Observation Questions for Ms.

Tallent:

1. If you could make a list of your main procedures (or the ones you see as most important/

cannot live without.) and how you decided to enforce them to create a more stable and

routine classroom, what would they be?

2. What is your opinion on inclusion of special education students into the music

classroom? In what ways have you worked to create a suitable learning environment for

these certain students?

3. Continuing with the first question, how have you decided on your disciplinary plan?

What problems cause what consequence? At what point should a student be sent out of

the learning environment?

4. Why do you decide to take attendance aloud not while students are doing something like

a bell ringer? I notice that this was done mostly for the arranged seating purposes, but I

wanted to know if there were any more reasons behind it?

5. What is your attendance policy when dealing with such younger students? I know that

attendance is a heavy grader when dealing with upper level students, but does it still

apply with younger students who rely so heavily on their parents? Do you exchange this

for a participation grade instead?

6. How and when do you plan your choral selections for K-5 grade levels? How do you look

at your students and decide what is suitable?

7. What was your first day of class like? What was the scariest things, the things you did not

plan for that turned out easy, and/or the things that you expected to be easy that turned

out difficult?
8. Do you teach mostly by the Kodaly method of music instruction? I know you use Orff

instrument many times during my observations, and if I remember rightly you have

multiple certifications in that field. But when teaching a choral piece do you teach mostly

by letting the students hear or read first? (My question came from listening to the

students sing “My Shot” from Hamilton.)

9. How do you learn who all celebrates what religion? I know that, especially during

Christmas time, singing specific songs can be difficult. How do you plan ahead for this?

Do you ever sing sacred songs in class?

10. If there is anything else that you think I should know to better myself as a professional

heading into the educational field, what would these things be? This can be from personal

experiences you have had teaching that you were not planned for, things you have seen

with other student teachers, or just things that you would like for me to know in advance

if I should ever return to receive my teaching license?