Week of Reflection: 11/18

• Rate your overall experience of the week: 4
• Seven questions to end your week:

• • Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?
    We rocked it at All-County band! That was awesome, and we had our last football game on Friday, praise! I was also surprised on Friday when on of my students asked, "Mr. White, when are you leaving? I need to mental prepare myself." Wow, I was humbled. I said, "thank you," and explained when I was leaving, but how I will hopefully be around some next semester. I am 98% done with portfolio! All I have left is to wrap up the PD goals, and to submit a few forms.
  • Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?
    I learned that middle schoolers are eager to learn new instruments. We switched a few people this week, and almost every student expressed some sort of interest in another instrument. That was interesting, and I hope to encourage and help those who have switched this past week.
  • Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?
    Lomg-term goals: graduate and go to grad school. Short-term goals: finish up student teaching strong, and practice my tail off.
  • Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
    I could have spent more time practicing, and less time driving. I'm pretty much done though.
  • Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
    We started a piece in 9th grade, Christmas Time is Here from Charlie Brown. Anyway, there were so many things that went wrong when we sight read it that I was unsure where to start. We ended up working from the end, and getting some quality work done.
  • Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?

    Finish up any loose ends, and start my 3 observations.

    
    

Adapted from: Cernoff, M. (2013, August 7). 7 Questions to End Your Week With. . Retrieved July 21, 2014, from http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/08/08/7-questions-to-end-your-week-with/

• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?
  I analyzed new players on instruments this week. I heard each of them individually, and structured instruction to cater to their best growth in the full band classroom.
• What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?
• It's probably not the greatest idea to share your middle name with your students...

• Other:
• • What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
    I'm basically done. Finishing up the PD Goals form, and my three observations.
  • What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
    We are good.
  • What support do you need from your university supervisor?
  • when do we have seminar?

Week of Reflection: 11/11

• Rate your overall experience of the week: 3
• Seven questions to end your week:

• • Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week? I've been teaching a lot more than I expected I would at this point, mostly due to NCMEA. We are working on pieces for the Christmas concert, and I am conducting one piece with almost every group. This is a lot of work. It's almost as if now that my student teaching "requirements" are done, I can actually teach band. Not to be too sarcastic, I am grateful for the "red tape" that required me to think about nearly everything in my teaching. However, I am grateful to rehearse music now. We are teaching music, and musical concepts through the music. It's not as obvious now though. *Snarky Tangent Over*
  • Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?
    I learned that schedules can change radically from week to week. This is part of the challenges of teaching: rehearsal spaces are being used, the band needs to play for a parade, kids are absent for a field trip, etc... These schedule changes, "curveballs," require you to be flexible and change your plans on the spot. We had a variety of these challenges happen last week, and it was up to us to make the most of the time/space/students that we had at that time.
  • Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?
    I plan to be completely done with my portfolio before we leave for Thanksgiving. I'm actively approaching this goal by working on my portfolio about 1-2 hours a day. This seems to be a steady, and reasonable approach.
  • Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
    I could have spent a little bit more time on the portfolio, and a little bit more focused practice time. I could have spent less time driving last week.
  • Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
    I worked with 9th band a bit this past week, and there were several times where I had to make decisions without really know what the director had been doing or planning on this particular piece. I approached most of these with confidence while teaching. However, I did make a few phone calls between class to make sure I was doing the right thing at the right time.
  • Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?
    I need to work on the video aspect of my portfolio, starting tonight.

Adapted from: Cernoff, M. (2013, August 7). 7 Questions to End Your Week With. . Retrieved July 21, 2014, from http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/08/08/7-questions-to-end-your-week-with/

• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?
  I listened to a lot of individual students and small groups play their parts. This enabled me to fix things on the spot. I also recorded some of my teaching, and was able to discover a few things that I missed. These will be items to address the next time I am in front of these students.
• What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?
• Don't change in your car, you might lock your keys in your car.

• Other:
• • What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
    I completed the technology evidences and screencasts. I have also finished my philosophy, and am almost done with that video.
  • What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
    COTC, and any further instruction on the formal observation forms
  • What support do you need from your university supervisor?
  • Grace and Mercy on Task 3

Week of Reflection: 11/4

• Rate your overall experience of the week: 4
• Seven questions to end your week:

• • Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?
    Pleasant surprise: edTPA will be done on Monday! I was observed by Dr. Parker, and it went really well.
  • Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?
    I learned that middle school students will talk when given the opportunity, but high school students take more direction.
  • Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?
    Long-term Goal: improve percussion skills. Short-term goal: work with percussionist every week (6th-8th). I am doing this.
  • Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
    I could have spent less time leisurely reading, and more time sleeping, practicing, and doing work.
  • Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
    I'm starting a new piece with 8th grade band, and I have a condensed score. This is very frustrating at times because I am not sure who is playing which part. I have to ask students frequently what they have at a particular spot.
  • Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?
    Turn in edTPA, and start knocking out the last of the portfolio requirements. I'm going to revise my philosophy, and start working on my videos.

Adapted from: Cernoff, M. (2013, August 7). 7 Questions to End Your Week With. . Retrieved July 21, 2014, from http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/08/08/7-questions-to-end-your-week-with/

• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?
  I analyzed quickly this week while working with trombones. I heard every student play Au Claire de la Lune, and gave immediate feedback.
• What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?
• Listen to some Stravinsky, he's a genius

• NC Teacher Candidate Standards (be sure to reference activities from your lesson plans to solidify your answer)
• • Pick an element from standard one of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    1A- I used positive behavior management in 6th grade band. The percussionists were talking, and they kept talking after I told them to stop talking. I sent one student to sit down in the cafeteria so that he would no longer distract. I did not make a big deal of this, and moved on with class.
  • Pick an element from standard two of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    2D- We've had a lot of students in 6th grade come late to class or have to leave early for intervention and supplement. This can be very frustrating, but after talking to the specialists we are realizing that they don't have a choice. We are trying to establish mutual respect of instruction time.
  • Pick an element from standard three of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    3A- This week we sight read a new piece in 8th grade band. It is a medley of different holiday tunes. I introduced the piece by comparing it to a well-crafted essay. I asked them how they would introduce an essay that had three main topics, and then we played the piece. The students responded really well to this.
  • Pick an element from standard four of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    4B- I mentioned this briefly in standard 2, but many students are coming late to 6th grade band. Sometimes this is their homeroom teachers fault. After several days of a few students coming in consistently late, I decided to go and talk with the teachers. Similar to the specialist, they responded really well. They appreciated that I went directly to them, rather than passive aggressively going to administration. We are working collaboratively to maintain a supportive school environment.
  • Pick an element from standard five of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    5A- we are picking piece for the Christmas concert, and we are finding pieces that are developmentally appropriate and tailored to student/ensemble needs.
• Other:
• • What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
    I've started pretty much everything, but there are several assignments that need their final touch-up before I submit them.
  • What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
    When are you planing on sending the COTC, and how do we complete it?
  • What support do you need from your university supervisor?
  • Merely an information that I might not know regarding wrapping things up at the school on an official level.