In this post please discuss how your Sophomore Block field experience helped you to move forward as an educator. That is, what did this opportunity allow you to do and how will this experience help you to make the next step on your journey.
My Sophomore Block field experience was a great experience for me. While it felt very rocky and difficult to get through, it ensured me that I have the tools to become a good educator and that this is the right field for me. I was able to get experience teaching in small groups and communicating with students, as well as opportunities to observe many different instructors lead the classroom. I was able to observe grades 6 through 12 and to note how each grade was taught differently and how each grade processed information differently.
One of the biggest things that I got out of my sophomore block experience was what it is like to run a high school classroom. It had been such a long time since I had been in a high school classroom, especially in an ensemble, that I had almost forgot what it was like. While I was reminded of what high school was like for a student, I was also able to learn what it is like for a teacher. Picking out different levels of repertoire for each different band is a skill that will take me awhile to craft, as well as learning how to teach them appropriately. I learned that freshman musicians typically need to be reminded a lot of certain changes to their habits, mainly looking at the conductor and paying attention to articulation. Students in the symphonic band had a pretty good knowledge of the basics but needed more help with ensemble skills, which include blending, tuning, and listening to each other. The top band, the Wind Ensemble, was where my co-op teacher was able to be really picky and was able to teach students to reflect on how they were playing and what they could do better.
Another thing I learned through my sophomore block experience is that there is such a thing as explaining too much. One of my co-op teachers had a habit of explaining every fingering to each section when breaking down a piece and watching this process has reinforced my belief to let students be in charge of their own learning. Giving students the basic knowledge of fingerings and providing them with note sheets to help them reinforce this new knowledge will allow the students to be advocates for their own learning and let them do it on their own. When you keep explaining these aspects to them, they are going to expect that from you as a teacher throughout the rest of their high school career. Giving them the tools to be able to answer their own questions is a good self-esteem boost and assures them that they are in control of their own learning.
Finally, I learned that each student is different and has their own purpose of being in music. There are certain students that thoroughly enjoy playing music but do it casually, while there are some that want to learn all they can and want to try new things. There are some students that are just going through the motions, while there are some that need extra support and want to succeed. Knowing each of their intentions as their teacher can help you set expectations for each of your students and helping them set individual goals can reassure the students that you understand them and want them to succeed.
