PSU

TEACHER WORK SAMPLE

TEMPLATE

Your First and Last Name: Delani Vogrin

Date Submitted: 5-1-17

District where you completed

Columbus School District
the TWS:

Name of School Building where

Central Middle School
you completed the TWS:

Content Area of your TWS: Music Education

TWS Unit Topic: Dynamics

Grade Level of the Classroom /

Students in Which the TWS 4th Grade
Unit Was Completed:

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 1

 I. Contextual Information and Learning Environment Factors

A. Narrative General Contextual Information for Community, District, and School (limited to 1 page)

In the Columbus School district, it is almost split between students who are economically disadvantaged and students who are not. There are about 55%
that are economically disadvantaged, while 45% are not. This school district has a lot of community support, and the parents are huge supporters of the
school. Parents and the local businesses always find ways to support and help the school as much as they can. This community is very close and
supportive of each other, and this was so wonderful to watch and be a part of for a semester.

Ethnic diversity in the Columbus School District is very low. Within the district, 87% of the students are white, 2% Hispanic, 1% African American, and 9%
are reported other. The class that my work sample was finished in has 36 White students, 1 Hispanic Student, and 2 African American student. As for the
district proportion of males and females, it is split 50/50. The class I am conducting this work sample in has 19 females and 20 males, so I feel like
gender should not be a benefiting factor in the study.

Based off of the study of the ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status, there is really not much diversity in the classrooms in the Columbus School
District. However, there is a lot more benefactors in the classroom I chose to do my work sample in that might have a greater impact on how I teach the
class to get the information out.

Table 1.1 Class Contextual Information (limited to 1 page)

Grade level _4th Grade_ Content area (e.g., mathematics) __Music________ Topic (e.g., geometry)___Dynamics______

Age range of students ___9-10______ Number of male students _20_______

Total number of students ____________ Number of female students ____19____

Percentage of students receiving free lunch __________ Percentage of students receiving reduced lunch______________

[if free/reduced lunch information not available for class, provide school percentages]

Area in which students live (check all that apply) Urban _____ Suburban ______ Rural ___X___

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 2

Ethnicity of students (give numbers) __2____ African American or Black ____1__ Hispanic or Latino

______ Native American/Alaskan Native ___36___ White

______ Asian or Pacific Islander ______ Other (specify) __________

Language proficiency of students (give ___39___ Fluent English Proficient ___0___ English Language Learners
numbers)

Identified special needs categories __4__ Specific Learning Disability 1 Speech/Language Impaired

represented (give numbers) _1___ Hard of Hearing _ 2__ Visually Impaired

______ Deaf _____ Orthopedically Impaired

____ Deaf-Blind __1___ Emotionally Disturbed

First class/Second class
_____ Other Health Impaired __1__ Autism

______ Multiple Disabilities _______ Mental Retardation

______ Brain Injury __2__Gifted

______ Established Medical Disability (0-5 yrs) _______ Developmentally Delayed

__1__ At risk for developmental disabilities _______ Other (Specify)_______________

Subgroup Selected (describe the group) : The group I chose was because of how many differences they have in this one classroom. There is a lot of
learning disabilities, while also having students that have more of a musical background. The student I chose to study moved into this classroom
halfway through the year. They have been struggling with the basic rhythms and notes, and she is also not wanting to work with the students in her
classroom.

Rationale for Selection: I picked the class to see how the students that have musical background and the students that dont, work together and how
they learn/understand the unit. I think that the students with the experience will have a better understanding on the topic being taught, and I also
want to use them to help with the rest of the students that might have a more difficult time grasping what is being taught. I wanted to see the test
scores go up, but I really want to see if the students can take this information and apply it to everything else that they have learned this year. The
student I picked to study, I wanted to see if they were struggling because of the school change or if they just needed more help in music class. I also
just wanted to watch her throughout and measure her growth in this class with the music and with the students in the class.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 3

 Provide appropriate charts/graphs to display demographic data for district, school, and classroom in Appendix A.

Table 1.2 Student Characteristics for Whole Class (limited to 1 page)

Student Characteristics Specific Descriptions

Intellectual Characteristics This class has a few problems with students getting along sometimes. Seating assignments and making sure that you have
good classroom management is key in keeping everyone on task. There are a few students in the classroom that need a little
- Including readiness, cognitive
more help with the topics being taught so I need to make sure that these students get the everything they need to stay with
abilities, learning needs,
the rest of the class.
developmental levels, etc.

Previously demonstrated
academic performance/ ability:
% Above standard __27%_
% Meets standard __52%_
The class has a good percentage the meet above standard. There are few students that are gifted in this class, and there are
also students that have been taking private piano/instrument lesson already so they know most of the information being
taught. The students that meet the standard is good as well. There are more students in this class that have learning
disabilities and are on IEPs.

% Below standard _21%_

Social Characteristics
- Including emotional,
attitudinal, motivational, etc.
There are a few students that cause a lot of trouble for the rest of the class, making it hard for everyone to stay on task. These
students dont want to work with the rest of the group, and this causes that class to not get everything they need
accomplished in the period I have with them. Some students also cry or get frustrated if they dont understand the topic right
away.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 4

 Personal Characteristics This class is really not culturally diverse, and they are almost split 50/50 with males and females. There are a few that dont
really work with others, and some that dont really like music. The socioeconomic status of this school is pretty low, but they
- Including physical, social,
have a lot of support from the parents and community.
individual experiences, talents,
language, culture, family and
community values, etc.

B. Narrative: Implications for Whole Class Instruction Based on Information from Table 1.2 (limited to 1 page)

This class a little complicated in knowing how to get every student on board with what you were trying to teach. Classroom management was huge in keeping
these students engaged and learning. You have to keep moving and making sure to ask questions to see if they are understanding the topic. If you gave them
a second to start talking, it took you a long time to get them back on task. I started to tell them at the beginning of class that it was up to them on how much
we got accomplished. There are also a few students that just talk all the time so you have to stay on them the whole time to make sure they are
understanding. I have had to move a couple of these students because they just didnt want to pay attention and learn, and that has kind of stopped the
talking. With this class, there were students that picked up the unit very fast, while there were some students that didnt understand. This was a huge
challenge for me, and I had to find different ways of presenting the information so each and every one of the students learned as much as they could about
the unit. There are also students in the class that already know the information being taught because they either take private piano lessons or they might
have a brother or sister in band already. With these students, I made sure I kept them on topic and to learn more about the unit by helping them apply it to
their outside lessons or using them as examples for the rest of the class. I really didnt have them work in groups, but when I did, I had to be very carful with
choosing since some students had trouble working in groups. ( I only had one day of them in groups due to this issue) Overall, I have loved every minute
teaching this class, and they are all have worked so hard with this unit. Music is a fun class, and I think I made this unit fun, yet challenging each student to
learn as much as they can about the topic.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 5

C. Sub- Groups/Students Information
Describe this
subgroup/student using
information from Table
1.1
They have been working
really had on rhythms in the
class. Dynamics is the next
step in their music learning
process.
SUBGROUP or
FOCUS
STUDENT
The focus student I chose
moved from a different
SUBGROUP or school in the middle of the
school year. This student has
FOCUS been struggling with note
names and rhythms this
STUDENT
whole semester. I wanted to
see if introducing this topic
while they were there if it
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Why was this
subgroup/student
selected?
There are just so many
different benefactors that I
have to pay attention to in
this class with helping each
student learn to the best
of their ability. There are
so many different
personalities and ways
that these students learn
that I thought this would
challenge me to see what
all I could accomplish with
this class.
This student was chosen so
that I could see if they
were here for the whole
unit if they would pick it
up and understand or if
they just needed more
help in music class. The
student is also a little
different than the rest of
Teacher Work Sample
What was learned about this subgroup/student?
Intellectual
I found that the students that have played music or understand music, wanted more of a
challenge while the other students that dont really understand music, tend to get more
frustrated and shut down.
Social
This is a very clicky group of students and they tend to want to sit and work with
their friends. Seating and classroom management is very crucial in helping this class
learn as much as possible. There is also some students that are socially awkward and
dont work with others well.
Personal I found that using the students that have musical backgrounds as examples
and helpers in the classroom, made them more excited about the topic and more
focused. The other students thought it was cool that their friends got to go in front of
the classroom, which kept them more attentive and eager to learn so they might be
able to be called on as well.
Intellectual This student was struggling to stay on task until I moved them in the front
of the class. Once I moved them, the student showed drastic changes in understanding
the unit.
Social The student doesnt have a lot of friends since they moved halfway through the
year. When we do group activities, they tend to be really shy and not talk or they cry
and dont participate.
6
 would help her apply the the class. They tend to Personal
information to the rest of her stick to themselves and
learning. This student is also struggles working with This unit was really successful with this student until I added rhythms and notes into the
socially awkward at times others. sequence. This made me sure that the student was struggling in class because of the move and
since they dont have a they werent doing this at the other school just yet. Because of this, I have helped this student
select friend group like with the rhythms and note names and how to apply it and finding similarities with the unit I am
everyone else in the class. teaching right now.
Since this student is also
struggling with the basic
rhythms and note names
unlike the rest of the class,
she can sometimes get
frustrated and cry.

D. Narrative Implications for Sub-Groups/Focus Students Instruction (limited to 1 page)

Since there are students in the classroom that have musical background, while some dont, I have to find ways to keep each student interested and challenged
in what I am teaching. I plan to use the students with the background during the lesson plans and to have group activities to help each student get as much
out of this unit as they can.

For my focus student, I just want to see if the reason she is struggling in the class is because of her move and to see if there is anything I can do to help her
grasp the information better. I also want to see if moving her to the front of the classroom and working with the students their will help have a better
understanding of music while also helping her make friends in the class. I believe that if this student had more interactions with her classmates and a place
where they can stay focused, they will understand the topic better.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 7

 II. Instructional Design

A. Narrative Description of Range of Objectives and Rationale for Selection (limited to 1 page)

There is definitely a large range of objectives that are going to be applied into this unit. The students are going to have to understand what dynamics are, the
words in Italian and English, Crescendos and Decrescendos, and how to apply all of this information to the music they have been learning throughout this
semester. (Rhythms and note names) The rational for choosing this unit to teach is because this is one of the next steps students need to take to understand
how music works and how everything fits together. Dynamics are an easy thing to teach students at a young age when they are learning basic rhythms and
how to read music. I think that after this unit, these 4th graders will have a better understanding and a fundamental grasp on most of the basic music concepts
they are going to need when the go to the 5th grade.

B. State Objectives Here: Focus should be on student performance not activities. What will students know or be able to do? (limited to 1 page)

Level(s)
Obj.
Unit Objectives (e.g. Blooms
No.
Taxonomy)

Students will be able to define what Dynamics are and how they are used in music.
1
Knowledge

The students will be able to understand the Italian and English terms for dynamics. They should also know the basic
2
abbreviations for each dynamic. Knowledge/Understand

3 The students will be able to explain what a Crescendo and Decrescendo is and how they are used in basic music. Understand/Knowledge

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 8

 The student will be able show dynamics while playing along with rhythms that have dynamics in the sequence. (Playing
4
on jingle tappers in class) Application

The student should be able to apply the knowledge learned in this unit and apply it to the rhythms and notes they have Application/Knowledge/
5
been learning throughout the semester and play it. (Music given in class to read) Comprehension

C. Identify State Standards Benchmarks Addressed by Unit Objectives How do objectives address these standards? (limited to 1 page)

Standard 1- Creating- generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts. The students will plan and develop musical ideas for defined purposed
and contexts

Benchmark 1: The student will evaluate and refine select work in the class to create musical works that meet appropriate criteria This will be done by adding
all the rhythms, dynamics, and notes for the students to perform with each other.

Standard 2- Performing- select varied musical works to present based on interest, knowledge, technical skill and context

Benchmark 1- The student will be able to demonstrate and explain how intent is conveyed through interpretive decisions expressive qualities (Dynamics) This
will also be done by having the students rehearse and perform the music being taught in class together and in groups

Standard 3- Responding- choose music appropriate for a specific purpose or context

Benchmark 1- The student will be able to demonstrate and explain how the expressive qualities are used in performers and personal interpretations to reflect
expressive intent (Dynamics) This will be done by having the students develop an understanding on how dynamics work and how they are applied to music.

Standard 4- Connecting- synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make music

Benchmark 4- With the final version of music being presented, the student will be able to explain the connection to expressive intent and demonstrate how it
is conveyed through interpretive decisions and expressive qualities. (Relate music they know to deepen their understanding) This will be done by having
the students relate the knowledge they have already learned with rhythms and notes to help them understanding how dynamics are used.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 9

 Pre-Assessment: Written Test on Dynamics and Crescendos/Decrescendos

Lesson Formative
Instructional Activities/ Describe Specific Adaptations/
Lesson Date Assessment
Objectiv
Strategies Differentiation
e(s) (formal/informal)

For the instructional strategies on the first

day, which was pre-assessment day, I
talked through the test to my students and
I made sure that each student was away from each
what exactly I wanted from them. I told
3-13- other and that they were being honest and not
1 them not to worry and just do the best they Formal
17 cheating off of each other. I wanted to make sure
could on the test, and I just wanted to see
that I had a true test on what I needed to go over.
what everyone knew. I also told them that I
would go over the test on the next class
period.

For todays lesson, I really needed to make sure that

Todays strategies for me was just to go over
the students understood what each dynamic
the test with the students. I gave the
marking meant and how it worked in music. They
students the test and had them write the
needed to have a basic understanding on what
correct answers on the back of the test
dynamics meant before I could move onto the next
when I went over them. I needed to make
3-14- lesson. I made sure that I asked the students
2 1,2 sure the students knew the English and Formal
17 questions to make sure they understood what I was
Italian term for each dynamic marking and
explaining on the board and I even had students
how Crescendos and Decrescendos work in
come up on the board and write a dynamic marking
music. I also had to make sure that they
that I told them. Once I knew that they had a grasp
knew the different in each dynamic marking
on what was going on, I was ready to move onto
such as Piano is soft while Forte is loud.
day 3.

Today was a game day. To make sure that This is how the students showed the dynamics. It
the students understood the students knew was kind of like the rain storm game as well.
the difference between each dynamic
3-15- marking. A student I picked hid out in the PP-rubbing hand together
3 1,3 Informal
17 hallways and a rubber duck was hidden in
MP- snapping
the room by the students left in the
classroom. The student in the hallway had MP- clapping
to come in and based off of the dynamics
Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 10
 the students were showing with their body Mf- patting knees
percussion, it told them if they were close
F- stomping
or not. I had to also make sure that the
students did not get too excited about the FF- clapping and stomping
game and scream. I made them understand
that in music, we never scream or over play
even if the music is really loud so we are
not doing it in this game.

Today was a longer day. It was also another

game day. I had on an ipad flashcards
with all of the note names that they have
learned throughout the semester and the
dynamics, crescendos, and decrescendos
that we went over the day before. This was
just like an around the world game you
would play for spelling. Two students would
3-16- stand up and the first person to say the
4 1,2,3,4,5 correct note/definition on the projector,
17
moved on. Before I started this game, I
made sure to write everything we went
over yesterday on the board to refresh
their minds and know what I was going to
ask them.
After this game, the students got a jingle
tapper and a rhythm drill with different
rhythms and dynamics.
This lesson for today really showed me who had a
good grasp on the definitions. This would also help
the students get faster at defining each term and
processing it. I had time to go through this game
twice, and the kids seemed to love it. This is
definitely a game I will keep for my own classroom.
Informal
After I played this game for a few times, I gave the
students a rhythm drill I made in finale. This
assessment will help the students understand how
dynamics are used and applied to music they
already know how to read. I had them play the
rhythm drill with the metronome and I also went
over how dynamics work and how the crescendos
and decrescendos work as well.

The strategy for today was to go over

everything that we have done this week. If
the students had any questions on the unit,
I was there to answer them. I made sure
3-17-
5 1,2,3,4,5 that I went through everything that was Formal
17
going to be on the final test and that the
students knew exactly what I was asking of
them. I then had students go up on the
board and write the dynamic abbreviation,
Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample
In todays lesson, I definitely made sure that each
student got up to the board so I could see if
everyone knew what they were doing. I also made
the students get out the jingle tappers again and
play the rhythm drills with dynamics again to make
sure they had a better understanding on how
dynamics are used in music.
11
 Italian and English word, and what it meant
on the board.
Summative Assessment: Written Test on Dynamics and Crescendos/Decrescendos
Table 2.1 Instructional Design Unit Plan
T- Lesson integrates technology; R- Lesson uses reading strategies; I- Lesson demonstrates integration of content across and within content fields
Table 2.2: Narrative Description of Pre-assessment, Formative Assessments, and Summative Assessment (limited to 2 pages)
Describe the assessment to be
II. D, H, and K
used
Pre-Assessment Written Test on Dynamics and
(Diagnostic) Crescendos/Decrescendos
Go over test and make sure
students understand topic
Formative Assessment Games-Around The World and Hot
and Cold
- Informal
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Which
objectives
Explain rationale for choosing this
does this
assessment
assessment
address?
I wanted to make sure I was getting
a correct reading on how much each
student knew before I went to teach
the unit. By having this assessment, I
1
will now know what I need to go
over and what students need more
help and what students know more
about the topic.
I needed to go over the test again
with the students to make sure they
understood what they did wrong
and how to fix it. I also wanted to go
1,2
over the test with the students so
they could write the correct answers
on the back to study for the next
test we would have.
Teacher Work Sample
Identify how the assessment will be
scored and/or the criteria to be used
for evaluation.
The pre-assessment written test will be
10 questions with 18 points possible.
Some questions are worth more points
so each student has to read the
directions closely or they might miss
something. I would make sure to tell the
students this before I had them start the
test.
This activity will be more based off of
participation and making sure that each
student is paying attention and being
engaged throughout the period. If the
student is acting out, I will write down
their name and take away participation
points or have them move to another
seat. It solely depends on the behavior
with points on this day.
12
 I played the games with the
students to show them that music
could also be fun while also making
them learn the terms for the test.

Rhythms Drills with Dynamics
Formative Assessment added into the worksheet-
students use jingle tappers too
- Formal
I used the jingle tappers with the
rhythm drills to show the students
how the dynamics are used in music.
The students already knew how to
play the rhythms on the page, so I
just added dynamics to make sure
they could apply the knowledge
they already know with the topic we
are going over this week.
This activity will be base mostly off of
participation and engaging behavior. If
the student is participating and trying to
do the rhythm with the dynamics, they
1,2,3,4,5 will receive their points for the day. I will
also keep note of the students still
struggling with the dynamics concept
and see what I can do to make sure they
are improving.

This test will be scored just like the

Written Test on Dynamics and
Crescendos/Decrescendos
Summative Assessment
This test was pretty much the same
test I gave the students at the
beginning of this unit. This ensures
1,2,3,4,5
me what each student understands
and if my teaching was beneficial
when teaching this topic.
assessment test. It is a 10 question test
with 18 points possible due to a few
questions being worth more than 1
point. This will help me make sure my
teaching was great enough and helped
the students learn this topic as best as
they can.

Narrative for Instructional Design

II. E.

Each lesson is build off one another. If these lessons were out of sequence, the students would not
Why are the lessons sequenced in this manner?
understand what was going on and they wouldnt learn as much as they could about the topic.

II. F.

What learning strategies were incorporated into Me going over the material is one of the strategies I used in this unit. By me going over the topic and
this unit? having each student hear me explain how dynamics are used and how to tell what each of the

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 13


How do the instructional strategies/activities
address the learning objectives for this unit?
II. G.
How will critical thinking and problem solving
strategies be implemented? Give specific
examples of use.
II. I.
Explain the reading strategies that will be used
throughout the unit. Give specific examples.
(Remember that using text is not a reading
strategy)
How will technology be integrated within the
unit? Explain both teacher use and student use.
How does the unit demonstrate integration of
content across and within content fields?
II. J.
What specific adaptations or differentiated
activities were used to accommodate individual
learning needs for the identified sub-groups /
students?
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abbreviations meant, helps the students know what they need to understand. Another strategy was
playing a unit game that helped the students have fun while also learning about the unit. Rhythm drill
with added dynamics was another good strategy that helped the class put everything they have learned in
the semester and apply it.
The instructional strategies address the learning objectives for the unit by learning the material in
different ways. Each activity has a different way of helping the student understand the topic. An example
of the different strategies is the game I chose to do around the world where the student has to think
fast and show that they know the terms in English and Italian while the other lesson is having the students
play basic rhythms and add the correct dynamic to the drill.
None
None
I will be using a metronome to help with the rhythm drills to ensure the students are keeping a steady
tempo. I will also be using the projector and ipad when playing the around the world game.
This unit demonstrates integration of content in math, geography, and history. You need math to know
how to count basic rhythms in music. The students also need to know where and how dynamics were
made, and that is where the history and geography portion comes in.
There are some students in the class that have a hard time staying focused so I needed to find a way for
them to stay engaged. I made sure to ask them questions to make sure they were learning the material,
and I even moved some students up to the front of the class. When I did group work or anything that had
to do with partners, I made sure to pair up with students that have a background in music so they had a
better chance of understanding the material. These adaptations were mostly for my target student. I
wanted to make sure that I watched her growth in this unit.
Teacher Work Sample 14
 III. Teaching and Learning

A. Narrative: Daily Teaching Reflections (limited to 4 pages)

Day 1:

Before I gave my students the assessment pre-test, I went over what I expected of each them. I also made sure that I told them that they needed to read all of
the directions before they started so they had a better chance of getting the whole test right. Finally, I told them to do their best and that we were going to go
over this test tomorrow. I watched them for the rest of the class period to make sure they were not cheating off of each other and that they were doing their
own work. This assessment took the whole entire class period so after class, I graded the papers and I had an understanding of what I needed to go over with
the whole class.

Day 2: I passes out the tests at the beginning of class. I went over every question that was on the test, and while doing this, I made the students write down
the correct answers on the back of their tests. I made sure they understood everything that they got wrong and why. I had a little trouble today keeping a few
students on task and writing down the answers on the back of their test. I just watched them the whole period and asked them questions throughout the
period to keep them engaged the whole time. By going over the test, I went over each dynamic, the Italian and English spelling, the definition, and what
abbreviation goes with what marking. Overall, I think todays lesson went very well, and the students have a better grasp on the topic. I will definitely go over
each dynamic tomorrow to make sure they know the difference between each one. Also, some students are having trouble know how to write a crescendo or
a decrescendo so I will make sure that they know the difference between the two.

Day 3: In todays lesson, I went over the concepts of the dynamics again, and I even brought students up to write on the board. I had each student I called up
write the dynamic abbreviation, term in Italian and English, and write the definition. This just helps them prepare for the final test they are going to take and
know what I am going to ask for on it. After I went over each dynamic and the crescendo and decrescendo, I had a game prepared for them. This game is
pretty much the Hot and Cold game and the Making a Rain Storm game all in one. I chose a student to sit in the hallway, while the students in the
classroom hid an object for that student to find. The student in the hallway came in and based off of how close the student was to the hidden object, the
louder/softer the students got. Each dynamic had a certain thing they had to do. (Piano=snapping fingers) Overall, this game was very successful and I think
the students understand each dynamic marking better. There were a few students that kind of hand and started screaming, but I just got onto them as soon
as they started the behavior and it stopped right away.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 15

 Day 4: I started off the class by going over what was going to be on the test again. I started calling students up to the board again to write different dynamic
terms. After I went over the information, I had flashcards on an ipad that I showed on the smart board and played an around the world game with them.
Two students would stand up and the first person that said the correct answer from the flashcard I showed them, moved onto the next person. I played two
rounds of this game, and I thought it was a very successful game just like yesterdays. After playing a few rounds of this game, I passed out a rhythm drill that
had dynamics in the mix that I made in Finale. Each student had a jingle tapper that they would use to play the rhythm and dynamic. This activity took a little
more time than I thought, but in the end, the students now could understand how dynamics are placed in music. If I have more time down the road, I will
definitely do this rhythm activity again with these students.

Day 5: Today was the final day on the dynamics unit. I started the beginning of the class going over the information again to see how much the students have
learned over the last 5 days. After I reviewed for little bit, I then passed out the final assessment test and made sure that I told them to follow all of the
directions before starting the test. I then asked if there were any questions or concerns and answered them for a few minutes. This test took the rest of the
period.

B. Classroom Management Plan (rules, procedures, preventative strategies, supportive strategies) (limited to 1 page)

The first thing that I want to ensure when I step into any classroom is trust and respect. If the students dont trust or respect you, you are not going to be able
to manage your classroom. Also in any classroom, you need to make sure that your expectations and rules are in order and you follow through with them. All I
expect from my students is to respect everyone and their things, have a positive attitude, and for the students to try their best in everything we do in the
classroom. My students will understand what is expected of them on the first day they step into my classroom. I really dont believe in sending students to the
office unless there is a situation that I cant handle myself. I feel in the music classroom, if a student misses just one day, they can be really behind. So if a
student is having a behavioral problem, it is better to try to handle it in the classroom instead of sending them out. I will have the 3 strike management plan in
my classroom. Strike one is just a warning and telling them what they need to fix. Strike two is moving them away from the situation. Strike two is all I have
had to do in the classroom this semester. When you usually move them away from their friends or the situation they are in, the behavior stops. If I get to a
third strike, this is when I will remove the student from the classroom. This situation is if the students behavior is out of my control and if they are harming
themselves or their classmates. No matter what happens in my classroom, I need to make sure that each student knows what is expected of them from day
one and that I will hold them accountable for their actions. Also, if I keep a positive and safe environment for my students to learn in, the behavior problems
should not happen as much. Good classroom management takes years to develop, and I plan on working on this skill when I get my own classroom one day.

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C. Student Interaction and Engagement(Strategies for promoting student to student interaction and student motivation) (limited to 1 page)

I think the best way to keep students to interact and stay motivated in the classroom is to have different ways of teaching the topic. Each student learns
differently, and if you have different ways of teaching, you will help a wider group of students in your classroom to learn to the best of their ability. I value the
individual learning styles of every student and I will strive to optimize a students potential by providing visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities. Another
way of promoting students to interact and stay motivated is through cooperative learning. In the music classroom, it is beneficial to have students at a young
age start to work in groups and help each other learn the information better. If you start this at a younger age, I feel like if the students continue with music, it
will be better and more easier to transition into the band/choir classroom where each person is important and we all have to work as a group to accomplish
the same goal. Everyone in the music classroom is part of a team, and it is very important that everyone is able to work together to perform a task and not to
have just one person do all of the work.

D. Student Communication (detailed description of appropriate strategies to encourage student to student communication) (limited to 1 page)

I think students can learn just as much by talking to their peers. By having this kind of communication though, you need to make sure that it good talking
instead of them getting off topic and not learning the material. This also creates a different atmosphere for learning by having the students talk and carry on
the discussion instead of the teacher. You might need to start off small with partner assignments, then group assignments, then you can move onto full
classroom discussions.

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Narrative: Analysis of Assessment
E. Pre-Assessment
Overall analysis of results.
Discuss the results in reference to the
learning objectives.
Describe how pre-assessment data was
used to proceed with instruction for all
students.
What is the plan to differentiate for all
learners?
F. Formative Assessment
Overall analysis of results.
Pittsburg State University
With the written test, overall the students performed very poorly. The class average on the pre-test was a 35%. I checked
to see about the students that have had some musical background and they definitely scored the highest. Only 11
students out of the whole class had a passing score, while the rest of the class scored under 60% which is below average.
I had a few students that were absent during this test so I couldnt get their results, and I also had a student cheat so they
automatically received a 0 for the pre-assessment.
In reference to the learning the objectives, the students know very little about the information being taught and I had to
start from the beginning. Once I described the information and new ways to remember how to remember the different
terms, the students started to understand a little better. They were still having trouble with the Italian and English and
abbreviations for the dynamics.
The pre-assessment data was used to see exactly what I needed to focus on and go over. Based off of the written tests, I
needed to start from the beginning and teach everything that was on the test. There were a few students that scored
higher than the rest so I had to find a way to keep them engaged in the class and to help them work on what they already
know.
The plan for differentiation is there are different levels of learning in this classroom. It is my job to figure out ways to
teach the lesson and to keep each student engaged and to learn as much of the material as possible. I used the students
that have had some kind of musical background as examples and to help the other students who are struggling with the
material. I believe I was able to balance the class very well and I challenged each student enough to make sure that they
are developing the skill.
With the formal assessment, the students did very well on the test I gave them. More than of the students in the class
received a 100% while the rest scored no lower than a B. I was very happy with these results, and it just showed that the
students understood the material. Every student in the class showed some type of improvement on the formal
assessment. Everyone was there to take the test so I didnt have any blanks in the data like the pre-assessment.
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Discuss the results in reference to the
learning objectives.
Are students learning what was intended
they learn?
Discuss any adaptations based on the
results of formative assessments.
Identify differentiation needed to help all
students meet the goals and objectives of
this unit.
G. Summative Assessment
Discuss the results in reference to the
learning objectives.
Did all students learn what was intended
they learn? Explain.
Provide a copy of pre-assessment document and the corresponding scoring key/rubric in Appendix C.
Provide a copy of one formal formative assessment document and the corresponding scoring key/rubric in Appendix C.
Pittsburg State University
The students are learning what they are supposed to learn based off of the learning objectives stated above. The last
assignment/lesson, the students had to be able to apply everything they learned throughout the week. This assessment
before the final test allowed me to see if my teaching was beneficial and the students had all of the information they
needed to be successful.
Some adaptations I needed to do was make sure that I covered the basics of the dynamic terms before I moved onto
more complicated things. The students needed a firm foundation and understanding of the basics of dynamics before
they could understand how dynamics worked with music. I also had a lot of different ways of teaching the material to the
class for students who learned differently. This helped me keep everyone engaged and learning the topic the best they
could.
Having more ways of teaching the same topic helped me meet every students needs and objectives in the unit. Each
student learns differently and some students have more background in music, so I needed to take this into context. I also
needed to go over every test to see what each student struggled the most with so I could spend the most time on that
topic.
I feel confident that the students in the classroom had a good understanding of the unit that was taught. I do feel I took
more time on some objectives which helped create a good foundation to work off of in the next unit. I do wish that I
planned my time out better to spend more time on the harder objectives at the end of the unit. The ending objectives
seemed to be rushed which didnt benefit the students in the unit.
As I said above, the student definitely have a strong foundation to work off of in the next unit, but I think some more time
on the dynamic concept would be helpful. This extra time will make sure that the students understanding how and why
dynamics are used in music. They students understood what was on the final assessment and how to define the dynamic
markings and definitions, but when it came to applying to the knowledge to music they can already read, they need more
time to develop that skill.
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 Provide a copy of one informal formative assessment document and the corresponding scoring key/rubric in Appendix C.

Provide a copy of the summative assessment document and the corresponding scoring key/rubric in Appendix C.

H. Visual Representation of Disaggregated Data

Chart/Table/Graphs of disaggregated data for the Pre-assessment should be included in Appendix C.

Due to the varied nature of data collected by the teacher candidates, each candidate is asked to create a chart/table/graph that includes data for the Whole
Class, Subgroup, and Focus Students. Title the table/chart/graph and use labels to accurately portray the data.

Chart/Table/Graph of disaggregated data for the Summative Assessment should be included in Appendix C.

Due to the varied nature of data collected by the teacher candidates, each candidate is asked to create a chart/table/graph that includes data for the Whole
Class, Subgroup, and Focus Students. Title the table/chart/graph and use labels to accurately portray the data.

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 IV. Self-Evaluation and Reflection

A. Narrative description of Successful Activities and future implications

Based on the analysis of all the assessment results, Give more than one reason for each of the successes identified.
identify TWO learning objectives from the unit
students were most successful.

Objective 1: Defining what dynamics are and how I think this was the most successful with the students because this is what I spent the most time on. I
they are used in music made sure that the students had this basic knowledge before I moved onto the next topic in the unit. If
the students didnt understand why we had dynamics in music and how they are applied, this unit would
almost be worthless.

I also think this was successful because the students really liked the material I was covering because it was
new to them and interesting. I didnt have to force the information on them because they really wanted to
learn about the topic.

Objective 2: Being able to understand the Italian This was also really successful because of the amount of time I spend on this topic. If the students didnt
and English terms for dynamics and knowing the have an understanding of the terms and the abbreviations, they couldnt move onto the games and other
basic abbreviations for each dynamic. material I needed to cover to finish the unit.

Another reason why this objective was successful was because it was straight forward and the easiest part
to understand in the unit. If the students just memorized each dynamic marking and realized they were all
very similar, this was just an easy objective to understand.

Discuss at least TWO things to do differently in the future to extend these successes to continue students academic growth.

I really wish I just had more time on this whole unit. I really spent a lot of time on these objectives and thats why they were so successful. At the same time, I
feel like I had to rush through everything else so I just need to figure out how to manage my time a little better for the next unit I teach.

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 Another thing I want to do differently is to have a more hands on experience with this unit. These were 4th graders and not getting out of their seat, not moving
around, and just lecturing at them on this topic, I feel like they didnt learn as much as they probably could have.

B. Narrative description of Least Successful Activities and future implications

Based on the analysis of all the assessment results, Give more than one reason for each of the least successful objectives identified.
identify TWO learning objectives from the unit
students were least successful.

Objective 1: Being able to show dynamics while I really didnt understand how to describe this concept to the students well enough for them to
playing along with rhythms that have dynamics in understand as well as they could have. Now that I have taught this unit, I now know what to fix and what
the sequence. worked best for the class.

I also feel like I ran out of time with this objective. If I would have spaced my time out better for this whole
unit, I think the students would have a better grasp on this objective.

Objective 2: Applying basic knowledge learned in

this unit and apply it to the rhythms and notes they
I think I spent a little too much time focusing on the rhythms in the rhythm drill I made instead of focusing
have been learning throughout the semester and
more on the dynamics. If I worked on the dynamics more with the music, I think the students would
play it.
definitely have a better understanding on how rhythms and dynamics fit together.

The students got frustrated with this objective the most because they havent experienced this before. I
also feel like I didnt spend enough time with this objective so the students struggled more.

Discuss at least TWO things to do differently in the future to improve students performance.

As said above, I think I needed to plan and manage my time a little better for this unit. I spent a lot of time on a couple of objectives (which are the ones they did
best in) when I should have been focusing more on the harder objectives.

I also should have used similar rhythms in the drills I made so I could have focused more on the dynamics. I feel like the students were more focused on playing
the rhythms correctly instead of understanding and interpreting how the dynamics were used.

TABLE 4.1 Communication Log

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 Follow Up

Date Person Contacted Method of Contact Reason for Contact Result or Impact on Instruction (if necessary)

NA NA NA NA NA NA

Add rows as needed

C. Narrative Reflection on Impact of Communications (limited to 1 page)

It is really important to have effective communication with you students and their parents or guardians. Good communication is what is going to keep your
program and classroom alive and thriving. If you keep parents in the loop on what is happening in your class, it keeps them involved and happy. They always
want to know what it happening with their child whether it is positive or negative, and sometimes they can provide you with feedback that might help you.
Keeping parents involved is really important for a music program. If you dont have happy parents, you are not going to have a happy and growing program.

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D. Narrative Reflection on Future Professional Development (limited to 1page)
Identify at least TWO aspects of instruction that could be improved. Explain
reasoning.
Aspect 1: Time management on my part can be worked on.
Aspect 2: I still need to work on finding more ways to teach the same topic so
each student learns to the best of their ability. This can also help me with the
students that already have the music background and learn faster than the rest
of the class.
Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample
What specific professional development opportunities/activities will help to
acquire that knowledge or skill?
Time goes by faster than I could have ever thought. I spent a lot of time of the
basic concepts and I feel like I didnt move through the material like I could
have. I need to try and time myself outside of class to practice time
management.
I would like to add more videos to my lessons. Dynamics could have easily
been shown by an orchestra, marching band, or wind ensemble playing if I just
took the time to find those kind of videos. I would also like to do more hands
on learning instead of having the students just sit the whole entire class period.
I had a really good class, but I think that they could have learned a lot more by
working in groups or moving around the classroom.
24
Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 25
 APPENDIX A

District Ethnicity District

Economically Disadvantaged Students

Building Ethnicity Building

Economically Disadvantaged Students

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 APPENDIX B

Delani Vogrin

Lesson Plan

Grade level: 4th Grade

Lesson Title: Dynamics Unit

Things to work on:

Make sure that each student knows what each dynamic marking means and what the abbreviation is
Also make sure that the students know the Italian and English word and the definition for each dynamic (Example: MF=
mezzo forte or medium loud)
With the jingle tappers, go through the rhythm drill with the them and make sure they have a good foundation on how the
rhythm goes before you add the dynamics at the bottom. After the students know how to play the rhythm, slowly introduce
how the dynamics are used in each measure.
Use a metronome when going over the rhythm drills to ensure that the students arent speeding up or slowing down.
If the lesson is going well, you could pick students to do the drill by themselves with dynamics added as well.

Materials/Resources needed:

Jingle Tappers for Each Student

White Board and marker
Rhythm Drill Made in Finale
Metronome

Objective/Purpose:

Help each student understand how dynamics are used in music

Students will be able to apply the knowledge they already have on reading rhythms and figure out how the dynamics
influence the music.

Input:

I have went over the dynamic markings but they are still having trouble differentiating between each one.
For this activity to work, I need to make sure that each and every student knows what each dynamic marking means and what
it does to music.

Check for Understanding/Closure/Evaluation:

Check and make sure that the students are understanding how each dynamic effects the music in the drill. You can do this
by calling on different students to do the drill by themselves.
I will also ask questions throughout the lesson to make sure each student is engaged and understanding what is being
taught.

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Delani Vogrin

Lesson Plan

Grade Level: 4th Grade

Lesson Title: Dynamics continued

Things to Work On Today:

Making sure the students understand what the difference is between each dynamic being taught..
Go over crescendos and decrescendos as well.
Make sure that with the activity that students are not getting too excited and screaming. Explain that in music, nobody
plays their instrument with a bad tone or screams while they sing.

Materials of Resources Needed:

White Board and Markers

Object to hide (Rubber Duck)

Objective/Purpose

This game will help the students understand how loud or soft each dynamic is
This activity will also help the students understand the difference between each dynamic by using their body as the sound

Input:

The game we are playing is sort of a Hot and Cold game.

I will choose a student to stand out in the hallway, and the students left in the classroom, will hide the object.
After the object is hidden, the student in the hallway has to find the object by their classmates body dynamics.
The dynamics are:
-pp- rub hands together
-p- snap fingers
-mp- pat knees
-mf- clap hands
-f- stomp
-ff- stomp and clap hands at same time

Check for Understanding/ Closure

Check to see if the students are understanding the dynamics by how they are doing the body percussion
After you do this activity for a few times, just go over each dynamic marking and ask the students how each marking should
be played or sung. (Example: Piano should be soft)

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 APPENDIX C

Dynamics Test!

Pre-assessment and Formal assessment

4th Grade Music

3-13-17

1. What are dynamics?

For each question, write what the dynamic marking means and which volume it is. EACH QUESTION HAS TWO ANSWERS!

2. P-______________________________________________

3. FF- _____________________________________________

4. MP- ____________________________________________

5. F- ______________________________________________

6. PP- _____________________________________________

7. MF- _____________________________________________

Label the following and what it does.

8. ____________________________________________________

9. ____________________________________________________

10. What country did dynamics come from?

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 Dynamics Test! Scoring Key

4th Grade Music

3-13-17

1. What are dynamics?

Dynamics are how loud or soft the music is played.

For each question, write what the dynamic marking means and which volume it is. EACH QUESTION HAS TWO ANSWERS!

2. P-___Piano, Soft________________________

3. FF-___Fortissimo, Very Loud______________

4. MP- _Mezzo Piano, Medium Soft___________

5. F- _______Forte, Loud____________________

6. PP- _Pianissimo, Very Soft________________

7. MF- _Mezzo Forte, Medium Loud___________

Label the following and what it does.

8. ________Crescendo- Gradually gets louder_______________

9. _________Decrescendo-Gradually gets softer_____________

10. What country did dynamics come from?

ITALY

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 PRE-ASSESSMENT DATA Scored (out of 18) Percentage
Student 1 18/18 100%
Student 2 16/18 88%

Student 3 17/18 94%

Student 4 18/18 100%
Student 5 0/18 0% (Cheated on Test so I took it away
from the student)
Student 6 13/18 72%
Student 7 6/18 33%
Student 8 6/18 33%
Student 9 10/18 55%
Student 10 18/18 100%
Student 11 4/18 22%
Student 12 9/18 50%
Student 13 1/18 5%
Student 14 5/18 27%
Student 15 18/18 100%
Student 16 5/18 27%
Student 17 5/18 27%
Student 18 5/18 27%
Student 19 8/18 44%
Student 20 1/18 5%
Student 21 5/18 27%
Student 22 2/18 11%
Student 23 17/18 94%
Student 24-(Target Student) 0/18 0%
Student 25 7/18 38%
Student 26 15/18 83%
Student 27 15/18 83%
Student 28 10/18 55%
Student 29 2/18 11%
Student 30 18/18 100%
Student 31 0/18 0%
Student 32 Didnt take test Absent from class
Student 33 9/18 50%
Student 34 8/18 44%
Student 35 15/18 83%
Student 36 8/18 44%
Student 37 10/18 55%
Student 38 Didnt take test Absent from class
Student 39 3/18 16%

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 SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT Score (Out of 18) Percentage
Student 1 18/18 100%
Student 2 17/18 94%
Student 3 17/18 94%
Student 4 18/18 100%
Student 5 14/18 77%
Student 6 14/18 77%
Student 7 10/18 55%
Student 8 10/18 55%
Student 9 10/18 55%
Student 10 18/18 100%
Student 11 10/18 55%
Student 12 16/18 88%
Student 13 12/18 66%
Student 14 11/18 61%
Student 15 18/18 100%
Student 16 18/18 100%
Student 17 16/18 88%
Student 18 16/18 88%
Student 19 10/18 55%
Student 20 14/18 77%
Student 21 16/18 88%
Student 22 11/18 61%
Student 23 17/18 94%
Student 24- Target Student 16/18 88%
Student 25 12/18 66%
Student 26 17/18 94%
Student 27 15/18 83%
Student 28 12/18 66%
Student 29 8/18 44%
Student 30 18/18 100%
Student 31 8/18 44%
Student 32 16/18 88%
Student 33 16/18 88%
Student 34 14/18 77%
Student 35 17/18 94%
Student 36 10/18 55%
Student 37 14/18 77%
Student 38 18/18 100%
Student 39 18/18 100%

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