Standard #9: The
teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effect of
his or her choices and actions on pupils, parents, professionals in the
learning community and others and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow
professionally.
Artifact: Apryl Price Reflection
Ability to think Reflectively to Improve Teaching
As a teacher, it is important to self-evaluate and make suggestions of skills and/or strategies that may be more effective in learning activities to improve teaching practices. As you can see from Apryl Price's summary of my aural reflection, I was able to reflect on strengths and weaknesses of my lessons, in particular those involving an individual with exceptionalities enrolled in two choirs, and plan modifications for future learning activities. During several lessons early on, it became clear that this individual was unable to maintain his self-discipline in the absence of my cooperating teacher. I changed many parts of my lesson plan to incorporate his particular set of strong musical skills and desire to be given individual responsibility. This included having him as the only one singing the lowest part in chordal warm-up activities, leading men's sectionals, and playing a drum solo.
In regards to the group setting, I felt that with many of the modifications I have made for this individual, I was losing the interest and response of the rest of the chorus. Alternative actions could include (should an action warrant this) removal from the classroom, delineating different learning activities for the different levels of musical intelligence within the room, and finally, creating a new social contract that all members of an ensemble could contribute to. The latter suggestion could aid specifically in classroom management; all individuals would know what not only the class teacher expects of them, but what their peers expect of them as well. Through the process of reflection, I can continually strive to evaluate my choices to better meet student needs in the future.
Artifact: Apryl Price Reflection
Ability to think Reflectively to Improve Teaching
As a teacher, it is important to self-evaluate and make suggestions of skills and/or strategies that may be more effective in learning activities to improve teaching practices. As you can see from Apryl Price's summary of my aural reflection, I was able to reflect on strengths and weaknesses of my lessons, in particular those involving an individual with exceptionalities enrolled in two choirs, and plan modifications for future learning activities. During several lessons early on, it became clear that this individual was unable to maintain his self-discipline in the absence of my cooperating teacher. I changed many parts of my lesson plan to incorporate his particular set of strong musical skills and desire to be given individual responsibility. This included having him as the only one singing the lowest part in chordal warm-up activities, leading men's sectionals, and playing a drum solo.
In regards to the group setting, I felt that with many of the modifications I have made for this individual, I was losing the interest and response of the rest of the chorus. Alternative actions could include (should an action warrant this) removal from the classroom, delineating different learning activities for the different levels of musical intelligence within the room, and finally, creating a new social contract that all members of an ensemble could contribute to. The latter suggestion could aid specifically in classroom management; all individuals would know what not only the class teacher expects of them, but what their peers expect of them as well. Through the process of reflection, I can continually strive to evaluate my choices to better meet student needs in the future.