Weekly Reflection No.

5
Robert Haynes 102988536
The fifth week of the mentorship program has just completed. I am writing this
reflection a little late because the school has just entered the Fall Reading Week. There
were a few mentees that did not attend my breakout, as it was the Thursday before Reading
Week; I made an offhand comment about wishing I could have started my break early too.
Very ironically I shifted into my week off mentality before my final deadline of the week had
come.
This week Austin and I were left with the entire class time on Thursday for our
breakout session. It was prescribed that this weeks breakout session would focus specifically
on listening skills (much as they all seem to be). It was a challenge to find sufficient
examples to fill up the entire class period. Dr. Bicks focus on listening to identify genre
requires the quality of a specific recording to be quite high (early chamber works were often
unaccompanied at the time they were written, but due to the difficulty in performing a
cappella works many modern recordings will feature a droning organ to prevent the
musicians from slipping pitch), and the required course materials only feature one or two
examples from each genre.
Assessment is becoming increasingly difficult. Up to this point I have primarily been
relying on self reporting methods of assessment with my mentees, I have been noticing that a
select group seem to be nodding in acquiescence during discussions without contributing to
the discussion. I fear that these mentees may be struggling with the material, but refusing to
mention it out of fear. I believe that if I redesign my breakouts away from are they getting
it? (yes or no) type assessments toward assessment methods that require the mentees to

synthesize an idea of their own I may be able to inspire this small group of mentees to
participate more (and speak up if they are having difficulty).