Portfolio

I have just completed my portfolio for the ARTS/APS. I hope that I have completed it correctly. There are some things that needed to be in there and if I had more time I would have placed them there according to the Matrix. This seems like the final step in our 9 month journey. What I would hope is that we in cohort 2 helped to create a design that will help the arts to become a more integral part of the education of the entire child in the Atlanta Public Schools and a model for the rest of the country.

I think we have only touched a small part of what needed to be learned in this course. Last Tuesday we had an awards program at Dunbar Elementary School. The chorus sang and the string orchestra played. The music was the highlight of the program. The principal in her excitement wanted to have monthly meetings with the music staff next year in an effort to build on the enthusiasm and discuss the influence the music program will have on the education of the entire school. I see some positive results coming next year.

Analysis of my Video

To begin with I would like to thank my fifth grade bass student for helping me video this lesson. He took me beyond my knowledge of just turning on the camera to editing and timing. It seemed all to simple for him. There are 5 different videos of the instruction. I wanted to show as many best practices with my class of beginners. Making a movie is not simple, especially when you are trying to present various aspects of the your teaching methods. I have my own style of teaching and I try to use all the best practices I can to teach my students. Sometimes they do not always present themselves. Time is always a problem in the school setting. I was not able to show everything that needed to be done. Also of the four schools, this was a true music class setting. If I had time I would have presented a different style with my more advanced students.
The video helped me to understand that I have to keep the students interested in the instruction and not just having a instrument in their hand. Movement around the class is important along with demonstration. The basic idea is to keep them interested and movtivated. I don't know if I gave a full minute to scanning the class but I think that you will be able to see the general setup. Technology is the wave of the future and I can see that the students in and not in the class were excited about seeing themselves perform through the eyes of others
After watching the video a few times, I could see that there were some things that I could have done better; moving around the class more and paying attention to all of the students. Some of them were having a problem with some simple instruction. I have a problem listening to my voice on the tape. I feel I need to work on articulation more. Basically I wanted to convey as much on the video in as little time that I was given. I feel the students were interested throughout the class. Some were getting a little bored with beginning exercise I started with. I see that the next time I will have to move along with the objective.
This was my first classroom video. It is not the same as a personal observation in that you know who is coming and you try to anticipate there reactions to what you are doing and the knowledge that the people who are observing you in general have no idea what you are doing. Next year I hope to use this video concept as a learning and recruitment tool to get students interested and also use it as a part of my regular portfolio.

Trip to D.C.

Today I returned from trip to Washington D.C. There were thirty of us and we road the train. It was as I expected from a train ride, long. Dr. Hopkins was wonderful throughout the trip. She kept us excited about what we about to do and wanted to enjoy and realize the history, beauty, and value of what we about to see.
There is so much to see on the Mall. We were asked to view at least two museums yesterday. I think we all saw four to five. It is not that there not much to see, but we wanted to see as many as we could in the time we had. It was lucky that we were able to be with art teacher/experts to explain and tell us what they know and like about the artists and their inspiration.
Dr. Hopkins gave us some schedules of what to expect from the National Black Arts Festival. She is a very knowledgeable and exciting person. In conclusion we had a good trip. It is the kind of trip that needs to taken in two days. Some of us were tired and sore from the long walks and standing. D.C. can be rough on the feet.

Arts Class May 8, 2010

Saturday was a busy day for me. I arrived late as did some others due to a fund raising run down Peachtree which diverted the traffic away from 10th Street. We are now in the final stages of the class and we have settled in on what needs to be accomplished for us to finish our class work. Mr Veon gave final instructions as what was needed to complete the course. After his presentation, the string orchestra teachers presented their class composition to the group. It was a unique composition that included sounds coordinated in stages and dynamics. I believe it made an impression on the group and we were very pleased with ourselves. Mrs Colbert gave a brief explanation of what to expect. The great thing about the performance was the score that Mrs. Butts created for us to go by. It was simply terrific.
After the break out session, we broke up into groups and talked about our action research and our videos to turn in. I myself would like to do more with my action research to see further results with the students, but I've learned that the action research itself is really ongoing. My topic of intonation can not end with the research because it will have to be address next year and throughout our musical existence.
At the end of the day we learned about our trip to Washington D.C. Despite the train ride I think it will be very interesting. I am already getting ready to leave. Ms Hopkins wasvery energeic and she even makes the train ride exciting. Hopefully it should be a wonderful trip.

I have had a interesting few days. We are wrapping up the school year with May days and awards day programs. I on the other hand am putting the hopefully final touches on my video and research project. The highlight for me is having my fifth grade bass student help me with my video. He has been helping me set up the camera and recording me and editing my tapes to some degree. He is a good bass student and a all around good student. He has had some family problems and I feel that I have helped in some way with his growth makinng this video. He was instrumental in uploading the video from my vhs camera to the television to the computer. It was a great help to me.

Gardner

The Five Minds For The Future chapter three was an interesting read. It was more complex than the Daniel Pink book. I found myself getting lost in all those intellectuals he used for his research. Basically he wanted to let persons like myself know how the mind works and the various ways we research and develop our profession. After reading the chapter I have a little more insight on how to research my project. In the chapter Gardner gave eight types of synthesis and four components. I hope to use what his ideas to develope my project and come up with some use ideas in my conclusion.

My research will be on intonation. I read Mrs. Butts blog and I see that she has chose that as her project. Mine project dealt with my elementary students. My approach was to use the listening to notes on the piano, vocal, memory, and rules to get them to understand the relationship between the piano, and the violin. I plan to use the four components help with my evaluation.

I had talked with one of my collegues yesterday who is in the class. We had come to the conclusion that although we are pressed for time in the class that on the whole it has been a very interesting class and that an extension to the class for another semester would give us a chance to develope more and better research and that we could very well come up with a lot more usefull ideas that would help us develope our students more.

Research and Video presentation

Well I have started my research and I hope to video tape my class instruction next week. I want to do all this early so that I can get some feedback on what I have done. I wanted the students to work on intonation. That is a big area I want to try and find ways to get students to listen more to themselves and others. It seems like a big order for me but I feel that by starting now they will be able to develope the skill throughout the middle school years.
I have been using singing techniques, listening, and piano to get them to sing and play in tune. The younger (2nd, and 3rd grade)students have not made the connection with the violin yet. the 4th and 5th are doing well. I just need them to understand that all this goes with creating the correct sound in the music they play. I will be asking for your suggestions to see if I am going in the direction.
As far as rest the of the schools are concerned, everyone is in a testing mode. It is hard to stay focused on the music in some of my schools because there is an urgency surrounding what has been written in the paper. Sunday's paper has another article on testing and what it means to the teachers in Atlanta. Some of my collegues have been teaching math and science instead of music in some schools, so they have had their classes cancelled for the test. In any case I plan to do what I have to, to do what I can for my students.

This week was rather productive. I went to see Mulan at the Alliance Theatre with the students from Humphries. I try to put in perspective the things I learned from the Daniel Pink book. The play held the kids attention. That was good considering that many were kindergarten and first grade students. The dialogue, music and script was not over their heads and it only lasted an hour. The scenery was very colorful. All in all the play met all the criteria set down in the book.
The play set the stage for my video and hopefully my research project. I want to do my video at Dunbar because of the new band room I am in. I chose intonation as my project. After some thought I have come up with some techniques to use to help me come up with a reasonable conclusion. I feel that dispite some setbacks in performances the students sound very well this year. Hopefully the project will help me in the coming year to get the students to listen more to themselves and the music. In any case I will calling on you all for advise and suggestions.

Yesterday I talked with a computer technician about a printer for my computer. The conversation led to music and the cutbacks that are taking place at the capitol and around the state school districts. He was telling me of the importance of music in the schools. He had played the violin when he was in elementary school. He began to relate the study of music to the computer field, and how complex and detailed the machine. He felt that musicians would make the best computer geeks and that muscians like Mozart would have revolutionize the industry.
As the conversation progressed he stated that he likes jazz and that he listens to WABE on the weekends to the late night jazz program. He did not like the direction music is going today with all the rap and hip hop music. We agreed that there is little creativity in the industry. He seemed very sincere in convictions and hopes that music remains in the schools and not be the first item for budget cuts.

January 6,2010

We have move into the newly renovated Dunbar Elementary. The desing of the building is very interesting. The classrooms are spacious with rather nice views of the city. There is an open indoor courtyard with a view of the prek and infant care area. The multi-purpose and gym is large and has some state of the art inovations. Of all the new buildings Ihave been a part of, this one is the most interesting and provacative.

The music and band rooms are not as spacious as others and rather bland in appearance, although the storage room in the band room in not only spacious but I can walk around in there and even have a small class in there. There are gray acoustic tiles around the walls. The music teacher and I were amazed at the sound throughout the room. The students are excited and eager to get started playing again. The layout of the building itself seems to get there attention. Next week I plan to tape a lesson in the band room and see how well they respond to a new situation.

I am beginning to see how design has an effect on learning and performance. Basically I am becoming increasingly aware of all the senses described in the book. Some of the are right on target and others are not. I look forward to going back tomorrow.