CRITICAL REFLECTION ON TEACHING VIDEO: Analytic Writing

According to the GPS Standard the students of the orchestra were taught by the MMSBO.1, 2, and 3. Although they spent a great deal of time in the video writing and notating music, the ultimate goal was to put theory into practice, getting the eighth note rhythms concrete so that they are second nature to play. It is not enough to just pic up an instrument, but the methods are essential for growth. Clear connections were planned with an outcome in mind in this lesson, and the students appreciated the time that was taken to make sure they were making this connection. This is not the first lesson on rhythms for this class, and you may have heard me refer to this class as the intermediate/ advanced orchestra. Most of children in the orchestra(many more who were not scheduled to be present today, have a good bit of technique down, but this lesson was being retaught to allow students to better understand, infusing supplemental methods books to assist them in the basics. I also gave them new ideas to check positions as they went about their daily activities. When many of them returned later during the day, they were disappointed that I wasn't recording them anymore. My mother is very insistent that I record them and let them hear how they are sounding, which is another strategy to making improvements.

I was able to model for the students the correct way to really dig in an play, but before I did that, I made a connection to them, that it is much better to give too much and I need to tell them to back off in sound, as opposed to telling them they are not giving me enough. I remember my teachers growing up always trying to break us out of being timid both in the choir as a kid and in the band in high school. When we did bring it out from the belly, they gave us tons of praise, and we sounded very bold and confident. This is what I want for my students: that confidence, and I believe they will enjoy their playing more when they attain that confidence.

I really learned from the Gardner to synthesize, although I can't say it enough, I am glad my group focused on that chapter. As I composed my lessons plan, synthesis is one of the higher critical thinking levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. Synthesis is the actual compilation of strategies put together to achieve the goal I set out to achieve. One of my essential questions required the students to quiz themselves to be sure they are achieving the goal.