TED 633- Discussion Week 4, Post 2, Reflection

This course was the last one of my credential sequence. It has been a nice review of over arching concepts learned through the sequence. I’ve enjoyed looking at ways to integrate technology into my lesson plans. I feel fortunate to be on the younger end of the spectrum- because I use many of these pieces of technology in multiple areas of my life, so integrating them in my classroom is no big deal or hassle. I also think it helps to always have an open mind when it comes to technology. If there is something you’d like to use in your classroom, ask for help. There is no statue saying as a teacher we must always know how to do or use everything. I’ve definitely asked students to use their expertise when it comes to flipping YouTube videos around so we can learn choreography, or slowing down videos so we can watch them slower. I have students in my music ensembles that are great at making movies and animations, and it is great to be able to have them create content to be used in the music concerts alongside the music. I do want to continue to find more ways to use technology to aid in student learning, especially for those in choir who don’t necessarily play piano and rely on just classroom time to learn the music.

TED 633- Week 3, Assignment 3B

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I choose to report out on the day 4 and 5 portion of my teaching plan. I do feel quite fortunate, because I am in an active classroom setting where I can apply not only the pre-assessments, and assessments, but also the content teaching and conveying of information. The daily dialogue and exchange between students and teacher has provided the most valuable feedback, that I feel would be different had I been taking these courses in an isolated “academic” setting. I also think there is a huge difference between running a class on your own, versus being a student teacher in a classroom with another teacher. When you are there in the class on your own, you are responsible for everything. There is no relying on a mentor teacher to come in a save you, should your classroom management be sub-par, or if you are under prepared. I have thoroughly enjoyed working and planning and preparing with my master teacher outside the classroom, and I think that has given me more ownership over the classroom, and the students have bought into my vision for the courses and ensembles that I lead. It also helps that I am involved with other ensembles that the other music teachers work with, so by extension I am viewed as a member of the larger teaching team.

I have found that the students respond more to working on the repertoire then the scale study and chorale work that is part of the warm ups. If the warm ups are presented as cold, old fashioned, and simply “something we do at the top of class,” then they have less buy in and participation. When the warm ups are directly connected, and even interspersed with pieces of the repertoire, then the students make more connections between the warm ups and the repertoire, even before I walk them through the connection. When students can hear and see the connection between why we are using the warm up and chorales and how they connect to the repertoire, they challenge themselves to be truly “warmed up” to play the pieces. Student buy-in and motivation is better then any teacher driven motivation I can offer.

The students always did better on the scales and chorales the second time. Students were able to identify passages they could perform better, or play more smoothly or with more emotion. Once I turned to treating the chorales as mini repertoire pieces, the students played them as such, and not just as warm ups. Sometimes a mindset change is all that is needed for improvement. Authentic assessment is incorporated in one form or another, as I am constantly looking for student improvement over time. After each rehearsal, I evaluate the ensemble’s performance and find out what the class needs to work on in order to build upon or improve a weakness. All the rehearsals culminate in a concert or performance, and in the case of competitive marching band, we even get feedback from esteemed adjudicators on our strengths and weaknesses.

Because my classrooms are always a mix of grades 9-12 (with the exception of Freshmen Band and Freshmen Orchestra), differentiated instruction and assessment is a must. I did have a few ELL students in my classroom. To accommodate assessment methods for ELL students, I word directions or instruction another way, or sing how a passage should be performed. Because so much of the grading is based on non-verbal performance, ELL students typically do not have a hard time following along. In addition, music notation is a language itself and all students are on the same “playing field” when it comes to reading notes; they all have to learn what each note means. I also use universal gestures while conducting to give non-verbal instruction to students during a performance of a piece. An example of this is putting myarm out, palm up; this is the symbol for more volume. Similarly, by putting my palm down, this signals students to decrease their volume. I am able to assess student performance based on if they follow my gestures or not.

TED 633- Week 3, Assignment 3A

:: Pre-Assessment Analysis ::

I have used all of my pre-assessments before. I use them daily in my classroom as I’m introducing new concepts. I used all of these assessments in my class during the first semester. In this particular unit plan, I was looking at scales as the major emphasis. The pre-assessments also serve as a refresher and a reminder of the information learned in previous class sessions. One of my least favorite ones is the one from day 2 “Have students perform the scale without a warm-up on the scale to test their “cold” proficiency on the scale.” I don’t find this to be a good example of authentic assessment. Considering we spend a valuable part of the rehearsal warming up. We are constantly reinforcing the importance of the warm up, and making a connection between the warm up and the rehearsal. Also, a student would never walk into an audition and be asked to play all of it cold, especially scales. Part of an audition is always a cold sight read, but to do it so isolated, probably isn’t the most effective. Also, if you were going to sight read a piece at an audition, you would most likely run yourself through the scale the piece is related to, as well as even identify and finger though a few of the more difficult passages before actually beginning to play.

I do like that the pre-assessments I have listed because they build on one another pretty methodically. These pre-assessments are directly tied to the rubric, as the pre-assessments provide the connection of prior knowledge to the new knowledge to be learned in the coming rehearsal. The pre-assessments are also directly linked to the musical proficiency that the students are assessed on in the rubric.

Musical proficiency is perhaps the most objective criteria in the assessment. Each quarter students are given assignments that they need to be able to perform. This could be a set of scales in different key signatures, an etude, or a passage of music from repertoire that we are currently working on in class. Rhythm and pitch is either correct or incorrect, so students get a numerical grade next to each category depending on how he or she performed. The numbers are then tallied up on a rubric to calculate how a student did overall. This helps students discover their strengths and areas they need to improve on. For instance, a student may excel at producing great tone quality, but score poorly on sight-reading and rhythm.

TED 633- Assignment 1A

:: Personality and Learning Style ::

My name is Andrew Ford, and I am currently teaching at Saratoga High School, in Saratoga California, which is part of the Los Gatos Saratoga Joint Union High School District. I teach choir, band and orchestra to students in grades 9-12. I am working towards a single subject credential in music, and will finish my Masters in Education soon after the credential process as well.

I remember from a young age, I wanted to be an astronaut, and explore space. When I reached high school in 2001 that changed slightly, and I became interested in architecture and design. After 4 years of drafting and design in high school, I began my degree progress as an Interior Designer major. Both my parents are music educators, and I play instruments and sing as well. Slowly all of the jobs I was finding myself in were music related, and I figured I should have some academic knowledge to legitimize myself. Eventually I followed my passion to work with students, rather then my dream of working for Disney as part of the resort enhancement team.  I realized one of my strengths is working with people, and helping people make connections between art and life, rather then just singing or playing for the sake of singing or playing. I do find myself using those design skills  in my every day life- in concert program design, costume and uniform design and execution, and set dressing. I firmly believe that “everything relates to everything”- which is a mantra I teach by. 

I really want to earn my Doctor of Music degree in choral conducting, with a historic specialty in English Renaissance Music. Aside from music, I enjoy shoes, shopping and the (S)cinema. I love to travel and Disneyland is my guilty pleasure- I live in northern Cali and I have an annual pass... :) 
 
I've always enjoyed taking the personality tests. The first time I took a Myers-Briggs test, I was in my 1st year of Junior College, I was 18. My results places me as an ENFJ. The MMDI survey for this course thinks my personality is closest to the ESFJ stereotype and 2nd closest to ENFJ. As an ESFJ I seek to develop harmony in relationships, and promote cooperation and teamwork. I regard the needs of others as very important, perhaps more so than your own, and seek to recognize their contributions and make them feel valued. You encourage and motivate others, engender team spirit, and try to overcome any conflict by finding common ground and ways in which people can agree

It's an interesting comparison between ESFJ and ENFJ, with the differences being how one deals with working with others. An ESFJ places slightly more importance on others and their potential then the ENFJ. As an ENFJ then I would be someone who seeks to develop and promote personal growth in your friends, family or colleagues. You sometimes have a sense of their potential which may extend beyond how they see themselves. You also seek to develop the potential within relationships or the team. However, you don't push so hard that it creates conflict, because keeping the harmony in your relationships is also important.

Breaking down the  personality assessment further, my survey produced the following results.

E (Extrovert) - 53                      I (Introvert) - 47
Action - Words                          Thought - Ideas
People - Things                         Images - Information

My results suggest I like a close balance between extraversion and introversion. When I am extraverting, I direct energy into dealing with people and things. I tend to take action, bounce ideas off people, and let people know your thoughts or feelings. When introverting, I direct energy towards ideas and information. Tending to concentrate on a few issues quite deeply, and think things through before taking action. What the results suggest is the degree of balance I like between them.

S (Sensation) - 55                       N (Intuition)- 45
Facts - Experience                      Possibility - Potential
Realism - Practical                     Imagination - Conjecture

The preference for sensing means I like to deal with reality, with facts, tangible outcomes, and specific information. I use intuition, though to a lesser degree. It looks at possibilities, at hidden potential, new ways of doing things, or what is not yet known. This preference can have a big impact in areas such as communication or management. For example, people who prefer sensing like to have specific objectives, but those who prefer intuition like to have objectives that allow space for interpretation.

T (Thinking) - 38 (objective values)             F (Feeling) - 62 (subjective values)
Objective - Analytical                                   Subjective - Value-driven
Truth - Correctness                                        Morality - Likeability

The preference for Feeling means I use subjective values, taking a more personal, subjective view as a participant, and tending to appreciate the important things in life. I also use Thinking, but to a lesser degree. Thinking involves using objective principles, taking a detached, objective view as an onlooker, and tending to analyze or see inconsistencies.


J (judgement) - 58                       P (Perception) - 42
Structure - Planned                      Go with the flow - Spontaneous
Stable - Consistency                    Responsive - Variety

Having a preference for judgment suggests I like to structure and control life, sticking to decisions once I have made them. To a lesser extent, I sometimes use perception, which involves being more spontaneous and flexible, going with the flow. This preference can sometimes cause stress in relationships. For example, in many situations Js often feel more comfortable with a plan, but Ps feel more comfortable if things are left unplanned - and they may leave things to the last minute. When doing tasks together, this can cause conflict.

From when I initially took the personality test as an 18 year old, to now being 29, the significant change is in the S and N category. From the personality results and my innate desire to see people succeed to the fullest of their potential, and working together for common goals, I think I am well suited to be a teacher. I feel like my personality type makes me an approachable teacher, who will show empathy towards my students, and show that I desire to know about their lives, not simply "teach them music."

LEARNING STYLE RESULTS:

Results for: Andrew Ford


      ACT                  X                                REF
           11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11
                              <-- --="">

      SEN                                              X    INT
           11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11
                              <-- --="">

      VIS      X                                            VRB
           11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11
                              <-- --="">

      SEQ                      X                            GLO
           11  9   7   5   3   1   1   3   5   7   9   11
                              <-- --="">

• If your score on a scale is 1-3, you are fairly well balanced on the two dimensions of that scale.
• If your score on a scale is 5-7, you have a moderate preference for one dimension of the scale and will learn more easily in a teaching environment which favors that dimension.
• If your score on a scale is 9-11, you have a very strong preference for one dimension of the scale. You may have real difficulty learning in an environment which does not support that preference. 

These results for learning style are quite revealing. I would agree that I am pretty balanced when it comes to Active and Reflective Learning, as well as Sequential and Global Learning. It is unquestioned form my own experience that I am a visual learner, and that I do not like memorization of facts and data make me quite the intuitive learner.  Even in my own field of music, I have always had a hard time memorizing dates of history or even text for a song. IN my own music classroom I definitely cater to the learning style I am most comfortable with. I always show clips of movies, or visuals that relate to what we are playing. I give equal time to group discussion and individual reflection. I try and give linear steps to an assignment or even hints for how to practice, but always summarize why we are doing what we are doing, or how it will help us achieve our goal.

Vienna

Our one and a half day stint trip to Vienna was full of adventure, beauty and excitement. I have fallen in love with the city all over again. From its historic public buildings and monuments, to its shop lined streets and Grand Boulevard.
When we arrived, a SJSU student Dan Foley who is studying abroad in Germany came down to meet us and hang out with friends from home. He met up for us at dinner, which consisted of some traditional food of the area including a delicious soup with a crème base, pork, stuffing, and of course sauerkraut! Dinner was followed by a crème cheese dessert covered in custard served warm. The tavern was warm, but filled with laughter, and students deprived from sleep, as most had just arrived earlier that day from America.


After dinner, Michelle Hennessy, Kristyn Van Cleave, Brian Cummings and I headed out to explore the town, led by our trusty guide and my new friend Dan. We ended up in this cool place called the MQ or Museum Quarter. In a nutshell, the MW as its called is a large quad lined with museums. Inside the quad were 3 or 4 bars/restaurants and these large pink lounges and chairs and tables for seating. We arrived at the MQ around 10pm and there were probably close to 1300 people, between the ages of 18 and 35, all around the court. It was an amazing sight. We grabbed a beer and just sat around and enjoyed the evening. Around 11:45 we left the MQ and walked out to the rest of the city on the other side.


Beauty. Stunning silouettes against a dark sky. Grandeur. Historic presence and modern relevance. We continued our evening a little longer with a night tour of some of the historic buildings around the town center. It was a perfect evening. Finally we gave into our longings for sleep and headed back to the hostel.


Sunday came all too early. After breakfast, we grabbed our concert wear and headed down to St. Stephen's Cathedral. Stephansdom is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna. It is a Romanesque and Gothic building made primarily of sandstone, which is always undergoing a cleaning, due to atmospheric acid which turns the white sandstone black. We were able to participate in the service at Stephansdom, which was a unique experience. The mass was all in german, and few bits were in Latin. We used songs in both Latin and English (Regina Caeli, Rise Up My Love, Ubi Caritas & Joshua Fit the Battle), and then followed up the service with an informal concert for all who wanted to stay. We had a nice crowd stay to watch.


After changing back at the hostel Kristyn, Chris, Summer and Jordan explored the city some more. We saw so many amazing buildings. I love all the symbolism in the Architecture, and I can only imagine the day and age that accompanied their conception. What would it have been like to have been a person living when these buildings were functional public and private spaces. What would it have been like when the buildings lining the streets around the city center were still palaces and private residences filled with dukes, duchesses, princes and wealthy merchants? One can only imagine a time before their own…

Leaving England

Saturday June 5, 2010

Well, I successfully made the jump from England to Vienna. Arthur and May dropped me by the train station in Maidstone so I could catch the 9:55 train to London Victoria. May waited with me on the platform, it was a final ceremonial moment. As the train neared its approached, we walked further down the platform where it was less crowded. The train pulled up, we said our final good byes and I piled onto the train with luggage intow. I found a seat for myself and my luggage, and all the while May stood on the platform, waiting for my departure. As the conductor signaled for the train to pull away May waived, a final good bye, neither of us knowing when we'll see eachother again.

Now we will once again resort to the endless family letter writing at Christmas and holidays. But for me I will see these letters in a new light. I can visualize the post in town from where she sends the letters off at. I can visualise the sitting room where she answers the phone when we call from Grams. I can now visualize the town of Maidstone, as I saw it through her historic eyes, when she mentions the events of her life in her letters. Another chapter of my family history has come to life and been written to life in my eyes. What a lucky boy I am. May took the time to walk me through Maidstone, as it was when she grew up, as it was when my grandparents and father lived there, and as it is now and what it has become. She took the time to help me discover more about my family. We discovered more about eachother as we shared tea time, and garden chats, and trips on the local bus and train. I shared my passion for architecture and music with her, and she listened intently. She proudly introduced me to all of her friends as her relative from America.

She is an amazing lady who is the epitiomy of everything I want to be when I am 86; active, involved, and a spitfire. She has lived through a lot. Her brother was killed in the prime of his life, after surviving the events at Dunkirk during WWII, her fieance was killed in the war, but she found love in a husband, and step children who adore her, and now grand kids who adore her. She lives out her faith as she faithfully serves her church, St. Andrew's, and the community it reaches through bake sales, and coffee meetings, and flower committees. She serves her family as she tends the grave of her brother in the graveyard at St Margaurete. She has lived life, and is going to go on living it till the end.



I hugged her long and hard knowing I may never see her again, but she has taught me much and for that I am grateful. With so much love in her heart she welcomed me into her home, made me feel welcome, and made me family. What a lucky boy I am to be loved my family, even when I have only just met them.

Hebrews 12:1-3
¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

The Pavillion @ Brighton, England

June 4, 2010: Trip to Brighton, England

WOW!!! Is just about all I can say, WOW!!! Today was amazing!! May, Arthur, Jean and I drove down to Brighton, so I could have a tour of the fantasy Regency pavillion of the Regent Prince and future King George IV of England. It was an experience I shall never forget. The Royal Pavilion at Brighton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brighton_Pavilion) is one of the few and best example and living sample of Regency architecture and interior design available! The Regency era is very sort in the history of architecture, lasting from about 1795 to 1837. It is squeezed in between the Georgian period and the Victorian period. The Regency period was in it prime between 1811 and 1820, when the Regent Prince was ruled inproxy when his father was deemed unfit to rule, through his rule as King. The rooms are all restored to their original glory, even thought they went through some pretty major devastating times. A HUGE amount of the furniture is original, which is rare when it comes to period homes because often when the house is sold or changes hands, the furniture moves with it. However, with the Royal Pavilion, we have many, if not all of the original sketches, drawings, layouts, and details from the kings architects and designers who assembled the Pavilion. Thus may of the carpets and wallpapers have been accuratly duplicated when the original had to be replaced due to fire or irreversible damage.

Canterbury Cathedral @ Canterbury, Kent

June 2, 2010: Canterbury Cathedral

Another amazing day in Kent! May and I took the southeastern express out to Canterbury today. The main goal was to see Canterbury Cathedral, one of the oldest and most famous cathedrals in all England. The Cathedral at Canterbury is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Caterbury, the leader of the Church of England, and it is very symbolic worldwide, representing the head of the Anglican Communion.

Looking up and down the Nave. Notice how the ribbing goes along the columns and into the ceiling.

The actual spot where Thomas Becket was Murdered

The most pivitol moment in the history of Canterbury Cathedral was the murder of Thomas Becket December 29, 1170, by the knights of King Henry II, all because of conflicts between the two. That will teach one to have a conflict with the king. Granted Becket was the second of four Archbishiops to be murdered at Canterbury Cathedral.

Romanesque rounded arches are found throughout, but someone re-carved as an example of the "new" way- the new English Gothic style.

The Cathedral is a mix of architectural forms and fixtures, but it predominantly English Gothic. The East end of the Cathedral is Norman and Ealry English, while the Nave is English Gothic. Following a fire in 1174, the choir was rebuilt in an example of early English Gothic, with high pointed arches, rib vaulting, and flying buttresses. And of course who could forget the great cloister!!

Canterbury is an amazing place, and filled with peoples from all over the world. There were two moments where I got goosebumps. Twice while I was walking around the Cathedral, on of the monks stepped up to the lectern, gave a blessing, and asked the people present to repeat the Lord's Prayer in what ever language they were comfortable with. Everything around me stopped, cameras stopped, the light in the shop went out, people stood where they were and began to recite-

Our Father who art in Heaven
Hallowed be Thy name;
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,
on Earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day, our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive then that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.

For Thin is the kingdom,
And the power, and the glory
forever and ever.

Amen.

It felt incredible, it was truly an amazing moment that sent shivers up and down my spine. To think that on a given date, at any given moment, a truly random group of assembled peoples, could drop everything and together recite a prayer. And not just any prayer, but a prayer that Jesus himself used as an example of how to pray. After the monk finished leading the prayer, he encouraged everyone to continue to meditate or walk around as they were.