My High School Observation by Karisa Logan

Teaching and Learning Environment

karisalogan — 2024-12-04 16:34:39 UTC

High School Choir 9-12 grade

There room had built in risers for the students to stand on and still be able to see. The walls were covered in sound boards that absorb the echo in the room. He had musical posters on the walls that help the kids remember certain things they already learned in class. The room was open and very organized, with the rules displayed above the board. They had a separate room called the sheet music library, and a beautiful Grand Piano in the middle of the classroom.

The kids kept their backpacks by the door instead of in the classroom. I think this helped lessen the distractions in the classroom. They had to keep drink that were not water on a table in the front of the class, and they all respected that rule.

Student and Teacher Interactions

karisalogan — 2024-12-07 23:54:29 UTC

Mr. Senn is such a fun teacher. The students love talking to him about daily life and even his outfits. The feel when you walked into the room was just calm, and when he spoke they all stopped talking and listened. It was just a very respectful environment. He has musical standards and the kids were able to tell when they needed to improve on certain things. He paid close attention to the vowels they were pronouncing and posture, and listened carefully at everyone's pitch to make sure they were singing what they needed to. At times he would ask the students to sing a segment of the song and then listen to it closely as they sang it. Then, they would talk about what note they were singing and whether or not it was a major chord or minor chord, and because he has taught them music theory they were able to answer his question! That was mind blowing to watch.

Student to Student Interactions

karisalogan — 2024-12-08 00:23:00 UTC

The kids were chitchatting at the start of class but instantly got quiet when he picked up his hands. They were respectful of each other and really kind to one another. They were understanding of those who had disabilities and helped them feel welcome in the classroom. They were so helpful when anyone needed it, and they were so kind and caring when a student became unregulated and upset. They helped each other with notes and finding the place in the music and overall were just the best to each other.

School Atmosphere

karisalogan — 2024-12-08 00:30:46 UTC

The hallways were open and very clean. The lockers looked well kept, with no dents or scratches on the outside. The entry way to the school is a giant foyer, and this is where the kids have lunch, there were circle tables of different sizes spread around with about 6-8 chairs at each. They had awards and trophies displayed and pictures of all the Alum before now. The environment was that of a well structured school, and every one was all so respectfully quiet.

Interesting Interactions

karisalogan — 2024-12-08 00:33:57 UTC

The accompanist was in class today, and he plays beautifully. They were rehearsing an arrangement of Quilt of Snow, it was a very light and soft. It sounded almost angelic, and it made me miss being in choir class.

There is a staff member whose birthday was today, and Mr. Senn and the drama teacher planned a surprise for her. The drama teacher was able to get the staff member to come down to her room for a split second and the choir students came to the room and sang “Happy Birthday” in flash mob style. The excitement on their faces was awesome to see.

Application of What I Learned

karisalogan — 2024-12-08 00:35:36 UTC

He stayed so focused on what the sound of the choir should be. He focused a lot on the pronunciation of the vowels and the pitch of the notes. He kept track of what needed to be worked on and made sure to come back and touch the song up to make it perfect. He has also worked on music theory with the students which made it all even better. He was able to use the technical musical terms and the students follow along with him. The class was able to know what minor and major scales were and able to recognize them in the piece.

I plan to include music theory and positivity to my classroom. The students having previous knowledge and understanding of musical terms made it was easier for them to comprehend the music and expectations. This stood out to me because it ultimately made the class run smoothly.