FIU

Off-Campus Observation Map

Your

Name

Amanda Godoy

Name of School

E-Mail: agodo006@fiu.edu

Miami Beach High School

Name of Teacher Observed

Observation Date

Town

Joshua Figueroa
11/24/2014

Time

Miami Beach
Class

8:40-10:20

Jazz & beginner band

State

Florida

Grade(s) 11&12 /9&10

Date Submitted 11/24/2014

Describe the teaching

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

The teacher is a UM graduate and his instrument is the saxophone. The students were 9th and 10th graders in
beginning band. The jazz band consisted of 11th and 12 graders. The classroom is a small band room with risers and is
sort of cluttered with not much space. On the walls were plaques and band composites, and even an old picture of
the band a lot of years ago which shows the bands past and tradition. With those things on the wall, it creates the
environment of having to live up to tradition, which can be good source of motivation for students.

What were the teachers goals

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

For the jazz band, the main goal was to emphasize the jazz style of playing, using the music they have been working
on. He mainly would demonstrate the difference between playing the music with the jazz style versus how they
were playing it. For the beginning band class, the teachers main goal was for the students to improve their playing
on the instrument, focusing on playing the right notes.

What teaching/rehearsal
strategies did you see? What
was the learning sequence?

What would you do differently?

What was missing from the
lesson?

He would repeat an exercise from a beginning band book about twice then move on. He wouldnt spend too much time on
a specific exercise, which is good because the students wont get bored. He also would have the students repeat after him
by imitating what he plays on the saxophone, using the 3 notes they have been using in the exercises they have been
playing.
There wasnt much of a learning sequence. The students would get something, then the teacher would get side tracked
and then come back a couple minutes later and they would forget what they had just played. It felt like the class wasnt
structured, meaning that there was no lesson plan in place where he knew what he would be working on next or
accomplish in that day. (no specific goals, just overall)
I would incorporate more fundamentals in the class period and warmup, such as working on scales and long tones for the first
20 minutes of class, then moving on to whatever exercises/ pieces they have been working on. I would also assign something for
them to practice while I would go around helping specific people that way they wouldnt get sidetracked. Also, fix things that
sound bad not just move on even though its not even close to right. Sure, theres only so much you can do, but help get close to
perfect with few mistakes. I would also not let the students talk over me while Im giving directions, I would make sure before
giving directions or teaching, that everyone has my full and undivided attention.

What evidence did you observe

that would indicate that the
learning goals were met?

He pointed out to one student to play the sax with his lips different and the student actually sounded better. Also, there
were some kids who played alone and some of them actually seemed like they had learned how to play their instrument.
Some were excited to play alone. In the jazz band, his demonstration of how to play the music in jazz style was helping
them understand more how they are supposed to play the music, and how theyre supposed to feel it.

What evidence of critical thinking,

critical feeling and/or critical action
did you see?

The students in jazz band would try to play their music in different ways, and try to match it with how the teacher
demonstrated the style. In the beginning band, the students were thinking critically when they would imitate what
the teacher was playing. They had to think ahead of time which note will be played next.

What National Standards did you

see?

MU.68.S.2&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?

The jazz band students would sometimes take a while to focus. But when they started trying and working together and feeling
the rhythm they sounded better and stronger. The beginning band kids had less patience and would sometimes seem like they
didnt want to be there, and you would never really see them trying 100%. Some of their postures were bad and even though
the teacher would comment on it, they wouldnt fix it. When the students were really focused, thinking critically, their sound
was better because they are thinking about playing more and less about other things.

Describe a "teachable moment"

that you might have witnessed.

Over all, Mr. Figueroa showed me that there has to be a lot of patience for any group. You wouldnt be able to sit
through a beginning band class or even any class without patience. I also learned that being lenient, doesnt work
all the time, and being more authoritative helps with the class environment.

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

Something I would comment on is how the teacher would manage his class when he split them off. If he were too help
students individually, he should assign the rest of the class something to work on in the meantime, therefore the
students wouldnt lose their focus on what they are doing in the class, which will make the class ineffective.

What is your overall assessment of this teacher, the students and the lesson/rehearsal?
Overall, the teacher knows what he is doing, I just think he isnt teaching in an organized way. I think the students need
to be more interested in what they are learning, and the teacher can work on that too. I think the rehearsal for beginning
band didnt really get much done, since there were no specific goals for the students to meet.