Sophia Anzalone

MUED 376: ​Choral Music, Materials & Techniques  

(M​2​ & T) 
Direct Instruction: Self-Assessment
Instructions: Select a 4 - 7 minute clip from one of your practicum teaching rehearsals
and review your direct instruction through answering the following questions. Please
write 3- 7 sentence answers for each question. Be thorough and specific.

1. Had I written out my script in a direct instruction model? Would it have helped
my lesson delivery and success if I had done so?

For each of my lesson plans thus far, I have written out a script in a direction
instruction model. I believe it has helped me successfully stay on track throughout
the rehearsal. For this particular rehearsal I watched, I nearly said everything that
was on my intended script.

2. What was my ratio of 1, 2 and 3’s?

I think my ratio was overall very good. Roughly, it was 45:45:10. I tried to give a
3 at the end of each activity, but sparingly, rather than constantly rewarding their
behavior.

3. Were my students doing lots of 2’s the entire time? Were they on task?

My students were doing just as many 2’s as I was doing 1’s, on task the whole
time. I even made a mistake once by chanting the wrong text and when it was
their turn to chant, they automatically fixed it and chanted the right text without
ridiculing me for making a mistake. This let me know that they were paying
attention.

4. Did I talk too much between every 2 and back to a 1?

I think I did a good job at not talking too much between the 2's and 1’s; I only
talked when something needed clarification or I made a mistake. However, the
direct instruction script cannot always plan for these errors, so I was ok with the
fact that I veered off script at times.

5. What kind of 3’s did I use in this clip? Do I need to improve my use of 3’s and if
so, in what way?

The 3’s I used in this clip were consistently 3sr’s, continually praising the choir
for their good work. Moving forward, I could certainly use 3’s in a more
constructive and specific way, acknowledging any mistakes that the choir may
have made rather than just rewarding them. However, I feel that it’s hard to hear
and detect the errors in such a short amount of time when I’m up there.
6. Were there any DI errors in this script?

I don’t believe there were any DI errors in my script; I had sent it to Dr. V prior to
delivering the lesson and she did not have any negative feedback regarding it.

7. Did I turn any 1o’s into a 1a?

I didn’t turn any 1o’s into 1a; I don’t think I have intentionally​ ​used a 1o during
any of my rehearsals. However, in some rehearsals, things go awry, such as the
microphone not working, the stand being too low, or me making a mistake.
During those times, I should have been quicker on my feet and have turned that
off task behavior into a 1a.

8. What was the ‘pattern’ of the best ‘chunk’ in this teaching sequence? (For
example, 1a, 2p, 1a, 1d, 2v, 1o, 1a , 2p, 3sra)

The pattern of the best chunk in this teaching sequence was 1a, 1d, 2p, 3sra. It
allowed for the most effective instruction with limited talking in between.
Additionally, because I continually used this pattern, students knew what to
expect in almost every activity to follow.

9. To summarize, what were the strengths of my Direct Instruction Model in this

lesson?

In this lesson, the strengths of my Direct Instruction Model were my 1d’s, 1a’s,
and the pattern I frequently used. Overall, I thought I gave very clear and concise
directions, and the choir responded accordingly. My 1a’s also tied into this, as I
often explained the greater purpose regarding what we were doing. The
combination of my clear directions, the integrated academic component and my
teaching sequence led to the success of an effective rehearsal.

10. To summarize, what were the weaknesses of my Direct Instruction Model in this
lesson?

Overall, the weakest points of my Direct Instruction were my 3’s; I feel as though
I could have gave more specific feedback at the end of each activity. I also could
have gave more negative, or rather constructive, feedback throughout instead of
constantly praising the choir when they perhaps didn’t deserve it.

11. What are my next steps?

Moving forward, in a future classroom setting, I hope to improve my 1a’s and

perhaps incorporate more 1o’s into my lesson plan for comedic relief. I also hope
to work on providing more 3’s, whether positive or negative. Finally, I hope to
write more 2v’s into my lesson plan. Though I know the setting for these past few
rehearsals didn’t allot time for that, it will be beneficial in my future teaching.