ENTRY 11: EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Total Students: 600 Students

SES Makeup (Percent on Free/Reduced Lunch): 15.16% (42 students on free lunch, 49
students on reduced lunch)

Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 Class 4 Class 5 Class 6

Grade Level 8 8 6 6 7 7
Subject Taught Choir Choir Choir Choir Choir Choir
Number of Students 23 22 22 26 16 24

Contextual Information Class Class Class Class Class Class Student Learning Adaptations
1 2 3 4 5 6
Gender I ensured that the number of solo
Number of Females: 15 16 13 19 10 15 opportunities was equal for males and
Number of Males: 8 6 9 7 6 9 females to audition for.
Ethnic/Cultural Make-Up Music was selected that would identify
Caucasian/White: 14 16 20 18 13 16 with all students regardless of ethnicity.
African American/Black: 5 3 1 2 0 5 Music from multiple different cultures
Hispanic: 0 2 0 4 0 2 was selected in order to ensure that all
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1 1 1 0 3 1 students identified with at least one
American Indian: 0 0 0 0 0 0 piece on the concert.
Indian: 1 0 0 2 0 0
English Language 0 0 0 0 0 0 None of my students were ELL
Learners students. However, we went over lyrics
slowly and echo spoke them to be sure
all students could pronounce them. We
also talked about the meaning of each
song in depth.
Academic Performance
Students performing above Students performing above grade level
grade level: 7 5 5 0 1 5 were leading sectionals, leading warm-
Students performing below ups, and offered leadership roles in
grade level: 3 5 1 7 2 3 class. Students performing below grade
level received extra help from students
they were paired with in their section or
myself, on a case by case basis, and
were encouraged to challenge
themselves.
Learning Disability 0 2 1 4 0 2 Students were given extra time on any
written assignment and additional
assistance on Personal Concert
Reflection. Students were also paired
with a student “tutor” in class who
would help them track music and
answer any other questions they had.
Emotional/Behavioral 2 2 0 1 0 2 These students were encouraged to
Impairment participate in class to the best of their
ability. Feedback was more carefully
worded for these students to keep them
 in a stable emotional/behavioral place.
Additionally, student seating charts
were important for these students, to
keep them away from peers that would
trigger negative and distracting
behaviors.
ADD 0 0 0 1 0 0 Pacing in this class was slightly faster
than in the other classes. This student
needed activities for their attention span
so there was a lot more moving from
song to song than working on one
section for a prolonged period of time.
Developmental 0 1 0 1 1 1 For one of these students, digital copies
of music were provided so the student
could zoom in and view the music with
more ease. Additionally, this student
was encouraged to sing on vowels as
much as possible because though they
had excellent sense of pitch, they could
not get words out.
Intellectual 0 0 0 0 0 1 This student was offered additional
assistance with music inside and outside
of class. This student was also given
extra time and assistance on a written
assignment the class completed in
February.
Autism 0 0 0 1 0 0 This student was given a great deal of
positive feedback. This student traveled
to electives without a para. They were
given preferential seating in the front
row, nearest the director and had a class
buddy to give help if needed.
Speech/Language 0 0 0 3 0 0 To help students with a speech
impairment, this class spent extra time
speaking the words. Lyrics to songs
were first repeated out of time, then in
time but very slowly, then working up to
full speed before singing even began.
This helped students process the words
and make some adjustments.
Gifted 5 1 1 0 0 2 These students are given extra
challenges in warm-ups by asking them
to audiate specific syllables or
combinations of syllables. Additionally,
these students are given extra
responsibilities and leadership roles as
they so choose.
Visual Impairment 0 1 0 1 0 1 These students were given either iPads
or computers and digital copies of their
music so that they could zoom in and
 see the notes or alter the music in a way
of their choosing.
Hearing Impairment 1 1 0 3 1 0 These students all had hearing aids and I
wore a microphone that was wired
directly to some of these students so
they could hear me with little to no
difficulty. In some classes, students did
not have their own hearing devices, I
made use of a wearable microphone that
came over the speakers in the
classroom.
Physical Disability 0 1 0 0 0 0 This student has an assigned seat on the
edge of her section in order to have the
easiest access to her spot. She also has a
para with her at all times.
Life Threatening Allergy 0 0 2 0 1 1 Several students had life-threatening
allergy to peanuts and tree nuts. For this
reason, no food was permitted inside the
classroom.
Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 No extraneous or “other” disabilities
were experienced. Should they occur, I
would work with students on an
individual basis to find the best solution
for them.
Military Connected 0 0 0 0 0 1 One student has a parent in the military.
Students Their father is currently deployed. This
student is given financial aid if
necessary (for field trips, etc.). The
family has been very open about not
wanting any special treatment for being
military connected.
*Some students on the disabilities portion of this table have multiple disabilities. The number of disabilities
does not reflect the number of students total with disabilities.

Student Characteristics:

Describe the developmental characteristics of students in your classroom.

(Cognitive, Physical, Emotional, Social).
The majority of students in my classroom were of average cognitive and physical development. The sixth-grade
students were much smaller than eighth grade students, generally speaking. Sixth grade students were often
shorter and had higher voices, they were just beginning puberty. Seventh grade students were slightly taller and
had begun to go through puberty. Eighth grade students are the most physically developed. There are visible
differences in students’ bodies here (women have started to have breasts, some men have the beginnings of
facial hair, acne is becoming more common, etc.). The students’ voices are maturing and starting to settle in
more to where they belong. Cognitive differences are less noticeable. Sixth grade students are able to sing two-
part music with ease and understand most songs. They have lower level conversations than eighth grade
students and their questions are not as deep. Eighth grade students are singing most lower level (and some
medium level) four-part music with ease. Their questions are deeper, asking about function of parts, why’s,
meanings of songs. They are able to draw their own conclusions about many things without asking me. Seventh
grade students fall somewhere in between. Emotionally, all of the students are still fairly immature. There are a
lot of mood swings in the students (more noticeable in female students) and there are a lot of reactions fueled by
emotion. Students care a great deal about other’s opinions of them and are very conscientious of this. There are
sometimes extreme reactions to situations that don’t merit such an extreme reaction. There is a misconception
about teasing and how far is too far. Socially, students are fairly mature. They are all able to communicate with
peers and adults in an expected way. Students in sixth grade have a tendency to have smaller friend groups and
separate themselves from those not in their group. There are a few students who are kind and inclusive and
groups of students that are more select. Eighth grade students seem to get along fairly well with everyone,
regardless of friend group. Girls and boys don’t have problems, and there is a lot of positive conversation and
comradery.

Highlight the prior knowledge and interests of students in your classroom.

Students prior knowledge is fairly deep. All students are able to sight read on solfege, so there are aural skills
and reading skills. Students know note values, note names, and can mostly read music. Some students have
more difficulty reading music than others, more so in sixth grade than seventh and eighth. Students can count
music well and track music fairly well. Executing music well depends greatly on rhythmic difficulty. Syncopated
notes are not in students’ prior knowledge until eighth grade. Students can hear the difference between major
and minor, and older students can tell you what this difference is. Eighth grade students and seventh grade
students who have almost completed the school year can tell you key signatures and identify articulation
markings in music. Sixth grade students can tell you some articulation markings but very few key signatures and
do not know much about accidentals. Students are all interested in music and singing in some way. This is an
elective course, so students choose to be here. Most students get excited about and are interested in choosing
their own music, a capella music like Pentatonix, and singing pop music. They usually find one piece that they
like even if it isn’t their favorite and students also enjoy being successful.

Describe the implications these characteristics have on planning and instruction.

(e.g. What instructional strategies will you use to meet the unique learning needs of all your students?)
It is important to keep students’ development in mind when they are selecting music. In planning and
instruction, the first thing a music teacher must do is select pieces for their groups to perform. It is important
that teachers know the current ability level and background knowledge of students to choose the best pieces.
Additionally, teachers will need to present information in multiple modalities and scaffold as necessary. Echo
singing would be a great strategy for the more difficult sections. Sixth grade students should start with unison
music and work towards two-part music that uses basic, straight rhythms (no syncopation or swung) and
continue working on music reading skills. Seventh grade students should start with two-part music and work
towards three-part music. Here you can introduce more complex rhythms and continue working on music
reading skills. Eighth grade students should be singing three- and four-part music and working on preparing
for high school music. Give students extra challenges by asking them to sight read on a regular basis and
change the level of difficulty of sight reading. In addition, giving students one piece that is a little beyond their
ability currently but is attainable is a great way to challenge them. This applies to all grade levels.

Environmental Factors:

Describe district, school, and classroom environmental factors impacting the quality of education for all of your
students.
Blue Valley School District is in southeastern Johnson County, in portions of south Overland Park, Leawood,
and Olathe. These cities have been recognized for high quality of life. About 72 percent of students identify as
Caucasian/White, 14 percent as Asian, 6 percent as Hispanic and 3 percent as African-American in the entire
district. At Oxford Middle School, the student to teacher ratio is about 15:1. Of the students at Oxford, 70
percent identify as Caucasian/White, 12 percent identify as Asian, 7 percent as Hispanic and 6 percent as
African-American. Oxford is one of nine middle schools in the Blue Valley School District. Oxford is located in
southern Overland Park, near Olathe and Lenexa. Oxford is one of, if not the oldest, middle schools in the
district. However, the classroom facilities are in excellent condition. Teachers care deeply about students and
meet at least once a week to discuss student well-being, student difficulties, and problem-solve. The choir
classroom has plenty of seat space for students and the room is more than large enough to accommodate even
the largest class. The room is equipped with a project, screen, computer, multiple white boards, and two pianos.
There is also a single practice room in the back with its own piano. There is a charging station for students to
recharge their Google Chromebooks when necessary. Blue Valley recently went 1:1 with middle school
students, checking out a Chromebook to each student. Students are not discriminated against for race, gender,
or sexual orientation. There are many clubs to support students and their needs before and after school.

Describe community and family environmental factors impacting the quality of education for all of your
students.
Blue Valley School District is home to more than 45,000 residential housing units. About 77 percent of these
are single-family dwellings and the remaining 23 percent are duplexes/condos/other multi-family housing. The
average household size in the district is 2.67 residents. The median income of Blue Valley households is about
$117,770. Family environments in the district vary. There is a pretty even mixture of traditional families,
families with divorced parents, and families with single parents. The community, especially around Oxford, has
been incredibly supportive. Students have experienced a lot of troubling times in recent months from the firing
of two teachers to the death of a student and the community has been very supportive in all situations. The
administration at Oxford is there for the students. The principal is present in all meetings about students and
consistently helps with communication and developing plans to better reach students that are struggling.

Describe the implications these factors have on planning and instruction.

(What instructional strategies will you use to address the unique environmental factors impacting each student?)
Though the “average income” appears to be generally high, I do not assume students have the time or money to
get additional materials. If I am asking for extra things from them, I will provide them myself. Additionally, I do
not like to assume that students are part of a traditional family. When asking for a permission form I ask for the
signature of a parent or guardian. When doing a project and it requires speaking to an adult about cultural
background, I simply ask them to speak to a trusted adult and record their responses. I am sensitive about
situations if and when I know about them. In the circumstance that I do not know, I try not to assume anything.
In the future, I will plan my concerts and performances ahead of time so that students have the opportunity to
make arrangements or carpool if necessary. I will plan lessons that are inclusive and are culturally relevant so
that all students, not just Caucasian/White students, feel represented. We will always talk about the history and
background behind a song and work towards respecting and appreciating all beliefs and situations.

Focus Students Information

Provide information about the two focus students you selected from the class in which you will be teaching your
unit that you feel would benefit from modified instruction. You MUST choose one student with
exceptionalities or an English Language Learner as one of your focus students. Complete the chart below
referring to these students only as Student A and Student B. Do not use proper names.

Describe this student Why did you What did you find out Based on this
using information from select this about this student? information
the Contextual student? Address characteristics what are the
Information and Student from the Contextual implications for
Learning Adaptations Information and Student this student’s
Learning Adaptations instruction?
Student This student is a male in I chose this This student is more than This student
A Class 6. He is African- student because capable of going above and needs
American and English is his his disabilities beyond in the choir setting. preferential
primary language. He is were not from He is easily distracted and seating,
performing below average birth. This drawn in to disrespectful somewhere
in all of his classes. He has student had a and distracting behavior away from his
a learning disability, a brain aneurysm when sitting to close to friends so that he
developmental disability, about two years friends or people he knows cannot be
and an intellectual ago and has had he can irritate with ease. He distracted or
 disability. Unlike most with difficulty since does not always react brought in to
these kinds of disabilities, then; appropriately to situations disrespectful or
this student did not have cognitively, but learns better how to inappropriate
them from birth. An developmentally, react if you correct him behaviors. He
accident in the recent past and quickly. The student needs to leave
led to a drastic shift in behaviorally. experiences Hemianopia, the group when
cognitive ability, behavioral Parents see him which is blindness of the asked to focus
patterns, and effort. The being almost as left side of the visual field. on something
student also has a visual intelligent as This causes reading music not musical (i.e.
impairment because of the before the to be more difficult. The a reflection or
accident. accident in most student and instructors paper document)
areas but want to (core classes, not just because noise is
see what he can music) have found that too distracting.
do. I have never highlighting the left side of This student
studied someone the page helps him to needs to
whose behavior realize something is there highlight the left
and core by adding a bright color side of the
characteristics that right peripherals will music. This
changed so catch. student needs to
drastically due to be challenged
an accident/brain whenever
damage. possible. He is
capable but often
chooses not to
try.
Describe this student Why did you What did you find out Based on this
using information from select this about this student? information
the Contextual student? Address characteristics what are the
Information and Student from the Contextual implications for
Learning Adaptations Information and Student this student’s
Learning Adaptations instruction?
Student This student is a male in I selected this I found out that this student, This student
B Class 6. He is student because while gifted, does not have needs a decent
Caucasian/White, and he took choir the a high aptitude for music. amount of
English is his primary previous year He is high-achieving, works feedback. His
language. He is performing but did not take very hard, and wants to desire to
above average or average in choir in the please but tends to do better improve on a
all of his classes. He has semester in his core classes. He will daily basis
been identified as a gifted preceding the go far with this work ethic requires more
student. semester in but does not have as much feedback than
which the data natural talent. He does well the average
collection focusing in large groups, student. He does
occurred. I small groups, and on an well when
wanted to know individual basis. He does challenged and
how a gifted well when challenged. He is indeed gifted.
student with less was able to catch up to the He understands
musical skill level of the class after better after
experience missing a semester, but he teaching a
would compare had to work hard both in concept to
to others and class and outside of school someone else
how quickly he to make that happen. and is a great
would progress. peer mentor.
Pre-Assessment Data
Student Scores by Objective on the Pre-Assessment

Student Obj 1 Obj 2 Obj 3 Obj 4 Obj 5 Overall %

Note Diction/ Intonation Musicality Tone Quality
Accuracy/ Pronunciation Are you Is your Do you have
Rhythmic How clearly singing in phrasing and control and
Precision are you tune with expression clarity in
Are your enunciating? proper breath appropriate your voice?
rhythms and Are your support? Can for the song? Are you
notes vowels pure? you hold Is your projecting
correct? your part tempo and and
when others balance producing a
are singing? correct? consistent
sound?
1 9/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 90%
2 10/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 9/10 96%
3 10/10 10/10 8/10 10/10 9/10 94%
4 9/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 94%
5 9/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 94%
6 9/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 94%
7 9/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 92%
8 10/10 10/10 8/10 10/10 9/10 94%
9 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 8/10 94%
10 9/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 94%
11 8/10 8/10 8/10 8/10 8/10 80%
12 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 96%
13 9/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 92%
14 9/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 94%
15 9/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 92%
16 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 96%
17 10/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 94%
18 10/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 96%
19 9/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 9/10 94%
20 9/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 96%
21 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 96%
22 10/10 10/10 8/10 10/10 9/10 94%
23 9/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 92%
24 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
Focus A 9/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 90%
Focus B 9/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 92%

What do these data mean for instruction during the unit?

This data shows me that students are very close to each other in terms of scores. The largest score discrepancies
are no more than two points – I am not including the outlier of 80%. This student was not taking the pre-
assessment seriously and did not try. Their score reflects this. These students move from concept to concept
well and work as a team. The things that will need the most focus during this unit will be Tone Quality,
Intonation, and Diction. These are things that I will need to tackle after learning notes and rhythms.
What do these data mean for instruction for the Focus Students during the unit?
This data shows me that the Focus Students do not pick up the notes and rhythms for their part quite as quickly
as some of their classmates. They will need additional rehearsal and repetition to feel comfortable on this and to
get them to a point that I can begin to work towards better Tone Quality, Intonation, Diction, and Musicality.
These students likely also need more individual or small group instruction, as the instruction prior to the pre-
assessment was class focused only.

Formative Assessment Data

Student Scores of Two Selected Formative Assessments
Student Formative 1 Formative 2
1 46/50 47/50
2 48/50 48/50
3 47/50 46/50
4 47/50 47/50
5 47/50 48/50
6 47/50 47/50
7 47/50 46/50
8 47/50 48/50
9 48/50 47/50
10 46/50 46/50
11 46/50 46/50
12 48/50 48/50
13 46/50 46/50
14 46/50 48/50
15 46/50 46/50
16 48/50 47/50
17 47/50 47/50
18 48/50 49/50
19 46/50 46/50
20 48/50 48/50
21 47/50 47/50
22 48/50 47/50
23 46/50 46/50
24 48/50 48/50
Focus A 46/50 47/50
Focus B 46/50 46/50

How did the data from these formative assessments impact learning during the unit?
Students are improving, for the most part. Formative Assessment #1 was a vocal assessment on how well they
were doing with the music we were working on for their concert. The students scored better on this the second
time than they did the first time. Formative Assessment #2 was a vocal assessment on their sight singing skills.
The assessments all used the same objectives, so that I could accurately measure student success at a given
objective over a span of time. I saw general improvement from students average score of 93.4% on the pre-
assessment to an average score of 94% on the first formative assessment to an average score of 94.05%. While
not a massive increase in the average score, these assessments took place only a few weeks apart from each
other. Additional focus on Tone Quality, Intonation, and Diction was needed.

How did the data from these formative assessments impact Focus Student Learning during the unit?
The data for the focus students was interesting. Focus Student A went from a 90% on the pre-assessment to a
92% on the first formative assessment to a 94% on the second formative assessment. This suggests that the
student is doing well in a spot removed from the group and that the continued practice is helping this student. It
also suggests that this student has put forth a good deal of effort in class to improve. It appears that the
instructional strategies are working for this student and that I should continue this approach with this student.
Focus Student B held very still from a 92% on the pre-assessment to a 92% on the first formative assessment
and continue to score a 92% on the second formative assessment. This tells me that this student is still
acclimating to what goes on in class but is doing a good job with retaining and applying the feedback I give
him. Even though we continue to move forward, he is still with the group though his mastery of content is not
progressing. With both students, I need to work with them more individually and give Focus Student B
additional resources to practice with outside of class.

Post-Assessment Data
Student Scores by Objective on the Post Assessment
Student Obj 1 Obj 2 Obj 3 Obj 4 Obj 5 Overall %
Note Diction/ Intonation Musicality Tone Quality
Accuracy/ Pronunciation Are you Is your Do you have
Rhythmic How clearly singing in phrasing and control and
Precision are you tune with expression clarity in
Are your enunciating? proper breath appropriate your voice?
rhythms and Are your support? Can for the song? Are you
notes vowels pure? you hold Is your projecting
correct? your part tempo and and
when others balance producing a
are singing? correct? consistent
sound?
1 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 96%
2 10/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 96%
3 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
4 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
5 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
6 10/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 94%
7 9/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 92%
8 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
9 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 96%
10 9/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 92%
11 9/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 92%
12 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
13 9/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 92%
14 9/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 90%
15 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
16 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
17 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
18 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 96%
19 9/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 92%
20 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 96%
21 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
22 10/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 94%
23 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
24 9/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 92%
Focus A 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 96%
Focus B 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 94%
What does these data mean for learning during the unit?
The students’ scores decreased from a 94.05% on the second formative assessment to a 93.75% on the post-
assessment. I do acknowledge that the score would have remained steady or even increased if students had not
chosen to talk or mess around with their friends during post-assessment recording and lose points overall. The
Diction and Musicality as a group most certainly improved overall. The students performed well at the concert
and sounded good even under pressure. Students did generally well with the type of group rehearsal and
sectional rehearsal done for this class. They lost a significant amount of instructional time due to all of the
classroom management that had to occur in this class. Had this not been a factor, students would have improved
more. I will change the seating chart and have spoken to the students who were the most distracting and
counterproductive to their peers. All students would benefit from more individual or sectional rehearsal in the
future before putting parts together. Additionally, all students should use the practice recordings outside of
class, that some students were given. In the future, these will be on Canvas for all students.

What does these data mean for learning for the Focus Students during the unit?
Focus Student A moved from a 94% on the previous formative assessment to a 96% on the post-assessment. He
made great strides and applied himself consistently throughout the unit. This has shown me that for him, the
instructional strategies I am using have worked and that he is making progress. This also tells me that he is
relatively interest in choir and interested in doing well in choir. He is improving in and scoring higher in this
setting than in many of his core classes, according to his core teachers. Intrinsic motivation is a key part to
ensuring that this student is successful in his educational career. Focus Student B moved from a 92% on all
previous assessments to a 94% on the post-assessment. He has worked hard. While gathering formative
assessment data, I determined that this student needed additional practice materials and resources outside of
school. For this student, and a few others that needed it, I made practice tracks with their part on it or a
combination of parts on it so that they could practice and hear whatever they needed to. This helped this student
improve his notes and rhythms. He then was able to focus on solidifying diction. We will continue to work with
him on Intonation, Musicality, and Tone Quality. These are skills we worked on a lot in the semester that he did
not enroll in choir. These pieces will get there, they will just take more time.

For future instruction, what have you learned about how students learn and the efficacy of your
instructional style? What would you change, if anything?
Students generally do better when they are given more individual instruction and small group instruction. While
group rehearsals are required to make an ensemble sound good and are required to keep students engaged and
occupied for the greatest amount of class time, they are not as productive for individual success. Students also
need a break from so much rehearsal on the same piece. This could just mean quickly jumping from song to
song but working on the same concept, standing up and sitting down, doing short brain breaks in between songs
like stretching or a solfege exercise. I believe that my instruction has a good amount of efficacy. All students
improved and this unit didn’t take much time at all. I would like to improve my classroom management and
behavioral management skills so that I do not lose so much instructional time, but I acknowledge that this will
improve with time and experience. I would also like to change how I run rehearsals – i.e. allowing stretch
breaks or a dance break – to give students a little bit of a brain break and a chance to relax. Choir and music are
still about having fun so I would like to add some more fun/goofy things in to give students the musical skills
they need.