:43:00.000-08:00

These come from the book Mindful Teaching and Teaching Mindfulness- A Guide For Anyone Who Teaches Anything by Deborah Schoeberlin.

And I came to see that students learn as much if not more from what we do as teachers and how we are, than from what we say. (p. xv)

Mindfully noticing the discrepancy between what I wanted to accomplish and what I actually achieved provides useful information without the distraction of unproductive anger, frustration or disappointment. (p. 4)

Talking to Kids.

2009-11-18T07:17:00.000-08:00

Talk to the students in your normal voice. Please don't use that Disney/Fake/I'm Talking To Little Kids voices. The kids know it's fake and will respond the same. Respect the students enough to use your regular voice. If you're not sure, tape yourself and then watch it.

Musical Hands

2009-11-18T07:07:00.000-08:00

This is hard for us to remember, but our movements will be exaggerated by a class of 25 or so until they are playing (or using body percussion) so loud nothing else can be heard.

So, make sure you make your body percussion, and your modeling (of instruments) soft and musical. Nothing is worse when you're playing loud or clapping loud, and then you yell at the students for being too loud.

What to do in Week 1

2009-11-16T05:48:00.000-08:00

Day One
Become familiar with the physical layout of the bldg
Become familiar with the daily schedule and routines
Review this blog.

Day Two
Read and discuss the 5100 rubric

Review the “music student teaching evaluation form”

Review the D-1 form in the student teaching packet

Indicate, in pencil, the score that you would like to receive on these form.
Make a “to do” list for yourself for the things that you’ll want to do inside and outside of the classroom to receive the desired score regarding evaluation forms
Observe and take notes on classroom management techniques (between classes) you’ve observed while participating.

During class, take notes on the procedure the cooperating teacher follows in any given lesson plan. What happens first, next, etc. This will help you plan your own lessons

Make a list of 10 songs that you would be comfortable teaching- (for any grade level) List should include source of material, page number, and a guess as to which grade it would be most appropriate for.

Jot down at least 2 activities that would be suitable to do with each selection

Share these ideas with your cooperating teacher

Day Three
After discussion, select a piece and write a rough outline of your first lesson.

The most important part of this plan should be WHAT the students are doing.

At this point it might be wise to consider what the follow-up to this lesson will be on the second day.

Be prepared to perform your selected material for the cooperating teacher with some sort of accompaniment

Observe cooperating teacher's classroom management procedures. Take notes and be prepared to use these same procedures.

Go to each grade level teacher to find out what classroom management consequences are available to you. Make a list with this information

Day Four
After discussion on day three, write a more in-depth lesson plan that includes material, objectives, and student activities (or the process) you will use.

This plan will be completed by Friday and you will teach it on Monday
Be able to verbally articulate the process you will follow for your lesson (you may use a “cheat sheet.”)

Be prepared to discuss the next grade you will teach

Day Five

Continue the above process for planning lessons.

Realize that the amount of work you have to do will increase as you pick up more classes.

You will have the most success and less stress if you “work ahead” regarding planning and preparation.

Ask questions often but don't ask the cooperating teacher to do the work for you

You should regularly review your ‘to do” list regarding the evaluation forms. I will not have time to remind you of these requirements. You must take the initiative to do the things necessary to receive a distinguished score. You are responsible for whatever score you receive and must be able to demonstrate (verbally or with supporting documents) what you have done to receive each score.

Selecting Material (from Jennifer Connoley)

2009-11-16T05:45:00.000-08:00

Ideas to consider when selecting songs or poems

What first drew you to the poem or song? Would that appeal to children as well?

Does it contain some kind of possibilities for relating it to kids’ life experiences?

What about the song or poem stands out in terms of musical concepts (building bricks, form, pitch patterns, tempo, dynamics, etc)?

What age level(s) are those concepts appropriate for?

Do those concepts align with a particular unit of study we’re working on (either musical or thematic units)?

Are there obvious rhythmic or melodic patterns that repeat?

What is the range of the song? Is that appropriate for children?

Does it challenge kids in terms of rhythm, pitch or speech?

Is it a well-known song or poem (like a nursery rhyme) that lends itself to easy learning, therefore more in-depth discovery of musical concepts?

Is the song or poem funny? Silly? Surprising? Mysterious? Is it a tongue twister?
Does it tell a story?

Is it a beautiful melody that would appeal to any listener regardless of age?
Does the song or poem have some historical or cultural significance? Is it well known and/or well respected in the body of repertoire?

Does it have a well-known singing game or play party associated with it?

Would you want to speak the poem or sing the song if you were a kid? Do you want to as an adult (about a billion times in the course of a teaching cycle)?

Can you buy into it? Can you get excited about it, therefore encouraging the kids to be excited?

General Expectations

2009-11-16T05:42:00.000-08:00

Expectations of student teachers-

Some advice- Don't expect to be reminded of these obligations but indeed, your adherence to these guidelines will be reflected in the end-of-the-semester evaluations in the categories professionalism, maturity, motivation and enthusiasm for teaching.

The student teacher should:

Participate in all classes taught by the cooperating teacher throughout the semester.

While some lessons may repeat, this is an excellent opportunity to get to know the kids and observe planning, teaching and classroom management techniques. As you participate, you might regularly ask yourself what you would do in a particular situation and then compare it to what I did. Note that I will not always be a participant in your lessons. It is only by removing myself from the teaching situation that I can assess whether you are acquiring the skills necessary for independent teaching.

Perform all duties as if you were a regular teacher.

As you become comfortable with procedures, you may be expected to do this alone (though I will be nearby.) Do not consider "duty time" as your planning time. Be prepared when you arrive.

Talk to kids.

They will teach you more about themselves than I can.

Use your planning time wisely

This is an excellent opportunity to ask questions about materials, students and the teaching process in general. In college, we often waited until the evening before to complete assignments. This is not acceptable in student teaching. I do not want to have to look at and make revisions to lesson plans at the last minute.

It may appear to you that I do not follow this practice and occasionally do something at the last minute. What you need to remember is that I have 20 years of planning in my head, so that what appears to be last minute is actually planned. The good part about this is that you will always be prepared well in advance and will likely be less nervous about teaching. Questions that you have about planning should be addressed via e-mail before 9:00pm or during the school day.

Good teaching can only come from good planning.

This may be a simple or time consuming task for you, depending on how much you have absorbed through your career as a student and how hard you work at the beginning of your placement. As you plan, make a list of verbs describing exactly what students get to do in the 40 minutes you see them. Would that engage you? Good verbs include-listen, create, suggest, perform, practice, sing, move, echo, improvise. Too many listen‘s will lead to classroom management issues.

Consider the last week of teaching to be your final exam.

This is difficult. By the time you get to this close to the end you will eagerly be thinking of what's ahead. Remember that I will be writing your evaluation at this time. Your first weeks are what lead you to your final "performance” and to my final impressions of you as a teacher. This is not the time in your professional preparation to fall victim to the trap of “coasting” to the end. Both you and my elementary students deserve your very best throughout the placement.

What Should They Be Learning: Fifth Grade

2009-11-14T10:27:00.001-08:00

Fifth Grade
What Should They Be Learning?

By C. Roskos
11/14/2009

Melody:

• Major and minor scale
• Modes (all)
• Treble and Bass Clef
• Tonic and Dominant degrees of the scale
• Recognize, improvise and create melodies in all the modes
• Staff (relate to “hand staff”), recognize line and space note names in the Treble staff
• Identify the use of sharps and flats
• Manipulate, read and play melodic patterns from notation

Harmony:

• sing 2 and 3 part rounds and canons
• sing 2 part songs
• sing partner songs
• Descants
• Major Tonic, Subdominant, and Dominant chords
• Minor chords
• Identify the 4 vocal parts SATB

Rhythm:

• All the previously learned rhythms, including syncopation
• 16th notes and their various groupings
Dynamics:
• All the previously learned dynamics
• sfzz…

Tempo: Largo/Presto, fermata

Meter:
• 2/4
• 4/4
• 3/4
• Uneven: 5/4, 7/4, 9/4
• Mixed meters
• Complex meters

Form:
• Compose a song/melody in ABA form
• Compose a piece in Rondo form
• Themes and Variations
• 1st and 2nd endings

Timbre:
• Add color parts/sound effects to poems, haiku, stories and songs
• Staccato/legato

Movement:

• All of the previously learned movement skills
• Knows left and right
• Complimentary Statues (fill in the gaps of the other statue)
• All 4 levels of body percussion (stomps, pats, claps, and snaps)
• Experience movement in 2/4, 4/4, ¾, 6/8, 5/4, and other uneven and mixed meters
• Dramatize Art
• Create a visual “picture” to accompany music
• Multicultural Dances
• Folk Dance:
o See previously learned skills, plus grand right and left, and other more complicated moves that require knowledge of right and left
o Longways Sets (complicated), Circle Dances (complicated), Sicilian Circle Dances, Square Dances, Contra Dances

Instrumentation:

• Plays pitched instruments with expression, demonstration control of mallets by responding to conductors cues and playing various dynamics
• Solo improvisation on pitched instruments
• Creates melodies in all scales and modes and creates accompaniments for their melodies
• Accompanies songs with Tonic, Subdominant and Dominant Chords
• Drum Ensembles

Other:

• Collaborate together in a musical play
• Music History: American (including spirituals, gospel, work songs, blues, and rock and roll), Western, Multicultural
• Compare and contrast works of art and music based upon the same event, subject, or mood
• Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior
• Evaluates their own performances

What Should They Be Learning: Fourth Grade

2009-11-14T10:26:00.001-08:00

Fourth Grade
What Should They Be Learning?
By C. Roskos
11/14/2009
Melody:
• Major scale and minor scale
• Modes (basic)
• Solfege: all
• Tonic and Dominant degrees of the scale
• Recognize, improvise and create melodies using a poem’s rhythm or building bricks
• Staff (relate to “hand staff”), recognize most line and space note names in the Treble staff
• Identify the use of sharps and flats
• Manipulate, read and play melodic patterns from notation

Harmony:
• Sing ostinati
• sing 2 and 3 part rounds and canons
• sing 2 part songs
• sing partner songs
• Tonic and Dominant chords

Rhythm:
• Eight note by itself, syncopation, whole note and whole note rest, half note rest, dotted notes
• Question and Answer: improvise 4 and 8 beat patterns as musical questions and answers on body percussion, unpitched, and pitched instruments,
Dynamics:
• Crescendo and Decrescendo (words and symbols, read and play)
• ppp to fff

Tempo: Andante and Moderato

Meter:
• 2/4
• 4/4
• 3/4
• Duple meters
• Uneven meters

Form:
• D.S.
• Improvisation
• Question and Answer
• Compose a song/melody in ABA form
• Compose a piece in Rondo form

Timbre:
• Add color parts/sound effects to poems, haiku, stories and songs
• Identify specific musical instruments and their families
• Band/Orchestra

Movement:
• All of the previously learned movement skills
• Knows left and right
• Complimentary Statues (fill in the gaps of the other statue)
• All 4 levels of body percussion (stomps, pats, claps, and snaps)
• Experience movement in 2/4, 4/4, ¾, and 6/8
• Dramatize Art
• Create a visual “picture” to accompany music
• Multicultural dances
• Folk Dance:
o See previously learned skills, plus grand right and left, and other more complicated moves that require knowledge of right and left
o Longways Sets (complicated), Circle Dances (complicated), Sicilian Circle Dances, Square Dances (later in the year)
Instrumentation:
• Recorders
• Plays pitched instruments with expression, demonstration control of mallets by responding to conductors cues and playing various dynamics
• Solo improvisation on pitched instruments
• Creates melodies in pentatonic, hexatonic, major and minor scales and creates accompaniments to their melodies
• Accompanies songs with Tonic and Dominant Chords
• Drum Ensembles
Other:
• Working in groups and team work (how to chose ideas in a group-voting, rock paper scissors, etc…)
• Multicultural pieces and songs, African proverbs…
• Spirituals, gospel and work songs
• West Virginia songs and history
• Collaborate together in a musical play
• Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior
• Evaluates their own performances

What Should They Be Learning: Third Grade

2009-11-14T10:23:00.001-08:00

I need to give credit where credit is due.

When I created these "what should they know" outlines, I pulled from some material I received from Heidi Lucas, a lot from the WV CSO's, more from my Orff levels with Jim Solomon, Karen Medley, Mary Helen Solomon, and Janet Robbins, and from what I do in my own classroom.

I tried to think of what questions student teachers asked in the past and include that material in my outlines.

Third Grade
What Should They Be Learning?

By C. Roskos
11/14/2009

Melody:

• Major scale and minor scale
• Pentatonic
• Solfege: d, r, m, s, l, d
• Tonal centers
• Identify step wise motion, skips, and leaps
• Recognize, improvise and create melodic patterns using a poem’s rhythm or building bricks
• Staff (relate to “hand staff”), recognize some line and space note names in the Treble staff
• Manipulate, read and play simple melodic patterns from notation

Harmony:

• singing ostinati
• sing 2 part rounds and canons
• C chord

Rhythm:

• All building bricks: ta ta; ti-ti ta; ta ti-ti; ti-ti ti-ti; ta rest; (reading, playing, and manipulating building brick cards)
• Half notes, whole notes, dotted notes
• Syncopation
• Question and Answer: improvise 4 and 8 beat patterns as musical questions and answers on body percussion, unpitched, and pitched instruments

Dynamics:

• Crescendo and Decrescendo (words and symbols, read and play)

Tempo: Ritardando, Accelerando

Meter:

• 2/4
• 4/4
• 3/4

Form:

• AB
• ABA
• AABA
• Rondo (ABACADA…)
• Introduction and Coda
• Repeat signs
• D.C. al fine
• Question and Answer
• Improvisation

Timbre:

• Identify specific musical instruments and their families
• Band/Orchestra

Movement:

• All of the previously learned movement skills (see K, 1st and 2nd grade)
• Use all space (high, med, low)
• Should know left and right
• Statues, Shapes, Paths
• 3 levels of body percussion (ex. Pats, claps and snaps; or stomps, pats, claps)
• Experience movement in 2/4, 4/4, and ¾
• Multicultural Dances
• Folk Dance:
o See previously learned skills (2nd grade) including do-si-do, promenade, right and left hand turn, swing, cast off and arch, star left and right, sashay
o Longways Sets (more complicated), Circle Dances (more complicated), simple Sicilian Circle Dances (end of the year)

Instrumentation:

• Accompany singing on pitched instruments
• Create a melodic accompaniment to accompany a pentatonic song
• Play shifting triads (or a shifting chordal pattern) with a pedal (on tone 1 or 5 of the scale)
• Introduce Drum Ensembles (using simple pieces)
• Play following a conductor’s cues

Other:

• Working in groups and team work (how to chose ideas in a group-voting, rock paper scissors, etc…)
• Multicultural pieces, singing games, passing games, etc…
• Spirituals, gospel and work songs
• Dramatize poems and stories and create sound effects to accompany them
• Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior
• Evaluate their own performances

Visual Aid Tips

2009-11-14T07:58:00.000-08:00

For visuals and posters purchase the giant Post-it easel Pad. They're easy to write on (permanent marker will not bleed through), easy to tear off and stick most anywhere, even to eachother, and can be used again next year for the same lesson. They are about $20 at Sams Club for one tablet (25 sheets) which lasted me most of the year. Not sure how much they are at office stores.

Also become familiar with any electronic visual aide equipment in the classroom- some teachers have an LCD projector and office or other documents can be projected as a visual aide. This will also take care of some of the technology requirements in your various evaluation forms.

time structure of a kindergarten and pre-K classroom

2009-11-13T15:33:00.001-08:00

Time Structure of a Pre Kindergarten and Kindergarten Music Class

(And the beginning of the year for 1st Grade)

By

Carol Roskos

2/20/2009

I have 40 minute classes, but this can be adapted to 30 minutes or 20 minutes by taking away some activities and/or shortening the length of your main lesson.

5-10 minutes: review and build song repertoire (some suggestions in parenthesis)

· Greeting song
· Finger game 1 (I do The Finger Band)
· Finger game 2 (Mr. Wiggles and Mr. Waggles)
· Song 1 (Open Them, Shut Them)
· Song 2 (some type of action/movement song)
· Song 3 (optional, any type of children’s song)

5 minutes (optional): Movement. If you have a lesson that does not involve much movement, insert a movement activity here. I sing “If you’re wearing (call a color like red) stand up. If you’re wearing (color name) stand up”. And then I ask them to tap their toes, or head, or skip, or hop, etc… while I play a steady beat on the drum.

20-25 Minutes: Main Lesson

· Movement
· Singing
· Playing instruments

5 Minutes: Cool down. Either a slow mirroring activity with music, a quiet story, line up according to colors, or a time to reflect and share about today’s lesson (what did you like about…?).

what should they be learning: second grade

2009-11-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

Second Grade

What Should They Be Learning?

Melody:

sol-mi-la
mi-re-do
pentatonic
can sing a song as a class after hearing it 6-8 times (or more). Students can sing with teacher while learning it.
Music Staff and melodic movement: steps, skips and leaps
Improvise melodic phrase (pentatonic) using building bricks (2-4)
Create melody (pentatonic) using b.b.

Harmony:

· singing with accompaniment

· play pentatonic ostinato accompaniment

Rhythm:

Steady beat vs rhythm, class should be able to play both parts well
All building bricks: ta ta; ti-ti ta; ta ti-ti; ti-ti ti-ti; ta rest; (reading, playing, and manipulating building brick cards)
add half note and half note rest
Play a simple ostinato to accompany a song
Improvise rhythmic phrases using b.b. (8 beat patterns, 4 cards)
Improvise a rhythmic accompaniment for a song (using b.b.)

Dynamics:

· loud (forte), med (mf and mp), soft (piano)

· Crescendo and Decrescendo

Tempo: Allegro (fast), Adagio (slow)

Meter:

Form:

AB
ABA
Introduction and Coda
Repeat signs

Timbre:

Identify specific musical instruments and their families

Movement:

Show all of the above skills through movement
All of the previously learned movement skills (see K and 1^st grade)
2 levels of body percussion (ex. pats and claps)
Use all space (high, med, low)
Circle dances, play party dances
Folk Dance: circle dances and longways sets; circle to the left, circle to the right, two hand turn, forward and back, promenade, do-si-do, right and left hand turn, swing, cast off and arch

Instrumentation:

Continue to work on good playing technique, including mallet technique
Can play a simple bordun on barred (pitched instruments), two hands together and two hands alternating while singing.
Add instruments for special effects with poems and stories

Other:

· Working in groups and team work (how to chose ideas in a group-voting, rock paper scissors, etc…)

· Multicultural pieces, singing games, passing games, etc…

· Dramatize poems and stories and create sound effects to accompany them

1st Grade- What they should know and do

2009-11-13T11:09:00.000-08:00

First Grade

What Should They Know?

Melody:

sol-mi-la
mi-re-do
solo singing
pitch matching
high/low
ascending/descending
can sing a song as a class after hearing it 6-8 times (or more). Students can sing with teacher while learning it.

Harmony:

singing with accompaniment

simple rhythmic accompaniment

Rhythm:

steady beat
simple rhythms (tah tah tah rest); tah; rest;
Beat vs rhythm
Simple building bricks: tah tah; tah rest; ti-ti tah (second half of the year), half note (big beat)
Dynamics: loud, med, soft

Tempo: fast, med, slow

Meter:

2/4
experience moving in many

Form:

same and different
AB
ABA

Timbre:

4 types of voice (whisper/outside voice, talk/sing)
Types of instruments (woods, metals, skins; rhythm/melodic)
Sound effects to poems and stories

Movement:

based in play: walk, run (not usually used inside unless it’s safe), jog, tiptoe, hop, jump, leap, gallop, skip, backwards (safely), sideways, slide, etc…
Alternate movement
Usually do not know left from right
Steady beat movements
Slow and fast movements
Use all space (high, med, low)
Beginning circle dances (listening for directions within the song, ex. Old Brass Wagon)
Folk Dance: circle to the left, circle to the right, two hand turn, forward and back, promenade (advanced)
Instrumentation:

Exploratory in nature on unpitched and pitched instruments
Continue to work on good playing technique
Can play a simple bordun on barred (pitched instruments), two hands together, steady beat, second half of the year
Families of instruments
Other:

Folk Songs
Play Parties (dances)
Patriotic Songs
Picture books
Animals; trains (transportation, cars, airplanes, boats); ocean (sailors, sea, fish), seasons,
learning how to sing alone (hello song)
opposites (fast/slow; sound/silence; high/low; loud/soft)

--

Kindergarten-things they need to learn and do

2009-11-13T09:09:00.001-08:00

This is a new series of posts that discusses what each grade should know. It's not all inclusive, so please feel free to add to it. This would be a good handout to keep for yourself and for student teachers.

Kindergarten
What Should They Know?

Melody:

sol-mi
High-low

Harmony: singing with accompaniment

Rhythm:

steady beat
simple rhythms (tah tah tah rest); tah; rest;
Beat vs rhythm (second half of the year)
Dynamics: loud/soft

Tempo: fast/slow

Meter:

2/4
experience moving in many

Form:

same and different

Timbre:

4 types of voice (whisper/outside voice, talk/sing)
Types of instruments (woods, metals, skins; rhythm/melodic)
Sound effects to poems and stories

Movement:

based in play: walk, run (not usually used inside unless it’s safe), jog, tiptoe, hop, jump, leap, gallop, skip (not usually developed in K), backwards (safely), sideways, slide, etc…
Symmetrical movement
Usually do not know left from right
My place in space
Free movement in their own space
Steady beat movements
Beginning circle games (listening for directions within the song)
Folk Dance: Very simple longways set (Kindergarten Reel by the Amidons) (second half of the year!!!)
Instrumentation: Exploratory in nature on unpitched and pitched instruments
How to play the instruments (good playing technique vs. bad)
How to let the instruments rest (on the floor in front of you, hands in your lap)
steady beat on rhythm instruments,
simple rhythms (tah tah tah rest)

Other:

Following directions (free movement, within a simple circle game/dance, playing instruments/not playing instruments)
Taking turns and dealing with the concept that not everyone gets chosen to be the leader in every single class
Finger games/finger chants, familiar songs from preschool,
Picture books
Animals; trains (transportation, cars, airplanes, boats); ocean (sailors, sea, fish), seasons,
learning how to sing alone (hello song)
echo/imitate
opposites (fast/slow; sound/silence; high/low; loud/soft)