Jenny Jordan

MUS149

Observation Reflection #3

September 21, 2020

This choral classroom didn’t have posters on the walls-- just a diagram I couldn’t quite

make out-- but there was still plenty of furniture, curtains, and various objects that made the

room feel like a comfortable space. There was a silly meme on the piano that said “One does not

simply touch the piano” that added some more character to the room, as well as being mildly

amusing. The transitions during the lesson were quick and seamless, with the environment

feeling productive, yet supportive and positive. The teacher did not have to deal with many

disruptions during the class from the students, but was able to handle a brief interruption from

the loudspeaker and seamlessly get right back on track with the lesson. Because this teacher was

dealing with a high school group, the general feel was a lot different from the other few

observations I’ve done before this. Although the energy was very productive, it was much more

relaxed than a class in elementary school would be. It reminds me much of how my rehearsals

for ensembles in high school felt.

The teacher began with breathing exercises using arms, trying to get the students thinking

about “grounding” their bodies through the floor with gravity “propelling” them upwards. The

teacher then talked briefly about the anatomy of the head and the spine before moving on to a

bobblehead exercise and some other vocal warmups. To work on duples and triples, the teacher

had the students do a “tik tok” exercise together. Transitioning into working on the piece, the

teacher would break it down into smaller sections that needed work, such as working on vowels

with the lower voices. Other times, the teacher would take even smaller sections under a
microscope to get one concept across, like working on the cutoff on the word “tears.” I liked that

this lesson was structured with plenty of warmup activities to get the students focused and

engaged in the lesson. I feel that in rehearsals, these often get skipped when they can be a useful

tool for “getting in the zone.”

The students were constantly engaged, occasionally laughing at a comment a peer or the

teacher would make. They were very attentive and were able to deeply analyze the pieces and

interpret their meaning when asked. When asked what their “music of living” was, each student

gave an enthusiastic answer and was eager to share. I liked that the teacher didn’t completely

stop or yell at the students when they would make comments to each other, but would instead let

them regain focus on their own.

The teacher constantly connected concepts to ideas students might know from real life,

like comparing a sound to the sound of a Looney Tunes character falling. The teacher also used

humor to get students to laugh and lighten the mood a bit more so it didn’t feel too serious. I

appreciated the breathing exercises as well, and how the teacher used it as a way to help students

release some of their stress through their breath. The teacher was constantly asking students

questions to get their input on various ideas. At the end of the exercises, for example, the teacher

asked the students when concepts they learned. When they answered, the teacher asked students

for their names and gave positive reinforcement when they got an answer correct. I liked how

asking for the students’ names made more of a personal connection to each student, showing that

the teacher truly did care about each students’ opinion. When asking the students what the piece

was about, the teacher commented on how she tried not to call on the first person who raised

their hand because “some people need more time to think,” again showing that the teacher cared

about everyone’s opinions. After listening and giving support to everyone’s interpretations of the
piece, the teacher gives her own interpretation, then asking students to say what their “music of

living” was. I liked how this concept was able to connect students’ personal music tastes to the

piece. The teacher never scolded students for mistakes, but just went back over the sections that

needed work. Up until the very end when the teacher thanked the students for coming to the

lesson, the teacher showed so much support for the students and what they are passionate about. I

want to apply this to my own teaching in the future, hopefully connecting the pieces and lessons

to the students in different, creative ways.

Link: https://youtu.be/RvGIwSidC90

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.

-Jenny Jordan