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REFLECTIVE PAPER
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Throughout the semester in Elementary Methods I have grown and learned a lot. Most importantly I
think my outlook on Elementary music has changed in a very positive way.
The first day that I walked into the classroom for Elementary Methods I did not have a positive attitude
about it. I didn't think that I cared to teach at the elementary level at all. Then when I saw all the work that I had to do my attitude went even further down hill. This was not the case for very long at all. Right from the start Dr. Eppink had us working hard. It wasn't just busy work, though it kept me busy. It was essential work that I gained so much from.
As I look back at the class I think one of the greatest things that helped me grow is the structure of the
material presented to me. Starting the semester off with Music Philosophy right from the start was great. We were asked to think about a philosophy right from the start. This was very helpful in all the microteaching we did.
The microteachings are probably the things that allow students to see for themselves how they have
grown and become more knowledgeable throughout the semester. As I look back through the semester I know that I have gotten better in terms of these. At first we were just asked to get a song and teach it. Just to see how it is and to see where we were at the beginning. I have learned very well how to format a good lesson plan. I have learned many essential things in executing the lesson plan. Things like staying close to the kids when teaching. You have to be careful not to distance yourself too much. The kids will stay more alert and be more comfortable in the class if you make it seem like you are comfortable being close to them as well.
I have also learned from microteaching how important it is to review what you are going to do instead of
just planning it out. I did a few lessons where I didn't take the time to make sure that I had all the information under my belt. Then when I got up to teach this was very evident. By not making sure that you have practiced and mastered your lesson you lose confidence and therefore cannot convey the lesson as well to the students. In my case it goes beyond conveying the lesson and when I am not prepared I get nervous and I don't listen to myself and pay attention. This lead to me actually teaching things incorrectly when I was doing them.
Possibly the most important thing that I learned in my microteaching is part of my last point. You have to
be sure that you go slow when teaching… especially at the elementary level. Part of this is being prepared so you aren't nervous and you make sure you cover things very well. If you don't go slow kids will get lost lose interest and it is not easy to get back. I know this seems like a pretty obvious thing but you may think you are going slow enough when teaching something but take time to read each of the students body language and listen to things they have to say. This is the only way you can really know if you are really going at a pace that they can listen and understand all the information.
Don't be a sage on the stage. When your teaching your job is not to just keep spitting information at
your students. You have to interact with the students in your classroom. The key to Elementary General music is experiential learning. The kids have to be involved in the lessons that you are teaching. Attention spans are fairly short and if you don't have a Childs attention then how could you possibly teach them something. In music a child wants to make music. They don't want you to tell them things all the time. They want to get up and hit that instrument. They want to sing a song they know. This is the reason that kids look forward to going to music class. I know that kids want to do this now because I pay attention to myself in class and I want to just sit there and bang the instruments. Who wants to be in a music class that doesn't make music? It's a hands on subject make sure you keep it that way.
Another great thing that I learned from this class as time went on is about movements. I was like why
the hell are we doing movements. Similar to the attitude I had toward the class when I started it. But then I saw that they are possibly one of the greatest things. You get the kids moving around. ALL THE KIDS. This is key. No one has to sit around they all get to do something at once. Movements help them to develop a steady beat and experience the music which like I said already is so important. The students get to interact with other kids and be part of the music. It's great, plus it helps expel some energy, which can always be good in elementary school.
I have learned what a great deal of wonderful resources there are out there for the elementary music
classroom. I had no idea there was such wonderful stuff. The textbooks and software that I looked over blew my mind. The people that put this stuff together are wonderful. You can tell how enthused they must be to take so much time to relate so many different things to kids. Not just relate it but present it to them in a manor that they love. I open up the books and find myself just wanting to go further and further with them. Everything about the materials I have been given, present a fun and involved way to experience music and music should be fun.
The philosophy aspect of the course helped me a lot I think. I have always had my views on what music
should be and how important it is. This is the first time I have been asked to organize the thoughts and express them in a logical manor, a manor that can actually prove useful at some point in time.
Multiculturalism is part of what I included in my philosophy and I did because I have always thought
music to be the best way to explore cultures. This class supported that idea greatly. It supported it with music we looked at and the materials reviewed definitely supported it. Then after that we were asked to include it in our own lesson plans enforcing it even more. The things I learned about this are how many different ways there are to use music for introduction to different cultures. The different songs and activities that I have looked over are things that I could never have thought of. This may be part of the materials again but it spreads throughout the class.
The Standards. I had no idea that there were such specific expectations of the music program. I have
gained so much from these. They help guide everything you want to do with a class. I have them posted on my wall and I look over them all the time. This was a great part of this class. No other class even comes close to examining the standards like Elementary methods did. When they were brought up in Instrumental methods no one had any idea what they were. Then they were just looked at and we moved on.
To go with the standards were objectives. Focusing the way in which I am going to teach has become
much better for me. I can determine what I want to do with a lesson so much easier now then when I first started the class. With the first couple times that we were asked to write out objectives I had had to spend a great deal of time on them. Now when I think about what it is I want to do it just comes natural that I am also going to include the objectives along with it.
Another aspect of my teaching that has become much better is assessment. When I started the class I
hadn't put much thought into assessment. I didn't look into how important it is to have a written assessment of everything. By having to do them over and over I see how important it is to make sure you keep a constant run of assessment on your students. You will not know how they are learning and understanding if you don't
I have gained so much from this course as time has gone on. I think I have touched on most of the
important things here, however the most important thing that I have got out of this methods class is my appreciation for the Elementary music program. I had none when I started the class. Through all the things that I have done and the way in which they have been presented to me I have gained a great deal of appreciation. I have seen how much my teacher enjoys the things that he has been sharing with me. He has shared them in a great way and made the experience a very positive one. The class turned into being probably my favorite one. I have enjoyed it and learned things at the same time. I have grown in so many ways. This is the most important thing because you have to make your students enjoy what they are learning and then they can gain an appreciation for it. I see now how important and what an impact this can have on someone. Elementary music is fun and educational. It provides a basis for everything else that a student will ever do in music. I am very pleased that I have grown so far in my knowledge and appreciation of the subject and I feel so much better for doing so. |