FIU

Off-Campus Observation Map

Your Name: Sofia Da Silva

E-Mail: sdasi003@fiu.edu

Name of School: Somerset Academy Charter Middle/High School

Town: Pembroke Pines

Name of Teacher Observed: Mrs. Tatiana Ortega

Observation Date: 10/10/14

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
strategies did you see? What was
the learning sequence?

State: FL

Class: Middle School Adv. Band

Time: 9:00 am

Grade(s): 7th-8th

Date Submitted: 10/13/14

Due to the fact that the school is a small charter school, the class of students overall isnt that large. This type of
class allows for there to be a more relaxed and friendly atmosphere between the teacher and students. This type
of environment affects the class in a positive way, lending itself for the teacher to be able to get to know her
students on a more personal level and for her to work with students individually if necessary.
The teachers goals for her class were to be able to instill critical thinking in her students by having them apply
basic, fundamental skills to the music they were to play during the class period.

The teaching strategy used was that Ortega started off with a warm-up (from which shed pick random keys that
students already knew and had them go over them in rounds and a technical exercise) and ten later started on the
actual music. When doing this she started with the part of the music the students already knew in order to go over
it and make sure they hadnt forgotten what they had learned. After doing this she moved on into the next section
of the music, she played through it until the students got lost and then went back to work on specific sections in
the music and specific instruments as well as a whole with the class.
I dont think I would have really done anything differently from what the teacher had done during her class. If

What would you do differently?

anything I would probably try adding a bit more of student import into the classroom.
What was missing from the lesson?

What evidence did you observe

that would indicate that the
learning goals were met?

I would imagine the goals had been met when the class was able to play the intended piece from top to bottom in
what seemed to be in a correct manor, critical skills were being applied by the students in adding dynamics,
accents, and accidentals. The class was also able to play their sight reading piece decently after their third attempt
at it, allowing for the students to feel satisfied overall.

What evidence of critical thinking,

critical feeling and/or critical action
did you see?

Some evidence of critical thinking found within the classroom would probably be when the teacher had the
students reading a piece. By having her students read, the teacher is allowing her students to apply their own prior
knowledge of music (rhythms, notes, and musical terms) to the new music that is now in front of them in order to
be able to play it.

What National Standards did you

see?

During the class period I was able to not three of the National Standards being used, 2 (Performing with others
varied repertoire of music), 5 (Reading and notating music), and 7 (Evaluating music and music performances)

How did students engage in the

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

When Ortega was asking questions the students were actively paying attention and answering them for her, and
looking for where they could find those things being asked in the music they were reading. At this time some
students werent focusing too much, this is why she initially began asking questions, by doing this the students
would focus again and apply what was being asked to the music they were playing. (Examples would be accents,
crescendos, decrescendos, etc.)

Describe a "teachable moment"

that you might have witnessed.

A teachable moment in the classroom that I was able to witness was after the class had sight read a piece, they
seemed to have liked it and they themselves were not satisfied with their performance of it so they asked to be
able to play it again, on their third time playing the piece the class had felt good about what they had done and
actually liked the song.

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

I think Ortega did well, I really enjoyed the fact that she would ask the students questions when working on the music,
allowing them to point out things that were written in the music like accents and crescendos. I felt that by her doing this,
students were able to stay focused and engaged in what was going on.

What is your overall assessment of this teacher, the students and the lesson/rehearsal?
I think overall, the class went well, the teacher was able to get what had intended done and her students were able to
understand and apply what she had been teaching.