PerformingArts

Task2:InstructionCommentary

TASK2:INSTRUCTIONCOMMENTARY
Respondtothepromptsbelow(
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1. Whichlessonorlessonsareshowninthevideoclips?Identifythelesson(s)bylesson
plannumber.
[Videoclip#1istakenfromLesson1,Videoclip#2istakenfromLesson2.]
2.

PromotingaPositiveLearningEnvironment
Refertoscenesinthevideoclipswhereyouprovidedapositivelearningenvironment.
a. Howdidyoudemonstratemutualrespectfor,rapportwith,andresponsivenessto
studentswithvariedneedsandbackgrounds,and

challengestudentstoengagein
learning?
[8:068:35invideoclip#1isanexampleoftherapportIhavedevelopedwiththisclass.
Oneofmygoalsforthislearningsegmentwastoteachmystudentsinsuchawaythat
theyareabletoapplytheirnewunderstandingstointeractionswithmusicoutsideofthe
classroom.Byrelaxingmyteachingdemeanorinthismoment,Ishowedmystudentsa
morehumansideofmyself.Thisallowedmystudentstoseemeconnectingtothemusic
andthefilmclipasaperson,andjustnotastheirmusicteacher.

ThroughoutthelearningsegmentIpurposefullydemonstratedactivelisteningwhenever
studentsweregivinganswers(example:videoclip#26:307:15).Doingsonotonlygave
thestudentimmediatefeedback,affirmingtheirparticipation,italsomodeledfortheentire
classthelevelofrespectfullisteningthatIexpectofmyselfandmystudents.Thishelps
establishformystudentsaclassroomculturebuiltonmutualrespect.Ilistentoyou,and
youlistentome.

Inthesecondclip,IplaytheJawsthemeonthepianoasamusicalexample(6:18).This
wasanimpromptudecisionthatImadebecausethestudentshadbeentalkingaboutthe
Jawsmoviebeforeclass.Usingthisexampleduringthelessonthatthestudentswere
clearlyinterestedinandthatwehadusedtodevelopasenseofrapport,strengthenedthe
relationshipbetweenrespectandrapportinthisclass.]

3. EngagingStudentsinLearning
Refertoexamplesfromthevideoclipsinyourresponsestotheprompts.
a. Explainhowyourinstructionengagedstudentsindeveloping

artisticskills(e.g.,selfexpression,creativity,exploration/improvisation)
knowledge(e.g.,tools/instruments,technicalproficiencies,processes,elements,
organizationalprinciples)

contextualunderstandings(e.g.,social,cultural,historical,global,personal
reflection)

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PerformingArts
Task2:InstructionCommentary

[Inthefirstclip,theclasswatchesafewfilmclipsthatwehadpreviouslywatchedand
discussed.Thistimehowever,wechangedthesoundtracksaroundandthestudents
discussedtheeffectofthenewmusicontheirperceptionofthevisual.Ireplayedaboat
scenefromtheNotebookthatmanyofthestudentshadjustdescribedaspeacefuland
thistimewenttothepianoandplayedtheJawsthemeovertheclip[Clip1:5:126:30].
Theyreactedandexpressedthatthischangedtheirperceptionofwhatwashappeningin
theclip.Theuseofseveralsuchexamplesusingthesameclipwithdifferentmusic
developedthestudentsunderstandingthatasviewerstheywerenotsimplywatchinga
filmclipandanaudioclipthatwerethematicallysimilar,butthattheirperceptionofthe
visualwasdirectlyaffectedbytheirperceptionoftheaudio.

Myinstructionalsoengagedstudentsindevelopingtheircontextualunderstandingsofthe
materialasIencouragedmystudentstonotonlyprovideanswerstomyquestions,butto
alsoexplainthethoughtprocessesbehindtheiranswers.Thismeantthatwhenastudent
gaveamisguidedanswer,IwasabletoreinforceitpositivelysayingIseewhyyougave
thatanswer,butthatsnotquitewhatIwasasking.From:05:35inthesecondclip,I
preparedmystudentstothinkthroughthewhyoftheiranswersbyemphasizingthe
importanceofthiswhileIwasgivinginstructions.Ialsopreparedmystudentstothink
throughtheirprocessbyhavingthemfirstwriteouttheiranswersandreasoningpriorto
classdiscussion.]
b. Describehowyourinstructionlinkedstudentsprioracademiclearningandpersonal,
cultural,andcommunityassetswithnewlearning.
[InClip1(5:126:30),IplayedtheJawsthemeoveraclipthatthestudentshadpreviously
describedaspeaceful.Thiswasnotoriginallyinmylessonplan,howeversomeofthe
studentsinthisclasshadbeentalkingaboutJawsbeforeclassthatday.Iknewthatthese
studentswouldthereforehaveapreviousculturalandcontextualunderstandingofthe
Jawstheme.Ithenlinkedtheirrecentunderstandingofthevideoclipaspeaceful,with
theirpreviousunderstandingoftheJawsthemeasmenacingtoshowhowtheirdifferent
understandingscouldshapeeachother.]
4. DeepeningStudentLearningduringInstruction
Refertoexamplesfromthevideoclipsinyourexplanations.
a. Explainhowyou
evokedstudent
performances
and/orresponses
tosupport
studentsdevelopmentandapplicationofartisticskills,knowledge,and/orcontextual
understandings.
[Isupportedmystudentsdevelopmentandapplicationofartisticknowledgeand
contextualunderstandingbyencouragingthemtorespondtoquestionsinavarietyof
ways.Forexample,invideoclip#2at7:35,astudentsharesananswer.Hehasalready
respondedtoamusicalexamplebypairingitwithafilmcliponhisworksheet.Intheclip,
Iaskhimtotakethisastepfurther,andexplaintotheclasswhyhecametothe
conclusionhedid.]
b. Explainhowyouusedmodeling,demonstrations,and/orcontentexamplestodevelop
studentsartisticskills,knowledge,and/orcontextualunderstandingsforcreating,
performing,orrespondingtomusic/dance/theater.

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PerformingArts
Task2:InstructionCommentary

[Inadditiontolookingatthewaysinwhichmoviecomposershaveusedmusicto
enhancefilm,Ialsohadstudentsexaminetheeffectofchangingthemusicbehindaclip
theyhavealreadywatched.Thisdirectcomparisonallowedmystudentstounderstandthe
effectofmusiconthevisualinamorecontrolledsituationbyremovingthevisualasa
variable.VideoClip#10:006:30.Inthefollowinglesson,studentsweregivencontrolas
theydecidedwhichmusicalexamplestopairwithwhichfilmclip(videoclip#2)]
5. AnalyzingTeaching
Refertoexamplesfromthevideoclipsinyourresponsestotheprompts.
a. Whatchangeswouldyoumaketoyourinstructionforwholeclassand/orforstudents
whoneedgreatersupportorchallengetobettersupportstudentlearningofthe
centralfocus(e.g.,missedopportunities)?
Considerthevarietyoflearnersinyourclasswhomayrequiredifferentstrategies/support
(e.g.,studentswithIEPsor504plans,Englishlanguagelearners,strugglingreaders,
underperformingstudentsorthosewithgapsinacademicknowledge,and/orgifted
students).
[Invideo2,studentsspendalargeportionoftheclip(1:306:15)watchingafilmclipwith
noaudio,whilewritingsubjectiveanswersonahalfsheet.Inotherpartsofthelearning
segment,Istrovetoprovideavarietyofoptionsforwrittenworktoaccommodatearange
ofkindsoflearners,Englishlanguagelearners,andgiftedstudents.Thisportionofthe
lessonhoweverrequiresstudentstomultitaskwhilewritinganswerstoquestionsthey
maynotfullyunderstand.Questionswithsubjectiveanswersmaybehelpfulforthe
teacher,buttheycanbedauntingtostudentswhoareawareoftheirdifficultlywith
language,orforstudentswhoareusedtoexcellinginschoolandfeelpressuretogivea
correctanswer.

Inthefuture,Iwouldadaptthisportionofthelessonbyplayingeachclip,thengivingthe
studentstimetowrite,ratherthanrequiringthemtowriteanswerswhilesittinginthedark
watchingaclipwithoutaudio.

Iwouldalsocreateameansforthemtobrainstormthereasonthattheyarepairingeach
musicalexamplewiththecliptheyarewatchingwithoutrelyingcompletelyonwritten
work.Thismayincludeaturnandsharewherestudentsturntothepersonsittingnextto
themandexplaintheirthinking.]

b. Whydoyouthinkthesechangeswouldimprovestudentlearning?Supportyour
explanationwithevidenceofstudentlearning
AND
principlesfromtheoryand/or
research.
[Ithinkthatthesechangeswouldimprovestudentlearningbecausetheywouldcreatean
environmentthatbetterpreparesavarietyofstudentsforsuccess,andthateliminates
unnecessarybarrierstostudentunderstanding.

AnarticlebyCharlesClaxtonandPatriciaMurrellpublishedbytheAssociationforthe
StudyofHigherEducationsuggeststhatidentifyingastudent's[learning]styleandthen
providinginstructionconsistentwiththatstylecontributetomoreeffectivelearning.In
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PerformingArts
Task2:InstructionCommentary

otherwords,mylearningsegmentwillbeimprovedbytakingintoaccountnotonlythe
knownlearningneedsofeachstudent,butalsotheuniquelearningstylesofeachstudent.
ThiswillbecomemorenaturalasIcontinuetoworkwiththesestudentsforalongerperiod
oftime.]

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