Field Observation
Leslie Core @ Bristol Local Middle School in Bristolville, Ohio
Grade 5
February 9th, 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm
The lesson began by the students reading together an article from a music magazine about Camile Sans-Saens, and the teacher led a discussion, relating the article and the life of this famous composer to television specials and the students’ own lives. The concepts taught were instrument recognition and form. The students listened to a Sans-Saens piece and filled in the missing spaces on a picture map.
The teacher involved the students in listening and worksheets: Each student received a picture-map worksheet with some of the symbols missing. As they critically listened to the piece of music, they filled in symbols that they felt corresponded with the sounds that the instruments made and/or the melodic themes that were introduced. The teacher then explained form using the order of the melodic themes in the Sans-Saens piece as an example.
I believe that the objectives for the lesson are as follows: The first objecive is to get the students to recognize various themes and instruments in a musical piece. Then, the students were supposed to select symbols to portray these ideas, and finally to use the finished picture map that they have created as a tool for learning the concept of form.
The students enjoyed the lesson, but some were bored with the listening since the passage lasted for over five minutes. If I had used this lesson I would modify the length of the selection so the students did not lose interest.
Mrs. Core ignored children who were causing behavior problems so that they would not get any attention. She also chastised those who talked loudly. This quieted the students temporarily but overall was not terribly effective.
The lesson ended with congratulations from the teacher on the students’ good work. The students were allowed to chat quietly until the bell rang.
I have learned a method for teaching form and instrument recognition form observing Mrs. Core. I also have noticed that neither mild verbal warnings nor ignoring effectively removes unwanted behaviors from the classroom.
