Reading Reports
100A (Elementary Music)
[Week 1] Ch. 2: Teaching and Learning Theories
[Week 2] Ch. 12-13: Curriculum/Assessment
[Week 3] Ch. 4-5: Singing/Pitch
[Week 4] Ch. 6-7: Moving/Rhythm
[Week 5] Ch. 8: Playing
[Week 6] Ch. 9: Listening
[Week 7] Ch. 10: Creating
[Week 8] Ch. 11: Motivation
100B (Choral Music) (opens in new window)
[Week 1] The Choir Teacher as Comprehensive Musician
[Week 2] Vocal Warm-ups
[Week 3] Rehearsal Planning
[Week 4] Repertoire Selection & Score Analysis
[Week 5] Auditions & Assessment
[Week 1] Ch. 2: Teaching and Learning Theories
[Week 2] Ch. 12-13: Curriculum/Assessment
[Week 3] Ch. 4-5: Singing/Pitch
[Week 4] Ch. 6-7: Moving/Rhythm
[Week 5] Ch. 8: Playing
[Week 6] Ch. 9: Listening
[Week 7] Ch. 10: Creating
[Week 8] Ch. 11: Motivation
100B (Choral Music) (opens in new window)
[Week 1] The Choir Teacher as Comprehensive Musician
[Week 2] Vocal Warm-ups
[Week 3] Rehearsal Planning
[Week 4] Repertoire Selection & Score Analysis
[Week 5] Auditions & Assessment
[Week 1] Ch. 2: Teaching and Learning Theories
By definition, the term "theory" denotes that the topic will be one that is not completely firm or absolute. In a sense, it turns the whole field of teaching into a sort of art form, where so many different methods and ways can be used and each one produces an entirely different result, based on a plethora of variables that may or may not be under your control. No two teachers can ever truly teach the same lesson the same way, and no teacher can teach two different classes in the exact same way. This makes it all the more vital to be constantly testing and adjusting to the environment in order to create the best possible learning setting.
I particularly enjoyed the section that discussed the learning modalities (Barbe and Swassing) and the sample lesson on pages 32 to 33. The lesson plan placed a symbol for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic parts of the lesson next to that section of the plan, and I can see how that can be really helpful in making sure that your lesson is balanced enough to be able to cater to all the various types of learners in your class. I think it can be easy to fall into the trap of leaning more heavily toward one sensory channel, simply because it is the way that you learn the best. Making sure to have the symbols forces you to always be thinking of how other people learn and to be aware of the wonderful variety of students that will be in your class.
By definition, the term "theory" denotes that the topic will be one that is not completely firm or absolute. In a sense, it turns the whole field of teaching into a sort of art form, where so many different methods and ways can be used and each one produces an entirely different result, based on a plethora of variables that may or may not be under your control. No two teachers can ever truly teach the same lesson the same way, and no teacher can teach two different classes in the exact same way. This makes it all the more vital to be constantly testing and adjusting to the environment in order to create the best possible learning setting.
I particularly enjoyed the section that discussed the learning modalities (Barbe and Swassing) and the sample lesson on pages 32 to 33. The lesson plan placed a symbol for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic parts of the lesson next to that section of the plan, and I can see how that can be really helpful in making sure that your lesson is balanced enough to be able to cater to all the various types of learners in your class. I think it can be easy to fall into the trap of leaning more heavily toward one sensory channel, simply because it is the way that you learn the best. Making sure to have the symbols forces you to always be thinking of how other people learn and to be aware of the wonderful variety of students that will be in your class.
[Week 2] Ch. 12-13: Curriculum/Assessment
There was one over-arching concept that really stuck out to me from these two chapters: planning is incredibly important.
In the structuring and formulating of a curriculum, having a plan allows the teacher to be able to appropriate what he wants the students to gain in the long term. Having a plan prevents the classroom from being just a random jumble of musical facts, and it gives the classroom a directional emphasis that can help students connect the lessons better. The tables in the chapter that provided a sort of progress bar for every few months was very telling in how much planning should be placed into the yearly curriculum, and it seems like it is very helpful to have a view of what the goal is for the class by the end of the semester or year.
I also thought it was a cool idea when the text mentioned coordinating lesson plans so they can coincide with the different subject areas that the children are learning. This can really bring the children to connect ideas from topics that are not exactly related to music, and can bring them to start applying what they learn in a music class to areas that the teacher never even mentions. This idea makes planning essential, whether it be with other teachers or just with your own agenda.
Assessments that are carefully and purposefully created are also much more beneficial to the students, teachers, and even the parents. Knowing how to formulate a good assessment page can go a long way in allowing the teacher to know how effective the lessons have been. Helping the children form a successful way to self-evaluate themselves and fellow classmates invites the children to be thinking critically and promotes more engagement in classroom activities.
Plans can be simple, but their value is much greater than some expect. It may take extra time to develop a well-written plan, but the effort will, for sure, not be wasted. Plans allow the teacher to be more relaxed during the actual lesson, and allows him to be focused on how the class is interacting with the lesson itself. Knowing what exactly to assess gives the teacher knowledge of what to be looking for, and creates a constant tracker that can be used for self-improvement in the next lesson. Plans bring orderliness to what can potentially be a mess, and they provide both the teacher and the students with a much greater chance at successful learning.
There was one over-arching concept that really stuck out to me from these two chapters: planning is incredibly important.
In the structuring and formulating of a curriculum, having a plan allows the teacher to be able to appropriate what he wants the students to gain in the long term. Having a plan prevents the classroom from being just a random jumble of musical facts, and it gives the classroom a directional emphasis that can help students connect the lessons better. The tables in the chapter that provided a sort of progress bar for every few months was very telling in how much planning should be placed into the yearly curriculum, and it seems like it is very helpful to have a view of what the goal is for the class by the end of the semester or year.
I also thought it was a cool idea when the text mentioned coordinating lesson plans so they can coincide with the different subject areas that the children are learning. This can really bring the children to connect ideas from topics that are not exactly related to music, and can bring them to start applying what they learn in a music class to areas that the teacher never even mentions. This idea makes planning essential, whether it be with other teachers or just with your own agenda.
Assessments that are carefully and purposefully created are also much more beneficial to the students, teachers, and even the parents. Knowing how to formulate a good assessment page can go a long way in allowing the teacher to know how effective the lessons have been. Helping the children form a successful way to self-evaluate themselves and fellow classmates invites the children to be thinking critically and promotes more engagement in classroom activities.
Plans can be simple, but their value is much greater than some expect. It may take extra time to develop a well-written plan, but the effort will, for sure, not be wasted. Plans allow the teacher to be more relaxed during the actual lesson, and allows him to be focused on how the class is interacting with the lesson itself. Knowing what exactly to assess gives the teacher knowledge of what to be looking for, and creates a constant tracker that can be used for self-improvement in the next lesson. Plans bring orderliness to what can potentially be a mess, and they provide both the teacher and the students with a much greater chance at successful learning.
[Week 3] Ch. 4-5: Singing/Pitch
The age of the student is well-emphasized in these two chapters. Whereas chapter four focuses more on the actual physical differences in the voice based on age, chapter five focuses more on the differences in the mind of the student as the mind develops to being better at identifying pitches and melodic contours.
As children begin to become older, their vocal folds develop and change, and as a result, the voice goes through audible changes as well. The book provides an excellent chart that lists out the various ranges and tessituras that each age group generally has, which is a very helpful tool in planning out the singing portion of any lesson plan. As the students grow older, their interests in singing also become heavily influenced by societal pressures, and it is important to be constantly aware of why a student may not be singing. Finding out ways to provide a healthy motivation for the student in his particular stage of life is an important task of the teacher.
Children's minds also change along with their vocal folds, and as they get exposed to more and more musical challenges, they begin to learn how to identify pitches and melodic lines better and better. The text provides tables that compare how to interact with students ages five to eight as opposed to students ages nine to twelve, and there is a definite progression in the types of musical challenges that the students are given based on their age group. The text also recommends incorporating actions and hand signals to different pitches and contours, which incorporate another aspect of the body other than the voice into the learning.
One of the key goals of a music educator is to provide a student-centered learning environment, and this chapter deals with that issue very well. It is so essential to be aware of the age of a student, along with that student's stage in life and culture, even. Being keen to these attributes provides the teacher with a much better mindset in how to approach a lesson plan in a way that truly caters to a student's education in the most suitable way possible. Teachers also need to know what is too much or too little of a challenge for a student, as not doing so will definitely hinder the musical growth of the student. Singing is a part of music that can bring much joy or much distress to the classroom, and it is really up to the teacher to create and control the environment to the class' qualities.
The age of the student is well-emphasized in these two chapters. Whereas chapter four focuses more on the actual physical differences in the voice based on age, chapter five focuses more on the differences in the mind of the student as the mind develops to being better at identifying pitches and melodic contours.
As children begin to become older, their vocal folds develop and change, and as a result, the voice goes through audible changes as well. The book provides an excellent chart that lists out the various ranges and tessituras that each age group generally has, which is a very helpful tool in planning out the singing portion of any lesson plan. As the students grow older, their interests in singing also become heavily influenced by societal pressures, and it is important to be constantly aware of why a student may not be singing. Finding out ways to provide a healthy motivation for the student in his particular stage of life is an important task of the teacher.
Children's minds also change along with their vocal folds, and as they get exposed to more and more musical challenges, they begin to learn how to identify pitches and melodic lines better and better. The text provides tables that compare how to interact with students ages five to eight as opposed to students ages nine to twelve, and there is a definite progression in the types of musical challenges that the students are given based on their age group. The text also recommends incorporating actions and hand signals to different pitches and contours, which incorporate another aspect of the body other than the voice into the learning.
One of the key goals of a music educator is to provide a student-centered learning environment, and this chapter deals with that issue very well. It is so essential to be aware of the age of a student, along with that student's stage in life and culture, even. Being keen to these attributes provides the teacher with a much better mindset in how to approach a lesson plan in a way that truly caters to a student's education in the most suitable way possible. Teachers also need to know what is too much or too little of a challenge for a student, as not doing so will definitely hinder the musical growth of the student. Singing is a part of music that can bring much joy or much distress to the classroom, and it is really up to the teacher to create and control the environment to the class' qualities.
[Week 4] Ch. 6-7: Moving/Rhythm
Both of these chapters explain a very key concept of teaching children: using things that the children are inherently already learning through their growth as a child. As for movement, the children will naturally be moving around as they play with their peers or as their parents play with them. Their growing bodies also naturally will want to move around, and the chapter gives helpful suggestions on how to use that naturally energy to your advantage as a teacher rather than trying to suppress it. In a similar way, rhythm is a concept that the children may not fully understand at first, but it is also easily identifiable in their every day lives. In their language, body pulse, and songs, the children have all been learning how to keep different rhythms, and it is up to the teacher to be able to use what the children already have and build upon it!
The text does a very clear job of pushing the importance of movement for children, as it has the capability to reinforce concepts and also induce creativity from the children. The chapter provides an abundant list of sample activities to do, and each one includes a simple melody along with a game that will allow the children to be moving as they sing. Using games that challenge the children is important, as it will force them to begin listening more astutely to the song and they will develop a keener sense of rhythm. I really enjoyed the section on creative movement; creativity seems to always be one of the hardest things to encourage within the classroom, and encouraging the children to be creative with a simple thing like movement will likely cause their creative minds to also branch out to other subject areas. On the other end, instructing students to follow a choreographed dance teaches them about organization and cultures. The book gives a very helpful list of steps to follow that begin very simply and end with the children being able to internalize and step to the choreographed beat.
Just like the movement chapter, the rhythm chapter also gives many, many examples of rhythmic activities that make use of words and sounds that the children will already be familiar with. The text encourages making lessons that use rhythm in both speech and in movement, as these are both areas that the students are developing as they age. Duration and meter is also mentioned, and as the children grow older, more complex types of rhythms are able to be taught. The chapter also enters into the realm of rhythmic dictation, syncopation, and polyrhythms, which are concepts that really push the students to learn to internalize the beat. I loved that the dictation section encouraged the method of only using note stems in the beginning, as they are much simpler to look at and also simpler to draw.
I noticed that both of these chapters also had boxes that catered to different impairments that may come up in students within the classroom, and these boxes were very helpful in reminding me to make sure the the lessons are most definitely student-centered and based on how best to help the student learn. The book provides very practical examples of how to handle hearing and seeing impairments, from providing a more bass heavy beat to making sure the student can feel the vibrations of the sound.
These chapters have been very informative in providing insight on how to build on what the students already know, and simply bringing it out of them and expanding it. As a teacher, it's important to always be aware of what the students have already been learning, as it makes teaching them new concepts much easier.
Both of these chapters explain a very key concept of teaching children: using things that the children are inherently already learning through their growth as a child. As for movement, the children will naturally be moving around as they play with their peers or as their parents play with them. Their growing bodies also naturally will want to move around, and the chapter gives helpful suggestions on how to use that naturally energy to your advantage as a teacher rather than trying to suppress it. In a similar way, rhythm is a concept that the children may not fully understand at first, but it is also easily identifiable in their every day lives. In their language, body pulse, and songs, the children have all been learning how to keep different rhythms, and it is up to the teacher to be able to use what the children already have and build upon it!
The text does a very clear job of pushing the importance of movement for children, as it has the capability to reinforce concepts and also induce creativity from the children. The chapter provides an abundant list of sample activities to do, and each one includes a simple melody along with a game that will allow the children to be moving as they sing. Using games that challenge the children is important, as it will force them to begin listening more astutely to the song and they will develop a keener sense of rhythm. I really enjoyed the section on creative movement; creativity seems to always be one of the hardest things to encourage within the classroom, and encouraging the children to be creative with a simple thing like movement will likely cause their creative minds to also branch out to other subject areas. On the other end, instructing students to follow a choreographed dance teaches them about organization and cultures. The book gives a very helpful list of steps to follow that begin very simply and end with the children being able to internalize and step to the choreographed beat.
Just like the movement chapter, the rhythm chapter also gives many, many examples of rhythmic activities that make use of words and sounds that the children will already be familiar with. The text encourages making lessons that use rhythm in both speech and in movement, as these are both areas that the students are developing as they age. Duration and meter is also mentioned, and as the children grow older, more complex types of rhythms are able to be taught. The chapter also enters into the realm of rhythmic dictation, syncopation, and polyrhythms, which are concepts that really push the students to learn to internalize the beat. I loved that the dictation section encouraged the method of only using note stems in the beginning, as they are much simpler to look at and also simpler to draw.
I noticed that both of these chapters also had boxes that catered to different impairments that may come up in students within the classroom, and these boxes were very helpful in reminding me to make sure the the lessons are most definitely student-centered and based on how best to help the student learn. The book provides very practical examples of how to handle hearing and seeing impairments, from providing a more bass heavy beat to making sure the student can feel the vibrations of the sound.
These chapters have been very informative in providing insight on how to build on what the students already know, and simply bringing it out of them and expanding it. As a teacher, it's important to always be aware of what the students have already been learning, as it makes teaching them new concepts much easier.
[Week 5] Ch. 8: Playing
This chapter introduces a plethora of instruments that each provide a specific use in the classroom. Similar to other chapters, there are tables that describe the different age groups and the types of motor activities that each group is capable of, sending the reminder that it is important to be sure that you are catering to the students as you distribute instruments within the classroom. The text goes through unpitched and pitched instruments that allow students to play a musical line, and then also goes into chordal instruments, like the guitar and autoharp. Each instrument, if implemented well, is able to encourage the student to develop critical listening, organized playing, and even improvisation. Because the instruments are not a part of the human body, it allows a way for students to practically apply certain musical concepts that they are learning in class.
Instruments may be available to be used, but the most key factor in all of this is how the instruments are being implemented. The teacher plays an incredible role, especially in the more elementary classes, in capturing the students' interests in playing the instrument and furthering that interest. The text mentions how the teacher can often play a role in starting the development of a future professional instrumentalist, and it is very true: often times, a young student will have no interest in instruments unless it is revealed to them that they are capable of enjoying and creating music with a certain instrument. As an aspiring educator, I hope to be able to facilitate the use of instruments in a manner that really transforms and develops the musicality of the students.
This chapter introduces a plethora of instruments that each provide a specific use in the classroom. Similar to other chapters, there are tables that describe the different age groups and the types of motor activities that each group is capable of, sending the reminder that it is important to be sure that you are catering to the students as you distribute instruments within the classroom. The text goes through unpitched and pitched instruments that allow students to play a musical line, and then also goes into chordal instruments, like the guitar and autoharp. Each instrument, if implemented well, is able to encourage the student to develop critical listening, organized playing, and even improvisation. Because the instruments are not a part of the human body, it allows a way for students to practically apply certain musical concepts that they are learning in class.
Instruments may be available to be used, but the most key factor in all of this is how the instruments are being implemented. The teacher plays an incredible role, especially in the more elementary classes, in capturing the students' interests in playing the instrument and furthering that interest. The text mentions how the teacher can often play a role in starting the development of a future professional instrumentalist, and it is very true: often times, a young student will have no interest in instruments unless it is revealed to them that they are capable of enjoying and creating music with a certain instrument. As an aspiring educator, I hope to be able to facilitate the use of instruments in a manner that really transforms and develops the musicality of the students.
[Week 6] Ch. 9: Listening
Listening is such a key factor of learning, especially for younger children, and it should be carefully honed throughout musical lessons. The text starts off with an analogy to identifying the various ingredients of a dish from a single taste, which is quite a good comparison. Eventually, as the ear develops, children can identify more and more within a single listen to a musical work, and will be able to enjoy it that much more. The chapter begins with some ways that a teacher can assist students in being more active in their listening, including using props and listening maps. It is highly important to be incorporating the other motor senses during the active listening, as this allows the students to create stronger and more varied connections in their brains. The chapter includes some very detailed lesson plans that discuss how to insert active listening into certain musical concepts; each lesson plan has a section for moving, performing, and reading, which each play a role in developing the student's ear to actively listen to music.
I especially enjoyed reading through the section titled "Listening Sequence", which runs through a series of steps to effectively encourage the students to place their ears and minds within the music. Children must be prepared to listen, must be actively participating in the listening, must be questioned about the listening, and must be pushed to extend their listening outside of their comfort zones.
In terms of evaluation of students, listening is surely a difficult one to judge, as it is a bit hard to be able to know what exactly is going through a child's mind as he or she hears a piece of music. This makes it incredibly important to be asking the right questions and to be teaching the students different tools that allow them to describe what exactly they listened to.
The text ends the chapter by stating that "teachers who actively nurture their own musical growth through listening have greater riches to offer their students." It may seem simple, but it is definitely one that can be easily ignored as teachers, especially newer ones, get overwhelmed by busyness and fail to continue to listen, developing their own ear in order that they may develop those of the ones in the classroom.
This chapter has encouraged me to be a better listener, both of the students I teach as well as of music in general. The text mentions that students will follow after the example of an attentively-listening teacher, and I really hope to be a model listeners to the students I interact with. Often times, listening turns out to be something that is taken for granted, and focus is given to musical concepts that seem more "important", but reading this chapter has re-established the importance of making active listening a priority in the lesson plan, as it is, in a way, one of the most foundational planes of musical learning.
Listening is such a key factor of learning, especially for younger children, and it should be carefully honed throughout musical lessons. The text starts off with an analogy to identifying the various ingredients of a dish from a single taste, which is quite a good comparison. Eventually, as the ear develops, children can identify more and more within a single listen to a musical work, and will be able to enjoy it that much more. The chapter begins with some ways that a teacher can assist students in being more active in their listening, including using props and listening maps. It is highly important to be incorporating the other motor senses during the active listening, as this allows the students to create stronger and more varied connections in their brains. The chapter includes some very detailed lesson plans that discuss how to insert active listening into certain musical concepts; each lesson plan has a section for moving, performing, and reading, which each play a role in developing the student's ear to actively listen to music.
I especially enjoyed reading through the section titled "Listening Sequence", which runs through a series of steps to effectively encourage the students to place their ears and minds within the music. Children must be prepared to listen, must be actively participating in the listening, must be questioned about the listening, and must be pushed to extend their listening outside of their comfort zones.
In terms of evaluation of students, listening is surely a difficult one to judge, as it is a bit hard to be able to know what exactly is going through a child's mind as he or she hears a piece of music. This makes it incredibly important to be asking the right questions and to be teaching the students different tools that allow them to describe what exactly they listened to.
The text ends the chapter by stating that "teachers who actively nurture their own musical growth through listening have greater riches to offer their students." It may seem simple, but it is definitely one that can be easily ignored as teachers, especially newer ones, get overwhelmed by busyness and fail to continue to listen, developing their own ear in order that they may develop those of the ones in the classroom.
This chapter has encouraged me to be a better listener, both of the students I teach as well as of music in general. The text mentions that students will follow after the example of an attentively-listening teacher, and I really hope to be a model listeners to the students I interact with. Often times, listening turns out to be something that is taken for granted, and focus is given to musical concepts that seem more "important", but reading this chapter has re-established the importance of making active listening a priority in the lesson plan, as it is, in a way, one of the most foundational planes of musical learning.
[Week 7] Ch. 10: Creating
Encouraging creativity is so important in helping children actively use their minds in music. I really liked how the text mentioned the convergent versus divergent thinking, and I do believe that there are important situations for each. Convergent thinking is about getting the class to be centered into a specific topic, whereas divergent provokes their minds to venture past what the normal boundaries are, getting them to really think for themselves. The chapter provides several examples of ways to make use of the creative minds that children have, including improvisation and composition. Working in small groups is emphasized, as it gives children the chance to interact and share with other students, all without too much instruction from the teacher. The teacher, however, is still an important element in providing the students with a good environment to learn, and there are sample plans of how to structure a consecutive number of days to slowly build up the children's creativity. Making use of different tools is important, and the chapter goes from having the children think up different ways to make sounds from a paper to getting software that is valuable to building creative minds.
The end of the chapter mentions that because so many teachers are trained to be excellent performers, performance ends up being a main emphasis in teaching. I definitely agree, and I can see, even in myself, that it is easy to gear lesson plans to being focused on performance rather than creativity. In a way, there is definitely a sense of creativity that can be added to performing, and it really just involves using a more active mind in listening and playing. This chapter has taught me that there are many, many ways to add creativity to a lesson, and in a sense, it is important to be incredibly creative when thinking of ways to make creativity a part of the learning experience for the children.
Encouraging creativity is so important in helping children actively use their minds in music. I really liked how the text mentioned the convergent versus divergent thinking, and I do believe that there are important situations for each. Convergent thinking is about getting the class to be centered into a specific topic, whereas divergent provokes their minds to venture past what the normal boundaries are, getting them to really think for themselves. The chapter provides several examples of ways to make use of the creative minds that children have, including improvisation and composition. Working in small groups is emphasized, as it gives children the chance to interact and share with other students, all without too much instruction from the teacher. The teacher, however, is still an important element in providing the students with a good environment to learn, and there are sample plans of how to structure a consecutive number of days to slowly build up the children's creativity. Making use of different tools is important, and the chapter goes from having the children think up different ways to make sounds from a paper to getting software that is valuable to building creative minds.
The end of the chapter mentions that because so many teachers are trained to be excellent performers, performance ends up being a main emphasis in teaching. I definitely agree, and I can see, even in myself, that it is easy to gear lesson plans to being focused on performance rather than creativity. In a way, there is definitely a sense of creativity that can be added to performing, and it really just involves using a more active mind in listening and playing. This chapter has taught me that there are many, many ways to add creativity to a lesson, and in a sense, it is important to be incredibly creative when thinking of ways to make creativity a part of the learning experience for the children.
[Week 8] Ch. 11: Motivation
Chapter 11 beautifully splits up into the topics of motivation and management, and the text does a brilliant job in providing the foundations of motivation before moving into ways of managing the classroom.
The motivation section discusses the types of motivations that children have, along with which ones we should adhere more towards. Children have intrinsic, external, and need-based motivators, and teachers need to gear lessons that can work best with these motivations. It also ventures into the topic of self-understanding, making sure that as teachers, we are constantly analyzing character traits of ourselves as well as the children so that we can better assess a situation. I really liked the explanation of transactional analysis, and it holds so much truth: teachers and students often find themselves acting like parents and children, and maintaining an adult mode of interaction creates the best environment for learning.
Then, after explaining the different motivations that cause behavior problems in children, the chapter moves to giving very practical methods of maintaining classroom control. The chapter gives examples of classroom seating arrangements and ways to keep the classroom physically in order, such as giving occasional token prizes and have the class elect a special person. The text then moves to deal with the more internal and emotional conflicts. There are specific ways to frame questions that allow the child to understand the reason for a disciplinary action, and a teacher has a responsibility of maintaining expectations for the classroom and responding when those expectations are not fulfilled. It is always important for the teacher to maintain a cool demeanor, and the chapter provides a very helpful image of a thermometer that gives different responses as the thermometer rises higher; the text mentions the value in knowing when to intervene in a more heated way, and encourages teachers to be cool as often as possible.
Reading this chapter has helped me realize that there is incredible value to knowing exactly what is motivating a child to commit a specific act, as that allows me, as a teacher, to identify the root of the problem instead of simply slicing off surface-level branches. Students all bring very unique backgrounds and traits with them to the classroom, and it is up to the educator to identify these different characters and be prepared to intervene using methods that do not harm the child physically or emotionally. However, without an organized classroom, it is impossible to keep track and maintain the level of awareness needed to accomplish these tasks; this makes having a well-planned layout another very valuable asset to a successful learning environment. As I go on to teach different students, I will need to constantly analyze the traits of both myself and the students, and then be ready to handle problems with a proper attitude and mindset.
Chapter 11 beautifully splits up into the topics of motivation and management, and the text does a brilliant job in providing the foundations of motivation before moving into ways of managing the classroom.
The motivation section discusses the types of motivations that children have, along with which ones we should adhere more towards. Children have intrinsic, external, and need-based motivators, and teachers need to gear lessons that can work best with these motivations. It also ventures into the topic of self-understanding, making sure that as teachers, we are constantly analyzing character traits of ourselves as well as the children so that we can better assess a situation. I really liked the explanation of transactional analysis, and it holds so much truth: teachers and students often find themselves acting like parents and children, and maintaining an adult mode of interaction creates the best environment for learning.
Then, after explaining the different motivations that cause behavior problems in children, the chapter moves to giving very practical methods of maintaining classroom control. The chapter gives examples of classroom seating arrangements and ways to keep the classroom physically in order, such as giving occasional token prizes and have the class elect a special person. The text then moves to deal with the more internal and emotional conflicts. There are specific ways to frame questions that allow the child to understand the reason for a disciplinary action, and a teacher has a responsibility of maintaining expectations for the classroom and responding when those expectations are not fulfilled. It is always important for the teacher to maintain a cool demeanor, and the chapter provides a very helpful image of a thermometer that gives different responses as the thermometer rises higher; the text mentions the value in knowing when to intervene in a more heated way, and encourages teachers to be cool as often as possible.
Reading this chapter has helped me realize that there is incredible value to knowing exactly what is motivating a child to commit a specific act, as that allows me, as a teacher, to identify the root of the problem instead of simply slicing off surface-level branches. Students all bring very unique backgrounds and traits with them to the classroom, and it is up to the educator to identify these different characters and be prepared to intervene using methods that do not harm the child physically or emotionally. However, without an organized classroom, it is impossible to keep track and maintain the level of awareness needed to accomplish these tasks; this makes having a well-planned layout another very valuable asset to a successful learning environment. As I go on to teach different students, I will need to constantly analyze the traits of both myself and the students, and then be ready to handle problems with a proper attitude and mindset.