Inquiry Journal: This is a living, working, breathing document that I have used throughout the year to gather my thoughts, collect research, reflect upon questions and to begin projects, papers, and research documents throughout the year. This is not meant to be a finished product for a display but it is included as a glimpse into what I have considered to be my "workbench" or "garage" for much of the year. Most of my ideas, writings and projects have started here.
9/8/2010
Class Prompt:
What do you think of when you think of research?
What are your experiences with research?
*I think of finding answers, solutions, suggestions from other sources that have had similar wonderings or questions. I think about guidence and seeking out someone who has had experience with the questions or topics I am researching. I often consider new techniques and practices that others have found success with.
*My experiences include searching books, catalouges, articles, the WWW for information on paper topics or practices of my craft. I have interviewed experts and other researchers in similar topic areas. I collect evidence and data in a variety of mediums to support or strengthen my understanding.
Re-Search = Going Back and searching for something that has all ready been reported
Research = Cutting edge....Finding something new
Researching good partner groups and student leaders.
How do students practice at home?
Do students feel that practice is important? Why?
What essential techniques do students need to understand before they can be successful at a home practice?
What do parents need to know about home practice routines?
What about music hypnotizes people? Why?
What music will hook my kids on their instruments and why?
How do you foster a collaborative culture?
How do students with ensemble experience feel about their self identity?
Does it make them more confident/comfortable/successful?
9/9/2010
The last discussion we had at class made me real nervous about what I am embarking on because I have made a decision to stray away from what I have seen be successful for my program. Will my structure work? Will it be better or worse? Will it benefit students and a colaboartive communtiy? How will students react to the changes and how can I prepare for students who have difficulty with the change?
Fierce Wonderings - A LOG
9/13/2010
Research can allow me to understand what parents and students are going through while in a music program. How can music programs be more user friendly?
What can directors teach parents that will inspire students to be motivated to practice? I saw a saying in a band room one time, it said something like...”Practice does not make Perfect....Perfect Practice however ensures __________ .“and I forgot the last word..... I think it was “success” or “mastery”....
I wonder what the data would look like for the students I have in my classes that complete 3 years of band or orchestra. Do they score better on tests? Are they more sociable with others?
How do students perceive their progress in their playing?
Self-Reflection is something that I have heavily bennefitted from in music and in teaching. Do students use self-reflection? How can we start these skills in middle school students? Will they see a positive benefit with their progress in their academic studies and instrumental skills/technique.
9/15/2010 CLASS PROMPT
HOW does your picture represent how you feel about school and education (or how your don’t)
Pop out picture of man or figure with probe and cart.
After only teaching 5 years, I still cannot expect my job of “teaching” to be the same year after year. There are always surprises and new things to encounter and explore. I feel that every year I’ve been at my school I’ve tried a few things differently, and explored different areas of my teaching to see if it has an effect on my effectiveness and the students progress. I feel like I explore different areas year after year, I don’t know what I’m seeking and I don’t know how to quite be prepared enough, all I can really do is be adventurous and step out into the field with the experience that I’ve gained in prior years.
YOu could say the picture speaks on the ever dwindling supplies that schools and teachers get, or how supplies are becoming more technilogically advanced and that we no longer need our big books, lockers and binders.
Or you could compare it to a real space mission that has a very specific goal and you have only the tools neccessary to complete the mission.
Or you could say that this is a vision of what some people think our students to become, a paper thin cutout of technology, it represents the future and exploring new frontiers but it is paper thin and has no soul.
Stacey
Education as an exploration, sending out a scout to explore something first, take risks, scaffolding, stepping out, baby steps away from the safe and familiar, from being alone to walking into a community
9/29/2010
ERIC is free accessible from home
SAGE is free until October 15
School Setting, good at telling the daily story. Lighten up the demographic info. Highlight parent involvement.
***DRUMLINE YOUTUBE VIDEOS FOR THE CADENCE PART***
Work with Bruce and 8th graders to create videos for each part.
Panter Cadence and Spirit Dance
Turning a critical eye to the research
Is it Biased?
How are the constructs defined? Do they make sense?
Correlation vs. Causation
Correlation shows the strength of a relationship, but any two things can be correlated.
Causation implies one causes the other.
Do the conclusions follow from the data?
Summarize
Evaluate
Reflect
10/1/2010
What good does angry lecturing, soapboxing do?
Does it ever inspire kids to WANT to learn?
If I am reprimanded for not being prepared does it prepare me for the future?
I think that after it is over, I am more relieved that its over and don’t really connect with any of the messages that were trying to be brought across and I am more likely to to accidentaly do the same behavior or action again. I sit and listen and imagine myself in student’s shoes... I am more concerned with how my teacher is acting than anything she is saying....”why is she saying this? Why is she so upset? I didn’t make this mistake shes talking about so this doesn’t apply to me.” How does this apply to MY life right now.
These activities are all chosen for specific reasons but do the students understand how this will be important in their future? Does it really matter for students to understand the importance or do they just need to be “inspired” by the work/activity/assignment/lesson content.
Learning the correct design for writing an english paper is important, however wouldn’t it be more inspiring for students to write about something they are passionate about while learning the rules of set-up paragraph, etc....
I think I keep coming back to Jeff Robbins when he told us....”Have you done the project youself?” “Did YOU have fun completeing the personal narrative about Identity?” Try each project and assignment for yourself, if it is boring or painful for you, then the students are going to suffer even more with the assignment.....
10/6/2010 Equity Momement and Inquiry
The issue is bullying. Students obsessed with having power over other students in the classroom. The majority of the classroom “knows” of these students and are used to their disruptive behaviors. The students are likeable, interesting, facinating and are great at communicating openly...However, many times their comments turn hurtful and questionable things are said. How do these comments effect all of the students in the class? DO they blow them off? How do they feel about the same student demanding attention and breaking the routine of the class. ADD, ADHD....I don’t see these as the real issues...as we discussed in class many of these issues start at home. Middle school is all about claiming a self identity? Am I a “smart Kid” am I a Jock? Am I a popular girl? Am I popular because Im disruptive?
Teasing...I stopped a few students after class to discuss what they had said to each other in class. One had acted like he was pointing a gun at another student and fired several rounds, multiple times even after I had asked for him to stop and remove himself from my room.
“What makes you it OK for you to “pretend” to point a gun at someone and shoot? I asked him.
He stood silent for a moment before sitting and stating that it was not ok. I was just teasing, I was just playing....I think these are copouts we have instilled in our youth...Yes, students make mistakes and life plays out, but we are seeing and hearing about tragedies each day that could be related or corolated to these attitudes, beliefs and actions.....
10/13/2010
Equity Moment Inquiry Journal
Im not too sure what the finished product is supposed to be. I initially wrote about bullying in my advisory class and tying to establish some precursors to bullying that teachers can agree on to look out for. At my site, we are trying to find a way to put our campaign into action. We have the pledge, we have the t-shirts, now what are we doing about it. I talked to a few teacher at my site about further developing the campaign and I have a feeling that a few of them think it is a joke, as do a few of the 8th grade students. After talking briefly with a close teacher, she stated that she did not feel that the administration would back any bullying problems up in regards to discipline of students. Our teachers have this idea that discipline is not being carried out by the administration and it is a real hot button issue with my principal. Things have gotten uncomfortable at a few staff meetings in regards to teachers “calling out” that the discipline policy was followed for one student, but not for another....Major Equity Issue happening there.
I think I could start to deepen the campaign with an action component that all of the advisory teachers could carry out. This would require a group meeting to discuss the lesson(s) we teach to our students about bullying and planning out the discussions to be had in each classroom.
I could also start to gather students thoughts about bullying from my own class. DING!!! DING!!!(2)
What if all advisory teachers asked their students to respond to the bullying campaign so far.
What do the students see?
What do they Feel?
Is it working?
Is there still a problem?
Brainstorm on these questions with Nicole....maybe it could come from a student?
Student Voice
Use this as an opportunity to collaborate with all staff and students....Creating a culture of collaboration.
10/20/2010
Student GSA panel from HTHCV, great conversations great questions
Im wondering if MS is too early to start having theses conversations
Our principal is worried about what we feed to our kids about bullying. We don’t want Bullied kids to identify with victims and follow their leads as a way out....I think this a cop-out for administrators to NOT ENFORCE discipline on bullies.
As part of my project I think having this conversations with our staff is a great place to start. I would love to be a support group leader for a GSA or just troubled students that need a place to meet. Maybe a support group.
Support of the staff. I don’t know how the staff supports each other. I don;t know if Im being over critical or if I just see it clearly now, or if I have become jaded.
My project is working with teachers, administrators and students to create an action component of the anti-bullying campaign complete with lessons, discussions, and strategies students and teachers can use to support a safe campus. Mean words cannot be tolerated. Maybe this is a great place to start a support group that later transforms into a GSA for HS students....etc....
I need a flag, sticker, anything to show students I support.
Call Nichole
FEBRUARY 9th 2011 Leadership for School Change
What does teaching and learning look and feel like in your dream school?
All students experience some sort of music elective at their school.
Students can take more than 1 elective at a time “IF” they are excelling at their other classes.
Students have individual focus and goals set by their teaching team, counslors, and parents.
Teachers and students meet freqently to discuss progress towards these goals.
Each student is assigned a mentor teacher/master teacher.
Small class size for core classes.
Elective and ensembles are balanced for successful instrumentation and level
(Advanced Band After School)
All teachers work for their students... and the work is more “play” than work,..Pink.
Teachers help students to transfer knowledge into “meaning” for each of there lives.
Nothing that students learn should ever be packed up, or stored away.
The knowledge that we feel our kids should be spiraling and building/stacking upon itself but with sticky edges that catch and gather small details and bits of info and then recycle them into whole parts of knowledge....
Divide the project up into 4 parts addressing goals for Administration, teachers, parents and students. Look at other schools and their structure.
I imagine a visual image of a giant spiral staircase that is being built towards the sky.
Reaching for mastery.
Teachers work often with one another across curicculums. Not only on projects but on everyday challenges and obstacles.
Teachers are not only accountable for their work, but are also proud to be held accountable and excited to be challenged.
Students: Disrespectful behavior is not tolerated.
Students understand they are there to learn, practice, and develop skills to use in real life, not just to pass the time and be entertained.
Students have the mindset that learning is their job for the time being.
Students work independently and in small groups but are always accountable for their own learning.
Students each have specific individual learning goals that they set with teacher and parent.
Parents support teachers by working with their students to meet his or her needs/goals.
Parents support teachers by volunteering in the school classroom at events.
Parents are “involved” and understand their students lives at the school.
Teachers Should........
Teaching:
Learning...
Administrators are not separated from instruction.
Authentic Dialogue from students....
Tranperancy and Presentation of work to all.
Students want to be there. Teachers want to be there!
Benjamin Zander TED TALK 2/23
Classical piano introduction
Striking?
Charaqacteristic of the leader, KNock out the capacity of your audience to enhance the reality of the dream.
Deceptive Cadences are fun...make our eyebrows raise
Connection with the style/feelings of the music with our ears ability
The audiences ability to sing along and fill in the correct notes....
great example of an “IN-formance” really pulls the audience in, uses language that we all understand, connection with everyday understandable life.
Connects with heart/mind/intellect with chopins’ meaning of the piece.
Proof that groups of people listening and focusing on 1 song altogether is powerful, moving and important.
They just haven’t found out about it.
Conductor depends on the power to awaken possibility in other people and harness and release their power.
Implications for my work: Create rehearsals that empower and engage all of my students and leave them with a sense of power. We did that today, and we did it well. Recognize that there will be days where everything crashes but be prudent and consistent on fixing mistakes and areas of playing that need to be improved upon.
Listen to music more, have students write about music more, more lisenting and analyzing will build a healthy connection to the music....do this of course in small doses and at the right time.
Create performances that my audience can engage and connect with.
Have students explain the process of putting these songs together as well as the meaning behind each concert selection. Have students research and listen to their own choice of classical music and share with the class.
Being able to lead an example of the first part of this TED talk would be a very powerful message to the audience, especially to break down the walls with people who believe they have no personal musical skill or call themselves “tone deaf”. Even “tone deaf” people know what sounds good, completed and finished.
3/9/2011
How have you gathered “data” on teaching and learning at your school?
Talking to individual students in a way that allows them to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of content. The more I talk to students, the more I realize what they know and what I need to work on. I feel like I have several “mole students” at different ability levels in all my classes that help me gage the effectiveness of my lessons.
I have gathered data about student satisfaction by seeing who hangs out in the band room at lunch, after school, who is practicing, etc. Motivation and practice is something that I’ve been working at cultivating among my 6th grade students and the feedback I have gathered from their participation and the amount of them that frequently demonstrate their new skills continues to rise throughout the year.
I gather data through constant assessment. Each time a note is played my my groups I assess if it is the appropriate pitch, length, style, volume etc....music can be broken down into very small pieces and if I analyze to small of pieces my students get frustrated and begin to give up...however if I let the passage in question go for too long and it falls apart the group feels that they have failed and get disappointed....Im learning there is a proper balance and length to drill/repititon and performance. We make corrections druing the drills and repetition and try to show our mastery of the skill when we perform the passage in context.
I also gather data about student satisfaction by “how many shinning eyes” are in my classroom.
If I finish a piece and the entire group is still engaged holding their breath, I know they feel like they did awesome...
Categories of Collecting Data
Formal vs Informal
External vs Internal
Verbal Vs Non-verbal
independent vs. collaborative
adult-centered vs. student-centered
Honor Confusion: Opportunities to try out what we’re doing next year, interviews, observations, surveys, etc....
Your Goals:
To create a beginnners instructional guide to MS band and orchestra literature.
To find out what motivates students to practice and the order in which we introduce styles of music to. (what level of challenge are students fully motivated to practice)
Increase student and teacher collaboration across the content areas.
To better understand the steps my students take in order to prepare for the next year of playing in the ensemble.
To increase teacher collaboration between subject areas to help support all of our staff to grow and to take on challenging projects.
Your Research Question:
What happens to student learning when teachers collaborate?
How do teachers benefit from collaboration?
What do teachers “think” collaboration looks like? Do teachers collaborate and how?
Can we take collaboration among all teachers better to create even more powerful learning moments?
How do students benefit from teacher collaboration?
What schoolwide projects do we currently have that foster collaboration?
Actions:
Teacher Surveys
Teacher Interviews
Student Interviews
Practice Collaboration Project
Take a schoolwide project and encourage deeper collaboration, etc.
Interview with Principals about positive collaboration projects in the past
Data:
Teacher and Student Attitudes and Feelings toward collaboration.
Reasons behind collaborating and not collaborating.
Map a history of collaboration projects between teachers
Observation(s): Observe teachers/students collaborating on a project.
Watch student led group practice.
Observe another ensemble class, Possibly at Lewis MS or Henry
Analysis of the Data: Listen/Transcription
Pie/Chart
Survey Results
Timeline: 3 months. One month before school collecting/planning/organizing
PURPOSE: I have spent the first five years of my teaching career at Pershing Middle School. I began my assignment teaching two instrumental music ensembles totalling 60 students. I also taught 4 sections of a “music appreciation” elective without supplies, curriculum and only my creativity and ability to connect with my students to keep me afloat. At the time I was confident in my abilities to lead and excite an instrumental ensemble but had trouble sparking the interests of the music appreciation students. I took all of the responsibility to teach and expose students to aspects of music that they might find interesting. Most of the time I failed miserably, but I was able to encourage at least half of the class to experiment with some of our instruments. I was so concerned about bringing exciting content to the class that I never once thought about what interested them.
The instrumental music program has grown from 60 band students to 120 band students and about 60 string orchestra students. I have seen student motivation fluctuate each year and feel that I have done a pretty good job exciting and educating students and encouraging them to pursue music after they leave my school. Each year I try to improve on my own teaching design. Rules and procedures are tweaked here and there, the rehearsal structure and use of class time varies throughout the year. I try things and step back and reflect on their effectiveness with my students. I take strategies from other teachers other programs and see if they work with my students. Some work very well while others fail. One strategy or system that I have yet to implement in my class is the “Chair Ranking System”. What?! I don’t do that? I am kind of embarrassed that I have not implemented this CORE part of band and orchestra classes. Almost every adult that I have talked to about their experience in band and orchestra mentions the “chair system” and there is still a sense of pride when discussing what “chair” you were and for how many years. For some people the chair system was a key if not number 1 motivating factor in their own personal playing. Why on earth haven’t I done this?! My core values are screaming at me. I have been taking all of the responsibility to motivate my students. I feel that “I” am the number one motivator of my students and sometimes experience stress fatigue and burnout when I feel that I cannot motivate them. I need to take some of that “motivational responsibility” off of my shoulders and hand it over to the students.
(Insert comments and quotes from interviews about chair seating)
(Connect back to classroom and a vision of what currently exists)
I don’t think that this system is entirely fair or equitable to all but life is not always fair. This experience in a safe controlled positive environment is a tremendous opportunity for students to learn and grow.
I think the “chair” system itself is a model for motivation and tracking student levels of engagement and progress.
(when students move up a chair, other students see it, they see their own progress work and talent payoff. Its a visible system that all of the students can see and regulate by the amount of work and effort they put in. I feel like an idiot for not doing this sooner, but I feel that our students and I am ready for it...Finally.
RESEARCH QUESTION: What happens to student motivation when a “chair ranking” system is used in ensemble classes?
SUB-QUESTIONS:
What motivates students to learn and pursue mastery of a musical instrument?
What currently motivates my students to play/practice/continue?
Do all students feel accountable/proud of their contributions to the ensemble?
What are the problems with a chair ranking system? What problems have others experienced?
How can I keep students motivated?
How do student interactions and perceptions of their peers change when a ranking system is used?
ACTIONS: Analyze and understand current level of motivation within my students. Select focus students and determine outliers. Discuss current level of student motivation with music educators, parents and principals. Design clear vision of Chair System, discuss with parents, teachers principals. Implement the chair system in the fall of 2011. Analyze the results.
DATA COLLECTION:
Student interviews: My school, Other schools, Grade levels 5-12, College Students in SDSU music programs.
Adult Interviews: Teachers, Principals, Music Educators, Musicians, Parents
Program Observations: Observe chair challenges and seating auditions.
Student Surveys
Parent Surveys
Teacher Surveys
DATA ANALYSIS:
Compound data from all surveys
Transcribe interviews
TIMELINE:
I would like to begin collecting data this school year. In order to maintain consistency with students I will work exclusively with 6th and 7th grade students at my site in order to prepare them for the system next year. I will include current 8th grade data about motivation as an indicator (control?) of student motivation without a chair system in place.
April: Plan Reasearch and design,
Further develop idea of “Re-Vamping” the chair system
Research successful programs using a chair system.
Conduct teacher and educator interviews
Design Surveys
May: Conduct School Surveys for Students, Parents, and Teachers
June: Analyze Data
Research “chair systems”
Design “Chair System”
Interviews/Workshop with Music educators on “Chair System”
Prepare “Chair System” information sheet for students and parents
Design a model, video, example of chair system for student lesson
July: Workshop with Music Educators
Revise Design
August: Get Married.
September: Introduce “Chair System” on first day of class.
#1 Auditions
Oct: #2 Auditions
Nov: #3 Auditions
Dec: #4 Auditions
Winter Concert/Winter Musical Dec 15-19
Jan: Student Interviews
Parent Interviews
Student Survey
Parent Survey
Analyze data and level of motivation throughout class
week 2 Reflection: Moodle
Reflective #1 I am still in the very beginning phases of my research design but I think I have found something that strikes a Chord. I left class last week with a revised question of What motivates students to learn and pursue mastery of a musical instrument? Its a huge question that made me really think about my own experiences as a student and look at the experiences that I give to my kids that motivate them to play an instrument. One thing built into many programs is the system of “chair seating” the students are sat by performance ability. First chair is the best student and section leader. Students challenge each other within their section to move up chairs if they succeed or move down if they are challenged and lose. I have done this in my own private way but have not been very public or formal about the system. Other schools the system is built into the culture and I have been told the kids enjoy and look forward to the challenges and opportunity to move up in the “ranking” system. That is a very clear and concise example of motivation. I want to look at programs where this system is being used and interview students about their experiences and motivation and compare them to the responses I get about my own students motivation. I feel that the system is organization that the students see and understand, they know what they have to do to move up and they all have an opportunity to become first chair, if they practice hard and become the best. I was interviewing my dad about what motivated him to keep practicing after he became really good at playing his instrument and he said that he was always determined to be first chair in HS and he did everything he could to insure he held his place in the ranking system, he never achieved #1 but he never lost hope that it could be a possibility if he kept practicing. (is this a real functioning system that clearly models the ideas of mastery? ) I know there are problems asscociated with ranking by ability but when the overall ensemble includes all students regardless of ability for the concerts and performances do any equity issues come out?
Reflective#2
What Strikes ME?
Sarah’s desire to do more for her students: “While my experience with students there was positive, I left feeling like I could of and should have done more. I also felt very strongly that the way I was teaching math was stripping it of it’s beauty and relevance.”
Sarah’s insight to her own growth as an educator and the lens that she views her own strategies: “I feel that I am continually learning more about them, however I want to challenge my own perceptions of them and instead attempt to see the problems through a student lens.”
The use of student voice and quote from conversations with students in class. (Spencer Pforsich’s) Basically all of page 2. The conversations were such powerful learning moments for the students and teacher. Spencer shares the experiences with the reader in a way that draws us into his class. I felt like I was in his classroom among his students while reading the paper. I imagined myself having the experience as a student as a teacher. I also thought about how parents and and administrators may feel about having these powerful and REAL conversations with students.
All of the research and literature reviews are extremely relevant and support all of the research designs very well. I was struck by “how much” evidence each proposal had and began to feel a little panicked about all of the reading and research I ave to do.
What makes them effective?
How easy it is to read. Feels more like a conversation. (Sarah Strong)
The statement of purpose has direction and flows smoothly from beginning to end. (Sarah Strong)
The description of the context in which the teachers are working. (Sarah Strong)
The narrative style thought process makes the authors ideas very clear and real. (Sarah Strong)
The key goals of the authors teaching are conveyed to the reader throughout the statement of purpose. “I struggled to challenge the advanced math students, accelerate the ones who lacking basic skills and preserve the beauty of discovering math that intrigued me when I was in middle school.” (Sarah Strong) This statement maybe reveals something about the authors first motivations on studying math that led to her becoming a teacher.
The Context Section explains “open ended math problems” in a very clear way that is very valuable to a reader that is unfamiliar with them. (Sarah Strong)
“Not all critique is created Equal” Section of (Juli Ruff) The definition of Critique is deeply explored.
Annatopia Journals to READ And Research...
Relations among Motivation, Performance Achievement, and Music Experience Variables in Secondary Instrumental Music Students AbstractThe purpose of this study was to (1) reexamine academic achievement motivation orientations within the context of instrumental music, and (2) examine relations among achievement motivation orientations, self-concept in instrumental music, and attitude to band in relation to teachers' ratings of performance achievement and effort, and students' grade level, gender, instrument, self-reported practice time, and selected music experience variables. Participants (N= 300) were band students (Grades 7-12) in four school districts. Data were gathered concerning students' (a) motivation orientations (mastery, intrinsic, individual, cooperative, ego, competitive, approach success, avoid failure), self-concept, and commitment to band; (b) instrument, grade level and gender, practice time per week, and experience in private lessons, solo festival, and all-county band; and (c) performance achievement and effort as rated by their teachers. Results indicated that ratings of performance and effort were most strongly correlated with self-concept and intrinsic motivation, respectively. Practice time was most strongly correlated with intrinsic motivation. Factor analysis revealed three factors of motivation: Learning/Task Orientation, Performance/Ego Orientation, and Individual Orientation. The factors essentially replicated those found in a general academic achievement setting. Learning/Task Orientation was positively correlated with practice time, ratings of performance and effort, solo festival and private-lesson experience, and grade level. Performance/Ego Orientation was negatively correlated with grade level and solo festival ratings. Individual Orientation scores were positively correlated with ratings of performance and effort and solo festival ratings. Differences by gender and instrument group were nonsignificant.October 11, 2004March 20, 2005.
Motivation after Failure in School Music Performance Classes: The Facilitative Effects of Strategy Attributions
James R. Austin and Walter P. Vispoel
Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education
No. 111 (Winter, 1992), pp. 1-23
(article consists of 23 pages)
Mastery motivation in early childhood: development, measurement, and social ... By David J. Messer FULL BOOK FOR FREE ON GOOGLE
Causal Beliefs of Public School Students about Success and Failure in Music
Musical motivation: Towards a model synthesising the research
Dr Susan Hallam, Institute of Education, University of London, 20 Bedford Way, London,
WC1H OAL.
E-mail [email protected]
Entire article: http://eprints.ioe.ac.uk/2218/1/Hallam2002Musical225.pdf
Expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation: A developmental perspectiveAllan Wigfieldhttp://www.rcgd.isr.umich.edu/garp/articles/yoon97.pdf
Intrinsic-Mastery Motivation in Instrumental Music: Extension of a Higher Order Construct
Charles P. Schmidt
Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education
No. 173 (Summer, 2007), pp. 7-23
(article consists of 17 pages)
Seeking Challenge, Finding Skill: Flow Experience and Music Education
Lori A. Custodero
Interest and choice: student-selected repertoire and its effect on practising behaviourJames M. Renwick a1 and Gary E. McPherson
a1 [email protected]
Competitive and Non-Competitive Goal Structures: An Analysis of Motivation and Achievement among Elementary Band Students
Relations among Motivation, Performance Achievement, and Music Experience Variables in Secondary Instrumental Music StudentsJournal of Research in Music EducationSummer 2005 53: 134-147,
Surveys
Interview Questions for Teachers
Practice
- What is Practice?
- How did you learn to Practice?
- How do you teach students to Practice?
- What do you want student practice to look like?
Practice Requirements and Design
- Describe your current requirements for practice. How has this been effective/ineffective?
- Describe the process of introducing “practice” to your students? How has this been effective/ineffective?
- How do students know what to practice for your class?
- How do you support individual student practice?
- Do you design or assign homework/practice that meets the needs of each student? Describe how.
- Do you design or assign homework/practice that challenges every students ability? Describe How.
- Do you grade individual practice? Describe why and how.
Teacher Perceptions/Thoughts about Practice
- What are your perceptions about students individual practice habits and routines?
- What do students need to know in order to practice effectively? Why/How?
- What do students need to be able to “do” in order to practice effectively? Why/How?
- What could be improved or changed in regards to current homework/practice routines in place for your classes?
- What motivates students to practice? Why/How?
Survey for teachers
- What is an effective amount of time for middle school students to practice per week?
- Does your class have homework/practice requirements?
- Do you grade individual homework/practice? How?
- What % of the grade is based on student practice?
- What are your expectations for the amount of minutes students practice on a daily/weekly basis?
- How do students get feedback about their individual practice?
What % of students meet your homework/individual practice requirements?
1. 10-25%
2. 25-50%
3. 50-75%
4. 75-90%
5. 90-100%
Rate the level of your students engagement with individual practice.
1. Not engaged (does not practice individually, little or no progress being made on specific skills and techniques)
2. Somewhat Not engaged (plays outside of class once or twice, plays through what they know and can all ready play proficiently)
3. Somewhat Engaged (plays outside of class more than 3 times a week, works on tricky passages occassionally and demonstrates slow progress on specific skills and techniques )
4. Fully Engaged (plays outside of class on a frequent and regular basis, tackles difficult passages and demonstrates an ability to progress on specific skills and techniques)
In regards to your specific homework practice requirements, what percentage of students do you feel meet your practice requirements on a monthly/regular time period?
1. 10-25%
2. 25-50%
3. 50-75%
4. 75-90%
5. 90-100%
Interview for Students
What is practice?
What do you do when you practice? (Describe an entire practice session in detail)
What would make your practice sessions more effective?
What do you need to be able to do before you can practice effectively?
What is hard/difficult about practice? What stops you, or makes you quit?
What is simple/easy about practice? What encourages you, or makes you move on?
What are you good at when you practice? Why?
What makes a “Good Practice”?
What are you struggling with when you practice? Why? What do you do?
What makes a “Bad Practice”?
How do you know when you make a mistake?
How do you know when you played something correctly?
How do you see/hear improvement in your own playing skills/abilities?
How would you teach someone to practice?
What do you expect to learn or “get” out of being in Band/Orchestra class?
What do you want to be able to do with the knowledge you gain from learning to play an instrument?
What is the most important thing to know/understand about practicing?
Why should anyone practice anything?
Survey for students
How long do you practice each week
< 5min a week
< 30 min a week
< 1 hour a week
< 2 hours a week
> 2 hours a week
How do you choose what to practice?
Individual preference at the moment
What was assigned as homework
What I am good at playing
What I am struggling at playing
Other: ___________________
How do you overcome a challenging piece of music?
1. Give Up
2. Ask a friend, brother, sister, parent, teacher
3. Practice outside of class alone
4. Practice outside of class with a partner (friend,brother, sister, parent, teacher)
5. Wait to practice the piece in class
Describe Why to any response #1-5:_______________________________
What motivates you the most to take on or practice a challenging piece of music?
The Music
My self
My Parents
My Friends
My Teachers
Explain how they help motivate you?:_____________________________________
Do you have expectations set for yourself? Yes/No Explain:_______________
Do you have goals set for yourself? Yes/No Explain:_____________________
Why do students choose band or orchestra class?
Your Personal Interest in music
Friends
The teacher
The Instrument
Your Parents
Other: ________
Where do students practice the most?
Before or after class in school
During class at school
At home in a quiet room
At home with friends/brothers/sisters/parents
Other:
How do parents support practice?
Do parents support practice?
HOw involved are parents with practice?
What do parents want/expect from student participation in band/orch
How do parents feel about practice requirements?
HOw do parents feel about students NOT practicing versus students who practice regularly being in the same ensemble?
May 4th 2011
Thoughts on survey and interviews
Remember to look for areas to dig when the time is right. HAve follow up or probing questions at the ready for each question.
Keep the questions clear and simple.
Don’t ask another question to Clarify the first, they are separate questions.
What types of feedback do students find most helpful? I need to add that question.
Student strategies for practice became a trending topic in all of the conversations so maybe I should ask a question directly related to strategies students use, strategies students SHOULD be able to use.
Lessons on how to use each strategy etc.
The survey process has highlighted areas descdribing HOW students practice, perhaps this will be a bigger idea or process for all students to go through in order for them to understand why it is important to practice.....
5/11/2011
CF’s Understanding is a clear picture of the question and definition of what he wants to explore. It is not overly wordy and flows really well throughout each section.
What are your next steps for your understandings?
Find a stopping point.
Be clear and concise about what I aim to find with each areas I choose to discuss
Less Fluff and More meat.
Site information but connect to classroom context.
Intro to problem
Deliberate Practice (Definitions) Insert framework of deliberate practice.
Self Regulatory Strategies of (Expert Musicians)
Play (students will not attempt difficult work if it is not fun and enjoyable) Incorporate Intrinsic motivation and play in one section...
Flow (ties it all together)
How Do I get students to practice?
Video Diary Observation: Focus students record a practice session 1 time a week. They review and reflect upon their goals, progress towards the goals, and next steps.
Numerical value survey will help students with rating. I love this idea because it is so easy and you can always go back and watch it. I love this too...one per week sounds like a lot. Will all students do this? What if students are absent? How will you ensure that all students actually do this once a week? How many students do you think you will choose? Do you think they will be motivated to do it if other students aren’t requried to do so? Would it be feasible to have all students do this and then just choose a few to focus on but then do surveys for the rest to get their input?
How I will analyze: Transcribe, track patterns, trends, graph student ratings
Pre and Post Surveys: All students will take a survey on their motivation towards practice, goals, and perceverance. Could you use surveys for some of the stuff you’re hoping to get from interviews?
How I will analyze: Graph and track common trends
Interviews: As many students as possible at the beginning of year(maybe just focus group) but I want to get a clear feeling of how the group will respond to practice procedures and working towards our goals. I would pick a number that seems doable, don’t overwhelm yourself by thinking you have to interview everyone. I would just try to pick a diverse range of students and interview 5 to 10. I agree with picking a doable number. All students is a lot of transcribing/trend analysis. Would focus groups work better for this?
How I will analyze: Transcribe and track, positive and negative comments
Create Ensemble Goals and track how the class perceives progress towards those goals. Using a rating system, each member will score or grade our performances during several “checkpoints” throughout the year...This overall process will mirror/model individual practice strategies used by all of the students reinforcing the individual practice method. I’m wondering what this looks like, what kind of method is this? Will they be graded during the checkpoint? Be more explicit in describing this method. I’m confused with what this will actually look like. Who will be accountable for doing this? Would exit cards work for this? or periodic surveys?
How I will analyze: Graph responses, record performances and transcribe comments before and after performing the piece.
Practice Journals: Students keep track of all of their practice and reflect and respond to each of their practice sessions. Practices entries will start short and simple, but will grow with time and experience as will the complexity of the assignments. Will you be collecting these or will these be online? Blogs could be a good way of keeping track! You could do daily/weekly writing assignments that they have to post to a blog, maybe even comment on each others progress! I love this method! I think you will get a lot of great info from these!
How I will analyze: Work Samples, Exit Cards, Interviews, Surveys,
How can your data collection methods be integrated into your teaching? Jullie Ruff’s method.
How can you measure change in...
Minimize risks:
Be very clear about what is being studied and the goals
Make sure that the “path” is followed.
Communicate, Ask for clarity, questions, check in with students feelings.
Not invasive of student privacy
No extra work load or pressure
Foster a Healthy working/caring partnership
Try to encourage/model same interactions in everyday teaching.
Maximize Benefits:
Pay close attention
Be clear in my goals and direction to the goals
Be ready for extra time commitment
Students as collaborators:
Ask for their questions?
Ask to use their voices?
Use them to share their findings with others not involved.
Analize, and reflect on their own work, make value judgments on their own progress etc.
Help to create a lesson to teach others, show others, work with others
If you have made it this far, Congratulations! You are probably ready to go...
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