Teacher Work Sample – Electronic Submission Document
Introduction
Student Teacher
Cooperating Teacher
School
Jessica Krome
Mr. Adam Janda
Seward Elementary Public School
Context of Teaching
I am at Seward Elementary teaching Music in all grades: K-4th (21 sections
of students in all). For the Teacher Work Sample I’ll be teaching 4th graders
(approx. 90-100 students). They are on a rotation schedule, and they rotate
between Music, P.E., Guidance, and Library. One teacher’s section is very
responsive to excited enthusiasm and encouragement. Another section is
responsive to joking and cajoling them to do better. The other two sections are
very talkative and require as little time as possible between tasks to keep them
focused to not waste half the class period. Since they are the oldest grade in the
building, they sometimes have a little bit of a respect issue, but if you are firm
with them they respond well. The 4th grade class is easy to work with. They do
not have the behavioral problems like a couple sections in the 3rd grade and
Kindergarten classrooms. It is harder to notice specific problems that some
students have because some are new and have not touched a recorder before
and others might have trouble in their other classes, but in music it is not as
apparent because a lot of what we do is by rote or reading music for recorder
and that is after we go through how to read the music notes again. They learn
how to read notes in 2nd and 3rd grade but don’t really put it into practice until
the second half of 3rd grade.
Understanding by Design Stage One
Stage 1 – Identify Desired Results
Established Goals:
National Standards for Music Education:
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
What understandings are desired?
Students will understand that.
Music is an important part of one’s life. Music is a great tool of expression
and a way to expand ideas and ways of thinking and seeing. Recorder is
played well when all the elements that go into recorder playing are met at
the same time.
When we play recorder, we use our tongue to start the note to give a clear
start. We use our breath to get a soft, steady sound. Any hard air and the
tone of the recorder is instantly less than par. We use our mouth to give a
nice open cavity to allow the sound to resonate. We also use our fingers to
get the correct holes covered fully to get the right notes out.
What essential questions will be considered?
Why is music important?
What makes for good recorder playing?
How will we get our very best sound on recorder?
What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?
Students will know. . .
How their tongue, mouth opening, fingers, and breath affect recorder sound.
Vocabulary – what the music terms are (staff, different note values, etc.)
Students will be able to. . .
Listen to their peers and to the piano to match what they are hearing to what they are
reading on the page.
Read the notes on the page and to put down the correct fingers to play the right notes.
Pre-Assessment – On Next page of document
Name:___________________________________
Spell out the word that we use to remember the spaces in the four blanks below
__________
__________
__________
__________
Write the WORDS we use to remember the lines of the staff in the five blanks below
1.___________________
2.____________________
4._____________________
3.____________________
5. ____________________
Write the note LETTER next to the line or in the space they belong
Write the note name below the note:
Most of the students did really well and completed the pre-assessment
worksheet perfectly. Four fifths of the 4th graders were able to get 14 or more
correct out of 16. They either remember a lot from last year, or they were able
to use the previous lesson on the music staff to their advantage and apply it to
this worksheet. There are a few new students in each section and some have
caught up, while others have never seen a staff before and are struggling to
catch up and keep up. They are doing well for where they are at though. They
understand more and more each time they come to music. Quite a few of the 14
and 15 out of 16 results are from inattentive students. They would skip a
question or would leave something blank on accident because they were not
paying attention and just wanted to finish quickly.
I want to catch more of the students up so everyone is in the 15 or 16 out
of 16 range. There are a few fun activities that will help with note name review
as well as other activities on recorder that we will accomplish.
Understanding by Design Stage Two
Complete included template below. See annotated template on the student
teaching website for reminders on expectations for Stage Two completion.
Instrumental Music Performance - Individual: Recorder
B,A,G,C
Teacher Name: Ms. Krome
Student Name:
CATEGORY
________________________________________
4
3
2
1
Attention in
Class
Student is
focused and
attentive
throughout class
and follows
directions to the
best of his/her
ability.
Student is usually
focused and
attentive during
class, but
sometimes is
distracted by
others.
Student is
sometimes
focused and
attentive during
class, but is
easily distracted
by others and
sometimes
distracts others.
Student is rarely
focused and
attentive during
class. Sometimes
disruptive to rest
of class.
Note Accuracy
Notes are
consistently
accurate.
An occasional
inaccurate note is
played, but does
not detract from
overall
performance.
A few inaccurate
notes are played,
detracting
somewhat from
the overall
performance.
Wrong notes
consistently
detract from the
performance.
Rhythm
The beat is
secure and the
rhythms are
accurate for the
style of music
being played.
The beat is
secure and the
rhythms are
mostly accurate.
There are a few
duration errors,
but these do not
detract from the
overall
performance.
The beat is
somewhat erratic.
Some rhythms
are accurate.
Frequent or
repeated duration
errors. Rhythm
problems
occasionally
detract from the
overall
performance.
The beat is
usually erratic
and rhythms are
seldom accurate
detracting
significantly
from the overall
performance.
Pitch
Virtually no
errors. Pitch is
very accurate.
An occasional
isolated error, but
most of the time
pitch is accurate
and secure.
Some accurate
Very few
pitches, but there accurate or
are frequent
secure pitches.
and/or repeated
errors.
Other informal assessments will be reviewed on the template and in lesson
plans. You may include examples here as applicable (this is not required).
Stage 2 – Determine Acceptable Evidence
What evidence will show that students understand?
Performance Tasks:
Goal: play several songs with “C” in them
Role: Musician/performer
Audience: peers, teachers
Situation: students will pre-test on C to assess their knowledge, they will then
review/learn the fingering for C on the recorder, and then they will play several songs
out of their recorder book, after which they will take the same worksheet as a post test.
Performance: perform several songs out of the recorder book and complete the
worksheet
Standards: rubric in above section and informal assessment by teacher observation
Other Evidence (quizzes, tests, prompts, observations, dialogues, work samples):
Clickers game – students will play a game where they will enter in their
guess/answer for a note shown on the smart board. They will submit a
letter via the clickers that all connect to the main drive which will be
connected to the computer and the smart board.
Informal Observation – Observations made in whole class setting by myself
and my cooperating teacher.
Other Observation – Observe several students playing in a small group (3-6
students) as they try for their next belt in Recorder Karate.
Student Self-Assessment and Reflection:
Having students listen to each other when they are playing duets or telling
half the room to play a song while the other half listens.
Post-Assessment
Write the note name below the note:
Lesson Plans
At the end of each lesson plan (in the self-evaluation section), you should reflect
on the content, methodologies used, and student performance, with special
attention paid to potential modifications needed.
Include cooperating teacher feedback on each lesson plan or in a summative
reflection at the end of all the lessons.
Student Teacher: Jessica Krome
State Standard: NAfME
Name of Lesson: Intro to “C”
Grade Level: 4th grade
Subject: Music
Period / Time: 44 min
I. Goal:
Have almost all of the Nebraska State Song learned.
3rd section will be a little rough yet.
Get through worksheets to play through pages 7 and
8.
Date: 9/17/14
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
II. Objectives:
Students will be able to sing through Beautiful
Nebraska with 60% accuracy
Students will be able to play pages 7-9 of the
recorder books with 80% accuracy.
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
III: Faith / Values Integration:
N/A
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
IV. Integrated Technology:
Projector and Camera to put recorder book up
on board as a visual
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
V. Materials:
Piano
Beautiful Nebraska
Worksheet
Recorder book
Camera Projector
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
VI: Procedure:
Greet students and invite them to find their
assigned seats
A. Set / Hook: Tell students that we are going
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
No adaptations are needed for the
4th grade sections. If there were
to sing the whole song through so you know just how any needed, the student could
far they are and what needs to be worked on
complete the actions with the other
B. Transition: Sing through State Song
students as the students sing and
C. Main Lesson: After they have finished
do actions for the song. With
singing through Beautiful Nebraska once, go through recorder, they would do their best,
the song again, but this time echoing me so they can or Mr. Janda would give them one
learn the words to the unfamiliar third part. After we
on one help with learning their
have gotten a good handle on the words by echoing
notes on recorder.
and have developed a pretty good sound, pick four
students to help. One hands out papers, another
hands out pencils, and the last two hand out books.
The students will all be given a worksheet and will be
given verbal directions for the worksheet before they
begin. After completing the worksheet, the students
will get out their recorders and books and look at the
song number I give them so they will be able to speak
the note names if and when I call on someone. We
will go through and play pages 7 and 8 in the books
and possible getting to page nine.
D. Transition: When I see that it is time to
start lining up at the door, I will ask the half of the
room who has done the best job for today to put
their recorders away and line up quietly.
E. Conclusion: After they are packed up and
heading to the door, I will dismiss the other group.
VII. Assessment:
Informal – Teacher Observation
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
VIII. Assignment:
N/A
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
IX. Self-Evaluation:
Things went well, but my transitions take too
much time and encourage way too much talking
from the fourth graders.
X. Coop’s Comments:
Jessica did a good job with this
lesson. She provides a good
modeling voice for the students to
follow. She gives the students help
on the piano if they need it when
playing recorder.
Student Teacher: Jessica Krome
Grade Level: 4th grade
Date: 9/23/14
State Standard: NAfME
Subject: Music
Name of Lesson: Review on C/Veterans day Prep
Period / Time: 44 min
I. Goal:
Required
Have all the students memorize the refrain to This
Adaptations/Modifications:
Land is Your Land.
Memorize Grand Old Flag
Get 90-95% of students to answer the correct notes
with the clicker game
II. Objectives:
Required
Students will be able to sing through This Land is Adaptations/Modifications:
Your Land while reading the lyrics from the book
with 90% accuracy.
Sing through Grand Old Flag after instruction
with 85% accuracy.
Complete the clicker activity with 70% accuracy.
III: Faith / Values Integration:
N/A
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
IV. Integrated Technology:
Clickers and smart board
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
V. Materials:
Green Music Books
Piano
This Land is Your Land
Grand Old Flag
Smart Board/projector
Clickers
VI: Procedure:
Greet students as they come in the room
A. Set / Hook: Have the students grab a green
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
music book on their way to their spot
B. Transition: Co-op reviews rules with
students because they have been having troubles
with talking in class.
C. Main Lesson: Have students open to page
four to look at This Land is Your Land and begin by
having them echo me as I sing the song phrase by
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
No adaptations are needed for the
4th grade sections. If there were
any needed, the student could
march along with the students
while they are singing and
marching. They could participate in
the clickers, but not answer all of
the questions.
phrase. After singing through the song, we will go
through and put actions to the refrain and sing the
verses while reading the words out of the book.
Afterwards, we put the books down and echo Grand
Old Flag phrase by phrase then two phrases at a time
before putting it all together. Once that is done, we
get out the clickers for a game of reading note names.
The students will go through the 20 questions each
sending in their answer on the remotes given to
them.
D. Transition: Go around one by one and pick
up the clickers from the students and when their
clicker has been collected and they put their book
away they can line up quietly by the door.
E. Conclusion: “good job today guys, I’ll see
you next time!”
VII. Assessment:
Teacher observation and readings/statistics
from the clickers.
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
VIII. Assignment:
N/A
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
IX. Self-Evaluation:
I think the lesson went really well. I’m starting
to get pickier with the students about how well
they can do things and am pushing them more
and more. It is a little frustrating that they are
preparing for their Veterans’ Day performance
which gives me very little time to teach them
recorder things, but it is really fun to teach them
songs to honor America.
X. Coop’s Comments:
Jessica is quick to pick up on things
that I want the students to know.
If I mention it during one section,
she is sure to mention it in another
section.
Student Teacher: Jessica Krome
Grade Level: 4th
State Standard: NAfME
Subject: Music
Name of Lesson: Prep for Yellow Belt
Period / Time: 44 min.
I. Goal:
Help students to memorize our patriotic songs and
get through the recorder songs so the students are
more prepared for their yellow belt tests.
Date: 9/30/15
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
II. Objectives:
Students will be able to play through Cobbler,
Cobbler and Juba with 85% accuracy and sing
through This Land, having the refrain
memorized and working on the verses, sing
Grand Old Flag from memory as well as the
Star-Spangled Banner
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
III: Faith / Values Integration:
N/A
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
IV. Integrated Technology:
Smartboard camera to help students see where
I am talking about in the music
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
V. Materials:
Recorder books
Recorders
Piano
This Land is your Land
Grand Old Flag
Star-Spangled Banner
Smartboard camera projector
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
VI: Procedure:
Greet student at the door and have them take
their assigned seats.
A. Set / Hook: Have students grab a green
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
No adaptations are needed for the
4th grade sections. If there were
any needed, the student could
complete the actions with the other
students as the students sing and
do actions for the song. With
book on their way in.
B. Transition: Have students put their green
books behind their backs and bring their recorders
and books out in front of them to position one on the
floor.
C. Main Lesson: Start with having the
students follow my hand signals to play different
notes on their recorders. Then have them play a
repeated patter of C,C,A,A until I change signs, then
play the last two measures of Cobbler, Cobbler (the
first song on page nine) After they complete that task
sufficiently, we will do the same exercise only
backwards. Repeating the last two measures of the
song until I give them a different sign and they play
C,C,A,A again. Once they do well with this task they
will play through Cobbler, Cobbler from start to finish
at least two times if not more. Playing the first time
slowly and then speeding up as they keep playing it.
After successfully playing Cobbler, Cobbler the
students will play through Juba which is the other
song necessary to earn their yellow belts. After we
are done with Juba, we will move on to our green
books and sing through This Land is Your Land several
times, working on not breathing before “this land
was made for you and me” and working on getting
eight measure phrases instead of two or four. Then
the students will put their books behind their backs
and we will move on to Grand Old Flag. After singing
it one time through, it might be necessary for me to
have them echo sing the song phrase by phrase
again.
D. Transition: If there is still time, the 4th
graders will sing through the Star-Spangled Banner.
E. Conclusion: Have the students line up
quietly at the door and “see you guys next time”.
recorder, they would do their best,
or Mr. Janda would give them one
on one help with learning their
notes on recorder. Or fill in the
note names on a photocopy of the
page we are working on in the
book, if they have forgotten their
recorder and/or book.
VII. Assessment:
Teacher Observation
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
VIII. Assignment:
N/A
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
IX. Self-Evaluation:
I am still working on transitions between tasks.
They are still a little slow. But otherwise the
lesson went well.
X. Coop’s Comments:
It is good for Jessica to practice
lessons more than once; she gets
better and better at giving more
concise directions as she goes.
Student Teacher: Jessica Krome
Grade Level: 4th
Date: 10/6/14
State Standard: NAfME
Subject: Music
Name of Lesson: New Harmony/Songs
Period / Time: 44min.
I. Goal:
Get the students ready to try for their yellow belt on
recorder.
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
II. Objectives:
Students will be able to play Cobbler, Cobbler
and Juba with 85% accuracy and will be able to
learn the harmony to This Land is Your Land
with 80% accuracy.
III: Faith / Values Integration:
N/A
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
IV. Integrated Technology:
Projector to give visuals of all the music I’m
teaching them
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
V. Materials:
Recorders
Recorder Books
Piano
Projector for book
This Land is Your Land
Armed forces Medley
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
VI: Procedure:
Greet students as they come in the door and
invite them to their assigned seat.
A. Set / Hook: Open your recorder books to
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
No adaptations are needed for the
4th grade sections.
page 9 and we will continue working on preparing you
for your yellow belt test.
B. Transition: Start out playing the first song
Cobbler, Cobbler at half speed to see how they are
doing.
C. Main Lesson: If they do well with that play
it progressively faster as they play it more times. If
they are having difficulties, have them work on the
problem areas again and play it note by note if
necessary. Once they have progressed to an
appropriate speed in Cobbler, Cobbler, they will play
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
it with the accompaniment CD track. After we have
accomplished this a couple times, we will move on
the Juba (song 4 on page 9). Juba will take less time
to work up because it is not as tricky in its nature. We
will start at maybe ¾ speed and play it with the CD
after one or two run throughs without the CD. We
will play it with the CD one to three times and call it a
day with recorders. The students will then switch out
their recorder stuff for their green book they picked
up at the beginning of class. We will sing through This
Land is Your Land once through and then move on to
learning the new harmony part that the fourth grade
is going to sing. We will echo sin g the harmony part
and then sing the harmony all the way through the
song, complete with verses. After that time through
the song, Mr. Janda will play both the melody and the
harmony together on the piano as we sing through
the song again a third time. We may sing it though
once more if there is a need. If there is time, we will
continue on to the Armed Forces Medley that the
third graders are learning.
D. Transition: One more time on the refrain
this time try to do ________________.
E. Conclusion: Alright fourth graders, it’s time
to quietly line up at the door.
VII. Assessment:
Informal Observation
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
VIII. Assignment:
Practice Recorder at home to have the best
chance of getting your yellow belt.
Required
Adaptations/Modifications:
IX. Self-Evaluation:
X. Coop’s Comments:
It went well. Mr. Janda stepped in to teach the Jessica is becoming better at her
new harmony to This Land is Your Land, but
transitions between tasks in the
otherwise, the recorder playing went well. I
classroom.
was able to stay better on task and keep the
class more focused by keeping them doing
things. I felt like I was rushing through things,
but I guess that’s how it goes.
Reflection
Respond to the following prompts with thorough reflection and specific
examples.
Student Learning Progress
1. Analyze student learning progress from the pre-assessment to post-assessment.
What conclusions can you draw from whole class as well as individual results?
Use data to support your conclusions.
Students have come a long way. At the very beginning, the students were having
issues with telling the difference between B,A,G. When we played a game on the chalk
board the lesson before I started writing my lesson plans for this, the students would be
in two teams facing the extra chalk board in the room and on the chalkboard would be a
bunch of B,A,G’s written on the staves. The students would race to get done, but they
would only get two extra credit points for finishing first and they would get one point
for ever correct note. This went well, but of the 14 points possible (including the two
extra) the students were only getting 7-10 points per team. They have come a long way
now, they are playing songs with much more ease after practicing with the clickers the
number of kids getting the wrong note names was never under 3 students. Everyone
else in the class was getting all of them correct. After hearing the students play through
the hard pieces of the last lesson, they have improved a lot. With a little extra practice
from some, they should all be ready to try for their yellow belts.
2. Were the unit objectives met? To what extent were they met? How do you know
they were met?
The unit objectives were definitely met. We even able to talk about good sound on
recorder instead of just focusing on getting the right notes. The students were able to
go from not understanding where B,A,G were on the staff to being able to fully
understand, read, and play B,A,G,C on their recorders when reading the notes from the
staff. Students were able to figure out how to use their tongue to get a good sound on
repeated notes, how to move their fingers in the correct order to sound the correct
notes, and were able to use good breath support to play gently to get the best sound
they could on recorder.
I knew they were able to do this by looking at their pre-test and comparing it to
their post-test and being able to hear students as I walked around the room listening to
them as an informal assessment.
3. Was there a lack of progress made for the whole class or for individual students?
If so, what were the factors that impeded student success?
There seemed to be a lack a progress with one section, but when they came back the
next time, they had improved by leaps and bounds. They went from not being able to
identify C to being able to play songs with C in them with no hesitation. No one
individual student seemed to regress. There were a couple students who seemed like
they were not making any progress, but they really did. Their scores improved and I can
hear them playing more notes instead of just faking it when we play as a class.
I think when the one section of fourth graders didn’t improve, it was
environmental factors. They were just so squirrely that day; they couldn’t focus too
much or remain still. They made up for it the next time through though.
4. Knowing what you know now, what modifications would you make to content
and/or methodologies if you were to teach this unit again?
I would push the students harder. I would include the pre-assessment, and the post
assessment, but I would have them play more songs on recorder. They do a good job,
but with my improved timing (it’s still far from perfect) I think I could get more done
with them and play a few more songs on the page instead of skipping. I really liked just
about everything I did. I think the only thing I would change would be to be given a little
more time. There was one lesson that included an overall classroom rules review. That
took up precious time and we could have finished our clickers and we could have played
recorder that day.
Personal Professional Growth
1. What did you learn about effective instruction as a result of this experience?
Effective instruction is continuous instruction. If you let up for just a few seconds,
that is enough for the students to take control of the classroom and start talking
incessantly. There has to always be something that is keeping the students busy and
focused.
2. How has this experience changed your perception of yourself as a teacher?
I view myself as a teacher now instead of a student. I no longer feel like a college
student, even though I have another semester after this one. I have learned that I can
roll with things and make up things on the spot, but I am not the quickest about it, but
that will come with time. I am already getting faster on my transitions.
I’ve also noticed that it is relatively easy to form relationships with the students.
Most of them naturally want to love you and to be loved by you. The elementary
students I’m working with now have different levels of openness in their relationships
with me. The first graders and second graders are very close and crave my attention.
The kindergarteners stare at me and trust me but at the same time, they are not quite
sure about me. The fourth graders respect me and find me amusing when the situation
warrants it. The third graders are the ones who have taken the most convincing to bond
with me. After about five weeks, I was able to be trusted and form real relationships
with them. This is also only five times that I have seen them, which explains quite a bit.
I do enjoy spending time with my students and getting to know some of what is going on
in their lives. They willing volunteer that information and all I have to do is actually
listen to them and show them approval and they have formed a relationship that proves
invaluable.