1/29/20 – H block, US choir
Classroom Culture
(1) coaches and reinforces peer-to-peer dynamics that are appropriate and constructive
(2) communicates behavioral expectations that are appropriate to class activities
(3) develops a mutually respectful relationship with each student instilling, confidence that the teacher is invested in their success
(4) demonstrates cultural competence by promoting inclusivity
(5) designs and facilitates a classroom culture that promotes student preparedness, engagement, self-advocacy, perseverance, and collaboration
7:59 students are strolling in and taking their seat on the risers. They’ve placed their bags at the edge of class. Student greet our guest pianist, Andy, as he walks in with Ms. Ellingson. The students seemed expectant of the start of class.
Ginger introduces Andy to the class as some students haven’t worked with him before and gives background on his connection to our school and Ginger. Ginger reminds students that the concert is one month away and discusses the agenda for class.
Starts off with a group stretch. The students are following along with some side conversations. Ginger politely monitors distracting conversations and talks about enjoying seeing students rehearsing the play yesterday.
8:07 Ginger continues with vocal exercises and the students are fully engaged. This seems like a regular practice. They begin vocalizing a music scale and Ginger stops and starts adding small adjustments and tips to their efforts.
She checks in with one student who seems a bit sleepy and then continues intermittent instruction with the exercises. She then asks Ellie Sternitzky to lead a movement exercise, Ginger steps aside and joins in the movement. She concludes that with positive affirmation of their efforts with specific information.
Ginger leaves time for student to comment on their exercise before moving on to another activity to warm up. It’s funny and lightens the mood and then Ginger quickly moves them into another warm up.
8:15 Ginger projects a song, has the student sit, and then walks students through the structure, breaking it down into three notes. She then has students walk through the song exploring the rhythm. She is pointing at the projection, while students follow along. Next she layers in the piano, having the students sing along and she is pointing at each note. She pauses the exercise to correct the group on a particular note and then gets them started again. She praises the class when they complete the sight reading and then asks what they want to do next.
8:19 The students choose a round about gnomes.
8:20 Ginger hands out the music for a song and then waits a moment and begins speaking. The students are chatting, but quickly stop to hear Ginger.
8:24 as the students were practicing a song, Ginger stops and asks the students to reflect on what just happened. Together they identify the issue, wrong notes being sung. She then resets the group with the help of the piano. While the students are singing she is giving lots of visual cues pointing and gesturing. She is also snapping at key moments all to help the students be mindful of their performance.
Class begins with some brief announcements and stretching. Students are clearly comfortable with each other (they are chatting casually and seem happy to be in class, even at 8:00am).
Some breathing/warm up activities that the students had clearly done many times before as they knew exactly what to do.
Ginger noted that she’d lost her voice, and encouraged students to not let her own quietness to change their volume, etc.
Ginger asks one student to lead a warm up routine.
The beginning of class–stretching, warm-ups–were class traditions and clearly well-practiced and consistent. Then the class moved seamlessly into new content. The whole group felt quite united in their efforts to learn the new content together. Students were really working it out together and Ginger was gently correcting and demonstrating the correct notes, tempo, etc. Lots of encouragement.
After learning new content the group moved to a short song they knew and sang it once. Than Ginger quickly split the group into three groups and they sang in rounds.
Ginger’s music stand tipped and dumped all her music and computer in the class. This minor setback demonstrated nicely the class culture. The students showed concern and offered help, Ginger collected her music/computer and said something like “so sad” sarcastically, and moved on with the lesson. The message that wasn’t directly communicated, but that matched well the class culture, was that when you make mistakes or face setbacks move on, learn from it, and keep smiling.
As the group began work on the song Ginger did a good job of giving specific feedback to the full group, small groupings of students, and individual students.
A few thoughts/observations (from PH):
- The class environment felt playful
- There was a good mix of class tradition and new content
- There was comfort in trying and failing and there was comradery as the class worked together on new material