Classroom Communication Reflection: Teacher Student

Reflection:
Active student teacher communication in and out of the classroom has been somewhat
inconsistent for me. In one-on-one and small group settings, and in settings outside of the
classroom, I have had the opportunity and ability to effectively communicate with students. In
these settings I find that I am able to make jokes, relate to student interests and personalities, and
maintain mutual respect all while effectively communicating musical instruction. In a full
ensemble setting however, communicating with students and encouraging articulate student
communication has been a challenge.
My challenge in communication became especially apparent during my second week at
Palmer Ridge High School while leading a full ensemble rehearsal for Symphonic Winds. In this
rehearsal, I found that there was a huge disconnect between my students and myself. The reasons
for this are as follows:
Too much verbal communication I have a problem with having to verbally process
instructions that I am giving. This isnt usually an issue with content in my lesson plan, but when
I have to deviate from my lesson plan (which I had to completely abandon for this rehearsal), I
spend too much time speaking in order to get my point across. Furthermore, it often takes me a
couple of tries to construct sentences that effectively communicate what I am trying to address in
the rehearsal. This led to mass confusion in this lesson, as many students perceived that I was
seemingly changing my mind about everything I was saying.
Focusing too much on the plan I had scheduled a lot of content to get through during this
lesson, especially for the timeslot I was allowed for my piece. I was so concentrated on getting to
all of my lesson plan that I failed to see the feedback students were giving me in their
engagement and demonstration of understanding.
Staying in one spot for too long As the rehearsal progressed, I realized that I had created a
stagnant learning environment. Not only had we been working on the trumpet section for ten
minutes, but I hadnt moved off of the podium and around the room at any point during the
lesson. This made it feel like I was in a completely different universe from the students right in
front of me.
Failing to establish a personal connection I noticed that while I am very good at establishing
a personal connection with students at the beginning of rehearsal, such as telling a joke, talking
to individuals, or relating to students, that I had failed to do so during this lesson. I hadnt been
feeling well, so I had missed the first part of rehearsal. Furthermore, I had not done with a warm-
up with the band (Mr. Eversole took care of it). The abrupt change between Mr. Eversole and
myself created disengagement that I failed to acknowledge, or correct.
Letting my own state affect my teaching As stated in the previous reason for failed
communication, I was not feeling well during my lesson. I felt like I was only able to focus on
the way my body was feeling and my lesson plan, and that I was unable to respectfully and
effectively pay attention to my students.

Strategies: After reflecting on my lesson, I found a number of strategies that can and have
helped me overcome these challenges. These strategies include those provided by my
cooperating teacher, my university supervisor, and strategies that I have used successfully in the
past. Because this is the first time I have been teaching regularly instead of one-two times a week
or less, I had forgotten some of these strategies. Strategies are as followed.

Six Words or Less Instruction for ensemble rehearsals can often be conveyed in six words or
less. In my case, this forces me to process what I want to say before speaking to the students.
This also gives students more opportunities to play and rehearse fixes that we are making as an
ensemble.
Wait Time This strategy has been especially beneficial to me and my communication with
students. If I am unsure of what I want to work on first, what I specifically want to say, or where
I want the ensemble to start playing, I give myself 10-20 seconds to process what I am going to
do. While this may eat up a few seconds, it is a far better option than verbally processing what I
mean to say, as this takes up time itself and also confuses students. Confusion further takes away
from ensemble time as it requires clarification and support.
Silent Rehearsals Silent rehearsals, or otherwise teaching content without using verbal
communication, can be a really effective strategy for rehearsal. In this case, I will have to
completely cut out my verbal processing with forces me to be more concise with my movements,
demonstrations, etc. for teaching.
Other Modalities Demonstrating music, playing a recording, using visual cues, or movement
activities similar to Dalcroze Eurhythmics can be extremely beneficial for students that tend to
check out during verbal instructions. I have started to use these modalities in my lessons and I
have found that in addition to being an effective learning tool, they also keep students engaged.
Change keeps students concentrated on the new task at hand, whereas formulaic instruction
allows students to check out, as they already expect what comes next.
Move Off of the Podium The best way to communicate with students is to move to them.
Instead of staying on the podium, I have been starting to move around the room during rehearsal.
This makes instruction that I am giving much more personal and more effectively
communicated. This also further engages students that might be checking out because I am not
near them.
Get SOMETHING done, not EVERYTHING Lessons rarely go as planned. If I need to
focus on a musical passage, section, or concept that I was not prepared to work on with the
students, then I need to deviate from my lesson plan. In these settings, it is important to identify
the issue and fix it. If I can fix an important issue, even though its not an issue I was planning on
working on, then that rehearsal, or that rehearsal segment is successful. If I try to move on to the
next part of my lesson before fixing an issue that naturally came up in rehearsal, then students
might begin to rehearse/practice music incorrectly.
Brain-breaks Brain breaks are fantastic for maintaining effective communication and
engagement in the classroom. While brain-breaks sometimes include elaborate activities,
sometimes just taking a few moments to connect with students on a personal level by telling a
joke, a story, or asking students questions can be just as beneficial. This kind of brain-break can
serve as a reset for the class. If I am having trouble communicating with my students, then I can
use a brain-break so that everyone is able to reduce their frustration. Once students and I are less
frustrated and confused, then we can get back to the lesson at hand.
Disclaimers I have found that being honest with my students is best. I should do my very best
to not let my current state affect my teaching, but if I am in a situation where I am fairly sick,
then letting students know that I am is always an option. This way, if I seem more frustrated or
grumpy than usual, students dont establish a misconception that I am unnecessarily upset at
them. If we understand each other, then we can better communicate during each lesson.
Be Humble I used this strategy directly after the lesson had finished. At the end of my lesson,
and the beginning of the next, I apologized to my students for being confusing and I thanked
them for being patient with me. I told them that I am learning how to be an effective band
director and that I wont always be efficient. This got the students on my side and made them
more willing to communicate with me in the future. If I had blamed them for my mistake, then
they might have fought me or ignored me on my future lessons. This strategy has really helped
me establish a framework for effective communication in future lessons.

As I have started and continued to implement these strategies for effective

communication, I have noticed a drastic change in each of my lessons. Students are better able to
understand me and I further feel more comfortable and able in encouraging my students to
develop articulate communication with me. The more I am able to effectively communicate, the
more I can teach my students to effectively communicate.