Start of the Semester Meeting/Syllabus

Start of the Semester Meeting/Syllabus UNT Student Teachers in Choral Music Education (secondary emphasis) Fall 2014

I. Student Teacher Evening Sessions: See Capstone Course handout from Dr. Taylor.

II. Specific Observation Dates for McClung: I will serve as your university secondary supervisor and observe you two times in your secondary setting. The schedule for an observation visit includes the time needed to drive to the school, observation time (typically 40- 50 minutes) reflection time (typically 45-60 minutes) and drive time to the next location.

McClung’s schedule: T and R: Up Front! (12:00-12:50) T and R: MUED 4203 (8:00-12:00) M and W: Conducting (8:00-9:20) M and W: MUED 4203 Student Lesson Planning and Reflection Friday: Student Teachers

Confirmed observation schedule deadline first half secondary: September 5, 2014.

First half of the semester observation dates:

Friday a.m.-p.m. September 12 1st visit Friday a.m.-p.m. September 19 1st visit Stephanie Pickens Friday a.m.-p.m. September 26 1st visit Kevin Porras Friday a.m.-p.m. October 3 2nd visit Stephanie Pickens Friday a.m.-p.m. October 17 2nd visit Kevin Porras

Confirmed observation schedule deadline for second half secondary: October 31, 2013.

Second half of the semester observation dates:

Friday a.m.-p.m. November 7 1st visit Yuna Chang Erin Thelen Friday a.m.-p.m. November 14 1st visit Amber Yarborough Friday a.m.-p.m. November 21 2nd visit Yuna Chang Friday a.m.-p.m. November 28 2nd visit Erin Thelen Friday a.m.-p.m. December 5 2nd visit Amber Yarborough

December 8 (6:00-8:00) Graduation & End of the Semester Party at McClung’s

III. Required Communications

A. Teaching Journal: Each student teacher is responsible for keeping a daily journal that reflects your student teaching experiences, both positive and negative. This weekly submission suggests your ability to communicate in a responsible and professional manner.

See Capstone Course Syllabus for additional details. For secondary settings, send weekly journals (Thursdays) to [email protected]

B. Teaching Schedule

Within the first week of your assigned secondary school, you are asked to submit your daily teaching schedule. This schedule should provide class times and class descriptions. Attending to professional communications produces positive impressions.

C. Driving Instructions

Within the first week at your assigned secondary school, you are asked to submit concise driving instructions from UNT to your school. Once again: Attending to professional communications produces positive impressions.

D. Class absences

The coordinating teachers and the appropriate University supervisors should be made aware of any and all class absences.

E. Classroom supervision

Student teachers should have professional supervision at all times. Cooperating teachers should be in the classroom or perhaps (nearing the end of your experience at that school) in her office, preferably with the door open. Should the teacher need to be away from the classroom, a substitute cooperating teacher should be available to the student teacher. Should this not be the case, please contact the following University supervisors, Dr. McClung for secondary, and Dr. Taylor for elementary.

F. Student Teaching Assessments

See Capstone Course Syllabus for details

IV. Planning the University Supervisors’ Visits

1. Available times are limited. Available dates and times to visit your school should be established by the end of the second week of student teaching. Coordinate with Dr. McClung to get your observation date and time on the calendar.

2. Check list for planning your observation lesson for Dr. McClung: ___A. Don’t make excuses. ___B. Provide a written lesson plan with objectives, assessments, and teaching strategies. Include copies of the music. ___C. Teach voice building in the group setting. ___1. Support various vocal development exercises with piano support. ___2. After physicals, remember to start in the middle of range with SFMRD. ___3. Every exercise should have a specific purpose. Be prepared to explain the purpose of each selected exercise. Why that vowel? Why that consonant? Why that order? ___D. Teach rhythm development skills. The following teaching aids should be thoughtfully considered: ___1. rhythm charts ___2. physical time pulsing. ___3. rhythm numbers chanting ___4. move from easy to hard ___5. attend to the various levels of student abilities. ___E. Teach pitch development skills. The following teaching aids should be thoughtfully considered: ___1. solfege syllables, hand signs, echo singing, a pitch chart, and the modified music staff. ___2. specific strategies that will help students successfully solve challenges involving leaps. ___F. Teach sight-singing by combining rhythm and pitch. ___1. Consider thoughtfully each step in the sight-singing process. ___G. Demonstrate your ability to incorporate the vocal, rhythm, and pitch skills into the repertoire that is being learned in the classroom. ___1. Demonstrate effective and efficient conducting skills. ___2. Conduct from a music stand. ___3. Talk less and sing more. ___4. Provide the tools and insights that will improve students’ music making skills. The music will not improve by using unguided repetition of inferior music making skills. You can fill up the time, but it will not improve the students’ ability to make and experience quality music. Listen carefully to the students music making. Praise the strengths and offer thoughtful remedies to improve the weaknesses. ___5. Remember to be enthusiastic, yet musically in control. ___6. Demonstrate your ability to provide piano support in the music learning process. ___H. Demonstrate how much you enjoy your students. Use the skills that will allow you to manage your classroom effectively. ___I. Be confident; you’re going to be great!