Classroom Observation - Saavedra

Name: Date:

Megan Saavedra

Middle School Orchestra

1. Watch Mrs. Saavedra's instructional strategy during the tuning process. Not only are students practicing their ear tuning skills, but Mrs. Saavedra is successful in engaging all of the students despite the focus being on one student at a time. How would this translate to a non-music classroom? Reflect.

2. How has Mrs. Saavedra introduced critical thinking skills into this portion of her lesson? Reflect.

3. Notice how students are fully engaged in this activity. Students can be observed making notations and following along in their sheet music as they listen. Why is this important? Reflect.

4. Discuss how Mrs. Saavedra's feedback and the manner in which it is delivered is meaningful to the students.

5. It may be hard to tell, but if you look closely, you'll notice that each music stand has a cup clipped to it. On the stand closest to the camera, the cup is blue. This holds a pencil and highlighter that students use to make the notations Mrs. Saavedra recommends or notes to themselves. Why do you think this is important? Why would Mrs. Saavedra do this? Reflect.

6. Constant timely feedback is important. Mrs. Saavedra does this consistently and constructively. Notice how she asked for student input too from the cellos. Why is important to get student input on their work? How does this inform the learner? Reflect.

1/25/2017

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7. Mrs. Saavedra regularly points out common points of error and provides reminders as students get to that point. Effective teachers recognize misconceptions or common mistakes and actively work to prevent students from getting caught up in that. If a mistake does occur, immediate correction is needed to prevent mislearning. How does this increase the student's critical thinking?

8. Here Mrs. Saavedra has redirected two students for not watching her as they play. She does this in a manner that is respectful and constructive.

9. Mrs. Saavedra has just helped students to better understand what necessary adjustments need to be made by modeling the skill or technique for them, using a student's violin. How does this increase the likelihood of student success? Reflect.

10. Explain what Mrs. Saavedra has accomplished by saying "First violins, what am I going to say about measure 80?"

11. Throughout the video you saw Mrs. Saavedra give constant feedback and redirection to students on their performance. What do you think allows Mrs. Saavedra to do this without upsetting students?

12. Effective teachers always reflect on the lesson, and lesson outcomes. Listen as the teacher reflects on this lesson, and compare it to the responses you have written on the observation worksheet. Use both the teacher’s reflections and your own observation when writing your overall observational reflection.