FIU

Off-Campus Observation Map

Your Name
Name of School

Stephanie Jiron
Zelda Glazer Middle School

Name of Teacher Observed

Observation Date

E-Mail: sjiro003@fiu.edu

Mrs. Angely Fernandez (voice)

10/6/2014

Describe the teaching

environment. Who are the
children? Who is the teacher?
How might the school environment
impact what happens in the
classroom?

What were the teachers goals for

the class/ensemble? How did
she/he act on those?

What teaching/rehearsal
s t r a t e g i e s did you see? What
was the learning sequence?

Town

Time

Miami
Class

9-11

State Florida
Grade(s)
Date Submitted 10/7/2014

In the band class we were observing it consisted of 8th and 9th graders. The class of the environment was just like a
normal band room. It didnt have anything specific around it to make the room stand out. In the choir room what
she did have were bins like you would see in an elementary schooled filled with supplies that would usually be
needed in choir or in whichever other class goes on there. In both these magnets you do get all the students grade
level 6-9 in different courses or some mixed. The band/orchestra teacher is a violinist in which started up the
program at Zelda Glazer and is now on his fourth year there trying to build up the entire program. The voice
teacher is a pianist and voice major per say that knows many instruments but her main is voice and piano. She used
to teach elementary music and now is starting up the choral magnet at this school.
In asking Mrs. Fernandez about this she seemed to have separate goals for the different ensembles as well as for
the students alone. She assured us that she is not working towards that concert goal but towards the students
feeling like they have actually accomplished something and actually making a connection with music rather than
just learning it without a purpose. She also tries to incorporate theory and sight singing so that they grow as
musicians as well.
In the band class he used sectionals for each instrument on certain days to get the parts down pact. This works
because other section gets to work alone and hear themselves all together and that way they can pick out the little
errors efficiently rather than messing up when playing all together. In the voice program they also separate into
sort of sectionals as the rehearsal goes on but they also help each other out as a whole.
What I might do differently from the band program would maybe be pulling them out separately from their

What would you do differently?

sectional to see how they are improving and making sure they are actually working rather than just sitting and
What was missing from the lesson?

talking. Or not taking interest in the music. From the voice program structure I really liked how it was set up and
how she would go about incorporating different music styles rather than just teaching the normal and
expected choral styles. What I might do differently is incorporate more sectionals as well. But over all I think both
programs are very strong and structured very well.

What evidence did you observe

that would indicate that the
learning goals were met?

What evidence of critical thinking,

critical feeling and/or critical action
did you see?

From what I heard student discussing in our class discussion when we regrouped was that they saw the students at
Zelda Glazer actually improving and them realizing how much better it sounded and things like that. In the choir
program Mrs. Fernandez told us that a bunch of her students are now going up to her and realizing how their
breath control has actually gotten better from the beginning of the year. Theyre catching on that these little tips
and exercises being thrown out are actually useful and cause a difference and aid you with learning your
instrument.
The actions and feelings towards their bettering in what they needed to do or realizing what they just did and how
much simpler it was were both tied together. They both came at the same tied as a package revealing the evident
growth that just happened.

What National Standards did you

see?

MU.68.S.2} Skills, technique, process

MU.68.S.3} Skills, Technique, Process
MU.68.C.3

How did students engage in the

classroom? What was happening
at the time when students were
really focused?

When the students are really focused is when they start thinking more about what they are doing with their
instrument and is when things start clicking in more and new good habits start being made. Its when the progress
and learning is really happening.

Describe a "teachable moment"

that you might have witnessed.

Over all talking to the voice teacher she gave me a different looking on a choir program. She is structuring it this
year to be like an opening of the program. To catch other students attention and get out that theyre good and
doing other styles. But at the same time shes teaching them that in voice there are different genres but classical is
still an essential part because it is the foundation.

What constructive comments might you make about this lesson/rehearsal?

One comment I would make on the rehearsal would be for the students to be more open and less shy so
that way they can be open to getting help from other students at a high level than them that are offering their
chops to them.

What is your overall assessment of this teacher, the students and the lesson/rehearsal?
Over all from what I saw in his band rehearsal he does very well by sending them off into practice rooms
for their sectionals. Sectionals are a great way for the students to learn as a group and evaluate each other in
how theyre doing. Its very important to get the help your peers give you as well as what your teachers give
you because both of these are in the end going to help you the most. Youre getting two perspectives on how
you are doing.