Phil Kleven Week 5

Week 5 was a great week. After four busy weeks of adjusting to my intense schedule, things are beginning to settle down a bit. I began teaching very early on (Week 1), and now I know why my cooperating teacher got me up in front of the students so soon. We have a concert coming up at the end of the month, and we will share the conducting responsibilities for all of the groups. Thankfully I was able to get my jitters out early so we can get real work done over the next two weeks.

This week, I worked with each of the six orchestras and implemented a new strategy for each. I had fun with the middle school students, but started turning up the heat on the high schoolers. I'm expecting them to play at a very high level at the concert and I was much pickier in rehearsal than before. Some of the highest achieving students at the high school level (who are used to very high level conductors in youth orchestras) gave me some compliments on my improvements, and it means a lot coming from them.  I'm also learning to trust the middle school students. Their love for music is genuine, and I'm delicately trying to encourage them to move to the next level of playing without overwhelming them.

I developed a new strategy this week that cuts down on my workload and shifts responsibility to the students. We broke out into "sectionals" at the high school for several days. Sectionals are small-group section rehearsals. The violins, violas, cellos, and basses went to separate locations to work on their music. Since there are only two teachers for this class, the students ran sectionals themselves. It was interesting to see their perspectives on music that needed work, and their solutions for common issues. These sectional rehearsals were also positive because they allowed for students to assume leadership roles, and I saw many students stepping up who are not currently in leadership positions. This will be critical when the current seniors graduate and leave the group.

I spent a bit of time recording video for my edTPA this week, and I hope to discover more strategies that will help me present the best possible teaching evidence when I turn in the document. Now that I've been teaching for five weeks, I will be able to assess and fix musical issues quicker and have more efficient rehearsals.

This was definitely a Standard 5 week - Instructional Delivery.
"The component teacher differentiates instruction by using a variety of strategies that support critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and continuous growth and learning. This teacher understands that the classroom is a dynamic environment requiring ongoing modification of instruction to enhance learning for each student."

I don't think there is a moment that this standard doesn't describe my class. I am continually adjusting and reflecting on strategies that best suit the needs of my orchestra. Additionally, a strategy that works at one time may not work again - even five minutes later. I discovered many great strategies for differentiation in a large group setting this week - most notably "Take two minutes to try it on your own." During this time, I'm able to get around the group to assist struggling and focus students.

Goals for next week:
- Continue taping (or finish taping) for edTPA
- Adopt Task 2 strategies into my daily teaching (They really help!)
- Provide an inviting atmosphere for students while expecting the highest level of work
- Help students become comfortable with music for our upcoming concerts