Ethan Neal

Spring Student Teaching

Week 2 Journal - Content and Sequencing

1. Describe how you spent your time each week. Write about your interactions with
students, the cooperating teacher, and school personnel.
a. Working with the students this week was definitely a highlight to the beginning of
student teaching - I began finally making deep connections with many of the
students, my CT, and school personnel. As I said in my last journal, I am not a
person that opens up easily to others, however, this week I was definitely able to.
I have been reading a lot lately on the works and studies of the infamous Mr. Fred
Rogers. I had always been a fan, but recently I started looking at the many
“Whys” of the man behind the cardigan and they have really helped me out this
week. There’s a wonderful quote that I may butcher here from Mr. Rogers that in
essence says that to love someone is to get to know them, listen to them and hear
them, acknowledge their worth, and see the child within them. With the students
this week, it was much easier to see each student as an individual, a person, and a
person deserving of love. In week one, there was such an onslaught of new
students - new names, new faces, new 504’s, new everything - that it was difficult
to see past that information as it was taking too much of my time to try and
remember all of that information that I didn’t get to know them just yet. But this
week, I got to see their personalities blossom and grow and make connections
with them and that has made all the difference.
b. As for working with my CT, it has been a great week to get to know Mrs. Wells -
she’s a wonderful teacher and mentor. Even in the last two weeks, I have learned
so much about scaffolding and the difference even one grade level can make -
she’s been awesome.
2. Reflect on how these experiences have helped you grow as a teacher.
a. We’ve been co-teaching quite a bit. Usually, on repeated lessons, she’ll take the
full lead on the first round or set, and then in subsequent rounds and classes, I will
take more lead as we go through the week. I have definitely valued being here
because I am learning SO much about how to slow myself down to an elementary
and middle school level. My readings on Mr. Rogers have shoved me in the
direction of child psychology and this is clearing up some issues with my pacing.
I am aware that I love music very much, but sometimes I love it much faster than
the students :)
b. Also to touch on the first section, I definitely can see my capacity to look for the
simple things and not be so achievement-focused has grown. I have been very
focused on my career goals in the past four years that I have allowed myself to
 make those career goals a definition of who I am rather than just being Ethan.
LOTS of personal growth. I know my skills, and I trust my skills, but I think the
most important growth that has happened even in these short weeks has been a
solidification of who Ethan, the person is, not who Ethan, the musician and
teacher are.
3. Describe the content and sequencing that is being used in the classes so far. What
repertoire is being used? What are the learning objectives? Include 1–2 photos of
repertoire used this week and give a brief description of the lesson plan sequencing. What
have you learned about age-appropriate repertoire this week? What have you noticed
overall about the sequencing used in lessons? How is musical content presented and
expanded upon?
a. This week was beginning recorders! Learning targets are: Students are learning to
play the recorder with good tone and articulation; students are learning to read
recorder music on the treble clef staff; students are learning the notes B, A, G on
recorder” The scaffolding was fairly clearly structured: we started with teaching
the students about breath by using blowing bubbles as an example of how much
air to use and followed up by using fogging a mirror as an example for the
students who weren’t fully grasping the concept. We then moved to articulation,
teaching this by saying “The tip of the tongue to the top of the teeth” and
discussing where the articulation was occurring and then replication without
speaking. We then did some responsorial practice with articulation. Then moved
to teaching B, doing the finger squeeze test to check that all the holes were
covered then doing more responsorial practice. Then we incorporated the music,
displayed on the board from the “Recorder Fun Book” by Larry Newman (see
below). Then repeat with A and incorporate moving from B to A and vice versa.
Then repeat with G and incorporate all therein. Fairly simple but effective. As far
as repertoire goes, we are still in the process of learning notes on the recorder for
the 4th and 5th graders, so while the differences aren’t extremely noticeable, they
are still there. The 4th graders are just one year younger however their ability to
process is just slightly slower than that of the 5th graders. With the repertoire
listed below, the 4th graders would have to begin counting the rhythm, then finger
singing, then playing numbers 12 and 13, the 5th graders were able to move
straight to finger singing and playing confidently. This could be an extra year of
music education, but also their maturity of cognitive skills. In each subsequent
lesson with each class, we are adding more and more notes which opens up more
opportunities for repertoire. With some of the fork-fingered notes, we are teaching
the complete fingered note and then lifting the finger - for example, teaching D
before teaching F. Overall, VERY intentionally scaffolded.