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FIU

Off-Campus Observation Map

Your

Name

Stephanie Jiron

Name of School

E-Mail: sjiro03@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

The teacher is a UM graduate. His main instrument is saxophone. The students were 9th and 10th graders in
beginning band. Those students some were trying to learn their instruments and the others were just there for the
credit. The jazz band consisted of 11th and 12 graders. The classroom was set up like a normal band room with
risers. Most the things he had hung up on the walls was plaques the band has gotten over the years. He had a
photo of Miami Beach high band in Washington DC. He had a board where students would post things they drew,
or interesting things. The environment would impact the environment by the students seeing the past things they
have won and maybe get more motivated from seeing that.
For beginners band he mostly just wanted to make sure the students could play the right note and have the right
What were the teachers goals for position. He would go around separately to see their position and if they got it, then went to call out certain people
the class/ensemble? How did
to play and said there would be a test next class. For jazz band he wanted them to get the feel and stay in tempo
she/he act on those?
with the songs they were playing, so he would bang on a stool the rhythm.
Describe the teaching
environment. Who are the
children? Who is the teacher?
How might the school environment
impact what happens in the
classroom?

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

He would repeat an exercise about twice at most then move on. He wouldnt spend too much time on them. Then
sometimes he would play something and they would have to repeat after him what he just played. For jazz band he
would separate the different sections and have them play alone.
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.

I would do different exercises that would go with all the different instruments rather than having them all try to

What would you do differently?


match one pitch. I would also give them something to practice while I would go around helping specific people that
What was missing from the lesson?

way they wouldnt forget all the work we just did. Also, fix things that sound bad not just move on even though its
not even close to right. I would also not let the students talk over me while Im giving directions.

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. The beginning band also started to sound more together as they
warmed up.

What evidence of critical thinking,


critical feeling and/or critical action
did you see?

For critical thinking you could see the students actually reading their music and trying to figure out their notes. The
students would also get frustrated with themselves when they wouldnt play something right.

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 would sometimes just talk over
him and you would never really see them trying 100%. Some of their postures were bad and others just seemed
like they didnt want to be there.

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 class without patience. You also have to be somewhat lenient but still have authority. When youre
slightly lenient but still have that figure of a teacher then the students will respect you and feel like thy can talk to
you, building a bond with your students.

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


Something I would definitely point out is how he would manage his class when he split them off. He would lose
control of his students and when they would regroup they would sound a mess because they lost everything
they just worked on. He should also not let students talk over him because they miss what hes telling them.

What is your overall assessment of this teacher, the students and the lesson/rehearsal?
The teacher is over all good. You can really tell he knows what hes talking about and trying to do. He just need
to get the students more engaged and interested and give them more rules and instructions do they dont just
sit there doing nothing.

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