October 2017 – Page 6

Week 6 – Music and Dance 17/10/17

Let’s Get Creative – Week 3

MUSIC In this weeks music input we were looking at finger notes and the benefits of using these when first learning to read and play music. During the workshop we were divided off into small groups and given a glockenspiel with a couple of different music sheets featuring finger notes. Having not played an instrument … Continue reading “Let’s Get Creative – Week 3”

Making your body move.

“Dance – to move the feet and body rhythmically, esp in time to music” (Collins, 2017). The word ‘dance’ is enough to overwhelm by body with the feeling of embarrassment and fear so when I realised that our fist tutorial of the day was dance I immediately wanted to head for the exit. Being creative, […]

Integrated Arts Week 6

Integrated Arts Week 6 Dance This week, we experienced the first of the dance inputs in the module. We began with some fun, engaging activities that would be an ideal way to introduce the topic of dance in the classroom: an adaptation of Chinese whispers, using a sequence of dance moves which were passed along …

Continue reading “Integrated Arts Week 6”

Integrated Arts Week 6

Today’s lecture was called ‘Why Music Matters’. The lecture gave me insight into the variety of experiences music gives children, for example, in the classroom, in the school and in the wider community. Many children are already exposed to music and have a keen participation in music through learning to play an instrument or sing, … Continue reading Integrated Arts Week 6 →

Today’s lecture was called ‘Why Music Matters’.

The lecture gave me insight into the variety of experiences music gives children, for example, in the classroom, in the school and in the wider community. Many children are already exposed to music and have a keen participation in music through learning to play an instrument or sing, learning to compose a piece of music, use ICT to create music such as ‘Garage Band’, learn to perform in front of an audience and also learn to listen to the music to understand the key concepts within the music. Many people discover music through simply listen to music and attending concerts.

In today’s music workshop we were placed into groups and given a specific section an academic piece of writing called ‘The Power of Music’. From this we were to create mind maps to simplify what we took from the reading. The specific part on the reading given to my group was creativity. Within this section it discussed pupils who had engagement with music tend to achieve their full learning potential.

From doing this activity it was evident that those who engage in the music or making music will have great impact their intellectual development throughout life. This workshop as well as the dance workshop was how the use of rhythm is needed in both music and dance.

Today was the first introduction into dance within integrated arts. Before we started the workshop we had a discussion as a class about how we felt teaching the arts a lot of us tended to have the same response as ‘unsure’, ‘scared’ and ‘apprehensive’.

We started the lesson by playing games such as tig, number game to make a object/ shape related to the certain number. We were then introduced to the ten step dance sequence, which is jump, hop, turn, slide, gesture, reach, balance, twist, kick and roll.

We then went into groups and worked to create a dance using the ten steps sequence introduced to us in our workshop. From this we then continued on to discuss the body parts used when dancing.

A music lesson which could be done in the classroom is could be listening to a piece of music reflecting on how the music made you feel. Then create a storyboard on what you think is happening throughout the music to then write a story about what is happening linking it to literacy, creating a dance about what you interpret the music is trying to say or creating a play to preform in font of peers.

Reference:

Hallam, S (nd) The Power of Music: It’s Impacts on the intellectual, social and personal development of children and young people. Institute of Education: University of London.

Cone (2009) Following Their Lead: Supporting Children’s Ideas for Creating Dances

Evaluation task feedback

I paired up with Stephanie for this task. Our notes from the videos were simliar but there were a few differences. From the first video one thing we both agreed on was that the teacher’s body language was not always positive e.g. arms crossed, closed body language. One difference that we had was that I thought the teacher used vaired pitch and tone in his voice all the time, but Stephanie pointed out that at one point when giving a child a warning he didn’t change his tone of voice, so the warning didn’t sound like the teacher meant what he was saying.

I didn’t find these tasks hard but I think that I will find it harder evaluating when out on placement. I am glad that I got to use the peer observation checklist for one of the tasks so know I know roughly what to look for when I am evaluating someone when on placement.

One idea from the videos that I will use on placement would be to be aware of my non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is just as strong as verbal and it influences how the children see you and will act towards you. I will try to keep positive, open body language so the children find me approachable and are happy and comfortable to work with me.

I am really looking forward to placement and getting more experience in the classroom environment. I think it will be very interesting observing lessons and seeing different ways of teaching and I am sure I will learn alot from this experience. I am exicted about working with the children and learning more about working in a Primary School.

Feedback (SitCom 16/10/17)

Feedback for an individual is important as it helps a teacher move forward and improve. It also allows an individual to reflect on what went well and why. However, feedback in the form of recording your lesson and watching it back would put pressure on teachers and they may not be themselves. Our note on […]

Our note on strengths and improvements were similar yet varied. I suggested that a strength was that the teacher spoke with a good volume and with confidence. Megan suggested that the teacher spoke enthusiastically to the class.

An area for improvement that I suggested was that the teacher could increase eye contact, especially with pupils with challenging behaviour. This would show the pupils that the teacher is watching even though they are not being addressed directly. Megan agreed with this. I also suggested that the teacher could ask individuals questions rather than just talking to the class in general. This would help keep pupils interested and actively listening. Megan suggested that the attention of all pupils should have been grasped at the start of the lesson so that they all knew that the lesson had begun.

In the video, its surprised me that the teacher didn’t ask any questions, however this may be due to only seeing a small section of the day. One thing that surprised me about Megan’s notes was that she said the teacher responded to and interacted with the pupils all of the time whereas I only thought this was done most of the time.

The given tasks were not too easy or challenging. It was interesting which kept us motivated to complete the task.

The one idea I would like to hang on to from these tasks and take with me to my forthcoming placement is that sometimes non-verbal communication is more effective than verbal communication.

I am looking forward to observing different teaching styles during the two-week placement. I am excited to get to know the pupils and gain more classroom experience.

Feedback evaluation task

Rachel’s notes were very similar to mine as we both thought the teacher in the video was confident which meant the pupils in his class listened to what he was saying. We also thought that the teacher was enthusiastic about his lessons which allowed the pupils to feel the same. However the teacher did not … Continue reading Feedback evaluation task →

Nothing surprised me about these videos. However I did like the idea of videoing lessons to watch back as this would give teachers the opportunity to examine any positives and negatives about their lessons and work on how to improve them for next time.

If I could take one thing from the video to use when I’m on placement it would be to make eye contact with pupils as much as possible and crouching down to their eye level. This is a good way of getting pupils to focus on tasks.

As I could watch the video in my own time and at my own pace I found it easy to find points of evaluation. However, this may be something I struggle with when I am on my placement.

I am very much looking forward to placement, however there are aspects of it that I’m feeling slightly anxious about, but I’m looking forward to getting started and meeting the class and teacher I will be working with.

Feedback Evaluation Task

Ciaran and I generated mostly the same answers. We both thought that the teacher in the first video had the tendency to ramble which could result in unfocused children. However, we agreed that all members of the classroom could see and hear him. We both agreed that sometimes his body language was closed off by … Continue reading Feedback Evaluation Task →

I was not majorly surprised by the videos. However, I found it interesting that the teacher in the last video recorded her lessons. From my point of view, this is a very useful technique – you would be able to take note of certain areas for improvement and identify strengths within yourself.

I did not find the evaluating tasks too hard. This is because I could pause the videos and have time to prepare answers to evaluation points. I will probably find it more difficult to undertake this task on placement as it will be difficult to be observing all that is going on. Also, I would not want to offend the person I’m working with.

If I could take one thing from the videos and use it in my placement, it would be the way the Year 3 teacher demonstrated his engagement with pupils by crouching down to their eyelevel. This demonstrates positive communication and is an effective way of getting a student to focus.

I am looking forward to going out on placement and gaining more experience as a student teacher. I’m excited to test the waters and observe real classroom scenarios. It all does seem a bit daunting at the moment, but I’m sure I’ll settle in nicely after a couple of nerve-racking days. I’m looking forward to viewing different teaching techniques and getting to know the pupils in the classroom.

Feedback-Independent Study

Megan and I watched the videos together and created mostly the same notes. I personally feel that recording my teaching would be a lot of extra pressure preventing me from being my usual self and perhaps making me panic meaning it would not be very accurate. However, Megan felt is this method was carried out regularly it would become normal and no longer be an issue. The tasks were not difficult as its much easier to give peer feedback than self-evaluation. I am more excited than nervous for placement as I know its only observation whereas if I was teaching the class I would be more anxious.