Observation Write-up and Interview Overview
I observed Mr. David Olsen who is the instrumental ensemble director at Abraham Lincoln Middle School in Gainesville, Florida. This observation took place for an entire school day, including his planning and preparatory time before and after class. None of the lessons I observed were orchestrated any differently than if they were being run in an everyday fashion. Fortunately, I have been attending and assisting at this school for the length of the semester and the observations were nothing out of the ordinary. The students being taught ranged in ability and age throughout the day. They stem from various ethnic backgrounds and economic and social classes. This is a very diverse setting of students. There was a maximum of about 50 students and a minimum of 15 throughout the various classes. There were no special education students in the class; however, there were a couple students who were on medications, such as Ritalin for ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). Because of these students being included in his program, Mr. Olsen had to make sure his lesson kept moving, but at the same time make sure the students comprehended and retained what was being covered. It was also necessary to stimulate learning so the students desired to learn more, instead of just being in the class because it is the elective they chose.
The particular classes on the day I observed were geared towards the preparation for their evaluation festival. All the classes took part in rehearsals with the exception of the beginning bands and strings (advanced beginning and beginning) which did not participate in festival. Both the orchestra and symphonic band were getting ready for their evaluations. The objectives of the class during this period of time appeared to be geared toward the refining of basic techniques being incorporated into the music, such as tonguing specific to the phrasing (articulation/bowing), phrasing itself (including dynamics), and accuracy of pitch and rhythm. The class periods were geared specifically toward attaining the best possible ensemble sound with the highest level of musicianship that the students were capable of, even if that was a level in which they did not realize they were capable of reaching. In regards to the beginning ensembles, the objectives were to get the students to play as much as possible and correct basic elements to give the students a good foundation in music. They covered rhythms and melodic music throughout the course of the class.
Dealing specifically with the beginning bands for the remaining of this report (because Mr. Olsen worked more so with this group than the beginning strings), the less mature players had many activities in order to maintain the main objectives of the class. To work on their ability to interpret rhythms, Mr. Olsen had the class read out of a book containing a collection of rhythms entitled Winning Rhythms. The students we go around the ensemble and read selected excerpts as a group and individually. To work on the melodic aspect of their ability, the students read out of the beginning methods book Standard of Excellence for band. The students would play through excerpts in the form of a baseball game. He made learning fun for the students so they wanted to be there, playing their instruments, trying their hardest to do the best they could. The opportunities for assessment throughout this lesson come into play with the observation and questioning of the students during and in between their excerpts. He would observe their playing, posture and instrument hold, and comment on their tone and technique. He would also use the pass-offs, the excerpts the students would play individually, as a form of assessment to gauge the students ability to read music and the different symbols surrounding the music. He knows that the students have obtained the objectives by their ability to demonstrate what he wants to see without repeating or even stating what he is looking for.
In Mr. Olsen’s opinions, the Sunshine State Standards are important as guidelines to what the teacher wants to teach. He does not believe the standards are clear on what to cover in class, but give a direction for creation and flexibility for lesson plans that can help the students attain the skills the standards are displaying. In looking at this, Mr. Olsen has created a three year plan for his students’ progress in his program, including their interaction with the Winning Rhythms book, their ability to play the 12 major scales, and improvise.
In terms of assessment processes, Mr. Olsen has two forms of assessment – formal and informal. His formal assessment includes his contracts that the students are responsible for every nine weeks. The students chose their grade and complete the items required for that grade. He does informal assessment everyday with basic observations and corrections. He sets aside 3 days in the year in which no matter what he listens to the students attempt to complete their contracts. The contracts force the teacher to teach because if they do not, then when the students fail it is the teacher’s fault because he/she did not teach the required material. Mr. Olsen uses a computer database program for his data collection called Micrograde in which he can put very student specific information including background as well as grades. He uses this format because it is quick and easy to input and is very organized. Through his lesson, he uses the accuracy of a student’s fundamental music abilities such as correct fingering, rhythm recognition, and articulation as assessable components.
Mr. Olsen tries not to lecture his students. Instead, he asks the students questions they can answer, or guides them to formulate answers to questions they man not know answers to. He lets the students teach the other students through their responses; allows questions instead of simple lecture. He begins the year with direct lecture to instill fundamentals, but after the luster has worn away, the security blanket is taken away and the students are expected to come up with their own answers using the information they have already been given.
Some words of wisdom that Mr. Olsen imparted upon me at the end of this interview were the following: “Make sure you know your students because all students have different abilities, family life, etc. While you may have standards, not everyone can perform [on] that level.” In the past, he has researched his students to find out what may cause some of the issues they are having in band such as schedule of classes that precede his class, teacher-teacher conferences to find out if they act the same way in other classes, and parent-teacher conferences. He suggests being open with your students. “Band has to be fun or you’re not doing your job.”
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