Module 5
Chapter 12 discussed motivation in learning and teaching. The topics included Maslow's Hierarchy of needs, goals and goal orientation, attributions and beliefs about knowledge, ability, and self-worth, and topics about learning (interests, curiosity, emotions, and anxiety). There was one section that made me furrowed my eyebrows. It is on page 479 in Mindsets and Beliefs About Ability section. It was about the choir director who put the students who had the worst singing ability in the back rows while the ones that were the best, he put up front. I have heard of concepts like this before and it offends me. That should not be the way one organizes a choir, let alone a choir of students. The best way is to mix it up in terms of ability. Have a stronger singer stand next to a weaker singer. This helps the weaker singer with matching and builds their confidence. The stronger singer will also benefit by being able to balance their sound so they won't be as overpowering. This is how I will more than likely set up my choir. Not by disenfranchising the students who aren't as strong, but by making sure they are contributing to the overall sound. No matter what their ability is.
I think chapter 14 can be best described in this way: It discusses how to become a prepared teacher. I came to this conclusion because of the topics in this chapter. Which includes some research on teaching, the importance of planning, teaching approaches (to homework, deskwork, instructions, discussion, feedback, etc.), adaptive teaching/differentiated instruction, and teacher expectations. I found this chapter fascinating. This was one of my favorite chapters in the book because it discussed some of my biggest worries by being in this career. That being said, there were two concepts that really grabbed my attention. The first involved planning. In all honesty, I have been nervous about planning an entire curriculum by myself. But, reading about the process of lesson study mentioned on page 566 of the text has eased my worries. I believe this strategy is a great way for beginning teachers to learn the ropes of planning. It effectively sets them up for success by giving them a group to bounce ideas off of. I would be more than open to collaborating with other teachers in planning. The next concept that spoke to me was the debate about homework. Especially on pages 567-568 where the textbook mentions that there should be more of a focus on the student's effort on the homework instead of how long it takes them to do it. I agree with this because of personal experience. It takes me a while to do homework and I wish I could be quicker sometimes. However, I always put in a lot of effort for the most part. Plus, I am always proud when I turn in assignments that took me a while to do because I worked hard on them. I will encourage my students with the same work ethic. Also, I would never judge a student on how long it takes them to do an assignment. I think that would be hypocritical of me.
Chapter 15 was all about grading and assessments. The topics include an overview of assessments, formative and authentic assessments, grading, and standardized testing. Obviously, this is a very important topic. I have learned a lot about assessments in previous classes. So this was a good refresher on the concept. Being that I want to become a music teacher and direct a choir one day, I have thought about different ways I could assess my students. Two things came to mind. One, small group performances. My students will sing a section of the song in a small group with two on a part in front of the choir. This also allows feedback from the other members of the choir. I will grade based on knowledge of the song, confidence in knowing the song from memory, and participation. The second one is a sight-singing test. This is where I present students with a melody they haven't seen before and they must sing it through. This assesses their musicality and sheet-music reading ability. I would grade by the accuracy of notes/rhythm and their confidence. What I mean by confidence is if they finished the melody without pausing, starting over, or showing signs of frustration. This would be done in private because it will be less stressful on the student if they are singing in front of me rather than their peers. I know this from experience as well.
I think chapter 14 can be best described in this way: It discusses how to become a prepared teacher. I came to this conclusion because of the topics in this chapter. Which includes some research on teaching, the importance of planning, teaching approaches (to homework, deskwork, instructions, discussion, feedback, etc.), adaptive teaching/differentiated instruction, and teacher expectations. I found this chapter fascinating. This was one of my favorite chapters in the book because it discussed some of my biggest worries by being in this career. That being said, there were two concepts that really grabbed my attention. The first involved planning. In all honesty, I have been nervous about planning an entire curriculum by myself. But, reading about the process of lesson study mentioned on page 566 of the text has eased my worries. I believe this strategy is a great way for beginning teachers to learn the ropes of planning. It effectively sets them up for success by giving them a group to bounce ideas off of. I would be more than open to collaborating with other teachers in planning. The next concept that spoke to me was the debate about homework. Especially on pages 567-568 where the textbook mentions that there should be more of a focus on the student's effort on the homework instead of how long it takes them to do it. I agree with this because of personal experience. It takes me a while to do homework and I wish I could be quicker sometimes. However, I always put in a lot of effort for the most part. Plus, I am always proud when I turn in assignments that took me a while to do because I worked hard on them. I will encourage my students with the same work ethic. Also, I would never judge a student on how long it takes them to do an assignment. I think that would be hypocritical of me.
Chapter 15 was all about grading and assessments. The topics include an overview of assessments, formative and authentic assessments, grading, and standardized testing. Obviously, this is a very important topic. I have learned a lot about assessments in previous classes. So this was a good refresher on the concept. Being that I want to become a music teacher and direct a choir one day, I have thought about different ways I could assess my students. Two things came to mind. One, small group performances. My students will sing a section of the song in a small group with two on a part in front of the choir. This also allows feedback from the other members of the choir. I will grade based on knowledge of the song, confidence in knowing the song from memory, and participation. The second one is a sight-singing test. This is where I present students with a melody they haven't seen before and they must sing it through. This assesses their musicality and sheet-music reading ability. I would grade by the accuracy of notes/rhythm and their confidence. What I mean by confidence is if they finished the melody without pausing, starting over, or showing signs of frustration. This would be done in private because it will be less stressful on the student if they are singing in front of me rather than their peers. I know this from experience as well.
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