Standard #2: The
teacher understands how children with broad ranges of ability learn and
provides instruction that supports their intellectual, social, and personal
development.
Artifact: Lesson 1/11/2012 - Composer/Background of Darmon Meader's "That Ever I Saw"
Knowledge of Characteristics of Age Group
In able to help students learn and grow, it is necessary to know your students both on an individual level and the characteristics of their age group. Using your knowledge about varying student abilities as well as these general characteristics allows for prepared instruction that supports their intellectual, social, and personal development. The Junior and Senior students in Concert Chorus have been experiencing the responsibility that comes with growing up and making more individual decisions in their social circles as well as with their families. Some of those responsibilities include taking care of brothers or sisters, starting a new job, babysitting, etc. It is important to build a connection with these individuals by giving them feedback and presenting engaging material which relate to their life experiences in a mature way. By being able to share how my own experiences with my niece and her family could relate to Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" and the text of Darmon Meader's "That Ever I Saw", I was able to then ask these students about what experiences of caring for others they could relate to the latter's poem. This way, we as a class were able to approach a romantic contemporary piece from viewpoints which didn't always focus on a Disney-esque vision of love. Combined with expressive conducting gesture, I was quite pleased at the subtle expressiveness the choir was able to attain in their early readings of the piece.
Artifact: Lesson 1/11/2012 - Composer/Background of Darmon Meader's "That Ever I Saw"
Knowledge of Characteristics of Age Group
In able to help students learn and grow, it is necessary to know your students both on an individual level and the characteristics of their age group. Using your knowledge about varying student abilities as well as these general characteristics allows for prepared instruction that supports their intellectual, social, and personal development. The Junior and Senior students in Concert Chorus have been experiencing the responsibility that comes with growing up and making more individual decisions in their social circles as well as with their families. Some of those responsibilities include taking care of brothers or sisters, starting a new job, babysitting, etc. It is important to build a connection with these individuals by giving them feedback and presenting engaging material which relate to their life experiences in a mature way. By being able to share how my own experiences with my niece and her family could relate to Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" and the text of Darmon Meader's "That Ever I Saw", I was able to then ask these students about what experiences of caring for others they could relate to the latter's poem. This way, we as a class were able to approach a romantic contemporary piece from viewpoints which didn't always focus on a Disney-esque vision of love. Combined with expressive conducting gesture, I was quite pleased at the subtle expressiveness the choir was able to attain in their early readings of the piece.