Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Teacher's Pay Based on Performance and Effective Teachers

I believe it depends on how the students are performing. I do not believe that should be the sole purpose for the amount of pay a teacher gets. Students vary a lot on how they learn and how well they learn. Some students do not test very well and that is not the teacher's fault necessarily and therefore the teacher's pay can not be based on this. If a whole classroom full of students are performing badly then the teacher probably needs to be evaluated to see what is going on. However it is the teacher job to equip each student with the correct tools to succeed but it is not solely on the teacher whether the student uses those tools. Their can be many different reasons why a child does not succeed and the teacher may not have anything to do with it. I think an effective teacher is one who cares about the students as individuals and their well being not just the grades they achieve in the classroom. The teacher who shows compassion and empathy will most likely have students who see this and respond well to the teacher and their lessons.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Teacher Unions and Tenure

I think that teachers unions and tenure has their positives and negatives. Teachers unions can help a lot with protecting teachers against adults who are too quick to stain teachers reputations and bring charges against them when nothing has happened. They give teachers security so that they are not teaching in fear of losing their jobs. Some teachers may do things wrong that should be held accountable. However it protects teaching staff as a whole and not just individuals so that teachers are not charged with things they didn't do. Also they negotiate teacher's pay so they get payed an appropriate amount. I believe that tenure has more negatives because it is not terribly hard for a teacher to obtain tenure and some tenure teachers can be not so good teachers. However it is hard to fire them because they have tenure. I think there needs to still be evaluation of tenure teachers to make sure they are still trying to do their job to the best of their abilities. I think tenure and teacher unions are a good idea but there needs to be some sort of reform so there are only effective caring teachers out there and not ones that do not care as much because they know they have obtained tenure or have a teachers union behind them.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Balancing Extra Curricular Activities with School

I think sometimes it is really hard to balance extra curricular activities and school. In high school it seemed like I always had extra curriculars whether it be conditioning, basketball, soccer or a club and I was up very late a lot because I would get home from practice late and still have to do homework. I think for children it is all of the adults in their lives job to make sure there is a proper balance and they are not getting overloaded with things and stressed out. I believe as a teacher it is important to realize that children have other activities to do so as not to pile them with tons of homework. However I think it is fair to make sure that school is known to be the priority and the homework needs to be doe. I think it is also the coach or person in charge of the activities job to realize that school comes first for students and they need to be understanding when they have a lot of school work to do. My coaches have always made it known that school comes first and we have always had to maintain good grades or we were not allowed to play. Here at WSC coach checks our grades every semester and if there is a class we have to take during practice because there is no other time she is understanding about it. I think this is the way it should be because we are actually there for school and that is what is going to help us  in the long run so it has to be priority. Some kids want to do everything and their parents need to make sure there is a healthy balance and they are not doing too many things at once.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Developmentally Appropriate Age for Instruments

Students need to start playing instruments early because when they are young their brains soak up information and it is very easy for them to learn. I think the rhythm sticks, finger cymbals, and kazoo can be introduced to children at a very young age because they are the appropriate size for their little hands to grasp. Also they do not take the use of fine motor skills to play these instruments since children do not have these skills yet at younger ages like three to five years old. The recorder requires the use of fine motor skills because the child must be able to place their fingers on the correct holes on top of the recorder and the recorder is bigger around so the children need to have a little bit bigger hands to be able to hold the instrument and play the notes. Therefore a recorder should be introduced at an older age such as third and fourth grade. The xylophone requires the same type of fine motor skills and hand eye coordination so it must be introduced at an older age also.

Carl Orff's Philosophy

Carl Orff's philosophy involved process over product. Therefore he believed in providing opportunities for children to succeed and practice and learn. I think this applies to students because the process is really what helps them learn and in the end the product will be great if the process is correct. The students will benefit so much from the process if the concepts are taught in different ways to reach each child's way of learning. Orff believed in the body being the most important instrument. I think this fits in well with children today because they often get bored and distracted if they are not participating in some way. If they are allowed to do movement and participate they will pay attention better. Also Orff believed singing, instruments, movement, and improvisation which is basically the national standards. I think it helps students a lot to be given a chance to improvise because then they will be very flexible and able to improvise in life.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Sequence in Learning and Rote

It is important for teachers to use sequence in learning and rote to help students practice repeatedly. Sequence and rote helps students remember things because they get to do the same concept over again. Also it is easier for students to grasp concepts because they only have to learn a little part at a time. Then when it is all put together into a large part they will have practiced it over and over again so they will feel confident in knowing the whole thing. Sequence can help students learn too because then there is a specific order to doing things and they will remember this. Besides students must know how to sequence things because lists and order is all over the place.

Steps for Teaching by Rote
1. modeling/provide an example
2. use non-verbal gestures
3. chunk it-lump into smaller examples
4. do it as a whole

Philosophy of Education and National Standards

As my philosophy of education I believe in giving the students an environment where they feel comfortable expressing themselves and learning in the way they can. I want to try to teach in different ways in order to cater to the children's different learning styles. The students should be able to explore and be creative and should learn a lot in the process. I think that my philosophy goes in alignment with the national standards because if the students have an environment where they can be confident and learn a lot they will be able to learn everything in the national standards. I believe as a teacher just like we learn in class I need to do everything possible to set my students up for success. It will be easier for the students to learn the standards if I as their teacher give them the tools to do so. I will help them be interested in the standards by teaching it in various ways and they will all be able to grasp the concepts. I think these standards must go hand in hand with a philosophy of education in order to be able to educate students properly and achieve the correct goals.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Impression of Music Therapy

I think that music therapy would be very beneficial for students. I believe since students learn in many different ways music can be a way to help students learn better. It can help students in communication and cooperation because singing alone and with groups can improve speech and large group cooperation. Music therapy can improve self-esteem and self confidence. It can also help students learn academic concepts. For example maybe if a student is having trouble remembering certain concepts a helpful song can be made up to assist them with it. It can help with cognitive, emotional, and physical abilities. The abilities learned in music therapy can be transferred to the life of the students. Music therapy can help equip students with the tools to be more successful in life.

My Experience/Perception of Special Education Today

     I have some experience with special education today because my cousin has downs syndrome. Her parents had a therapist come to her house to help her when she was younger. Then when she was older she was in the classroom which helped her so much with her behavior. She also does the Special Olympics which is so fun to watch and has helped her hand eye coordination and teamwork skills. Also when I did field experience my freshman year I was at Wayne Middle School in the special education department. I think the special education program helps the kids a lot. They are included in the classroom a lot but also get extra help they need. I think the special education program has improved so much and is helping kids everyday. It can always improve but I think it is working to make teachers better aware of disabilities that they may encounter in their classrooms. I think teachers could be better educated when going into teaching about special education. However I know now all education majors have to go through a special education class which is great because I feel that some teachers now say that they do not feel adequately educated to teach special education kids.
     I feel that teachers have to be aware of the different ways students learn in order to be able to teach differentiated learners. I think they have to be able to adapt ways of teaching to teach to different students. Lesson plans have to be flexible and taught in different ways in order to teach to all students. I think teachers have to study the ways students learn and think so that they can help all students.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Bloom's Taxonomy Vs. The National Standards for Music

When you look at bloom's taxonomy there are different levels of difficulty. The higher you go in bloom's taxonomy the more critical thinking it requires of the students. The students have to do more on their own and figure things out themselves. There is less information being fed to the students by the teacher like in the knowledge stage when you get to the application, analysis, and synthesis stages. This is the same as in the national standards. In the first few standards the teacher is teaching the students how to do things like sing a song and the students learn that way. However the national standards towards the end take more critical thinking because the students have to think about relationships and history. The standards follow bloom's taxonomy by increasing difficulty and the amount of thinking and performing tasks on their own the students must do as they get farther along in their education.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Terms


cognitive learning – actual information and retention

cooperative learning – organizing students into small groups to undertake a particular experience; working together

eurhythmics – a system of training through physical movement to music to develop grace and musical understanding

multiple intelligence theory – Multiple Intelligence Theory was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. It suggests that traditional ways of testing for intelligence may be biased to certain types of individuals. Everybody has a different mind, and no two profiles of intelligence are the same. Therefore, the traditional concept of measuring intelligence by I.Q testing is far too restricted.

rote learning – breaking a song down in pieces so the students can easily learn it and repeat each part back to the teacher to help them remember it

think-pair-share – a type of student-centered learning which involves organizing students into pairs to perform a task or activity

checking for understanding – allowing the students to show whether they understand the information by having them give input

Teacher Education for the Arts Discipline


ASSERTION #1
For teachers to help students meet the requirements of the Standards successfully, four things must happen in and for teachers:
(1) They should themselves be competent exemplars of the context and skills they are teaching. At a minimum, teachers ought to be able to meet the K-12 National Standards.
(2) They should be able to teach from the base of their own knowledge and skills, not merely model or present prefabricated lessons.
(3) They should be able to lead, in the sense of being able to provide content-based guidance to the uninitiated, the beginner, and the advanced student.
(4) They should be able to learn and develop on their own in the primary disciplinary fields associated with their work.
QUESTIONS FOR DECISION MAKERS
  • Are the mission and goals of our undergraduate teacher preparation programs consistent with the aspirations for K-12 achievement inherent in the Standards?
Yes these are in the objectives of the courses we have to take.
  • How is each competency expressed in the Standards addressed within and across the components of our teacher preparation curriculum for each arts discipline?
In each arts discipline the components go over how to teach the Standards in our classrooms. The components of the teacher preparation curriculum assure that we know what the standards are and how to do all of the standards so we can teach them the best we can.
  • Is curricular time and weight allocated to courses in the specific arts discipline, general studies, and professional education adequate to achieve the requisite artistic, intellectual, and pedagogical competencies?
No we have to try to practice more outside of classes because there is not enough time in class to perfect teaching and knowing the competencies in the Standards.
  • What expectations do we have for developing competence and capacity for artistic educational leadership in the classroom, with various types of groups, and in the community at large?
We don’t have that high of expectations at all because there are a lot of schools taking the arts out of the classroom. There needs to be a lot higher expectations for the teachers and the leaders in the classroom and community to incorporate the arts in everything.
  • How should our programs promote, by requirement and example, the “habits of mind” necessary for performance and growth of a teacher?
The professors should have high expectations for their students so that we can be the best teachers we can be when we come out of college. The professors should also demonstrate the things that they are teaching in their classrooms with the students to help the students better understand.

National Standards for Music


NATIONAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC EDU
1.            Singing alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2.            Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied rep. of music
3.            Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
4.            Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
5.            Reading and notating music
6.            Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7.            Evaluating music and musical performances
8.            Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
9.            Understanding music in relation to history and culture

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Assignment #1


1.  How do you use music in YOUR life?
I love to listen to music. I also like singing but only when I am by myself. I usually have it going whenever I do homework, it seems to keep me focused. Also whenever I exercise it helps me to work hard. Sometimes I like to just sit and listen to it because it relaxes me. I always have it playing when I go to bed because it helps me calm down and fall asleep. Finally I use music is to praise God.
2. What musical activities and interests did you have as a child?
I tried to play the trumpet for a year when I was in grade school. Also I liked to sing in the choir in grade school. When I was a camp counselor I would sing but I mostly joked and got laughed at because I was so bad which I didn't mind because I was kind of a clown and I know I'm not good haha. However my interest in musical activities did not go much farther than that because I am more into sports and do not have much musical capabilities at all. I would love to more musically inclined but I have absolutely no rhythm at all. Therefore I just stuck to what I am good at as a child.
3.  Have you observed children at musical play?
Yes I have watched my siblings when they have programs at school for music class. Also the little kids I used to babysat were very good at singing and acting and so I would go to their performances.
4.  Are there some musical skills you are able to teach to children more easily than others?
I have not really explored many musical skills because I have not really done anything musically. I could maybe sing songs with them but I feel like that is about it because I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to music. However I hope to change that.
5.  What do you think that all children should be able to do, musically, as a result of a MUSICAL education?
I think children should be able to sing songs and know some notes. I think they should be able to identify different types of music. Also I think they should be able to do the national standards of music.
6.  Have you ever observed a teacher integrating music into the classroom?  Cite examples.
Yes when I went to visit my cousins in Arizona I was able to observe both of their first grade classrooms. They both used music in their classrooms to keep the class in order. For example when they needed the kids to quiet down they would sing a little chant to them and they would have to respond. Also they would play music while the children worked on their assignments or when they came in from recess and it seemed to keep them calm and relaxed.
7.  How do you think music can be integrated into the elementary classroom?
 I believe music can be used in the classroom in many different ways. I think it can be used to help students remember concepts in other subjects. I really like the days of the week song to help the kids remember those. Also I think it can be used to help keep the kids calm and collected during the day. Plus I think it can just be used for fun when they need to get out some energy.
8.  How do you think music can be used as an interdisciplinary tool in the elementary classroom?
I think it is very helpful for getting the children to line up or quiet down and get ready for a lesson. It gets their attention and like you said in class when they have to use their mouths they will not be talking anymore.