Northern State University

Student Teaching Experience

MUSIC Teacher Work Sample
Fall 2020

Candidate Name: Abbigayle Quinn

Candidate Phone Number: (605) 252-8877

Candidate ID Number: A00234468

Cooperating School(s): Roncalli Elementary and Junior High/High School

Subject/Content Area: Music

Grade Level(s): K-8

Date Submitted: 11/28/20

I understand that obtaining, or attempting to obtain, a passing grade on a TWS by falsification or

misrepresentation may result in a failing grade in a course or expulsion from the teacher
education program.

I grant permission for the Northern State University Department of Music and School of
Education to use my Teacher Work Sample as an exemplary (outstanding) model for teacher
candidate and university supervisor training purposes in the future. I understand my name will
remain on the document for proper credit.

Electronic Signature of
Candidate Submitting the TWS:

Abbigayle Quinn (electronic submission)

Portfolio Active Link:

https://abbigaylequinn.weebly.com/

Task I Professional Goal Setting

Knowledge of Self as an Individual

Goal: During this experience, I will use my body language and the way that I speak to
create a welcoming and open environment for the students.
 Procedure: I will accomplish this goal by making sure my body language is always open
and never closed off. (Such as crossing my arms) I will also make sure to be conscience

Evaluation: I will evaluate this goal by assessing how the students react to things I say as
well as observing that specifically in my video reflections.
Knowledge of the Learner
Goal: During this experience, I will adjust the difficulty of my lessons based upon how
each student receives them.
Procedure: I will accomplish this goal by learning to assess the students as the class is
accomplishing activities. I will pay attention to the level that each student has achieved
while performing activities such as Learning Sequence activities.
Evaluation: I will evaluate this goal by coinciding with my cooperating teacher and
asking her opinions. I will also journal how far we get and how advanced the students get
based on the assessments that I am making.
Knowledge of Content
Goal: During this experience, I will become familiar with and use the South Dakota
Content Standards to construct well-thought out lesson plans appropriate for the ages I
am teaching.
Procedure: I will accomplish this goal by reviewing all Fine Arts standards for the ages I
will be teaching. I will then look for ways to address as many specific standards as are
relevant in lesson activities.
Evaluation: I will evaluate this goal by journaling which standards I have addressed. I
will also stay in contact with my cooperating teacher and ask for her assistance in
evaluating whether these standards have been met.
Knowledge of Pedagogy
Goal: During this experience, I want to become more familiar and more confident using
technology in a music classroom setting.
Procedure: I will accomplish this goal by becoming more familiar with using
QuaverMusic and other online music programs as well as creating lesson plans that can
be taught both online and in person.
Evaluation: I will evaluate this goal with self-reflection of my lessons. I will look at and
think about how comfortable I am using these types of programs as well as using my
weekly journals and video reflections to review.
Knowledge of Self as a Teacher and a Member of a Learning Community
Goal: During this experience, I will develop professional relationships with my
cooperating teacher, their administration, and other faculty.
 Procedure: I will accomplish this goal in many ways. First, I will make sure that I am
demonstrating professional behaviors in the workspace, such as dressing appropriately,
showing up on time, etc. I will also go out of my way to show confidence my starting
conversations with the teachers and administration.
Evaluation: I will evaluate this goal mainly through personal reflections at the end of
each time spent at the school as well as at the end of this experience. I will reflect upon
the conversations had as well as how I chose to present myself.

Task II Contextual Information

XYZ Elementary School is located in a midsize town in the Midwest and is the only
elementary in the school district. The elementary school grades range from 3rd grade to 6th grade.
There are two class sections for each grade. within the XYZ school district, there are two other
schools: XYZ Primary School, which is grades Kindergarten through 2nd Grade, and XYZ
Junior/Senior High School, which hosts 7th grade through 12th grade. XYZ School District is one
of two small private school districts within the town. There is also one larger public school
district.
goal is to instill Catholic values and promote academic
excellence by nurturing mind, body and soul.
their three schools.
White/Caucasian, 4.1% Hispanic, 2.3% Multiple Race, 1.6% Black, 1.6% Native American,
1.1% Asian, and 0.4% Pacific Islander. XYZ Elementary School serves 138 students across 4
grade levels, 3rd grade through 6th grade. The ethnic diversity of XYZ Elementary School very
closely mirrors that of the entire school district: 88.4% White/Caucasian, 4.3% Hispanic, 3.6%
Multiple Races, 1.4% Black, 1.4% Native American, and 0.7% Asian. Of the 437 students being
educated in the school district, 0.0% are classified as English Language Learners (ELL). In the
entirety of the XYZ School District, 48.1% of the student population is registered as female and
51.9% is registered as male. However, the XYZ Elementary School demographic is a different
story. 42.0% of the population is registered as female, and 58.0% of the population is registered
as male.
The town that XYZ school district resides in a town with an approximate population of
28,300 people, the third-largest city population in the state. The ethnic demographic of the town
follows very closely with the XYZ school district, with its largest ethnic group being Caucasian
at 87.8%. The median household income of this city resides at $49,471, which is approximately
$10,000 less than the national average. 14.8% of the population lies below the poverty line,
which is 4.3% above the national average, according to the US Census website.
Task III Instructional Design and Implementation Lesson Plans

Common Lesson Plan Template

Music Education
Dr. Wendy van Gent

Teacher Candidate Name: Abbigayle Quinn

Grade Level: Grade 4

Subject: Music

Date: 11/12/20

PLANNING
STATE STANDARDS

5.MU.Pr.4.2.a Demonstrate understanding of the structure and the elements of music (such as
rhythm, pitch, form, and harmony) in music selected for performance
4.MU.Re.8.1.a Demonstrate and explain how the expressive qualities (such as dynamics,

expressive intent.

LEARNING/BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVE(S)

Students will be able to:

Discern the difference between the macrobeat and microbeat by swaying to the
macrobeat and patting the microbeat.
Take a group breath together in order to begin performing together.
Learn solfege hand signs and perform them along with singing solfege syllables.
Perform a song individually and in a group of students.
RATIONALE and PREASSESSMENT

According to South Dakota State Fine Arts Standard 5.MU.Pr.4.2.a, students in the fourth grade
should be able to demonstrate the understanding of the structure and the elements of music in
music selected for performance.

According to Gordon, an adults modeling of movement is extremely important when singing

songs and tonal patterns and performing chants and rhythm patterns.

In this lesson the students will be demonstrating different tempos, styles, and methods of
performing a song by performing each step in the Rote Song Procedure (RSP). During the
introduction, I will be modeling a proper breath and modeling how we breathe together as a
class. I will also model each step of the RSP before asking the students to perform them.
MATERIALS

- Accompanying instrument (Guitar, Piano, etc.)

- Stuffed Animal, or object that is able to be tossed around
TECHNOLOGY

N/A

ACCOMMODATIONS

Knowing that this song is in Spanish, I will take extra time throughout the lesson to introduce
the language, explain the translation, and work on pronouncing the words together.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

For this lesson I will use the following classroom management strategies:
- M: Make safe and kind choices.
- U: Use equipment properly and respectfully.
- S: Speak when called upon or asked to do so.
- I: Involve yourself in all activities.
- C: Cooperate with others.
 Implementation
LESSON OPENING (hook)

I will get my students attention for this lesson by practicing our breathing as a class. I will first

model singing with a proper breath, then ask my entire class to do the same, then ask

individuals to perform singing with a proper breath themselves.

TEACHING PROCEDURES

Modeling Song
1. Movement to the song
a. Move with flow
b. Macrobeat (Swaying/in the feet)
c. Microbeat (use spider fingers on shoulders)
d. Micro and Macro Simultaneously
2. Find the resting tone throughout the song
a. As a class
b. Individuals
3. Audiate the song
4. Solfege
a. Model whole song
b. Chunk solfege
c. Whole song with solfege
5. Speak Song in Rhythm
a. Without words
b. With words
6. Use Echo/Chunking to Teach the Words
7. Model Song again
8. Sing Song with everyone
9. Allow the students to use their rhythm kits to play along

LESSON CLOSING (transition)

We will all sing the song, while marching to the macrobeat, while putting away supplies and

lining up at the door.

 Analyze
POST ASSESSMENT

1. Discern the difference between the macrobeat and microbeat by swaying to the
macrobeat and patting the microbeat.
a. The students did fairly well with understanding the difference between the two.
There were no issues there, however they struggled putting the two together,
which comes with time.
2. Take a group breath together in order to begin performing together.
a. The students successfully performed this concept. This will take more practice
and familiarity with the teacher in order to read the body language of the
instructor.
3. Learn solfege hand signs and perform them along with singing solfege syllables.
a. Being that this is a relatively new concept for the students, they were not fully
able to grasp this concept. This will improve as the students grow and continue
practicing.
4. Perform a song individually and in a group of students.
a. One of the fourth grade classes strugged to perform parts of the song without
my assistance, mainly due to the foreign language
Reflect
I taught this lesson twice, to two different groups of fourth graders. I found that my second
lesson went much more smoothly than the first. I made changes to my procedure, in order to
accommodate what went well and not well with the first class. The concept that the students
struggled the most with was audiation. If I could teach this lesson again, I would introduce
audiation a little bit more. Neither class truly understood what I was asking for. I would
improve this by having an activity entirely to do with audiation and what it means to audiate.

Common Lesson Plan Template

Music Education
Dr. Wendy van Gent

Teacher Candidate Name: Abbigayle Quinn

Grade Level: 4th Grade

Subject: Music

Date: 11/12/20

PLANNING
STATE STANDARDS

4.MU.Pr.4.2.a Demonstrate understanding of the structure and the elements of music (such as
rhythm, pitch, and form) in music selected for performance.

4.MU.Re.7.2.a Demonstrate and explain how responses to music are informed by the structure,
the use of the elements of music, and context (such as personal, social and cultural).

4.MU.Re.8.1.a Demonstrate and explain how the expressive qualities (such as dynamics,

expressive intent

LEARNING/BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVE(S)

Students will be able to:

- Recall and name three musical periods (including The Romantic Period).
- Aurally recognize the main melody from two pieces of Romantic period music.

RATIONALE and PREASSESSMENT

According to South Dakota State Fine Arts Standard 4.MU.Pr.4.2.a, students in the fourth grade
should be able to demonstrate understanding of the structure and the elements of music in music
selected for performance. According to South Dakota State Fine Arts Standard 4.MU.Re.7.2.a,
students in the fourth grade should be able to demonstrate and explain how responses to music
are informed by the structure, the use of the elements of music, and context. According to South
Dakota State Fine Arts Standard 4.MU.Re.8.1.a, students in the fourth grade should be able to
demonstrate and explain how the expressive qualities are use in performers and personal
interpretations to reflect expressive intent.

In this lesson, students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the elements by completing
an activity in which they perform different rhythms within Trepak by Tchaikovsky. They will
also be determining the macrobeat and microbeat in Flight of the Bumblebee by Rimsky-
Korsakov. Throughout the lesson, I will be addressing different historical contexts of the
Romantic Period and musical elements of the period as well. Students will then be asked to
reflect upon what they hear whilst listening to two different pieces of the time period.
MATERIALS

-
Rhythm Kits
-
Laptop
-
Projector
- SmartBoard/Pen
TECHNOLOGY

This lesson plan will be one created from QuaverMusic, an online interactive music
curriculum. This program is set up so that all students can have the ability to interact with the

learning.

ACCOMMODATIONS

In order for a hyperactive student in the classroom to feel that they are taking part in the
lesson, I will allow everyone a chance to use the Smart Pen for the board, and sanitize the pen
between uses.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

For this lesson I will use the following classroom management strategies:

- M: Make safe and kind choices.

- U: Use equipment properly and respectfully.
- S: Speak when called upon or asked to do so.
- I: Involve yourself in all activities.
- C: Cooperate with others.
 Implementation
LESSON OPENING (hook)

As the students enter the classroom and retrieve their personal supplies, I will have the song
Musical Periods playing over the speaker and explain how we will be using Quaver in the
classroom.

TEACHING PROCEDURES

1. Vocal Warmup
a. Think of something yucky to eat, such as liver, snails, etc.
b. Make a face that wrinkles the nose, purses the lips, and squints the eyes...say
"EEEWWW."
c. Think of something yummy to eat, such as ice cream, chocolate, candy, a favorite
fruit, and so on.
d. Say "AAAHHH" and open your mouth very wide to take a big bite.
e. Make exaggerated chewing motions.
f. Say "MMMMMMM" and rub your stomach
2. Musical Periods
a. Review the song from the last lesson, and ask the students to sing along, following
the lyrics on screen.
b. Ask the students to remember the three musical periods mentioned in the song
(Baroque, Classical, Romantic)
3. Flight of the Bumblebee
a. Listen to the audio track with the main melody of Flight of the Bumblebee (from
the Romantic Period). Ask how the melody is passed from one solo instrument to
another with an orchestral accompaniment. (The melody goes from the strings to a
flute to a clarinet, then rotates through a combination of these.)
b. Give Background information
i. This piece was written by Rimsky-Korsakov as an interlude piece in his
Opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan.
ii. This type of music is called "program music." This particular story is about
a bee that flies around, but other pieces can have a more detailed story.
c. Invite students to suggest some specific elements that cause this piece to be
classified as a Romantic period piece (such as intense, dramatic melody line,
emotional appeal, and so on).
d. Listen to the piece, while asking students to sway to the macrobeat and pat to the
microbeat, then do it simultaneously
4. Talk to Tchaikovsky
a.
learn more about Tchaikovsky.
b. Use the example for his great music to model and learn different rhythmic patterns
in Trepak and ask the students to use different instruments from their rhythm kits
and perform following along to the musical notation on the screen.
 LESSON CLOSING (transition)

I will review the two lesson objectives of today by doing the following:

- Asking them to name at least three musical periods

- Playing sections of the two pieces we learned and asking the students to recognize them
by name.
Analyze
POST ASSESSMENT

I feel that when asked, a majority of the students were able to complete or fulfill the learning
and behaviorial objectives.

Reflect
I felt that my instructional strategies were successful. This was the second lesson that have
taught in front of this class. I felt that my nerves were less throughout this process. I feel that it
can be very difficult teaching in another m, because they have their own set
of expectations for the students.
own classroom management strategy. In the future, I need to really allot for time. One class
was able to accomplish more of the
If I were to teach this lesson again, I would definitely create my own activity to go with
these slides.

Task IV Analysis of Focus Students Case Studies

Maria is a nine-year old fourth grade student at XYZ Elementary School. She first caught
my attention about a week or two into my field experience. While my cooperating teacher was
instructing a lesson, Maria could not sit still. She was consistently moving around and seemed to

and has a personality that stands out from the rest of her classmates.

Upon investigating further background information, I learned that Maria is one of the
youngest students in her grade. According to her classroom teacher, she is not as mature as her
peers and struggles to maintain multiple friendships. Her teachers are consistently working with
her to develop emotional skills that are age appropriate. She is not on any plan for behavior or
special needs; however, her normal classroom teacher does make specific accommodations to
help her succeed. Maria is used to playing by herself, because she is the only child in her home.
She lives with her biological mother and father and does have a half-sister who is in her mid-
twenties. Maria loves the arts. She is very particular about that work and does very well in music
class. She has a lovely singing voice, and this is considered one of the areas that she thrives in.

From my own personal observations, I have noticed that Maria does not struggle from an
academic standpoint in the music classroom. She is incredibly kind and loves music. I have
noticed that her biggest issues seem to be behavioral. Maria lacks the ability to stay completely
focused and sit still in the classroom. She talks quite often and will often speak out when it is
inappropriate to do so. I can see how the way that the general music teacher structures her
instruction may be di
lecture-based. Most of their activities come from either singing or using their rhythm kits. She
participates very well while engaged. Finding an option for when she is required to sit still and
listen, may be suitable to encourage growth in

There are many different encourage

focus and attentiveness. One suggestion provided by David Reeves is to include physical activity
within instruction. According to Reeves (2015) Taking a break to bounce on an exercise ball,
breaking up learning into chunks, and outdoor play times, or providing a quick stretching or
jumping jacks break in the classroom, can all help the attention-challenged student stay focused.
(Reeves, 2015
Music Learning Theory. The Understood Team reaffirms the idea that it can be easier for
students who trouble focusing to start tasks by breaking them up into chunks. (The Understood
Team, 2020) Another way that could help Maria is to have a private signal between her and the
instructor. (Thorne, Thomas, & Lawson, 2017) Having a signal can have two positive outcomes.
First, the teacher does not have to stop instruction to address issues. Second, Maria may not feel
embarrassed by being addressed in front of the entire class. Another strategy that can be used
amongst normal instruction is to play memory games. According to David Reeves (2015),
Memory games help hone that focus for kids in a fun way, so that they are able to concentrate
when something challenging is presented. (Reeves, 2015) This can easily be added into daily
instruction and can help reinforce musical concepts in a positive manner.

Maria seems to be doing well in the music classroom specifically. It is obvious that she
loves it, which is encouraging. She participates well when asked and almost never lacks in
performance ability in comparison to her classmates. The music classroom can be a place for
Maria to work on personal skills that can transfer over to her other areas of academics. By
utilizing different behavioral management techniques, hopefully Maria can develop her
attentiveness and focus abilities so that she can develop and retain the best knowledge that she is
able to.

Bibliography

Reeves, D. (2015, July 10). 7 Ways to Increase a Student's Attention Span. Edutopia.
https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/7-ways-increase-students-attention-span.

Thorne, G., Thomas, A., & Lawson, C. (2017, November 15). 15 Strategies for Managing
Attention Problems. Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/15-
strategies-managing-attention-problems.

The Understood Team. (2020, October 22). 6 Ways to Help Your Child Focus. Understood.
https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/child-learning-
disabilities/add-adhd/how-to-improve-focus-in-
kids?_ul=1%2A1722rua%2Adomain_userid%2AYW1wLWlrYzZSOEpzZ2F2T1lJWTVr
RDhfQkE.

Task V Reflection, Self-Evaluation, and Goals Achievements

This semester, I had a very positive field experience. I worked very well with my cooperating
teacher and enjoyed the time I spent in her classrooms. She demonstrated how important it is to
be versatile. My cooperating teacher taught general music to grades Kindergarten through 6th
grade as well as 7-12 choir. There are so many differences between teaching a room full of
second grade students and a room full of seventh grade students. I feel that as a future music
educator, knowing the entire extent and requirements of your specific position is so important.
What is asked of an educator can vary based upon different circumstances.

Being in a private school district was a different experience for me. Until this experience,
I have only been immersed in a public school setting. I noticed subtle differences the first time I
stepped into the classroom. In the junior high/high school, they begin their days in prayer. It was
a culture shock to me. Nothing of the sort would have been allowed in my high school, or in
many other high schools for that matter. I feel that it is relevant because it affects the music
curriculum in the general music classroom. Every Tuesday, the students begin their music class
by singing music for Mass the next day. The music for a winter concert is music based entirely
on and around the Christmas holiday. I feel that it shows how curriculums in a music classroom
can vary so much based upon the location and demographic of the school district.

Throughout my field experience, I have noticed many different strengths and weaknesses
that I possess. I believe that one of my strengths is having the ability to analyze quickly. In the
last lesson I taught, fourth graders were learning a song using rote song procedure. I taught this
lesson to two different fourth grade classes. From the first lesson to the second lesson, I had
completely changed up my introduction. When I perform lessons with my peers, they understand
how to take an audiation breath when I signal them to do so. Neither fourth grade class had been
taught to breathe as a class the same way I had been taught. In my first lesson, singing together
was a struggle, because the students struggled to understand my directions on how to breathe
together. I lacked in clarity on my part. So, in the second lesson, I took the first five minutes to
explain audiation breaths and my personal hand gestures that I used. For example, I had to point
out to them that I would point to myself when I was modeling and point to them when it was
their turn to perform the task. This required multiple different strengths; including thinking quick
on my feet, analyzing and assessing the situation as it was occurring, and using my creativity to
think of different approaches for improved results. I am always willing to learn and try new
things. Overall, I just want to be the best teacher I can be, which requires constantly learning on
my part. I think that one of my biggest weaknesses can be time management. While I work well
-managed classroom. It is something
that I definitely need to work on and strive to do better with.
 I have used this semester to start thinking about and developing my philosophies on
teaching. One of the philosophies that I have thought about was reaffirmed multiple times by
observing my cooperating teacher. Caring about your students is key. There is always room for
kindness. Some of the best moments I observed were when my cooperating teacher would share
a laugh with her students. She would take input on what their interests were. I think it is
important to show the students that you care about them. Positivity can go a long way. Even
telling the students that they did a good job can make such a difference. I remember seeing the

teachers, showing our students compassion and kindness is our first job.

Knowledge of Self as an Individual

Goal: During this experience, I will use my body language and the way that I speak to create a
welcoming and open environment for the students.

Reflection: I would say I succeeded in meeting one part of this goal and can still work on the
other. I made sure to use a kind voice when speaking to the students. Even when being firm, I did
my best to make sure that I was not coming off as abrasive. I made sure to give the students
affirmations when they succeeded, to help lift their spirits. I still think that I can work on my

confidence. I would also find myself fidgeting with my hands or bouncing my leg while sitting.
This can demonstrate a nervous or anxious feeling. I need to continue to work on my awareness.

Knowledge of the Learner

Goal: During this experience, I will adjust the difficulty of my lessons based upon how each
student receives them.

Reflection: This is a skill that can be constantly improved. Assessing students also comes with

you know your class well. I did implement and achieve this goal while teaching Rote Song
Procedure, as stated earlier in my reflection. I wish I could have gone back and worked on the
audiation breath with the class who initially struggled with it. This will improve as I increase my
analyzation speed.
Knowledge of Content

Goal: During this experience, I will become familiar with and use the South Dakota Content
Standards to construct well-thought out lesson plans appropriate for the ages I am teaching.

Reflection: In each lesson that I taught, I was able to identify at least two different South Dakota
State Standards that my students could meet/address. By doing such, I was able to teach lessons
that would enable the students to reach the academic levels that the State of South Dakota desires
of them. I found that having the standards document open while I constructed my lessons made it
easy to work them into my lesson plans.

Knowledge of Pedagogy

Goal: During this experience, I want to become more familiar and more confident using
technology in a music classroom setting.

Reflection: I was successfully able to improve upon this skill during my field experience. I spent
time on QuaverMusic to observe and gain ideas from their curriculum and activities. I also was
able to teach a lesson using QuaverMusic in my field experience classroom. This gave me a
chance to work on my own technological skills, as well as use my creativity to adapt the lessons
to my wishes. I was also able to allow the students to interact with the technology as well. This
gave them another level of excitement.

Knowledge of Self as a Teacher and a Member of a Learning Community

Goal: During this experience, I will develop professional relationships with my cooperating
teacher, their administration, and other faculty.

Reflection: This is a skill that I can further improve. I am an introverted person, so sometimes I
find it difficult to step into new environments with different individuals. I feel that I succeeded in
the fact that I did develop a good working relationship with my cooperating teacher. I also
worked with one of the regular classroom teachers concerning my case study student. In the
future, I hope to step out of my box further. I want to make a good impression upon the principal,
superintendent or other faculty members high up in the administration. I should have taken the
time to introduce myself to them and have an introductory conversation. This is something I can
improve upon.