Entry 3 - Classroom Management

7/30/2019 Entry 3 - Classroom Management

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M344 Field Experience Notebook

Entry #3

Report of Classroom Management and Discipline Observation

1. Describe the overall atmosphere of the classroom? Are the interactions between the

students and teacher and among the students generally positive or negative?

- The atmosphere of the classroom is relaxed. From my observations, I do not see any

conflicts between students and teacher; all the students respect the teacher and are

usually quick to respond to their requests. However, the students sometimes not

receptive to new parts of their routine and are not as quick to respond when there is a

change.

2. Are there classroom rules posted? What consequences are applied if rules are broken?

- The classroom rules are not posted.

3. Does there seem to be a systems or principles approach to discipline in place?

- There have not been any major discipline problems since I have started observing at

this school. When a students is not paying attention or acting out, the teacher calls out

the student in the middle of the rehearsal to get their attention and tell them to change

their behavior, but I have not seen an implementation of consequences.

4. What classroom management strategies were utilized? Were these effective?

- The teacher has a routine that is fixed in the classroom .The students know that they

are expected to be in their seat by the time she is at her podium and that they are to

have all their eyes and their full attention while she is standing in front of them. This

classroom management strategy of a set routine allows the students to have stability

and eliminates confusion.

5. What disruptions, if any, did your observe? How were they handled?

- I have observed disruptions that involve students talking out of turn to each other.

The teacher handles these disruptions stopping the rehearsal briefly to tell the students

to pay attention. The students responded immediately and did not disrupt the class

any more. This happens with the same student each rehearsal, but usually only once.The rest of the students are respectful of the teacher by giving them their full attention

and not being disruptive.

6. Were all of the students fully engaged?

- Although the students are attentive, or at least not disruptive, I do not believe that all

the students are fully engaged. The students in the back of the classroom do not play


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all their notes and sometimes just hold up their instruments to create the illusion of

participating. The front stands of each section are engaged, but the middle and back

seem to be detached from the teacher and disinterested.

7. What strategies might you use with this class?

- Since this class has a large range of experience and expertise, I would isolate the back

of the orchestra from the front of the orchestra. If there is a section that I am unsure of

regarding the competency of the whole orchestra, I would divide each section into

two to three stand groups and have them play the passage individually. This would

allow me to listen to each person individually without the students having to play

individually. This strategy would also allow the back stands to hear the front stands as

well as make sure that the whole orchestra is paying attention and staying engaged.

8. Are there particular students who may be difficult to manage?

- There are a couple students that are habitually not paying attention. These students

are called out by the teacher at least once per class period, but that is all the students

need to refocus. Also, since the teacher has her classroom observers do sectionals,

these more disruptive students are given more individualized attention with either the

teacher or the classroom observers.

9. Discuss any evidence that you detected of diverse learning styles within the ensemble or

within a specific section. Are there students with special needs in the class? Is there a

need to vary your management based on diverse student needs?

- There are a few students in the class that have IEPs. The teacher varies their

instruction by not holding those students to the same standard as the others. The

teacher gives the impression that they do not believe that the students with IEPs have

the same abilities as other students. The teacher is more lenient when it comes to the

progress of the students with special needs. There does not seem to be a need to vary

the management of the classroom for these students, however.

10. What are the musical strengths and weaknesses of the ensemble? How do these relate to

classroom management?

- The ensemble is not disciplined in working out problems in their intonation and

articulation. I think that because the classroom is not always in order with warm-up

procedure and how problems are resolved in the ensemble. If the students were


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disciplined when they play out of turn, I think that the students would be more

disciplined when they are asked to fix their intonation.

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Entry 3 - Classroom Management