When I observed Kelly Graeber at the Morse School, I got to see and interact with her kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade general music classes. Overall, she used a combination of Kodaly, Feierabend, and Orff in her classroom to create a dynamic learning experience for her students. The activities consisted of rote songs, songtales, reading rhythms using "heart beat" images, chants, soundscapes, and rounds. Students were often called upon to name a song that had the same rhythm as the one they had just learned, or to draw the arc of the melody on the board. For older classes they would start with a welcome song and the song "Hey Charlie" where students get a chance to sing a solo if they are chosen. Kelly challenged them to keep the song moving even when a student had a solo so that they never paused or lost the pulse. Additionally, the class would often be split in half and given student leaders in order to help lead their students in the singing of a round.
In terms of classroom management, it was generally a calm learning environment, but some students in particular struggled quite a lot. There were some concerns on safety after a student found a rubber band and was flinging it at other classmates. This was a stressful moment and certainly rattled both the teacher and remaining students. This was valuable to see as I was able to experience needing to remain calm but also regain control. After the student was brought to the office, Kelly found it necessary to do a calming breathing activity with the class. This made a great impact on me because I could see the importance of taking time to check in without students before just continuing the planned lesson after something unexpected happens.
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AuthorReese Massey recounts her observations of elementary and secondary music teachers during her time in pre-practicum. Archives
November 2019
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