Two Rosetti Songs: Remember
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Lesson Plan for the excelling high school group
A. Sing the song as you are passing out the music.
B. Begin with everyone on the melody and alto on the syllable "do" and work until the first fermata
C. Have everyone on the tenor and bass
D. Read the poem and have the students listen to the words
E. Share your story - create a personal connection with the piece
F. Set the words to music
G. Concept of being one voice - how the music begins in unison and then branches out into four singers
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Choral Methods: Charlotte High School Observation #3
It is incredible to me to see what these choral teachers do in a day. And then when you have a day where you are going on a field trip to choral festival, forget about having room or time to think! The top choir was filing in and out of the choir room in their choir dresses and suits. They definitely had a buzz of excitement that they were going to be able to leave school during the day. The class which was going to go tomorrow, Concert Choir, meets at the time of my observation. They came in the room and the chaos became oh so real. I started feeling a little overwhelmed. There were 120 students approximately in the classroom at that time. And I have heard my teacher say this before, but I never really thought much about it. But Bethany said that she was not going to talk over all those students. "It is 120 against 1." Now, I have had teachers say that, but it had never felt so real as it did standing by the front of the room. There were so many of them! And it was just her, against all those students. Yet she was able to maintain control of the classroom. Bethany rehearsed both groups in the time period before they left for the festival.
Another notable factor was how many questions Bethany was getting asked. You could could five seconds or less between each little thing that the students came up to her for. She was asked about hair spray, bobby pins, safety pins. Even the parent chaperone followed her around with questions and other things to fill her in on. In her office, Mrs. Zeuch had every little thing you could think to find in a bathroom linen closet. And through all of this, Bethany answered every question with a cool response and moved onto the next question without skipping a beat. I felt bad about interacting with her during the observation just because of everything she had to juggle I was just an extra added thing. It was really incredible to watch.
In comparison to other disciplines, I can't imagine there being as much dependency on the teacher as there is in a choral setting. I don't know if that is because they allow their students to need them more or if it is because the students create a bond that allows them to let themselves become more dependent on this particular adult. It could just be a result of the security in the relationship that was established between teacher and student.
Another notable factor was how many questions Bethany was getting asked. You could could five seconds or less between each little thing that the students came up to her for. She was asked about hair spray, bobby pins, safety pins. Even the parent chaperone followed her around with questions and other things to fill her in on. In her office, Mrs. Zeuch had every little thing you could think to find in a bathroom linen closet. And through all of this, Bethany answered every question with a cool response and moved onto the next question without skipping a beat. I felt bad about interacting with her during the observation just because of everything she had to juggle I was just an extra added thing. It was really incredible to watch.
In comparison to other disciplines, I can't imagine there being as much dependency on the teacher as there is in a choral setting. I don't know if that is because they allow their students to need them more or if it is because the students create a bond that allows them to let themselves become more dependent on this particular adult. It could just be a result of the security in the relationship that was established between teacher and student.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Sight-reading Excerpt with Rationale
A. What is the key signature?
B. What is the meter?
C. Count singing on Do and Mi while having their hand across the shoulder to tapping so that they may keep the beat on their body in a way that engages both sides of their brain.
D. Using hand signs speak the solfege
E. Continuing the tapping, audiate the music. Each time there is a rest there is an audible hit on the chest
F. Try it out
Monday, March 9, 2015
Choral Methods: Hayes Middle School Observation
Doug Armstead. An incredible musician, and an incredible teacher. The two things are separate, but when together, they create an unstoppable addition to the music and educational world.
We first began with seeing an energetic and fun-loving Josh Gronlund teach the group of almost 60 girls! He began at the piano having the vocalize up and down. There was a large incorporation of movement. He used analogies as if they were going out of style. His method of classroom management during the warm-ups matched up very similarly with Doug's. He would NOT try to talk over the ensemble, but rather he would voice his disappointment and say that he was willing to wait for them to begin behaving. When he would do a movement that he wanted the whole ensemble to mimic and he had a student that would not be matching, Josh would make a joke about it. He would do the movement and then look at the way his body was quizzingly and make a thoughtful sound. He would say something like, "huh, I thought for sure my arms were straight..." And then once the student(s) who was out of alignment fixed their position he said, "oh, there we go." He cleverly made the management into a joke rather than calling out the students which established the atmosphere and learning environment for these students. Josh also frequently modelled for the students which is something that we have learned and has been reinforced in our classes here at MSU.
Doug seamlessly took control of the classroom and began to run the warm-ups. Josh would stand in the classroom and give as much if not more energy than Doug. After they finished warm-ups they moved into sight-reading. He utilized technology so that he would be able to design the type of sight-reading that he wanted and knew they needed to practice. This is a great way to hone in and help your students practice where they are weak.
Another interesting thing that they incorporated in the classroom is the reading for the day. They had a quote Doug reasoned would help improve the students in their daily lives, something that would lead them to becoming better people. They also had to include math in their daily routine by
While they were running the songs he picked out one student to compliment and said that we can all do what she is doing. And that was a way to not call out the other students for not doing a good enough job, rather positively affecting one student.
Armstead's overall teaching methods led to a positive environment for his students. He neither called them out for their behavior nor did he let them slack on their work. His motto is "WHAT WE TOLERATE BECOMES OUR STANDARD." I believe this to be completely upheld in his classroom. He did not let his students slack off in his classroom. He is a very capable teacher.
We first began with seeing an energetic and fun-loving Josh Gronlund teach the group of almost 60 girls! He began at the piano having the vocalize up and down. There was a large incorporation of movement. He used analogies as if they were going out of style. His method of classroom management during the warm-ups matched up very similarly with Doug's. He would NOT try to talk over the ensemble, but rather he would voice his disappointment and say that he was willing to wait for them to begin behaving. When he would do a movement that he wanted the whole ensemble to mimic and he had a student that would not be matching, Josh would make a joke about it. He would do the movement and then look at the way his body was quizzingly and make a thoughtful sound. He would say something like, "huh, I thought for sure my arms were straight..." And then once the student(s) who was out of alignment fixed their position he said, "oh, there we go." He cleverly made the management into a joke rather than calling out the students which established the atmosphere and learning environment for these students. Josh also frequently modelled for the students which is something that we have learned and has been reinforced in our classes here at MSU.
Doug seamlessly took control of the classroom and began to run the warm-ups. Josh would stand in the classroom and give as much if not more energy than Doug. After they finished warm-ups they moved into sight-reading. He utilized technology so that he would be able to design the type of sight-reading that he wanted and knew they needed to practice. This is a great way to hone in and help your students practice where they are weak.
Another interesting thing that they incorporated in the classroom is the reading for the day. They had a quote Doug reasoned would help improve the students in their daily lives, something that would lead them to becoming better people. They also had to include math in their daily routine by
While they were running the songs he picked out one student to compliment and said that we can all do what she is doing. And that was a way to not call out the other students for not doing a good enough job, rather positively affecting one student.
Armstead's overall teaching methods led to a positive environment for his students. He neither called them out for their behavior nor did he let them slack on their work. His motto is "WHAT WE TOLERATE BECOMES OUR STANDARD." I believe this to be completely upheld in his classroom. He did not let his students slack off in his classroom. He is a very capable teacher.
Choral Methods: Charlotte High School Observation #2
Second Day. Round Two. I'm in the ring. And I have my gloves on tightly. I know now how to park. I know now how to find the room...I think. Getting back to the class was no problem this time and I've started to build myself a routine. I sit down once more in the auditorium. The students are now getting prepared for the choral festival that will take place for them the next day.
Bethany was prepared, a seasoned veteran at the processes that accompany taking an entire ensemble to festival. She began the rehearsal not with talking about the festival but rather with the warm-ups. I think that this was a notable choice because she was reinforcing the idea the music class should begin with music rather than talking technicalities over the "fieldtrip" they were about to take. That can wait. But she was also making the conscious decision to allow for an "interruption" in the music-making when she begins to pass out the details of the trip before they run through their repertoire. One thing that did happen was the students exploded into conversation as soon as she began to pass out the itineraries. She did not give them the option to read it on their own time which I thought was interesting because that may be for her protection. If a student were to say that they missed something that would end up affect the possibility of their attendance, reading it in class does not give allowance for that excuse. She may do this differently with the more advanced groups since this is not an auditioned ensemble.
But once she finished with the sheets they began to work on their sight-reading. A notable factor is when she asked a question she called for a band person to answer. Another trick she did was to ask a section to answer questions she had. This was a technique, I believe, to not single anyone out but would grab the attention of a large amount of students. It also would solidify and reinforce section pride. If a section were to be held accountable for answering questions rather than a single students, this would make it easier for students to identify with the person who answers instead of having one smartypants always answer the questions.
At the very end, she gave them compliments and an overall ego boost over how well they would be performing in the festival. She went on to say that she was impressed by their work and the progress made over the past years to make the group who they were that day.
I think it is important for teachers to remember that students are not just their to learn and participate but also to seek reassurance. So much of what classes have turned into is the value of the grade the may receive. And some students have a hard time getting the results they want for one reason or another. In the end, what they may see too often is red marks on the page. Their value and intelligence being measured by a letter grade evaluated by another person. We offer one of the few things that can allow for group participation that can reward unbiasedly creating a collective of students that exist on equal playing fields and may be rewarded equally as well.
Bethany was prepared, a seasoned veteran at the processes that accompany taking an entire ensemble to festival. She began the rehearsal not with talking about the festival but rather with the warm-ups. I think that this was a notable choice because she was reinforcing the idea the music class should begin with music rather than talking technicalities over the "fieldtrip" they were about to take. That can wait. But she was also making the conscious decision to allow for an "interruption" in the music-making when she begins to pass out the details of the trip before they run through their repertoire. One thing that did happen was the students exploded into conversation as soon as she began to pass out the itineraries. She did not give them the option to read it on their own time which I thought was interesting because that may be for her protection. If a student were to say that they missed something that would end up affect the possibility of their attendance, reading it in class does not give allowance for that excuse. She may do this differently with the more advanced groups since this is not an auditioned ensemble.
But once she finished with the sheets they began to work on their sight-reading. A notable factor is when she asked a question she called for a band person to answer. Another trick she did was to ask a section to answer questions she had. This was a technique, I believe, to not single anyone out but would grab the attention of a large amount of students. It also would solidify and reinforce section pride. If a section were to be held accountable for answering questions rather than a single students, this would make it easier for students to identify with the person who answers instead of having one smartypants always answer the questions.
At the very end, she gave them compliments and an overall ego boost over how well they would be performing in the festival. She went on to say that she was impressed by their work and the progress made over the past years to make the group who they were that day.
I think it is important for teachers to remember that students are not just their to learn and participate but also to seek reassurance. So much of what classes have turned into is the value of the grade the may receive. And some students have a hard time getting the results they want for one reason or another. In the end, what they may see too often is red marks on the page. Their value and intelligence being measured by a letter grade evaluated by another person. We offer one of the few things that can allow for group participation that can reward unbiasedly creating a collective of students that exist on equal playing fields and may be rewarded equally as well.
Choral Methods: Charlotte High School Observation #1
The school is large. I did not grow up in a district that had so many different students, rooms, parking lots. Simply put, it was a maze. And it was a maze I had to figure out on my own because for some reason I was unable to approach faculty members who were able to direct me to the choir room.
In that simple statement, I believe the culture in most school systems becomes apparent. The choir teacher remains separated, secluded, and locked in a corner over by the drama teacher and the dungeon. And it is very rarely that we break our shackles of time constraints or concerts to venture out in to this chaotic-normal world where people would look at us weird if we were to harmonize with the pitch of the elevator or the tardy bell after it rings for the second time.
Once I was able to make it past the sea of the students and swim into the last hallway and safely land in the music wing, I walked into the choir and found no students. I reassured myself that I was in the right location by re-reading Bethany Zeuch three or four times on her office door.
But luckily I saw an adult someone standing outside of a door on my way out and ventured over that way in hopes that it was Mrs. Zeuch. And it was!! She was prepping for their concert and needed to meet in the auditorium with the students. So I was able to sit in the audience and observe the process in getting ready for the concert, the dress rehearsal in the eyes and perception of the teacher's standpoint.
It was very different having to think about where they would be sitting during the concert. The classroom management was interesting as well. She would talk while they were talking she would not waste her energy trying to talk over them while they were chattering, but it never seemed to get out of hand. This was the first time I got to see a method that allowed for students to talk. It seemed to work very well with the number of students that she had. The boys were trying to distract the girls of course. Who would be funniest was a very obvious competition. But in the end she would joke with them and would laugh when appropriate, but she knew when to reel them back in to get started in working.
In that simple statement, I believe the culture in most school systems becomes apparent. The choir teacher remains separated, secluded, and locked in a corner over by the drama teacher and the dungeon. And it is very rarely that we break our shackles of time constraints or concerts to venture out in to this chaotic-normal world where people would look at us weird if we were to harmonize with the pitch of the elevator or the tardy bell after it rings for the second time.
Once I was able to make it past the sea of the students and swim into the last hallway and safely land in the music wing, I walked into the choir and found no students. I reassured myself that I was in the right location by re-reading Bethany Zeuch three or four times on her office door.
But luckily I saw an adult someone standing outside of a door on my way out and ventured over that way in hopes that it was Mrs. Zeuch. And it was!! She was prepping for their concert and needed to meet in the auditorium with the students. So I was able to sit in the audience and observe the process in getting ready for the concert, the dress rehearsal in the eyes and perception of the teacher's standpoint.
It was very different having to think about where they would be sitting during the concert. The classroom management was interesting as well. She would talk while they were talking she would not waste her energy trying to talk over them while they were chattering, but it never seemed to get out of hand. This was the first time I got to see a method that allowed for students to talk. It seemed to work very well with the number of students that she had. The boys were trying to distract the girls of course. Who would be funniest was a very obvious competition. But in the end she would joke with them and would laugh when appropriate, but she knew when to reel them back in to get started in working.
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