Mitchell Guido Intro To Music Ed

Posture: Acceptable

Pacing: Excellent/Acceptable

Enunciation: Acceptable

Eye Contact: Acceptable

Enthusiasm: Acceptable/marginal

Choice of words: Excellent

Preparation: Excellent/Acceptable

I thought that the lesson plan went very smoothly. All of the technology worked, and the students all seemed to understand the instructions—which was evident by their successful drawing of a cup. The only thing that did not go according to plan was measuring how long it would take the students to perform each step. I decided to have them raise their hands, because it is a clear indication of when they are done. Sometimes teachers tell students to put down their pencils instead—which was discussed during the wishes and stars section—but I find that many students just put down their pencils whether or not they are done with the step. For some reason, when students are asked to raise their hand, they seem to be more engaged with the activity. Perhaps it is because the act of raising their hand takes more energy, and makes them feel like they are participating in the activity even more.

Nobody complained about my enunciation or projection, so maybe it was just the video camera, but I found it hard to hear what I was saying at some points. This could also be due to the fact that I was forced to give the presentation from the corner of the room, because of the setup of the technology. If it was my classroom, I would have bought a VGA extension cable so that I could stand in the middle of the room and teach. This way, the students can see my hand as I draw, and also because it makes the class and teacher feel more connected. I always feel like there is a void between the teacher and student when the teacher can’t leave their computer. This is why I made sure to walk around the room a few times and check on each student’s progress.

The final problem that I saw with the execution of my lesson plan, was my enthusiasm. When I talk about music, I naturally become excited. My voice goes through different ranges and I become more animated. However, transmitting this same enthusiasm to something that I do not have as much passion for—such as drawing a cup of water—is not easy. Especially not when I am nervous. This is the

one major flaw that I saw with my presentation. Even if a teacher teaches the entire lesson plan properly, the enthusiasm of the educator is what determines how engaged the students are. Thankfully, the whole class listened to my instructions and ended up with a good drawing of a glass with water in it. If this was a younger group of children, though, my lack of enthusiasm would probably have been a problem. After all, if the teacher is not interested in the topic, why should the students be?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl5tDixfKPQ