Final Presentation Video:

Here is the link to my video:

http://youtu.be/d2Pqthb05R4

Final Presentation Topic:

I will incorporate music into a math lesson relating to the notes on a music staff and the value of how much each note is worth, or how many beats it is. I could also teach simple addition with ex: 2 claps=half note, etc.

Should Teachers Be Paid Based On Student Performance? What makes an effective teacher?

   I personally feel that teachers should not be paid based on student performance. This being said because of the fact that if teachers have students who are considered special ed, each one of those students are going to have different ability levels and knowing that teachers would probably make less money if their students aren't getting good grades in school. But if your students are getting perfect grades in school those teachers would probably get paid more. I feel that this is not right for teachers to get paid based on their student performance because teachers cannot choose who their students are going to be and they can't help it if their students aren't as successful as others. This also meaning that even those students can't help having a learning disability, or whatever it happens to be that could be getting in the way of their performance. I feel that what would make an effective teacher is if you are being an assistance to your students when they need it and can give them the time that they need to be successful and to help them achieve their goals. Our role as teachers is to make a difference in each and every one of our students.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

-Mahatma Gandhi

Teachers Unions and Tenure:

     I believe that tenure and teachers unions are both important, but I know that with the fact that tenure plays a role on many teachers throughout their careers that they all must be knowledgable at their job and know what it is that is changing in the world at the time and how students are able to learn. Such as technology constantly changing, I feel that if a teacher is tenured, they should have to take a training on what will help them to teach in the classroom with the changing factors in how materials can be presented to their students in the classroom. As teachers, I feel that we definitely do not want to "compete" with our students on technology, but we want to be with them at the same step/level that they are then each one of our students will be impressed with us as teachers and what we know. I feel that yes, there needs to be reforms for improvement to happen. 

Extra-Curricular Activities with expectations in a Sports-Driven Society:

   Based on having a sports-driven society may make things difficult in your elementary classroom when students are focused on extra-curricular activities. The biggest importance in this is yes, let your students be aware that school work comes first. Importantly, though at this young of an age in your classroom you must make what each student is learning FUN. That is the bottom line of all of it, otherwise they will not be paying attention to what is brought to their attention and being spoken of. 

Instruments; When it is developmentally appropriate

     Based on introducing instruments to students depends upon how much they are developmentally ready. Recorders should be introduced when students are able/capable of placing their fingers in the correct spots to cover the holes and have enough capacity to blow into the recorder. You might introduce the recorder to a group of students as old as fourth grade, sometimes third grade might work, but other times that might be too early. The xylophone could be introduced as early as a toddler because they have toy xylophones and i know that my second cousin bangs on it. But to fully introduce it for them to learn more about it could be in Kindergarten as the earliest or first grade this could help with a beat or even learning patterns/repetition in music. The more students move on in grades is when it may make it easier for them with the xylophone because they are able to coordinate well with their hand/wrists and be able to see what they are doing. Rhythm sticks could be introduced earlier on maybe pre-school, or kindergarten. This also helps with patterns the same as xylophones can the reason behind these being used for the younger grades is because of the motor skills they have/don't have. The finger cymbals can also be brought into kindergarten because they are small enough for the students to hold onto. Kazoos could be brought into teaching with music at any age you would like. Once students begin to get into the higher grades they will be able to do more with them too. Based on all of these instruments it's important to know the age of your students and if they will successfully be able to use them. 

Carl Orff

His philosophy teaches children about music relating to their mind and body. He makes connections through speech, music, and movement. The philosophy is designed to help students to comprehend what is being taught. Students are able to demonstrate by doing activities. As for the 21st century, this gives each and every student the chance to show what they know and to demonstrate. 

Sequence Learning/Rote Learning

Steps of a Lesson Plan:

1.       Anticipatory Set:  Gets the student aware, and anticipating what the lesson will be 
2.       State the Objectives:  Stating what student will be learning
3.       Teacher Input: Describes the content
4.     Modeling: An example is presented 
5.    Check for Understanding: Checking to make sure students are understanding what is being taught. 
6.     Guided Practice: Teacher helps students if they need it when they are learning the lesson
7.    Review/Closure: Brief summary of what the lesson was 
8.     Independent Performance:  Independently, student will perform tasks given on their own over the lesson

     Rote Learning: 

         Rote is a strategy that is used for repeating something by repetition. A teacher may use a song, or music activity and break it into sections using the beginning first. The teacher sings, or performs  one line at a time for the students to repeat after him/her. After each one of them, then the teacher adds another. Eventually the whole song will be sung, or performed with whatever the activity may be. The teacher will probably do the activity as a whole for the students as a demonstration and the students will do it as well just as the teacher did. The teacher may need to make changes, or help students if portions were forgotten. 

Importance of Sequential Learning:

        This form of learning is very important for students. What happens with this form of learning is something will be at the beginning and multiple things will be added on. Then students are abel to learn things easier when there is a set order. Students are able to use this form of learning with many different things in school that will help them further down the road. This may make things easier for them if each portion is in a specific order/sequence. 

Educational Philosophy/National & State Expectations:

      With my educational philosophy that I have come up with I know that it will not be the same when I become an actual teacher things will change but I know that some of the things I have mentioned in my personal philosophy will stay the same. I believe that every student deserves a great education I know that everyone can succeed in many ways with having an education. As I mentioned in my philosophy, teachers should believe that all students will be successful in their classroom and any others. It is important to know your students well so you can directly relate to their learning style and any accommodations that might be needed for them. In relation to all if this when you present music in your classroom in any form whether it's an actual music lesson, or playing music while your students are working this is expanding their horizon out as students for other ideas in life where this could also calm a student down or even put a smile on their face. Music is a way that can express how any of your students feel at the time if they don't want to talk about it maybe there is a specific song that talks about how they might feel. Most importantly, each and every student is unique in their own special way! 

       

Music Therapy:

         I believe that music therapy is one of the best things that we have available to anyone. I know this is something that can help anyone to draw them to music when something is going wrong and they just need to get their mind off of things. Music therapy helps with reading/literacy because this shows them how to read the music but could also help with basic reading lessons for the future.  Relating to social skills, music therapy can help them be calm in situations and to approach people appropriately. Music therapy is one of the best things out there for many sometimes if I just listen to music it definitely calms me down. 

Special Education/Differentiated Learners:

                I know that with Special Education a lot takes place with each and every student that is considered Special Education. There are a lot of things that have to be done such as paperwork and meetings. I personally had an IEP in high school in which I did not get tested for until my junior year. I was able to have special accommodations for things in all classes. With knowing that and myself personally being a special education student, I know that they deserve what they need and that it is important to give them assistance when needed. Special Education students may not or may have other disabilities, but they are no different than anyone else and will probably always put a smile on my face. 

               

               Relating to differentiated learners, basically means that we all learn differently. We may not all learn the same thing at the same time where it could take a longer period of time or even shorter period of time. I believe that it is important for us to meet the needs of these learners that we are aware of how they do learn and help them but to also incorporate different things into lessons that could help those students out better. As an example being maybe the student learns best with thing shown to them visually, so you could incorporate visual effects into the lesson. 

Bloom's Taxonomy

First off, Bloom's taxonomy and the national music standards both have things in common with one another but things that are also different. Bloom’s  mainly consists of remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. You must start at the lowest level first on the two of them to get to the highest level.   I know that with myself being involved in music and playing an instrument, I always had to start at the beginning otherwise I would not be able to get to the largest/highest portions.  The thing that is the biggest difference in looking at both of these is the national music standards must be used for music, but Bloom's taxonomy is a wide range and could cover a more broad spectrum. 

Assertion:

Teacher preparation institutions cannot do the whole job alone. Their work influences and is influenced by the policies, priorities, practices, and traditions of school systems, education agencies, and teacher organizations.

This is the assertion I have decided to respond to. I feel that this is very true in many ways. An institution for teacher preparation can't always do a whole job on its own. This is because of the reasons as stated above in the assertion. There are always set guidelines you have to follow, you can't always do what you would like it is not by choice but it is by what is going to be most beneficial. 

9 National Standards for Music Education

Music Education National Standards:

1) Singing, alone and with others, varied repertoire of music

2) Performing on instruments, alone and with others, varied repertoire of music

3) Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments 

4) Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines

5) Reading and notating music

6) Listening to, analyzing, and describing music

7) Evaluating music and music performances 

8) Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts

9) Understanding music in relation to history and culture

Terms&Definitions:

Cognitive Learning-
Demonstrated by knowledge, recall and intellectual skills. Comprehend information, organize idea, analyze, and synthesize.

Cooperative Learning-
Organizing a classroom activity into academic and social learning experiences. 

Eurhythmics-
Interpretation in harmony; body movements of the rhythm of musical composition; helps to teach musical understanding

Multiple Intelligence Theory-
Developed by Howard Gardner that humans have potential in a variety of areas and learn in different ways. 

Rote Learning-
Memorization by repetition; doing something many times will help you with memorization.

Think-Pair-Share-
Designed to provide students with "food for thought" on topics enabling them to formulate individual ideas and share these ideas with another student. 

Checking for Understanding-
Helps students with building knowledge and comprehension that they are understanding. 

Music, Culture, and Early Childhood Development: Why is this information relevant to the elementary classroom?
In this video I feel that the information that is relevant to the elementary classroom is because music can help children communicate. It is all about the lyrics and what the songs are saying. It can express how one might feel even. 

Questions #1-8 

Assignment #1

1. How do you use music in YOUR life?

There are many ways that I use music in my life. I use music to calm me down if I am stressed, or I may use music to just listen to and have fun with the different genres out there. 

2. What musical activities and interests did you have as a child?

At a young age, I wanted to be able to play an instrument of some kind. I always liked playing games where there was singing involved as well. 

3. Have you observed children at musical play?

No

4. Are there some musical skills you are able to teach to children more easily than others?

Some of the types of skills I have been able to teach to children is most likely rhythm, and repetition. When I am babysitting sometimes I will have the younger kids pat their legs with their hands and do different patterns. 

5. What do you think that all children should be able to do, musically, as a result of a MUSICAL education?

I feel that all children should be able to do repetition and rhythm, and be able to sing as well. I feel these are the main portions. 

6. Have you ever observed a teacher integrating music into the classroom? Cite examples. 

I have seen a little bit of teachers integrating music into the classrooms. One specific thing that I remember is when the students were learning math, there was a saying that would help them remember a certain formula and there was a song that went along with it. 

7. How do you think music can be integrated into the elementary classroom? 

I think music could be integrated into the elementary classroom in different ways. Just as I mentioned in question #6, If teachers can find a way that students could sing to help them remember something that they are learning this would be a great method of bringing music into the classroom. 

8. How do you think music can be used as an interdisciplinary tool in the elementary classroom?

This could be used in ways where a student is misbehaving, but they do well on something the next time, then you could reward them with music during an activity in the day.