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Elizabeth Reicher

EDCI 786 ZC Effective Teaching Methods


Compilation of Discussion Posts
04/01/16
Discussion 1
These articles gave me a lot to think about. As I reflected on my own practices versus those in
the articles, I began to question if what I was doing was best for my students. I consider this a
good thing. It is always important to reflect on ones practices and challenge yourself to find
strategies and resources that improve the learning environment in order to support students on
their educational journey.
Creating Student Groups
I have to admit, I usually group students in heterogeneous groups. I mainly use these groups in
centers and to facilitate peer tutoring. In one of the articles Ben Johnson stated, I was using
grouping mainly as a discipline management tool and that in actuality my attempt to increase
student engagement had completely backfired (Johnson, 2011). I have to admit I have fallen
into this trap in the past. In fact, for the past 2 weeks I have been heterogeneously grouping my
4th and 5th grade recorder students. While most of my higher learners are willing to peer tutor, I
now realize that this grouping may have stunted the growth of my higher achieving students. I
am going to regroup them based on their testing progress and use jobs within these groups to
encourage student accountability and to promote progress towards each students goal.
Environments of Cooperation
Lets face it, many of our students come to us with a lot of emotional baggage. Whether they
come from a supportive or non supportive environment. Students who have supportive
environments may feel that they have to be perfect in order to succeed and find it hard to cope
when they struggle. Students who do not have supportive environments often feel as if nothing
they do matters and therefore fall apart or withdrawal when they face challenges. There are

many other students who fall in between and sometimes fall through the cracks because they
do not stand out the way the other two groups do.
I am a music teacher in an urban school district. I see each class every three days. Many times
students bring the emotional stress from their regular classroom and continue to express it in
my classroom. When I see a student that is struggling I check in with them as soon as I can to
find out what is going on and remind them of the expectations of my classroom. I give them a
cooling down period. During that time they can go to a music center, read a book or magazine
or just sit in the back of the room and decompress as long as they are not disrupting instruction.
I remind them that when they are ready to participate, they can join the group quietly. If the
student is being disruptive, I send them to a buddy room with a think sheet to write about their
feelings and the resulting behavior. Although I want students to experience the magic of music, I
also want them to work on developing self control. I feel that these students are more willing to
participate in the lesson when they are given time to calm down and focus. It also saves them a
great deal of frustration.
I also give students who are struggling jobs so that they feel as if they have a role to fulfill in
class. These jobs include taking attendance and handing out equipment or materials. Many
times this keeps them busy as we transition and usually cuts down on behavior issues.
I think that the roles would be a wonderful thing to implement in a core classroom. Since the
students transition to me for such a short time, I would probably just use the same individuals
that the classroom teacher uses to avoid confusion, if the classroom teacher uses this
approach.
Over the summer I reflected on the past school year. I felt as a veteran teacher I still struggled
with classroom management. I am a very structured person and I tend to have a very structured
classroom. Because of this, I was fighting battles that I did not need to be fighting. Do not get

me wrong, structure is very important, but I felt my classroom was too structured. I was always
frustrated and so were my students.
A blog I was following recommended the book, Classroom Management for Art, Music and, PE
Teachers by Michael Linsin. I knew that the author understood the challenge of only seeing my
students every three days. This book confirmed most of the strategies that I was already using
in the classroom, but it also reminded me of classroom procedures that would help me remain
calm and enjoy my time with the students. I also realized that there were several strategies that
I needed a refresher on. This book helped me reflect on my current practice and gave me ideas
for better practices.
One of the areas I have struggled in is how my students entered the room. There is no time
allowed between my classes so as one class leaves, the other is ready to come in. The
classroom teacher would leave the class at my door and the students would just come in as
soon as the last class left. I would greet them as they came in the door of the classroom, but
many times they were very loud. I wasted a great deal of time getting them to calm down so I
could begin our lesson. It seemed I was always putting out fires during class as a result. After
reading the book I now meet my students out in the hall and ask them to line up with their voices
off and their hands to themselves. I then ask them to enter the room without running, sliding, or
falling in their places. We had to practice a lot at the beginning of the year, but it has made a
huge difference in how the students enter the room. It also gives me a chance to read the body
language of each student and identify the students who are not ready to learn. This is not rocket
science, I just had to make a few tweaks and they really paid off.
I believe that both of these articles had excellent strategies to offer. Actually this afternoon I plan
to change my recorder groups and group them in homogenous groups. I will try this as we begin
centers and see how it goes. Even though I understood the basic information of the articles, it
was good to read them and compare them to my current practices.

Resources
Desautels, L., Dr. (2014, December 18). New Class Roles: Building Environments of
Cooperation. Retrieved January 25, 2016, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/new-roles-buildingenvironments-cooperation-lori-desautels
Johnson, B. (2011, August 02). Student Learning Groups: Homogeneous or Heterogeneous?
Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http: //www.edutopia.org/blog/student-groupinghomogeneous-heterogeneous-ben-johnson
Linsin, M. (2014). Classroom management for art, music, and PE teachers. San Diego, CA:
JME Publishing.
Discussion 2
Once again, this article caused me to reflect on my practice and the way my students work
cooperatively. Really the content of this article is common sense to those with a cooperative
learning background, but a good reminder of the components that make cooperative learning
work is always valuable.
About 5 years ago I attended a week long Kagan cooperative learning conference. I was
amazed by the whole process and enjoyed participating in activities, but it was overwhelming
and by Wednesday I was exhausted and ready to go home. There were too many structures! It
was hard to choose which ones to use. I decided to try a few and see how they impacted the
learning in my classroom. I found that both the students and I enjoyed learning cooperatively, so
I search for more structures for different types of activities. Many of these structures worked, but
some just did not fit my needs.
The next year Kagan published a set of structures which had been adapted to the music
classroom. Although I was already using Kagan structures in my classroom, these were geared
specifically to my content area. This gave me tried and true structures to incorporate in my
lessons. The book was just what I was looking for. Although I used structures which were not
included in the book, the book provided a foundation on which to build.
Since my classes only meet every three days, my groups do not have time to bond. There are
so many things that go on between each class period. I came to the conclusion that I should
review the cooperative learning groups that the classroom teacher has already created as the

students have had experience working together and have already established a rapport. Why
reinvent the wheel?
In my classroom I talk about hogs and logs. We all know logs. They are the people that do
nothing but complain and let the other members of the group do the work. Hogs on the other
hand take the work off your hands and are often bossy. Teaching the social skills which are
necessary to work in teams is more important than the content. I do not feel that content can be
added until these skills and routines are established. I teach these procedures during the first
month of classes and provide a refresher after winter break. That does not mean that I do not
have to remind my students on a regular basis. Human nature often gets in the way.
People who can work in teams tend to be more successful in life. Everyone does not see a
problem in the same way. Some may not see the problem at all. In order to get to the root of the
problem, students need a toolbox of skills to aid their investigation and understanding in order to
present viable solutions.
Achieving group goals is difficult for my students. I like the idea of awarding group badges. I
mainly use cooperative learning groups with my 4th and 5th grade recorder students. We follow
a program called Recorder Karate in which they earn belts as they pass each playing test.
These belts are individual badges, but I am sure I could come up with group ones as well.
This is the second year of Recorder Karate for the 5th graders and their levels of proficiency are
at either end of the spectrum. Some of them only have a few belts even though they have been
playing for two years. A small group have passed all 9 belts from last year and are on their third
or fourth of the nine belts for this year. I find it difficult to group these learners because there is
such a gap in their abilities and I do not want to hold back the higher level students. I continue to
look for ways to bridge the gap and I welcome any suggestions.
I feel the accountability piece is in place as students are graded on their progress on playing
tests. I just need my struggling students to be supported through the use of strong cooperative
learning groups. When using these groups, I am able to circulate around the room to support

teams and struggling learners. In whole group instruction, I am not meeting the needs of all of
the students and this has resulted in students giving up or falling behind.
In the article there are good suggestions for improving the cooperative learning experience not
only for the teacher, but the students as well. The main point that I got out of this article is the
importance of teaching kids to work together to learn and benefit and support each other. All of
these components together enhance student learning which should lead to an improvement in
student achievement as well as strengthen the classroom and school culture. Students who feel
that they have a role to play in their learning try harder and progress in their learning. These
may be baby steps, but they are steps in the right direction
Instilling cooperative learning skills can not only impact learning in the educational setting, but
these same skills can be transferred and apply to situations outside of the educational setting.
Cooperation is to teach and learn, yet it is vital in a society where there are so many problems
to be solved.
Discussion 3
In my mind, language skills are the basis for all learning. Students who develop these skills are
more likely to be able to learn independently and transfer their knowledge to a variety of texts as
well as applying it to solve problems in both the educational setting and in their environment.
I love how much energy Jenna had as she worked with each group. She was enthusiastic which
led to student engagement. She used effective questioning practices in order to guide her
students to a deeper understanding of the text. She also required the students to provide
evidence from the text to support their answers. This is a vital skill for all learners. She kept her
instruction and learners focused on the concept at hand by facilitating group discussion and
assigning independent practice. This practice will assess each learner's grasp of the skill and
will give a clearer picture of who is ready to move on and which students need additional
instruction and practice. This will determine how she will group and regroup students.

The video brought the concepts in the article to life. Although it did not show the process that
Jenna went through to choose texts and group students, the process was inferred by how she
differentiated instruction based on the needs of each group. I also felt that Jenna provided
dynamic guidance which engaged her students in the conversation and participated by
modeling the each skill. Her enthusiasm is contagious.
The advantage of meeting in small groups is the ability to enable learners to practice skills the
readers are missing through a teacher guided mini lesson. This reminds me of a book club
where the readers discuss the book they have read. I think that the emerging readers would not
get any benefit from whole group instruction and that high achieving readers would not be
enriched by it either. Working with small groups allows the teacher to focus on the skills each
reader is struggling with and creates an environment of support for all of the readers.
In the comments I liked Marilyn Meyers suggestion to model the construction of a graphic
organizer and have the students create these graphic organizers as they read the text. Although
I can see where this might be overwhelming for this particular group of students. These students
may need limited number events in order to have a framework for practice.
As a music teacher I have no experience in putting this strategy into practice in the traditional
sense. I teach music literacy which is a language of its own. I love to support students in
improving their music skills through individual and group performance. I use small group
instruction to guide students through the practicing process and to help students who are
struggling in their progress to performance. Reading music is a process of decoding and
technique. Whether they are working on reading and performing with their voice or on an
instrument, they are learning the musical language to express themselves. My hope is that
students can transfer that learning to their acquisition of language skills in their classroom.
Discussion 4
The following is the list of motivational activities and strategies I compiled through my reading
1. Differentiating instruction.

Be aware that you'll have students of differing abilities in your classroom. Don't make the
mistake of crafting a single lesson for everybodywithout taking into consideration the different
ability levels. (Fredericks, 2005).
During my recorder classes, higher achieving students are able practice repertoire in groups,
while some students are allowed to work in centers to practice various music skills. One of the
centers is a center where I am stationed for a short tutorial with struggling learners of any level.
2. Setting students up for success.
At its simplest, motivation is comprised of three critical elements:
1. Expecting success, 2. Developing a community of learners, 3. Placing a value on learning.
(Motivating Your Students, n.d.).
I feel that my objective in teaching is to establish high expectations and instill a love for learning
in my students.
3. Autonomy
Providing students with freedom of choice is one strategy for promoting learner autonomy.
(Ferlazzo, 2015). Students are allowed to choose the best center for practicing the skills they
feel they are missing or struggling with. If they do not get their first choice during the first
transition, they sign up on the waiting list and go to that center during the next transition. While
they are waiting, they choose another center in which to participate until it is their turn.
4. Building relationship, especially with at risk learners
The 210 strategy is simple: spend 2 minutes per day for 10 days in a row talking with an atrisk student about anything she or he wants to talk about. (Watson, n.d.). I have a son who has
a mood disorder. He struggled all through elementary and intermediate school with not able to
trust adults and following adults directions. This year I have a kindergarten student who is a lot

like my son. Mental illness is a constant struggle for many of our learners. In using this strategy
for only 10 days, our classroom time together has greatly improved.
5. Video assessment and feedback
I set up the camera and let it record my classroom for a couple of hours. Then we review it
together and make observations. ( 9 Ways to Motivate Kids, n.d.).
Not only do I allow my students to video their recorder tests, but I also use the videos to provide
a visual as I provide feedback. They love to perform for the camera and they are able to see
what they need to improve.
6. Project based learning
Project-based learning is exciting for students. The first time I did PBL in my classroom,
students were voluntarily doing extra research and activities for their project at home. I am
constantly impressed by the level of interest students take in these projects. (Smith, 2015).

What learner would not be interested in contributing and applying their skills in solving a real
problem or creating a product that can be used? It is even more engaging to bring the project to
life by submitting it to an organization or business as a proposal for a new product or strategy to
solve a problem, or building something to benefit their school or community. There is a mission
at hand and something for everyone to do. This is also a great tool for peer mentoring as
students work as a team to complete their mission.

7. Gamifying the classroom.


Most games are fairly non-judgmental. You feel good when you progress, regardless of how old
you are or how long it took you. Imagine if education was the same, and a 9th grader who
struggles with fractions wasn't chastised for not understanding algebra. Instead of threatening to
fail him, suppose we made him feel proud to actually learn fractions. (Sinha, 2012).

A gamified classroom would be my dream classroom. I am a huge supporter of the blended


learning approach. Kids love games and the gaming industries have developed some excellent
strategies that can be transferred into the classroom to provide a framework of engagement.

8. Displaying Student Work


I'm not sure I'd believe it if I wasn't a high school teacher, but my high school Math students
love displaying their good work on our classroom bulletin board! (Strange, 2015).
Most of the work we do in the music classroom is displayed thru group and individual
performance. I have created a YouTube page to store videos and provide links so parent can
watch their childs or classroom performances. The students are even more motivated as we
prepare and perform at grade level performances. I find that each student has a job that they
would like to perform at these performances and they work hard in order to attain their desired
job.
References
9 Ways to Motivate Kids | Scholastic.com. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2016, from
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/9-ways-motivate-kids
Fredericks, A. D. (n.d.). Motivating Your Students. Retrieved February 16, 2016, from
https://www.teachervision.com/teaching-methods/new-teacher/48452.html
Ferlazzo, L. (2015, March 25). Strategies for Helping Students Motivate Themselves. Retrieved
February 16, 2016, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/strategies-helping-students-motivatethemselves-larry-ferlazzo
Sinha, S. (2012, April 15). Motivating Students and the Gamification of Learning. Retrieved
February 16, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shantanu-sinha/motivating-studentsand-t_b_1275441.html
Smith, A. (2015, March). Why Project-based Learning Should Rule Your School! Retrieved
February 16, 2016, from http://performingineducation.com/2015/03/why-project-based-learningshould-rule-your-school.html
Strange, A. (2015). Displaying Student Work on "The Fridge" Retrieved February 16, 2016, from
http://scaffoldedmath.blogspot.com/2015/06/displaying-student-work-on-fridge.html

Watson, A. (n.d.). The 210 strategy: A miraculous solution for behavior issues? Retrieved
February 16, 2016, from http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/2014/10/the-2x10-strategy-amiraculous-solution-for-behavior-issues.html
Discussion 5
In my opinion, the author explains inefficient strategies as strategies in which the student is
expected to teach themselves without supportive practice or modeling in the classroom. Some
of these strategies can be successful, but this success depends on the educational skills of the
learner. If a learner has high levels of reading and writing skills and an advanced vocabulary,
they might have the schema and motivation to decipher the text and commit the information to
memory more easily. However, struggling students will probably become frustrated and lose
motivation.
The author suggests four tried and true strategies which will improve the retention of information
overtime. First he discusses Elaborative Collaboration and Self-Explanation. This strategy
needs to be modeled and practiced within the classroom setting in order to draw the learners
attention to the meaning of text. As they tie one sentence to the next using their prior knowledge
as a basis for further study, they begin revealing a complete picture of the content. Connecting
parts of the text to others can back up their self explanation. This rigorous approach encourages
learners to think more deeply about what they are reading and use these connections to
improve their understanding of the material.
Distributed Practice is another strategy suggested by the author. Within this strategy, a learner
sets a schedule for practice based on the amount of content they need to cover and the amount
of time they want to retain the knowledge. I feel that Distributed Practice and Practice Testing
have a natural flow when combined. The teacher gives assessments and assignments along the
way which both the teacher and students can use to evaluate the level of mastery. This should
evaluation should pinpoint the skill the student has not mastered and refocus their practice to
that missing skill. The teacher should also evaluate the need to reteach the skill to struggling

learners and enrich students who have already attained the desired skill level. This practice
allows the learners to keep building on their understanding of the concept while being guided by
their mastery of the content. An example of this strategy is the scrimmage and benchmarking
process that we use in our district in which students practice to mastery and then move onto a
more graduated skill using the content they have already mastered. Within the process the
teacher is called on to provide authentic and specific feedback to make learners aware of their
missing or disconnected skills and provide additional strategies or interventions to mastery.
To me interleaving is much like using a Frayer Model with both vocabulary and content. I see it
as understanding a concept by looking at both examples and nonexamples to understand what
a concept truly means and what it does not mean. This strategy has an advantage as it can
open up new content to the learner as they are learning about the content that has been
assigned.
Sometimes colleagues think that I do not understand these strategies, as I am only the music
teacher. I am not your average music teacher. I am a teacher who teaches music. Sure, we
sing songs and play games, but my goal is to instill music literacy in my students. I want them to
be able to use the elements of music to read, create, and perform music not only in my
classroom, but beyond my classroom. This approach has been highly motivational as students
receive hands on instruction within a complex content area.
Every game we play, every song we sing is guided toward mastery of a musical skill or set of
skills. Along the way the students and I analyze and evaluate both the music and our
performance of the music. I then provide supportive feedback to individuals or ensembles to
improve their performance and guide them through practice in the classroom setting so they
know what to do when they practice at home.

This is where the love of music is developed as students are able to express themselves
through other composers music or their own. The strategies are the same, but the content is
different and in many ways more complex. Music is an exercise for the brain and can make a
huge impact on student knowledge and achievement.
As these strategies support one another they should be used in any type of instruction from
project based learning to blended learning and beyond. The key is to keep the learner in contact
with the content. In order to accomplish this, educators need to provide constant modeling,
group and individual practice, assessment, specific feedback and intervention to mastery. These
are not new strategies to the educational field. These are the strategies educators must use to
equip our learners with the tools to learn far beyond their time in our classrooms.
Discussion 6
Music is a complex subject, but when time is taken to break it down by each element of music, it
becomes easier to solve the musical puzzle.
4th Grade Recorder Student
Student: I hate music class.
Teacher: I am sorry to hear that. May I ask why?
Student: Playing the recorder is too hard.
Teacher: I can understand why you might feel that way.
Student: What?
Teacher: I have often felt that way as a learner.
Student: You?
Teacher: Yes.

Student: But why?


Teacher: Because I get frustrated too when I am struggling to do something. I have found that if
I break the task down, it is easier to put the pieces together in order to understand what I need
to do in order to become successful. I have also had a lot of great teachers along the way who
believed in me. Some of the best teachers I have ever had where students themselves. I have a
few questions for you. How many times have you practiced on your own at home?
Student: A little.
Teacher: Have you been using the four steps of practicing that I taught you?
Student: Well, no...
Teacher: Can you tell me what the four steps are?
Student: Um...no...
Teacher: Have you logged onto our Google Classroom to watch the tutorial videos.
Student: No...
Teacher: I know that you can be a great recorder player, but you need to take your recorder
home and practice for 10 minutes every night.
Student: I will never be as good as the other kids, I am too far behind.
Teacher: I know, but by using the 4 steps of practice you are breaking down the task in order to
build it from its easiest form. Would you like someone to practice with you in class so that you
know what to do when you practice on your own?
Student: I guess...
Teacher: Great, you can sit with Frank, he was struggling like you, but he was able to practice
with another student who modeled the four steps of practice and now he can model for you. I

will also give you of a copy of our Google Classroom login information so you can use the
tutorials at home.
Student: Why do I have to work with Frank?
Teacher: Well, I think it would be good for you to see another student who has overcome the
same problem you are facing now
Student: Okay...
Teacher: I know you can do this. Just break the music down into smaller tasks and add the next
task on as you get comfortable with the first and so on. It may take more practicing at home, but
practice is exactly what you need. I even have to practice when I play instruments. I cannot play
the recorder for you, but I will give you the support you need to become successful. Sit with
Frank for the next few classes, watch him, ask him questions, and then I will check back in with
you after class to see how it is going. Can you do this?
Student: Yes.
Teacher: Great, I think you will find it easier to understand if you have another student to watch.
I can wait to see what happens.
5th Grade Student
Student: Why do I have been in music class? It's not like I am ever going to need to use any of
this stuff.
Teacher: You may not, but there is a lot more to music than just reading to music. Do you like to
have music on when you clean your room?
Student: Yes.
Teacher: Why do you think that you do that?

Student: I don't know, I guess it makes it more fun.


Teacher: I know, because when you have music on the beat helps you get into a rhythm and get
the job done faster.
Did you know that music can make you smarter?
Student: What?
Teacher: Yes, scientists have found that playing a musical is one of the best ways you can
exercise your brain.
Student: How?
Teacher: When you read and play music, you are using many parts of your body and this gives
your brain a workout. It is like fireworks going off in your brain as you use its many parts to
accomplish a task.
Student: Really?
Teacher: Yes. I have a few videos that I could show you in order for you to understand it better.
At the end of class, you can get an iPad and scan the QR codes on the bulletin board in the
back of the classroom.
Teacher: Would you like to learn a language that you can use to communicate with people all
over the world.
Student: Like I could talk to people in China?
Teacher: Well, maybe not speak to them, but the musical language is the same almost
everywhere in the world. I've been meaning to show the class some of the Skype videos I have
made when my students were sharing their music with the students in Denmark. I will plan to

show that next time in class. Later in the year we will be writing our own music and sharing it
using Skype. Who do you think we should share with?
Student: Maybe we could share it with astronauts on the space station.
Teacher: We will see what we can figure out. You see, music can open up new worlds and
ideas. You can even use what you are learning in other subjects and use it in the music
classroom as well. I want to help you enjoy coming to class. Thank you for letting me know how
you feel, so I can show you why I love music so much.
Discussion 7
Attendance is a very important component of education. It is not only the basis for school
funding, but also important in the continuity of a learner's academic progress. There are many
reasons why students are absent. This article speaks of the need for learners to find relevance
and meaning in their educational activities in order to entice them back to the classroom and
keep them there.
The author proposes that many of these absent students do not attend classes because they do
not see the relevance of what is being taught in schools and how they will be of use in the
future. It is not just the absent students who feel this way. Students are constantly reporting that
they are bored in the classroom. They crave an interactive classroom that engages them in their
educational journey and impacts their future. What is the point of learning skills if they are not
going to be put into use in real world scenarios?
Our country has changed a great deal and the educational system needs to change as well. Our
students represent diverse cultures, and yet most of our educators are white, female, and native
English speakers. How can educators understand cultures that they have had little contact with?
The author discusses the need for instructional activities that aid educators in basing their
instruction on the needs of diverse learners. While educators do not have the time to focus on
each individuals story to tailor instruction to each students needs, they can incorporate

activities in which students can share their story and their vision of the future. Teachers can use
this powerful information as a springboard to developing instruction that incorporates these
needs.
The article also discusses the need for instruction that allows learners to use their skills and
talents along with their prior knowledge to create and problem solve. Incorporating their
personal schema into activities supports the learning of new information and the retention of that
information.
Learners need to see the meaning in their work and understand the purpose of the instruction. I
liked the idea of creating a product to present to an authentic audience. In this presentation
learners are able to build on their strengths through the process of collaboration and trial and
error. Most careers will require collaboration and the educational setting is an ideal setting to
practice the collaboration skills they will need in the future.
Writing a persuasive essay on the need for change is not as powerful as presenting their views
to an audience who possibly could affect change. Students need to join the local, national, and
global conversation. These learners need to find their voice and know how to express it in a
constructive manner. Incorporating basic skills into these activities enables learners to put these
skills into action.
In reflecting on my own classroom, I do not feel that I know my students as well as I should. I
tend to teach music in the traditional way. I do not feel that I have an understanding of how I can
incorporate the type of diversity that my students need in order to engage. It is kind of like how
some educators feel about technology. Feeling inept, they tend to shy away from incorporating
technology into the classroom.
I do not know my learners stories. This information could aid in the development of the
teacher/student relationship and add a new perspective to incorporate in instruction. I think that
by telling their stories and sharing their culture, it will deepen their connection with their heritage

and allow other students to experience the music of another culture and form a better
understanding of the society in which they live.
Making music together is project based learning. As an ensemble, students share in the musical
experience. While some students find it easy to play an instrument, others struggle. I am a
facilitator in my classroom. I encourage a great deal of peer tutoring and small group practice,
but I am always available to lend a hand when needed. It is often difficult for my students to
work together. If I knew where they were coming from I feel it would help me encourage the
development cooperative skills. Many of my students do not naturally have these skills. They
come from environments where they might have to fend for themselves and they might not be
able to accept help, even from a peer. Being able to work positively with others is a skill that
they will need in the future and I want to support these students in the acquisition of the
necessary skills. I understand this will not happen overnight, but through modeling and practice,
I hope to provide a safe environment in which students can make mistakes in order to learn
from them and use them consequences of their actions are greater.
The main point that I have taken away from this article is that educators need to meet the needs
of our diverse learners by allowing them to tell their stories and planning instruction that is
relevant to the society in which they live today and for them to be able to apply that knowledge
into their experiences in the future.
This article has caused me to think about my own practices. I am not sure what to do, but I
intend to investigate and develop activities where diverse learners can tell their stories and learn
from the stories of others. I have learned a great deal from this activity and want to encourage
learners to use both their academic and musical skills in the future. An education is the most
valuable tool you can give a person, but it needs to be an education that enables learners to
create their future.
Discussion 8

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Rethinking Assessment: What Stakeholders Need to Consider as They Prepare for Online
Common Core Assessments.
STAKEHOLDERS
Piloting online common core assessments can provide a great deal of information to the
stakeholders of the community of school.
The main stakeholders include school districts, educators, parents, and the students
themselves. Websters Dictionary defines stakeholders as one who is involved in or affected by
a course of action, (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stakeholder).
All of these entities have a stake in the success of the students. There are many questions
regarding the revision of common core assessments. As the delivery and objectives of these
assessments are changing it is hard for the stakeholders to see a clear picture of what the
students are learning and how they will be assessed. The piloting of these assessments has
provided more clarity and has required each stakeholder to look at their current practice.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
School districts need to look at the technology infrastructure that is in place to support testing
and troubleshoot issues prior to testing.
When the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers first piloted their
online common core assessment there were many technical difficulties due to network
connectivity and/or device compatibility. One case of equipment and/or network failure occurred
in the schools of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Approximately 1300 out of 90,000 students were
involved in the pilot test. 14 out of the 20 schools experiences connectivity issues. Almost all of

the 34 students in one of the high school classrooms experienced students being disconnected
from the network. Officials were not sure if the network or the devices caused the problem.
The high school students were using laptops. The age and type of devices used can make a
difference as older versions of a device are not always compatible with all apps or websites.
School districts need to test and possibly replace older devices and add bandwidth to the
network, but the overwhelming costs are many times beyond their budgets.
EDUCATORS
Educators benefit from testing pilots as they discover how students will be assessed in order to
revise curriculum and allow common core standards to drive classroom instruction.
Pat Cummings, the director of research and evaluation for the Tacoma, Washington School
District says, There is a lot of curricular work necessary to make sure things are mapped out
properly and that content is in sync with the standards, (O'Hanlon, 2013). The shift to common
core standards has had a great affect on classroom instruction. Instead of drilling basic skills,
educators are providing students with authentic learning activities such as problem based
learning. Cummings continues saying, You want kids to take a test that relates to what is going
on in the classroom, (O'Hanlon, 2013). Cooperative activities provide an opportunity to
synthesize what students have learned and allow them to practice what they have learned in
real world scenarios. This type of learning is more engaging and prepares the students to work
collaboratively in the future.
The common core contains more rigorous standards as it assesses real world skills such as
problem-solving and critical thinking. Educators need to align curriculum with the common core
standards and develop challenging assessments that are focused on the same standards. This
will not only help the students as they are tested, but will also develop skills that students will
need as they pursue higher education or careers.

PARENTS
Parents need to understand the standards and what skills their child is missing in order to
support their child.
Explaining common core standards to parents gives them a better idea of what their child is
learning, how they are learning it, what skills they have mastered, and what skills their child is
missing. Communicating this information is vital in order to enlist parents to provide additional
support outside of the educational setting.
If parents understand these standards they may work together with their child and their childs
teacher to focus on the missing skills and aid their child towards mastery. Informed parents can
make a difference in their childs educational experiences.
STUDENTS
When students understand the standards, they are able to pinpoint missing skills and set goals
for mastery.
Explaining the standards to the student gives each student an idea of the skills they have
mastered and the skills they are missing. As students participate in instruction they have a
better Idea of what they need to be able to do as they work towards their educational goals.
The assessments are no longer fill- in- the blank or multiple choice, but ask the students to
demonstrate and explain the strategy they used to come up with their answer. Practicing these
skills through application develops skills they can draw on in the future. This knowledge can
encourage student to become lifelong learners.
References
(n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2016, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stakeholder

O'Hanlon, L. H. (2013, June). Schools test-drive common core. Education Week Digital
Directions, 63), 13-14.
PTA, N. (2014, June 30). Assessments and the common core. PTA every child. One voice.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT21WTi-B2o
Schwartz, K. (2013, December 06). Rethinking Assessment: Trusting Teachers to Evaluate
Student Learning. Retrieved March 25, 2016, from
http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/06/19/will-new-tests-measure-any-valuable-skills/

Reflection
As I read the articles and watched the video, one thought kept repeating in my mind. Why have
we not assessed students in this manner all along? These assessments are rigorous and
require teachers and students to understand the common core standards and apply them in
various settings and situations. For far too long we have allowed control of student learning and
assessment to be in the hands of the federal government. States are supposed to be in charge
of education, and yet federal mandates keep getting passed down.
I hope that common core is the avenue for change. We need to be creating knowledge and
experiences which our students can use beyond the educational setting. Is common core the
way to reform the education system, or just a passing fad?
Over the past 15 years, I have sat through many professional development sessions in which
many best practices have been presented. These tried and true practices are not new, they
have been around for years, but educators are given little time to implement them. Educators
know what to do, but are often restricted from using these practices due to the lack of time, the
lack of resources or the need to prepare the students for the test using mandated instructional
practices which have been shown not to work.

Our administrators say they want us to use these strategies, but do not allow the practice and
reflection that is needed to implement them successfully. It seems like every professional
development day we are on to the newest educational catchphrase. and which we are asked to
implement immediately with little or no training. Just as we expect our students to practice and
reflect, educators need time for the same activities.
I enjoyed the video about parents. It was just an overview but it made some powerful
statements. The student who understood the standards and commented that assessment was a
tool to communicate if you had mastered a skill or skill set. Based on this information, the
student felt it could be used to set goals for mastery. To create lifelong learners we must not
look at assessment as an end, but a continuation of learning.
I also enjoyed the parent who understood the standards and was able to explain her childs
situation. As a parent, I want my own children to learn to mastery and I share this information
when concerned stakeholders are leery of the new standards and assessment practices.
I believe that common core is the avenue to reform. Maybe it can get the American educational
system back on track and give educators more of a voice and more control over the strategies
that are used in the classroom and the authentic assessments that can come from them.
Discussion 9
1. Help students understand the role of formative assessment.
In the beginning some of my 4th grade students ask why they have to learn to play a musical
Instrument. I want them to know why they want to play instruments. I provide many examples of
the benefits that playing musical instruments. I also communicate the skills that they will need in
order to play band instruments in the future. Then I explain the assessments they will be asked
to complete and how each skill leads to the next in order for them to play a musical instrument
with confidence.

I have noticed that once students find success mastering the first skill they become more
confident in their abilities and continue to make progress as I provide support. Students must
know what they are expected to learn in order to know when they have mastered a skill. This
knowledge deepens their level of understanding and solidifies skills for future application.
2. Begin with clear KUDs.
In my mind, this principle speaks of backwards design, in which one starts with a
Learning objective and creates a roadmap of best practices which lead to student success and
the design of instruction and assessment. In my opinion this is the best approach to
instructional design. If one knows what skills they want learners to master, it is easier to decide
how to get them there and how the teacher and the learner will know when a skill has been
mastered.
During this school year I have been leading my department as we. Revise our curriculum and
create assessments. Grades K-2 will be implementing standards based grading next year. This
type of reporting gives parents a clear picture of their childs mastery level at the end of each
grading period in order for them support their childs progress and encourage mastery through
practice.
As we revised the curriculum we followed the backward design model to provide authentic
assessment in order to engage our learners. By engaging our learners with meaningful activities
and assessments we have found that the learners achieve at higher levels.
4. Provide instructive feedback.
As I assess my 4th and 5th grade recorder students. I provide a copy of the assessment scoring
guide which communicates what they have done well and what they need to improve upon. As
students progress I ask them to complete a self assessment of their performance using the
same scoring guide and compare their opinion of their performance against my assessment of
their performance. Students are often more critical of themselves than I am and they are
encouraged as they realize their strengths.

During instruction I have demonstrated practice strategies for missing skills as well as upcoming
skills. I have kept track of skills that require intervention as I review trends in assessment. As
students participate in whole group, small group, and partner practice they have been asked to
practice using these strategies. Peer practice allows for peer tutoring and gives students many
opportunities to practice before they are assessed again.
I am truly a facilitator of learning. I expect students to practice and use me as a resource only
after they have practiced with peers and have assessed each other's performance... Many
times a few of the students do not understand the skill and I can provide additional support in all
instructional groupings. I truly believe in providing tools for individual success. I am confident if
they use these tools they will master each skill.
As students master each skill they participate in enrichment activities. Enrichment allows
students to practice acquired skills and apply them in the content area by participating in
musical ensembles. The proficient learners were then assessed on what level of mastery they
have applied their skills during enrichment activities. Once they have mastered synthesizing
skills during these activities, they move onto mastery of the next skill. This process has
empowered my students with the knowledge of what level they have achieved. Through
feedback, they are made aware of what they need to practice and make a plan for practice
focused on that feedback.
7. Engage students with formative assessment.
This is most likely my favorite part of assessing my 4th and 5th grade recorder students. I
reward their mastery by using the Recorder Karate and Recorder Karate 2 incentive model. As
students master each formative assessment they earn a new karate belt and keep track of
their progress on charts both in their individual recorder folders and on mastery charts on the
wall outside of my classroom. The charts outside the classroom allow for each class to assess
the progress of other classes and create competition between individual students and classes. I
often reward classes that show the most progress or are the first class to meet a certain belt

level as a class. These incentives have included a music game day, a composition activity, extra
recess, or a special treats. For example the first class to achieve 100 percent mastery of the first
formative assessment (Hot Cross Buns) I have reward by baking hot crossed buns for their
class. They love reaching these goals and encourage each other to practice for each
assessment.
Summary
By including my learners in the process of assessment, I have given them ownership of their
own learning. Ownership and sound instructional and assessment design practices have
increased the level of mastery of my students, as they know what is expected and have had
confidence that I will provide support when it is needed. By providing consistent support the
students know they can make mistakes and learn from them.
Reference
Tomlinson, C. A. (2014, March). The Bridge Between Todays Lesson and Tomorrows.
Retrieved April 05, 2016, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educationalleadership/mar14/vol71/num06/The-Bridge-Between-Today's-Lesson-andTomorrow's.aspx

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