Year 8M CRA Period 6/7

They are hard work, but it was a constructive lesson moving around the class I felt that more of them were
getting the ideas. The beginning of the lesson still needs to be stronger with quick firm directions and
expectations set by you. I think you need to stand your ground a little more confidently in front of them and
demand their attention at times however that will come. After the initial hubbub they settled well into the
listening exercises good to see so many getting the answers correct. Its hard to know how their behaviour
would have been without me wandering the class after their exam and in the art unit I will sit back more
and let you manage them on your own, to help you develop some of those intervention type techniques I
actually have a little booklet on behaviour management techniques that I found the other day that I will pass
on to you. (Remind me next week.)
How to manage their responses to the musical elements in the recorded extracts still needs more thought.
Whilst a nice idea to involve the students up the front it didnt work well they were too quiet and their
responses got lost with the class. Answers on the projector is a good idea I think if they can look, read and
correct their work (or swap with their neighbour?) then you are still free to roam the room and check that
they are on task the more occupied they are the better. This is the level of lesson planning that will help
with classroom management and something to be mindful of for future classes.
Many are getting more serious with guitar. As a note for next week we will devote the Thursday double to
the guitar but as a double is a long time for them to focus we should probably have an intro which revises
the chord shapes all together and demonstrates again their requirements for the exam. Can you think of
another relevant activity perhaps? We will also have time for group playing at the end.

Year 8M
An ok start to the lesson. Good to see you using names to prompt behaviour correction so much easier
when you know them! It felt like the Jenny Orchard concepts were a little rushed through perhaps
allowing them to dictate the pace of the lesson due to their chatting? Keep working on requiring silent
attention (commanding voice, 321, names on board, etc) it will make these sections of the lesson much
easier. Using the scaffolding for the creation of their creature worked well nice to see some of the
environmental ideas embedded in their art work.
Good to follow up with Anisha important to follow through. Good. A lunchtime or bucket even?
Yay finished with Year 8s! Well done you survived.

6/8 Dance Elements 8A and 8M

Apologies word crashed and did not save my detailed observations!
Generally good focus and student engagement evident. Elements well covered nice to see the students
feeling confident to participate in the discussion because they had the element definitions in front of them.
Positive relationships with students evident good to know names helps such a lot with managing
behaviour wandering around the room effectively to ensure students are on task. Good to see you aware of
the class dynamic and move the disengaged boys in 8M down the front. Beware of overuse of the word ok
when explaining concepts (more in 8A perhaps because more familiar with content in second lesson?)
Nice to see you adding in your own ideas and resources into lesson plans cool example very musical and
inspiring re. the connection between music and choreography. A lot of work in the power-point not used ie
the elements? Not really needed I guess but seems like a waste of your effort!
Good work started by the dance groups an effective lesson for both classes.

18/5
The structure of the lesson plans is better now lets keep that format going. Im sorry I kept interrupting
both the Year 8s and Year 12s however I think it is because I didnt get to see the actual class resources
powerpoints and program notes. Really important for me to check that information first it is an essential
part of the lesson plan.
8M
Behaviour management: Focus in the room would be helped I think by your eye contact with them really
look at them use your eye contact as a means of behaviour management eyeball the chatty ones. They do
love that game though.
Ask for the eyes at the board in a firm voice, so they know where their attention should be. Keep working on
a stronger voice with defined instructions.
Avoid asking questions which require the class to all answer ie are you all clear when the prac date is.
Change the question Hands up if you are not sure when the performance date is. Think about questioning
a little more.
Follow through with detentions very important.