MEMT 500 Seminar: Student Teaching Home


Post your Week Thirteen Journal:

(1) What I learned this past week, listed in enumerated key words or phrases;
(2) My concerns this past week, listed in enumerated key words or phrases; and
(3) Further thoughts about my student teaching this past week (prose).

You may want to write and save your journal entry first in your word processing program and then paste into the box below.


"Learned:
- I have learned that I really enjoy feedback and response from the choir
in terms of ideas and problems about a piece; however, I also learned from
observation that it can sometimes be too much and overwhelming. If you
are always calling on students with raised hands, you never get the
teaching done that you want to do. I think that I will try to find a
happy place in the middle.
- When you require and expect class, respect and manners in all areas of
your performance, classroom and concerts, the students, parents and other
teachers do the same. Students really appreciate the other skills that
they are taught in music.

Concerns:
- Getting a job
- Remebering the things that I learned and observed that have nothing to
do with the music and standing up in front of the students. The extra
things that make it special.

Other:
I have really enjoyed my experience at LFSHS and am really going to miss
the great sound! It is a quality that you do not find a lot of places,
and my ear has gotten more sensative as the semester has progressed."


Erin Stewart,
estewart@sunflower.com
May 6 2002, Monday 6:02 CST



"Learned:
- This week was the first full week I was with the 1st and second graders,
before I co-taught with my coop teacher for the program. The kids went a
bit crazy and treated me like a sub. I never thought that the weather had
any effect on the kids, but it does. I thought it was me that day, but the
weather played a role for sure!
- I've been observing some classroom teachers. It is very helpful. Not
only do I get to see another teaching style, but I also see the student in
another setting.
- The older kids are becoming more comfortable and the behavior is
improving greatly. It is nice to see a change. I have made a special
effort to talk to the kids outside of class, I believe it has helped.

Concerns:
- I'm not gonna see the last few weeks of school. It is a bummer that we
have not seen the beginng of the year and the end, well not enough of it.
I'm gonna miss these kids!"


Shannon L. Williams,
nonnahs@ku.edu
May 5 2002, Sunday 8:07 CST



"Learned:
- This week was the first full week I was with the 1st and second graders,
before I co-taught with my coop teacher for the program. The kids went a
bit crazy and treated me like a sub. I never thought that the weather had
any effect on the kids, but it does. I thought it was me that day, but
thde weather played a role for sure!
- I've been observing some classroom teachers. It is very helpful. Not
only do I get to see another teaching style, but I also see the student in
another setting.
- The older kids are becoming more comfortable and the behavior is
improving greatly. It is nice to see a change. I have made a special
effort to talk to the kids outside of class, I believe it has helped.

Concerns:
- I'm not gonna see the last few weeks of school. It is a bummer that we
have not seen the beginng of the year and the end, well not enough of it.
I'm gonna miss these kids!"


Shannon L. Williams,
nonnahs@ku.edu
May 5 2002, Sunday 8:07 CST



"What I learned this week:
1. Putting on even just one program is so much work and planning ahead.
2. Behavior management is so much easier when you know the kids' names.
3. Always have a backup plan on days you plan to show videos just in case
your VCR doesn't work.

My concerns:
1. Will I remember everything important to teach to my kids next year?
2. How do people do programs without any help (for example, from a student
teacher)?
3. It's almost the end of the year and I still haven't taught recorders.

It sure is a busy time of year. There are numerous field trips going on,
and lots of programs to do. Being at two schools really poses a problem
for me when it comes to programs. I can't beleive how much work it takes
to do rehearsals and everything. It is really a good idea to be on the
good side of the school custodian! I'm really excited about getting into
my new classroom to see all the stuff I have and all the stuff I need to
get. "


Rachel Chronister,
rmchron@aol.com
Apr 29 2002, Monday 8:17 CST



"I would like to address some concerns I have about contest this week.
This situation deals with the a director's relationship with a judge and
how it effects a student's rating.

I was able to listen to some of the band kids prepare for State Solo
festival (since our accompanist was playing for them). Clearly one female
flute player practiced her tail off and the other player (the cream of the
crop trumpet player) slacked off until Friday arrived.

I supported the students from the band by attending their performances at
the festival. In my opinion, the flute player presented a solid
perfomance, but still received a "II." No big deal, that is the way
contest works.

Then I atttend the trumpet players performance. Before the performance,
it is painfully obvious that the band director and judge are good
acquaintances, and before he plays his solo the judge says the students
name and asks, "where have I heard your name?" My cooperating teacher
then whispers to me the fact that the band teacher brags about this
trumpet player to everybody he knows. He performs the trumpet solo
adequately, but it is apparent that he lacked some preparation.

The judge then stands up and asks the student, "So, how do you think you
did?" Of course, the trumpet player knows his performance was below his
normal ability and just shrugs his shoulders. The judge then pretty much
tells him he got a "I" and sends us on our way.

I realize that the "who you know" syndrome is just a part of life, but
this situation makes me furious. So, I teach my kids that you can dismiss
work ethics as long as you know somebody. Rubish! I even know the
reverse is true with the adjudicator being an acquaintance or even mentor.
I have already heard horror stories from friends in the field saying a
former teacher judged his/her ensemble tougher than other groups.

Well there is nothing I can do about the injustices of contest, we are all
human after all! As Dr. Johnson would say, "Tough! Deal with it.""


Dan Brinkley,
danbrinkley@earthlink.net
Apr 28 2002, Sunday 10:42 CST



"Thoughts on this past week:
-Glad I was finally observed. I thought I did very well, and a
potential observation of me with my jazz class would be great. It's quite
different than the concert band setting (obviously).
-Lots of concerts in the next 2 weeks! 2 Elementary concerts, an 8th
grade jazz concert, an all jazz high school gig, 2 concert band gigs. Wow!
-State was this past weekend. We had lots of participants, and lots of
1s. My brass choir got a 1, and I am very happy about that, especially for
the kids.

Ben"


Ben Tatar,
bctatar@yahoo.com
Apr 28 2002, Sunday 9:59 CST



"1. -it is hard for kids to focus at the end of the year as well as the
teacher
-you have to evaluate what little bit more you want the kids to learn
before the end of the year or if you just want to reinforce where you are
so that their retention might be greater at the beginning of next year
-Talent Shows are a pain in the rumpus when you care about how well you
want the show to be

2. -are Talent Shows really worth all of the trouble the music teacher
puts into it?
-why do parents think that all kids should be in the Talent Show even if
it means great embarrassment to their kid, which is why we did not pick
them after tryouts?

3. -One of my kids asked me if I like the weekends on Friday. I told her
yes and she said she did because she didn't have school and I must too
because then I don't have to teach. The conversation then went on to the
fact that I don't get paid to student teach and another kid figured out
that my teacher still gets paid even though she doesn't teach anymore.
When he said it though, he said, "You mean Mrs. McPherson gets paid to sit
at the computer typing all day long?" I thought that it was a very funny
story to share!!!!"


Andrea Herrman,
anniehermie@yahoo.com
Apr 28 2002, Sunday 9:12 CST



"In-service days rock!! It's nice to have a couple days without students
to catch up on some things. Not too many concerns right now. We have a
concert coming up for band and not very many rehearsals left. We just
started a piece, but I think we will be okay for the concert only five
rehearsals 'til go time. The job hunt continues to be a little
stressful. I would like to know where I'll be next year. "


Aaron Hall,
aaronh@ku.edu
Apr 28 2002, Sunday 3:45 CST



"It is amazing how a group of 190 elementary students can focus. It is
also amazing how one bad apple can do so very much harm.

Many little concerns can really add up. It is tough to find a starting
point.

It is better that students (especially high school students) not even know
your first name. "


joseph klassen,
jfk53@ku.edu
Apr 27 2002, Saturday 6:48 CST



"What I learned: This has been a tough week, we had two programs, our
choir program and our fourth grade program. They both went really well,
we got a lot of compliments from parents which was nice. Our school also
went through QPA accreditation today and that was very interesting. I'm
starting to get a lot better grasp of what it involves. The electricity
went off yesterday during the middle of one of my first grade classes and
it was pitch black in the classroom. I learned a lot about getting the
class under control again and easing their worries.

My Concerns: Not too many concerns right now, I'm anxious to interview
more for a job and just to have that concern out of the way. Tina, my
teacher and I are getting along better and better. I am going to miss
her, she is spectacular"


Jenny Elliott,
sunset@ukans.edu
Apr 26 2002, Friday 7:10 CST



"What I learned this week:
-It has been a lot of work planning an overnight trip for a large group.
-It is amazing how much weather can affect the kids!!
-I am excited about being a teacher!!

Concerns:
-Once again I don't have too many concerns. I am a little concerned
about all of the things that need to get done in a school year. There
are so many forms to fill out, places to be, appointments to make.
Will I remember them all??

Overall, it has been great so far. I am really excited about having my
own classes. I think it will be a lot of work, but also very rewarding! "


Tori Koehn,
torif@ku.edu
Apr 26 2002, Friday 7:18 CST



"What I learned this week:
-It has been a lot of work planning an overnight trip for a large group.
-It is amazing how much weather can affect the kids!!
-I am excited about being a teacher!!

Concerns:
-Once again I don't have too many concerns. I am a little concerned
about all of the things that need to get done in a school year. There
are so many forms to fill out, places to be, appointments to make.
Will I remember them all??

Overall, it has been great so far. I am really excited about having my
own classes. I think it will be a lot of work, but also very rewarding! "


Tori Koehn,
torif@ku.edu
Apr 26 2002, Friday 7:18 CST



"What I learned this week:
-It has been a lot of work planning an overnight trip for a large group.
-It is amazing how much weather can affect the kids!!
-I am excited about being a teacher!!

Concerns:
-Once again I don't have too many concerns. I am a little concerned
about all of the things that need to get done in a school year. There
are so many forms to fill out, places to be, appointments to make.
Will I remember them all??

Overall, it has been great so far. I am really excited about having my
own classes. I think it will be a lot of work, but also very rewarding! "


Tori Koehn,
torif@ku.edu
Apr 26 2002, Friday 7:17 CST




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