Middle School Observation Journal
On Thursday, April 11, 2013, my Exploration in Music Education class had the opportunity to observe middle school music students at Pine Forest Middle school taught by Ms. Turner, Ms. Williams, and Mr. Artley. After leaving Fayetteville State University for the school at 9:00 a.m., we arrived at the school shortly going straight into the class rooms that we were assigned to. We left Pine Forest Middle School at 10:30 a.m. to make our return to FSU. Each of us had the opportunity to see portions of two classes, this enabled us to see two different music teachers and two different classes. The students that we observed were students participating in beginning band, advanced band, general music, chorus, or strings. “As a future educator of music students, it is important to observe and watch experienced educators in our field,” as Dr. Linch-Parker has told our class. There was three groups that the class was broken up into. The groups went as following:
Group A Group B Group C
Courtney B. Regetta B. Cynthia H.
Graylin C. Korian M. Kyera M.
Briona P. Feliciano R. Imari S.
Brittany T. Maliah V. Eric W.
Group A went to the band room for the first class and choir room for the second class, group B went to the choir room for the first class and band room for the second class, group C went to the on stage with the strings for the first class, and then when the class changes Cynthia and Imari will go to the band room and Kyera and Eric will go to the choir room. Imari and I were partners that went to the same two classrooms.
The first class that I went and observed was Mr. Artley's sixth grade orchestra. Most of the students started in the fifth grade but there was some started this year. For beginner strings, this class was very advanced. The orchestra class is set up in the auditorium with simply chairs forming a semi-circle around the conductor's stand and a portable blackboard. All of the students...