Sharon Cho

EdTPA: Task 1, Part A

K-12 Performing Arts Context for Learning Information
About the School Where You Are Teaching
1. In what type of school do you teach? (Type an X next to the appropriate description; if
other applies, provide a brief description.)
Elementary school: ______
Middle school: ______
High school: ___X___
Other (please describe): ______
Urban: ______
Suburban: ___X___
Rural: ______

2. List any special features of your school or classroom setting (e.g., charter, co-teaching,
themed magnet, classroom aide, bilingual, team taught with a special education teacher) that
will affect your teaching in this learning segment.
The High School offers aides to the classes that have students enrolled with IEP plans
that specify one. However, the Chamber Choir class does not currently have any students
enrolled with any IEPS, or needs that would require additional help. Similarly, the school does
not have any special features that would affect my teaching.

3. Describe any facilities considerations that might impact your instruction (e.g., equipment
needs, room layout/design, access to performance/practice space, instruments, accompanist,
storage).
The layout of the choir room allows ample space for music storage, but little room for
organization, or for movement around the classroom. There are cabinets that frame three sides
of the choir room, while the guitars and extra cases fill the space behind the last row of chairs.
Similarly, the arrangement and set layout of steps, and levels of the room allow zero to limited
movement throughout the classroom. Thus, when assessing the singers, or to better hear
sections, I move in front of the first row, but can only directly reach the Altos and Soprano 2s.
Access to the back rows become complicated with the guitar cases, chairs, an extra piano
bench, and cabinets in the way. Similarly, the class stores all extra equipment for the extra
curricular groups like the sound board, speakers, mixer, box of tuners, and stands.
The school had a last minute hire for a new accompanist due to the original accompanist
moving to a new location. The accompanist comes daily to the choir classes, but is still learning
the schedule and is reading a lot of the music for the first time. In terms of equipment, the
classroom has a white board that is covered up by the Smart board. The Smart board, though,
is used regularly to play recordings, display and type up notes, translations, and class rubrics.
Unfortunately, when the Smart board doesnt work, we have limited space for note taking.

4. Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that might
affect your planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of
specific instructional strategies, performance schedules, or standardized tests.

My cooperating teacher has a set curricula for the semester to prepare the students for
the end of the year Madrigal concert and dinner. This includes a complete selection of music
and a general timeline and pacing plan for the first semester. Additionally, the school introduced
the staff to Culturally Responsive Learning at the beginning of the year and are requiring the
teachers to implement these strategies and methods into their curriculum. The Administration
then observes these techniques and asks for written feedback. The choirs switched out some of
the original repertoire, manipulating the set curricula from the beginning of the year. Additionally,
there were many performances and events during the semester, like the Marching Band tour,
the local TV Station performances, Radio performances, the school Musical, and the mandatory
issued tests. This affected the choir classes because we lost 18 of the 22 choir students to the
Marching Band tour and the Musical for multiple days in a row. With the TV Station and Radio
performances, we lost 4 days of rehearsal as a class. Similarly, the mandatory testing week
required different grade levels to miss different days and because the gymnasium, where the
tests were administered, is located in front of the band and choir room, the school instructed all
music classes to stop rehearsals for that entire week.
About the Class Featured in This Assessment
1. How much time is devoted each day to performing arts instruction in your classroom?
The class that is featured in this assessment is a semester long course that meets for 50
minutes a day. We devote the full 50 minutes to performing arts instruction. This includes
discussing and performing the meaning and text of the pieces, the interpretation of the story
using dynamics, word stress, phrasing, accents and style, note reading and correcting and
finally, how we rehearse for a performance.

2. Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for instruction. If a textbook,
please provide the title, publisher, and date of publication.
The class does not use any textbooks, or instructional programs, however we create
study tracks and upload recordings for the students to access using their Google Drive
accounts. These recordings are either made by my cooperating teachers, or myself. Some of
the music is also linked to a YouTube video.

3. List other resources (e.g., electronic whiteboard, recordings, videos, multimedia, online
resources) you use for instruction in this class.
As mentioned above, we make ample use of the Smart board in front of the classroom to
deliver information, show a rubric, or performance assessment worksheet, write musical
markings, or play a recording, or video. The students Google Drives are also frequently used to
access videos and recordings.
About the Students in the Class Featured in This Assessment
1. Grade-level composition (e.g., all seventh grade; 2 sophomores and 30 juniors):
4 Sophomores; 6 Juniors; 12 Seniors
2. Number of
students in the class: __22__
males: __10__ females: __12__

3. Complete the chart below to summarize required or needed supports, accommodations, or

modifications for your students that will affect your instruction in this learning segment. As
needed, consult with your cooperating teacher to complete the chart. Some rows have been
completed in italics as examples. Use as many rows as you need.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/supports or
accommodations/modifications to instruction or assessment.

- English language learners

- gifted students needing greater support or challenge
- students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans
- struggling readers
- underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge
Students with Specific Learning Needs
IEP/504 Plans:
Classifications/Needs
Cooperating teacher verified:
No students fit described

Number of Students

N/A

Other Learning Needs

Cooperating teacher verified:
No students fit described

N/A
Number of Students

N/A

Supports, Accommodations,
Modifications, Pertinent IEP
Goals

Supports, Accommodations,
Modifications
N/A