Videotape Analysis and Reflection Statement

Name:
Justin Phillips
Date of Video:
September 24th, 2019
Brief lesson description:
During this lesson, I was mainly focusing on exercises around the concert Eb scale and Westwind
Overture by Anne Mcginty. I began the lesson with long tones, and then moved into to scale patterns
on concert Eb scale. After that, I performed a conducting activity on the Eb scale. I conducted whole
notes in various dynamics throughout the scale. After this, we moved into Westwind Overture and
rehearsed it until the end of the lesson.

Address the following items in detailed statements. Use examples and illustrations from the video.

Planning:
1. What were the goals/objectives for this lesson as stated in your plan?

My goals for this lesson were for the students to be able to play the Eb concert scale along with
the scale pattern exercises in their method book. Next they were to watch me conduct and
follow my dynamics during the Eb concert scale. Finally, for the students to be able to play
Westwind Overture while following my dynamics and making contrast between the A and the B
section.

2. Describe the overall degree to which you accomplished your goals.

I think that my goals for this lesson were accomplished by the end. During the conducting
exercise, I think the students did a good job following my dynamics. On the piece, I heard a
difference from the first time they played it and the end of the lesson. They were beginning to
noticeable contrast. I still think that this concept can be reinforced, and that the students are
capable of creating more contrast in between the A and B section.

3. What additional standards were addressed in this lesson that meet the ELL, Reading, or
Exceptionality standards studied this semester? How are these standards manifested in your plan?

I do not think I did a great job of addressing additional standards that meet the ELL or UDL
standards we have studied. Because of the drill that took place at the beginning of the class, I
was pressed on time once they came back. Because of this, I did not completely do everything I
had listed in my original plan. For example, I didn’t write the symbols or words for any of the
dynamics like I had planned. I also didn’t include as much descriptor words as I would have
liked. This is something that I need to ensure I do no matter what happens in the class.
Execution of the Plan:
1. What are some of your personal idiosyncrasies? How can you address them as you grow as a
teacher?

Throughout this teaching I continued to use several of the idiosyncrasies that I used in my
previous lesson. At the beginning of the lesson, I used “uhm” several times throughout my first
few sentences. I was rather surprised to hear me use this that extensively. I will try and speak
slower and have more thought out and deliberate instructions. I do think that I improved on my
counting off. I didn’t end up counting off eight beats as many time as I did previously. I was still
counting off whole bars though. As I continue, I will try and eventually try and be able to count
off using only two beats or even just a breath. Finally, I noticed that I did a lot of clapping during
the warmup. However, my clap was weak and hard to hear. I will work on being louder and
enforcing my tempo.

2. What did you do/not do to set the tone for learning? Would you do anything differently? If so,
what?

I had to start my lessons two times during this day because “run” drill that took place at the
start of my teaching. After about 20 minutes, the students came back to the class and I started
the class again. The first time I started class I think I did a great job. I began with a quick and
humorous story about the beginning of the day. I think this got their attention, and it was easy
for them to continue listening as I moved into the lesson. This was quickly interrupted by the
drill however. Coming back after words, I struggled to get the class ready for learning. Not
everyone was back by the time I had started and people seemed very distracted because of the
drill. Next time, I could have waited longer so there wasn’t as much movement around the
room. I also could’ve began with asking them to be quiet rather than immediately starting the
lesson.

3. Focus on your questioning. What did you notice in terms of the quality of your questioning?
Frequency? Levels? Response/feedback to students? Cite examples.

Even though I believe that I incorporated more questions throughout this teaching than in
previous lessons, I still don’t think it was enough. Also, the majority of my questions were asked
while rehearsing the piece. I used only two questions in the entirety of the warmup. This is
something that I will need to do more of. I could have easily asked many questions and better
gauged students success. During the rehearsal, I asked questions based off of how they think
their performance was. For example, I asked if people to raise their hand if they really did the
decrescendo. I feel that I could have asked this in a better way because some students seemed
like they didn’t answer because they weren’t listening. Instead, I could ask everybody to give a
thumbs up or thumbs down, making everyone in the class have to answer. As I continue to
 prepare for teaching I will try to ask more engaging questions as well as more frequent
questions.

4. How well did you engage ALL learners in this lesson? Would you change anything about the
participation? If so, what would you do differently?

I think that there was much more engagement this lesson than last lesson, despite the fire drill.
One thing that I worked on and improved on was having the students play more. I tried to move
directly to the new piece and have them begin playing it as quickly as I could. Last lesson, I
spent an extreme amount of time before the students began playing. This lesson, I think they
were more engaged because they were simply playing a lot more. I also think that the
conducting exercise at the beginning of the lesson was engaging. It was different and almost
like a game for them. I could have included more participation in this. Perhaps I could have
taught the class conducting a 4/4 pattern and then had participants come and conduct with
dynamics. Not only would this teach a new concept but also reinforce dynamics. I also could
have prepared the board with the symbols for dynamics as well as the written word on the
board. This could have included more learners and then had them more engaged.

5. Discuss the incorporation of the new standards in your instruction.

I think that I did a decent job of incorporating the new standards in my instruction. As I
continue teaching, I will try and think more into my lesson beforehand. During these multiple
lessons, I have realized several areas where I could have brought a topic up or included
questions that will introduce more standards into my classroom. Of the standards that I did
include, I think I did a decent job incorporating them. I think that I did a good job of asking
questions during the rehearsal that had the students thinking about interpretation of the music.

6. What are your greatest strengths in the delivery of this lesson?

Personally, I have found this question to be the hardest to answer. Even though I improved on
several things, I am still unhappy with my performance as a whole. I think there is still a lot for
me to work on. One thing I do think I do well is provide helpful information to the students to
be more successful. I think I am giving accessible and good advice to the students for to
improve in technicality as well as musicality. This is something that I think I have developed well
during my time at Ball State and am excited to continue improving it.

7. What areas in this lesson need attention and improvement?

 I think that the number one thing my teaching needs improvement on is engagement. I think
that this encompasses many aspects of my teaching as well. I can be more engaging by asking
better more direct questions. These questions should also be made to where every student can
participate by answering them. I can also be more engaging by talking less. It felt like each
explanation I gave got longer, and by the end I was spending close to a minute talking. This is
still an extreme amount as is causing disinterest. I also can be more engaging to all types of
learners. My teaching was mainly aural as I talked for most of it. I could have included many
kinesthetic or visual aspects to help engage other students. Even though these are many topics
involved with teaching, I think they all end up impacting the engagement I have on the class.
This is where I will try and improve the most.

8. On a scale of 1 (weakest) to 10 (strongest), rate your overall effectiveness as a teacher in this

experience. Defend your rating with examples.

I think that I would still rate my overall effectiveness as a teacher somewhere between a 6 and
7. While there was definitely improvement from my task 1 teaching, I am still not completely
satisfied. I think that my questions could be more guided, effective, and frequent. I think that
this lesson I had improved on engagement and I talked less and had the students playing more.
While this is an improvement, I still talked far too long in transitions and explanations. This
causes the students to lose focus and makes the rehearsal less effective. On the same note of
engagement, I still don’t think I have completely mastered engaging all learning types. This
could be the reason why some students were less on task than others. However, there are
some things that I still think I did a good job at. Listening through the piece at the end and the
beginning, there is more contrast between articulations as well as dynamics. This was a goal of
my teaching and it was somewhat accomplished. I think that I have good musical ideas that I
am conveying to the students, I just need to learn to be more effective with it.