James Coleman
Standard 4
The teacher of PK-12 music has skills in listening to, analyzing, describing, and performing music.
Students in the music classroom should be challenged as they progress through their educational journey. This process should include listening to, analyzing, describing, and performing music. All of these skills are displayed by quality music educators because they are essential to a student's curriculum. I have quality experience with all of these points, so I feel adequately prepared to transfer these skills to my students.
I have a respectable skill set in analyzing, describing, and performing music through the KSU trumpet studio, the KSU wind ensemble, and assisting in directing ensembles. In trumpet studio, there are multiple opportunities where studio members must prepare and then perform etudes or solos for their peers. Then, we analyze each other's performances and give feedback in order to try and make each other better. In the wind ensemble, ensemble members are often asked to step out and give opinions based on listening to the band, as well as opportunities to look at the scores. This allows a chance to get experience with analyzing music and giving feedback based on peformance. Lastly, as an Assistant Section Leader in the KSU marching band for a year, I was able to listen to section members and conduct them as they rehearsed music, then give feedback for improvement. This process of playing, feedback, and improvement is crucial to the journey of becoming a successful musician. As a teacher, I feel completely prepared with my experience in these skills, and will be able to help my students acquire those same skills.
In my future classroom, I will always work to have a student centered environment. This includes maintaining healthy relationships with students in order to be proactive in their growth by giving them feedback and guidance. I want to teach my students to be independent, learned members of society so that they may form their own opinions on their musical playing and listening. Recording pieces of rehearsal and using reflection entries will allow students to practice this process of listening and providing feedback, rather than me constantly preaching at my students. Adding in an element of self-assessment is crucial to making sure that the students can form opinions and defend them based upon musical reasoning. Due to the importance of creating informed listeners, I will work towards instilling skills of musical analysis, description, and performance in my students.
I have a respectable skill set in analyzing, describing, and performing music through the KSU trumpet studio, the KSU wind ensemble, and assisting in directing ensembles. In trumpet studio, there are multiple opportunities where studio members must prepare and then perform etudes or solos for their peers. Then, we analyze each other's performances and give feedback in order to try and make each other better. In the wind ensemble, ensemble members are often asked to step out and give opinions based on listening to the band, as well as opportunities to look at the scores. This allows a chance to get experience with analyzing music and giving feedback based on peformance. Lastly, as an Assistant Section Leader in the KSU marching band for a year, I was able to listen to section members and conduct them as they rehearsed music, then give feedback for improvement. This process of playing, feedback, and improvement is crucial to the journey of becoming a successful musician. As a teacher, I feel completely prepared with my experience in these skills, and will be able to help my students acquire those same skills.
In my future classroom, I will always work to have a student centered environment. This includes maintaining healthy relationships with students in order to be proactive in their growth by giving them feedback and guidance. I want to teach my students to be independent, learned members of society so that they may form their own opinions on their musical playing and listening. Recording pieces of rehearsal and using reflection entries will allow students to practice this process of listening and providing feedback, rather than me constantly preaching at my students. Adding in an element of self-assessment is crucial to making sure that the students can form opinions and defend them based upon musical reasoning. Due to the importance of creating informed listeners, I will work towards instilling skills of musical analysis, description, and performance in my students.
Artifact #1
secondary_unit_-_teachers_guide.docx | |
File Size: | 225 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Above is a secondary unit plan that I devised for a high school concert band based on Frank Ticheli's Cajun Folk Songs. This unit plan includes a unit study of the piece which provides historical perspectives, compositional aspects, and performance techniques among many forms of analysis. The unit also includes a marked up version of the score that I would use to conduct this piece.
Artifact #2
prairie_dances_unit_study.docx | |
File Size: | 106 kb |
File Type: | docx |
This is a unit study that I completed over Prairie Dances by David Holsinger. It contains a detailed analysis of the piece and analyzes multiple elements as well as how they would fit into the context of a high school band classroom. This unit study exemplifies my ability to listen and analyze music, and create summative conclusions about what I heard. This allows me to move forward in giving my students the opportunity to learn to do the same.