Clay Blackwood

Lesson Reflection

This lesson was the final lesson in my student teacher experience. I was taught the 6th period

percussion class. In the lesson, we were learning music for the concert. This class has been the class

that I've had the most difficulty managing behavior. The students are disruptive and it is really hard to

get them to respect you, especially being someone as young as I am.

First of all throughout the rehearsal, it was difficult keeping the students attentive without just

yelling at them the entire time. We are hardly ever able to have fun because I'm too busy trying to reel

in everyone. Mrs. Cotter brought a few students to my attention that I did not notice were roaming

around for part of the class period. I was too focused on the music that I did not notice or address the

misbehavior on the students' part. In the future, I definitely need to widen my focus so that it

encompasses the entire class while I am working with smaller groups of students.

As far as my objectives go, the goal was to get halfway through the concert music selection that

they are supposed to play on their concert. We did not quite get to where I wanted (about 4 measures

short) because of the normal disruptive behaviors, but I had much more control over the students than I

did the first time I ran the class. Teaching this difficult class has taught me a lot more on how to deal

with problem students. I've learned how to pick my battles and how I can fix certain problems simply

by moving certain students around the room so that they are not a disruption. Although we did not get

to the place in which I wanted, the work we did accomplish was good, and I was confident they would

be able to play what we had gone over with confidence.

The last item I want to address I have already addressed in a past reflection, but Mrs. Cotter

brought it to my attention after the lesson was completed. I need to be more clear in my directions and

repeat myself more than once. I am normally in a rush to get as much done in a class period that I can.

So when I am teaching, I tend to only give the direction once and expect the students to follow through
with what I said the first time that I give the instruction. This is not ideal in a classroom where the

students' brains are preoccupied and darting from one thought to the next. It is not realistic to believe

that the kids will be attentive every waking moment during my instruction. I need to slow down, take

time to give concise, clear directions, and repeat myself so that there is no question whether or not a

student should have caught what I have said. When I move too quickly it causes much frustration for

me and the students.

In conclusion, this lesson may have been one of the harder ones because of the behavior issues.

However, I can gain much from the experience of teaching a class that is hard to manage. Because of

the time I have spent teaching this difficult class, I have learned what it is like having to deal with

multiple problem students at a time, and some methods for dealing with their behavior. I will definitely

take these experiences with me as I move into my career.