STANDARD 3: Learning Environments
The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encouraging positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
The goal of every educator should be to create a supportive and positive environment for the students. According to the third InTASC, a student should encounter positive interaction with other students, be self-motivated, and participate in class. A student should be eager and want to be in class, not just because it is required of them. Educators are able to instill positive learning environments by bestowing positive feedback onto the students. Teachers can congratulate the students on a job well done. In addition to maintaining a positive environment, educators have to keep the students engaged in the lesson. Educators often utilize group activities that gets the students up and moving and more engage in their learning. A student is more likely to learn more from a class in a positive environment of participation, compared to a non-engaging class.
​As I begin my road to becoming a music educator, I am at the beginning of comprehending how to create a positive learning environment. Throughout my musical history, I have encountered various styles of creating a positive and engaging environment. In the past I was the flute section leader of my high school for two years. During my leadership I instilled a sense of family and community within the flute section. I made sure that everyone felt welcome in the section and maintained a positive environment. I often asked my fellow peers how they were doing and continued to make conversation with them. As a section leader, I had to make sure that all the rest of the flutes were comfortable with the music as well as comfortable with each other. One way I achieved this was by "fake it 'til you make it." Even if I was having a crappy day, I acted like it was the best day of the week. That level of energy trickled down into the rest of my section and often brought them to be more energized as well. The outcome of my leadership was a greater sense of friendship as well as increased sense of self-motivation. This safe style of creating a warm and welcoming environment has permeated into all aspects of my teaching. Whether it is for marching band, class, work, or professional development organizations, I always aspire to make it known to my students that I value their input. Music making is a collaborative venture. It takes both of us together to make music.
With this past experience in mind, I aim to continue this leadership ability into my teaching career as a music educator. Although I have a grasp on the right amount of energy in order to keep a class engaged, I could still use practice on maintaining that level of energy every time I teach. As I continue my education at Ball State University, I am able to compare the different styles and discover my own. I plan to continue in the MUSE class sequence where I will learn how to better facilitate a positive environment as well as become a successful music educator. Through my Music Education classes, as well as my leadership roles in and outside Ball State University, I am able to become more and more comfortable with teaching through the practice of teaching my fellow peers in class. By the end of collegiate career I am able to teach with a level of enthusiasm and energy that will keep my future students engaged.
MUSE 355: String Methods
AMany ensemble rehearsals turn into a very director orientated dictatorship. Why it is important to have the director to lead the ensemble, it does not always have to be a dictatorship. Instead, a director can facilitate the rehearsal and discussion and ask for student input on phrasing, balance, and other musical interpretative related questions when rehearsing a piece. This approach encourages the students to be engaged in the rehearsal aspect of the music learning process. It creates a safe and welcoming environment where they can collaborate with one another and together, director and students, they can all make music.
HAT Journal #17: Robinson,
From Competition to Collaboration
This type of approach to ensemble rehearsal was mentioned in an article I read for this class. This artifact is a HAT journal reflection with my notes about the article and this particular approach to rehearsing an orchestra.
MUSE 353: Secondary Methods
Adolescents are a very smart group of students that are experiencing how they think and learn. As a teacher, I can help shape this learning my creating an environment that is open, safe, and inviting for my students to learn. It is important to validate my students and show them that each of them are important and so are their ideas. This can start off very simply with calling on your students by name, getting to know them better, take their ideas and experiment with them. Teach your students that it is safe to participate and be engaged in the class through being engaging and accepting of their ideas. It is also important to create opportunities for the students to work together. This collaboration builds teamwork, allows them to learn from one another, and expand their social development.
Simple v. Compound Meter Lesson Plan
This lesson plan is a great example of building a safe and creative environment for the students in the class. The lesson plan opens with an interactive ice breaker where the students and instructors get to know one another. Through learning their names, grade, and favorite colors, the class can build report and learn a little more about each other. At the end of the lesson, the students are given a chance to collaborate with one another in groups by practicing the different meters. This group work and the ice breaker at the beginning of the class encourages students to work together in a collaborative learning environment.
MUSE 375: Band Methods
Many band rehearsals turn into a very director orientated dictatorship. While it is important to have the director to lead the ensemble, it does not always have to be a dictatorship. Instead, a director can facilitate the rehearsal and discussion and ask for student input on phrasing, balance, and other musical interpretative related questions when rehearsing a piece. This approach encourages the students to be engaged in the rehearsal aspect of the music learning process. It creates a safe and welcoming environment where they can collaborate with one another and together, director and students, they can all make music.
​
Part of this inviting environment is achieved by establishing rules and expectations. Having a clear set of rules and expectations can allow for a safer environment by helping to prevent some of the discipline issues that interrupt a rehearsal.
HAT Journal #7: Feldman and Contizus, Classroom Management
Details and suggestions for classroom management were discussed in an article I read for this class. This artifact is a HAT journal reflection with my notes about the article and this particular approach to establishing rules and expectations for your classroom.
Elementary Observation
MUSE 470: Student Teaching
Collaborative Lesson Plan
This lesson plan is a great example of building a safe and creative environment for the students in the class. The objective is to invite students to train their ears by listening to their peers, and evaluating them (as compared to the professional sounds we are aiming for). Throughout the lesson students are encouraged to add their input of what their peers are doing well, what needs improvement, and suggestions on how to improve. The entire lesson is set up to create a safe environment to encourage student participation.