Audrey Farrell – 4/3/24 – Rolling Ridge Elementary Matt Shea - Evaluator

Observations (what happened) My comments

Audrey Farrell – 4/3/24 – Rolling Ridge Elementary
● Students enter the room and stand
on their spot.
● They complete a reading rhythm
challenge to begin class.
● “Can I get eyes up here?”
● Peanut Butter Jelly Sandwich
● Students repeat poem “peanut butter
peanut better jelly jelly”
● While you say that, can you move to
the front so you can see the book
better?
● Catch your bubble.
● Can you remind me, when we are
using walking hand with the
xylophone, what does that look like?
● Can I see what jumping hands look
like? Both of our hands are moving
together.
● Watch and Listen – teacher models
alternating hands (walking hands)
● The longer we have to wait for friends
to start talking, the less time we have
for fun things today.
● Jelly – quarter notes, jumping hands
● Changing from walking hands to
jumping hands.
● Give me a PBJ high-5.
● Shh – rhythm to repeat.
● Reads story with many repetitions and
other sound effects. Adds
movements.
● “There was a lot of excitement but I
couldn’t really hear it. Could we try
again?”
● Does “peanut butter” sound more like
a ti-ti or a ta? Ss answer.
● Bigger rhythm....
● When I say your names, you may walk
to the numbered spot.
● Students begin to play the xylophones
once they get them out. “TREES” –
playing stops. Turn to your partner
and say “We did amazing.”
Matt Shea - Evaluator
● Good transition – speaking while
moving to another spot in the room.
● I like how the students are
self-starting. They are even wanting to
do it twice – what if they did? Ending
together would sound more final
perhaps.
● “Ready go”. Other ways to start them
may include breathing together or
having a student leader begin them.
● I’m a bit unclear on bigger rhythm or
smaller rhythm. Longer sound or
shorter faster sounds.
● What happens after they walk to their
spots? Are there any expectations
that follow.
● When beginning teaching, procedures
are going to be your best friends.
Never underestimate the time it
should take to demonstrate how to
move and transition in the music
room.
● Teacher models – class discussion –
What did you notice? Ss answer.
Student example models – class
discuss – What did you notice? Then
students will be more aware of
expectations.
● Explore mallet positions – Trees,
telephone, alien, X, +, +
● Good with putting it in their bodies
several times to prepare them for the
xylophones. I wonder if there were
different areas on their bodies they
could put the rhythms.
● Something to be aware of – asking if
they can do something again or
anything may warrant them to want
to respond “no”. It’s ok to give a
directive.
● If you want them to sound excited,
you have to model it excited. They are
reflecting your energy.
Audrey Farrell – 4/3/24 – Rolling Ridge Elementary Matt Shea - Evaluator

● Partner with the longer hair is playing ● It sounds like it could be more final
first and the other partner sits next to and complete if they played it twice...
their partner. no worries if not.
● Can you show me some walking ● I am happy the students are
hands? Ss play. responsible as part of the clean-up
● Can you show me some jumping process.
hands? TREES – Try again I need some ● Clapping the first challenge rhythm. If
faster trees now. students are rushing – make them do
● Sings a trading partner song while it again! ☺
students switch roles. ● Sometimes abrupt sounds or actions
● New partner plays walking hands and may help refocus the kids for
jumping hands. attention purposes. Big wide eyes or
● The more talking, the less we play the getting quiet.
xylophones. ● Lots of starting by saying “can we...”
● Models walking hands. again not an issue but asking a
● Can we do the whole thing? I am question warrants a response.
waiting for all eyes on me. ● Non-specific feedback. Positive praise
● Try one more time for success – much is great – Amazing... Great job... I
better the second time. wonder if you could add in a small
● Maybe you could give them a cue to description of what they did well.
be ready to play? ● Could explore different voices when
● Reads the book while students add speaking the text for variety’s sake.
their sound effects.
● Putting xylophones – calling numbers
to put away instruments. Where do
you hold them? The Bottom.
● “Thank you for being so ready to go.”
● Helps student help put the xylophone
away. Student helps pick up the spots.
● Students sing “na na na na, na na na
na, hey hey good bye” while they are
lining up.
Class #2
● Students – try the challenge rhythm.
● Can you show me walking hands, can
you show me jumping hands... both
hands moving together.
● Teacher models walking and jumping
hands with text for students –
students repeat.
● When we have jelly – that is our Ta
rhythm.
● Book + text and body percussion.
Audrey Farrell – 4/3/24 – Rolling Ridge Elementary Matt Shea - Evaluator

● “I am seeing some students who are

doing our walking and jumping hands
and some are not and that makes me
sad.” – good feedback.
● Love the students exploring and being
very involved in the story.
● “Our bubbles are quiet, they don’t
make any noise.”
● How many people carry the
instrument? Where do you carry it?
What about the mallets?
● Person with the longer hair can begin
playing first.
● Calling each pair of students to go to
an assigned poly spot.
● Some students are playing on the
edge of the bar of the xylophones,
maybe an opportunity for them to
discuss where to play on the bar. In
the middle where the letter or sticker
is.
● I like that they did the jelly twice –
second time was way more
successful!
● Goes back to lap to remind students
the rhythm of the text. Good
reinforcement.
● Praise – good feedback. I saw a lot of
you had better walking hands and
jumping hands. Give your partner a
high-5 and tell them they are
awesome.
● “You are going to put your xylophone
away and then come back and sit
down on the ground.”
● “look at you being so safe” – good
feedback.

Questions:
How are you feeling about today?
Audrey Farrell – 4/3/24 – Rolling Ridge Elementary Matt Shea - Evaluator

What are things you notice about this group of students?

What was a positive moment from the lesson?

Would you change anything the next time that you taught or got in front of the group?

What are some expectations that you have for students during times you are instructing?

Goals to be addressed for next time:

1. Before the next observation, I plan to use more non-verbal gesturing for communicating.
2. I want to use more physical proximity for error detection in the group.