Fetterman

MUS149

Talbot

20 September 2020

PCMS Beginning Band Observation

While observing this classroom, I noticed that the layout of the room was just like the

typical public school band room layout, with rows of chairs in arch formation, and on risers. The

teacher stayed primarily in the front of the room. When I looked at the walls, I noticed that there

were not many posters or wall hangings. First, the class worked on scales using different

exercises. They did a major scale where the first scale degree was played once, the second

scale degree was played twice, the third scale degree was played thrice, and so on. Then, they

started playing a scale with eighth notes at a faster tempo. The teacher would ask questions

frequently about the specifics about what they were doing. The purpose of this was to reinforce

ideas that they have already learned in a previous lesson, like tempo terminology for example.

Most times, when the teacher asked a question, many students would be quick to raise hands.

After their scale exercises, they started playing their music. After playing a certain section, the

teacher would stop and ask the students what they thought they did well on, and then the

teacher would ask what they thought they needed to do better on for next time. When the

students would have trouble, the teacher would have them play the section again, but slowed

down. Showing them how much they improved after they slowed down also showed them a

practicing technique. The teacher was firm, clear, and concise. It was apparent that the teacher

was respected by the students. The lesson was well thought out, productive, and organized.

While the teacher often made sure the students were behaving, the teacher also used

occasional humor to lighten the mood. When the students were not staying with the tempo, the

teacher would clap the tempo along with their playing until the students got back on track. There

was a specific instance when one or more of the flutes played when they weren’t supposed to,
and the teacher stopped and smiled at them. The teacher reinforced that a rest was a silent

beat by asking the whole class what a rest was multiple times and the students responded by

saying in unison, “a silent beat”. The teacher used this opportunity to help the whole class learn

from someone else’s mistake.

Some things I would like to take forward in my teaching is the idea of asking my students

what they did well on and what they need to improve upon. It was important that the teacher

asked the students what they did well on first so that she could get the students into the habit of

realizing their strong areas before anything else. Asking the students what they could improve

upon also makes the students aware of the fulfillment of improving their performance. Asking

the students what they think in general gives them a sense of control. It is like teaching them to

teach themselves, instead of teaching them what the teacher believes. It will teach the students

to trust their own judgements. This is a good skill that will benefit the students even when they

don’t have the same teacher anymore.

Gettysburg Honor Code: I affirm that I will uphold the highest principles of honesty and integrity

in all my endeavors at Gettysburg College and foster an atmosphere of mutual respect within

and beyond the classroom. -Sally Fetterman