MUED 376 - New Paradigm

28 November 2023

Morgan Brown

Lesson Planning Summary

While looking through each of the files linked within the Lesson Planning folder on

Canvas, I found the “Ten Rehearsal Plan”outline in the VMEA Lesson Planning powerpoint to

be one of the most impactful resources within the folder. Specifically, looking through and seeing

the basic mapping of the rehearsal threads in addition to the longitudinal rehearsal planning

document helped to make the overwhelming concept more digestible. Additionally, I found the

slides about teacher energy and effective rhetoric to be supplemental to the “Direct Instruction”

work Dr. V discussed in class. After looking through the slideshow, I realized just how much

practice I have had with the concepts of the “Ten Rehearsal Plan” model and the “Direct

Instruction Script” through my completion of the midterm exam for this class and my Direct

Instruction Scripts for my VMRC Generation’s Choir lesson plans.

In further examining the contents of the Lesson Planning folder, I came across the

document entitled “Developmental Hierarchy Rehearsal Plan” that outlined the progression of

three new Choral pieces throughout ten rehearsals between the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade

levels. I enjoyed reading throughout this document to see Dr. V’s personal use of the “Ten

Rehearsal Plan” strategy with a Middle School Choir. Particularly, I appreciated the amount of

time Dr. V spent detailing each minute of the rehearsal block to ensure that the rehearsal block

was used as efficiently and effectively as possible. Additionally, Dr. V’s use of green and yellow

highlighting made the document clear and concise to read to identify the rehearsal thread and

planned scheduling limitations during each of the rehearsal blocks.

 A few other documents I found interesting while reading the items in this folder included

the “Teaching Music by Rote” file, the “Student Energy Cycle” graph, and the “How to Calendar

Longitudinally" file. In examining the “Teaching Music by Rote” file, I made a transfer between

the sequence discussed in the file between some of the pieces Dr. V has taught by rote in Choir. I

also really appreciated how this document specified an appropriate sequence that chunked the

music in “whole” or “partial” sections since this is the first accessible sequenced rote learning

model/diagram that I have come across in my time at JMU. When examining the “Student

Energy Cycle” graph, I noted how I tend to experience a similar energy cycle within my personal

rehearsal time as a student and a conductor. I also made a transfer of how Dr. V structures the

rehearsal order of the VMRC Choir pieces to ensure that the harder pieces are toward the

beginning of rehearsal to ensure that the choir has the best chance of learning and retaining the

information. While looking over the “How to Calendar Longitudinally” file, I chose to go back

to my notes from Dr. V’s lecture about longitudinal planning and found the review of my notes to

be extremely helpful. Overall, reading the documents within the lesson planning file helped to

reinforce the Lesson Planning materials that Dr. V has discussed in class, helping me to continue

to grow in confidence about how to effectively lesson plan.