Instruction Commentary

K-12 Performing Arts
Task 2: Instruction Commentary
TASK 2: INSTRUCTION COMMENTARY

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 6 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the
brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Commentary pages exceeding the maximum will not be
scored. You may insert no more than 2 additional pages of supporting documentation at the end of this file. These pages may
include graphics, texts, or images that are not clearly visible in the video or a transcript for occasionally inaudible portions. These
pages do not count toward your page total.
1. Which lesson or lessons are shown in the video clips? Identify the lesson(s) by lesson plan
number.
[Video clip 1 is from lesson 3 and video clip 2 is from lesson 4.]
2. Promoting a Positive Learning Environment
Refer to scenes in the video clips where you provided a positive learning environment.
a. How did you demonstrate mutual respect for, rapport with, and responsiveness to
students with varied needs and backgrounds, and challenge students to engage in
learning?
[In video 1, lesson 3, I challenged students to engage in learning by having them answer
questions about a topic that we had not really talked about before. At (5:53) I asked the students
why someone would write a piece of music. This was a challenging question because we had
not talked about it and it required the students to engage in higher-level thinking. In video 2,
lesson 4 at (6:08), I offer the students a choice. I asked the students what dynamic they wanted
to start with for their C scale. By offering the students a choice, it allows them to take some
responsibility for their own learning and allows them to feel like an active part of the class. This
helps create a positive learning environment because it shows the students that I respect them
and their choices. Showing them respect in this way will help the students to feel more secure in
the classroom and will allow them to be more comfortable responding and answering questions
in the future. The students got into small groups and had a chance to be creative in choosing
their own dynamics for their performance for the class. The students responded well to this
activity and worked together to decide on dynamics and practice as a group. Before the activity,
the class practiced the C scale as a group with dynamics. As the students played, I walked
around the room and checked in with students, and offered guidance as needed. This showed
responsiveness to the needs of the students. Walking around and listening allowed me to give
the students individualized feedback. This can be seen in video 2, lesson 4 from (7:20 -7:40).]
3. Engaging Students in Learning
Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.
a. Explain how your instruction engaged students in developing and applying
 knowledge/skills (e.g., tools/instruments, technical proficiencies, processes,
elements, organizational principles),
 contextual understandings (e.g., social, cultural, historical, global, personal
reflection), AND/OR
 artistic expression (e.g., interpretation, creativity, exploration/improvisation, individual
choices).
[The students engage in developing their contextual understanding of the pieces of music that
they listened to. In video 1, lesson 3, the students listen to two different pieces of music and
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discuss them (0:00 - 5:00). The first piece was Mars by Gustav Holst. Before listening to the
music, I asked the students to imagine what they believed the piece would sound like. I guided
them by asking them questions about what they knew about Mars. We discussed that Mars is a
planet and also the name of the Roman god of war. The students suggested that the music
might sound loud and violent. The second piece that the students listened to (3:13) was a cello
concerto by Ligeti. After listening, I asked the students why someone might write really quiet
dynamics. This led to our discussion (5:53) about why someone would write music. The
students responded well to this and many of them raised their hands and were eager to answer
questions. This shows that they were engaged. Knowledge of why dynamics are used and why
music is written will help the students be better musicians and performers. This knowledge will
also help them with their artistic expression as they continue to develop their playing skills.
In video 2, lesson 4, the students are working on developing their technical skills so that they
can later work on their artistic expression. They are practicing playing dynamics in their C major
scale at (6:30). They practiced playing their instruments and developed their skills in performing
different dynamics. Kinesthetic learning allows students to take an active role in their own
learning by physically doing something. Practicing playing these different dynamics will help the
students form a more secure connection with what they mean. Practicing the technique of
playing different dynamics will also help them with their artistic expression later on. Playing
dynamics is a tool that can be used for expression in music.]
b. Describe how your instruction linked students’ prior academic learning and personal,
cultural, and community assets with new learning.
[The instruction linked to students’ prior learning by adding to what they already know. The
students had been working on a C major scale and knew it very well before I taught. I connected
this skill and their new skills of playing different dynamics. This allowed the students to try
something new without having to worry about too many things. This sets students up for
success by adding to a skill that they already know. Since the students are part of a successful
orchestra program that holds high expectations, it is beneficial for the students to work on and
know their scales. Continuing to reinforce this skill relates to the standards that the school
community has set for the students.]
4. Deepening Student Learning during Instruction
Refer to examples from the video clips in your explanations.
a. Explain how you evoked and built on student performances and/or responses to
support students’ development and application of knowledge/skills, contextual
understandings, and/or artistic expression.
[I built on student responses by repeating their correct answers back to them. In Clip 1, lesson
three (0:48) I asked the students why they thought the composer, Gustav Holst, chose to put a
particular dynamic in his music. This was to help them apply their knowledge of dynamics and
build their contextual understanding of the piece. The students know the definitions of dynamics,
but now they are being asked to make a connection between those definitions and what they
could be used for in a more musical sense. The first student that I called on talked about how
the dynamic of ffff was not used before and suggested that Holst wanted to try something
different (0:55-1:03). I built off her response by confirming that she had a good idea and
repeating elements of it. I told the class that maybe he wanted to try something new. While this
was not the answer I was looking for, the student shared some good ideas. This conversation
helped guide students in their understanding of why dynamics are used in music. This
knowledge should help them with artistic expression in the future. Knowing the intent of music
can help them better understand it and form an emotional connection to it while performing. This
will help them be successful and competent musicians in the future. In video 2, lesson 4 at
(8:40) I evoked student responses by asking the students what they did differently between their
two performances of the C major scale. I called on one of the bass students who unfortunately
could not be seen in the video, though his response can be heard. This student mixed up which
performance they were talking about. I helped guide him to the answer by asking him the
question again. He then realized that he was talking about the wrong performance. The
question made them connect what they physically did while playing their instrument to the
sounds that they heard. I also made the students think about what they did differently between
playing terraced dynamics and crescendos and diminuendos. This creates a deeper connection
to the terms as they have learned about them in different ways.]
b. Explain how you used modeling, demonstrations, and/or content examples to develop
students’ knowledge/skills, contextual understandings, and/or artistic expression for
creating, performing, or responding to music/dance/theater.
[In video clip 1 from lesson 3, I played videos for the class that demonstrated different uses of
dynamics. The ending of one video that showed extremely loud dynamics can be seen at the
start of the video (0:01). The students watched a second video (3:13 – 5:00) that demonstrated
extremely soft dynamics. Before playing the video, I showed the students an image of what the
written music looked like. They had the chance to see the very quiet dynamic as a performer
would see it. I also wrote information on the board to help students with their knowledge and
contextual understandings. The students received information in different ways to help them
have the best chance to learn. By listening to different examples of music, the students had a
chance to observe different musical interpretations. In video clip 2, lesson 4, we discussed the
historical use of terraced dynamics in the baroque era to help broaden the students’ historical
and contextual understandings of dynamics as well as their general knowledge of dynamics. We
talked about the meaning of the word terrace/terraced and then related that to terraced
dynamics. Learning this new vocabulary word helped increase their knowledge of dynamics. We
then applied this concept of terraced dynamics to the music that the students were currently
working on. I drew an image of a baroque bow on the whiteboard for the students to see (3:47).
While looking at this picture, the students talked about how it was different from their bow. We
then talked about the limitations of the bow in terms of dynamics. The students guided their own
learning and concluded that because of the way the bow was shaped, it was more difficult to
perform dynamics. This helped with their contextual understanding.]
5. Analyzing Teaching
Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.
a. What changes would you make to your instruction—for the whole class and/or for
students who need greater support or challenge—to better support student learning of
the central focus (e.g., missed opportunities)?
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different
strategies/support (e.g., students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners,
struggling readers, underperforming students or those with gaps in academic
knowledge, and/or gifted students).
[I would change how I handled classroom management in this lesson. In Lesson 3 Clip 1, you
can hear students talking and playing instruments as I was teaching. This began at the start of
the clip (0:07) just as the students are finishing up watching a video that demonstrated
dynamics. The students were making comments about the dynamic level of the music. I
gestured for them to be quiet. I then asked the students how many fortes they saw in the music
(0:22). The students shouted out answers and I accepted those answers instead of asking the
students to raise their hands. If I were in this situation again, I would address the talking right
away. I would also insist that the students raise their hands to answer questions. I should not
have accepted answers from the class as they were shouting them out. Because I did not
address it, the noise continued to be a problem throughout the rest of the class. Later on in the
lesson at (5:05) students are still talking during instruction. This did get better towards the end of
the lesson around (6:30) and the students are quiet and raising their hands. I would also build
upon the activity seen in clip 1, lesson 3 to a different day. The small group activity had the
students decide what dynamics they were going to implement into a performance of their C
major scale. I chose to have them work with their C major scale because it was a skill that they
were already proficient with. I wanted to assess the students on their ability to create the
different dynamics without them having to worry too much about notes and rhythms. This would
allow students the greatest chance for success. Creating is the top tier of thinking of Bloom’s
Taxonomy. This was introduced to the students in lesson 3. If I were to teach this again, I would
move C major scale dynamics activity to the end of the lesson. This allows the students to
spend more time on the other levels of thinking before jumping right to the top. Some students
in the class need more time to process information. This would also give those students a better
chance to succeed and a better chance to understand the central focus. I would also model
dynamics on my instrument more frequently during the lessons. This would give students
another means of representation of dynamics.]
b. Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your
explanation with evidence of student learning AND principles from theory and/or
research.
[This change would improve student learning because the students would be more engaged in
the lesson. If I set and enforce rules and consistently use them, then the students will know
what the expectations are during class. With better classroom management, the students are
more likely to respect me and be more engaged during lessons. Successful classrooms are built
on a foundation of trust and respect. Better classroom management would also save instruction
time and allow the students to play on their instruments for a larger portion of the class. By
having the students play more on their instrument, they get more opportunities to practice the
concepts. This would help all students, especially kinesthetic learners, engage more deeply with
the lesson and better remember the different dynamics. A few students in the class struggled on
the assessment and more time spent engaged in the lesson could help them understand the
concepts. Modeling dynamics on my instrument would add another means of representation,
which is a principle of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). My lesson had multiple means of
representation but adding one more would help make it more effective, especially for struggling
students.]
Video 1 Lesson 3 – transcription of inaudible student response

(0:55 – 1:03)
“Maybe he wanted to try to do something that people hadn’t done before.”
Video 2 Lesson 4 – drawing on the whiteboard that was not visible

(1:25)

(2:15)

(3:47)

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K-12 Performing Arts

Task 2: Instruction Commentary

TASK 2: INSTRUCTION COMMENTARY

Video 1 Lesson 3 – transcription of inaudible student response

Video 2 Lesson 4 – drawing on the whiteboard that was not visible

Video 2 Lesson 4 – drawing on the whiteboard that was not visible

Video 2 Lesson 4 – drawing on the whiteboard that was not visible

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