Reflection #9: Music

What did I learn from the process I engaged in in the creative music lesson? I learned that very simple melodies and lyrics were very helpful to children and to adults as well. I learned that it is easier to sing and not say and to have the students repeat it many times, so they know the song really well. Also, I learned that I have to be comfortable and confident in the song and to know it well enough to teach it to children. I learned that cues helped to know when the students are supposed to come in on a song and that will help them to know when to start and stop.

So what is important for me to remember and learn? I felt that it was important to remember that we really can retain much more information by singing the song. I can remember most of the lyrics to almost any song that I love to sing. I feel that it is important to integrate lyrics and melodies that are fun for you and the rest of the class. I felt that it was important to identify and hear the difference in different notes and pitches so that the students can understand and know how to sing better.

Now what are my next steps? I feel that my next steps are to find ways to integrate the core into music. It is so fun and such a great learning experience with children. Whether they say it or not, many students love to sing songs and do activities that involve singing. I know that they would much rather do that than a read a textbook all of the time, so I would encourage them to write their own music and lyrics to songs. They will be happier and I feel more successful in the classroom if they use music.

Reflection #8: Music

What is music and why should I use music in my elementary school classroom? Music is a really good tool to help children be able to learn and remember information in a fun and interesting way. Music is a great tool or a great mneumonic to help remember and retain information. Using lyrics or words and putting it to a melody can help children and adults remember information for much longer than if they were just reading it out of a textbook. I would use it in my classroom for that reason. It helps them, but most of them really like it and they think it is fun. They can learn while having fun too.

So what are my goals for teaching music for my future students? So what is important for teaching music to children? My goals for teaching music to my future students is to teach them how to effectively sing using the elements of singing. I wish to have to them sing the core as well. I want them to be able to write their own lyrics and music for their projects or assignments and I also wish they can write music of their own to help them in their life. It's important to teach music to children because music truly can speak to children and adults by expressing different types of emotion. It is an art form that can truly touch them and they can learn from the feeling and emotion rather than reading out of a book sometimes. It is a different way to teach children effectively.

Now what do I plan to do to prepare to effectively teach and integrate music into my future classroom? I plan to try to implement at least one song per unit if possible or every other unit, or wherever seems fit to use music appropriately. Also, during transitions of changing subjects during the school day, I wish to share short songs or singing rounds with students. I wish to also have my piano in the classroom so I can play it for the students and have them be a part of the music too. I believe that it helps students to appreciate and want to be more interested in learning and performing music for others and themselves too.

Reflection #7: Dance

So what has changed my understanding of children's creative dance? It has helped me to understand what is being taught in the curriculum. It helped me to feel good applying creative dance in almost any area of the curriculum (math, science, social studies, etc.) It helped me to realize that they are truly applying the information that is being taught to them. By them doing, they will remember and retain the information for a much longer time than actually reading out of a textbook. Plus, it is a lot more fun for them to be able to be involved together as a class and individually.

So what will I be taking with me of my experience teaching, participating, and learning about creative dance? The experience I felt that I had was that I was tired by the time all of the lessons were taught, but it helped me to retain the information much more effectively rather than reading it out of a textbook. It helped me to have fun and be involved with my other classmates by solving and figuring out problems and how we would work it out well together. It helped me to be able to pass this onto my future students and for them to be able to enjoy the same experience as well by being taught well and remembering the information and the fun they had too.

Now what do I plan to teach for my future students and how will I prepare for that? I hope to teach them information that they may have a more difficult time understanding, but I hope to be able to have them meet at least once a week in the gym and be taught a standard through creative dance. It will be a time that they can look forward to every week and that I will be able to look forward to it as well. I hope that I can teach math concepts, science lessons, music lessons, and many more lessons throughout my teaching career. It will be different from other teachers and I hope that I can help them to feel like they are a part and involved in their own classroom too.

Reflection #6: Dance

What new insights do I have regarding creative dance and what it offers to students? I think that I was really surprised how well everyone worked together. I learned that everyone got along better and were willing to do things because they were doing it together. There wasn't much worry because everyone else was being creative in their dance and what they interpreted it to mean. They were able to feel safe and willing to be creative in what they were learning. It allows me and very likely my students to retain the information better from doing and thinking creatively and working together as a group.

So what does that mean for me next week's preparation and for field? It will help to allow students to feel safe, comfortable, and confident in expressing themselves. Everyone is unique and different in how they express emotions and different shapes. It allows them to feel more freedom and not feel so restrained to do what others want them to do. I wish to encourage the class and my students to use different levels, pace, and rhythm in creating different shapes. It will help them to learn the curriculum in a more fun and interesting and memorable way.

Now what do I need to incorporate these skills and knowledge into my classroom? I will try to incorporate many subjects into creative dance in order to help students want to remember those important lessons for the curriculum that they need to be tested on, but I want them to be able to remember how they felt and how much fun they had in being able to show their creativity. If I can enhance their creativity, then that will stimulate creativity to do well in all other subject areas.