Edtpa Pfa Instruction Commentary

K-12 Performing Arts
Task 2: Instruction Commentary
TASK 2: INSTRUCTION COMMENTARY

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 6 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the
brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Commentary pages exceeding the maximum will not be
scored. You may insert no more than 2 additional pages of supporting documentation at the end of this file. These pages
may include graphics, texts, or images that are not clearly visible in the video or a transcript for occasionally inaudible portions.
These pages do not count toward your page total.
1. Which lesson or lessons are shown in the video clips? Identify the lesson(s) by lesson plan
number.
[ Video Clip # 1 is whole class instruction from Lesson Plan 1. The video segment contains
teacher discourse on the Balance Pyramid using the visual aid. Teacher engages student in
inquiry and discussion regarding the Balance Pyramid, its different components, and its
representation/meaning. Students participate in an activity that helps them develop knowledge
of the Balance Pyramid, their instruments context within the Pyramid, and how it applies to
artistic expression. Video Clip # 2 is whole class instruction for Lesson Plan 2. Teacher engages
student in organizing information about dynamic markings and applying it to music literature.
Students classify dynamics by loudness, definition, abbreviation, and examples. Both
segments take students through Blooms Taxonomy, which states that students function under a
cognitive domain that involves knowledge and the development of intellectual skills (Bloom,
1956). These domains range from the simplest to the most complex, beginning with knowledge,
comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and ending with evaluation. Students are
engaged in recall of prior knowledge, comprehension of dynamic terms through translation and
interpretation, application by providing examples of loudness, analyzing through use of visual
aid, evaluation through a compare and contrast of balance and unbalanced sounds, and
creating through performance. Furthermore, students are engaged in activity to reach the
learning targets for the entire learning sequence and learning targets within each lesson. ]
2.
Promoting a Positive Learning Environment

Refer to scenes in the video clips where you provided a positive learning environment.
a. How did you demonstrate mutual respect for, rapport with, and responsiveness to
students with varied needs and backgrounds, and challenge students to engage in
learning?
[ In Video Clip # 1, students engage in a practice/support activity that helps them develop an
understanding of the Balance Pyramid as it refers to ensemble sound and dynamic
dependence. The activity requires that the teacher engages students in inquiry and discussion
of the Balance Pyramid. Teacher asks students to raise their hand to in response to questions
posed to students. This correspondence, beginning at 0:48 demonstrates a positive learning
environment through mutual respect and understanding of classroom management procedures,
i.e. raising their hands so that all students can participate, instead of shouting out answers
which diminishes other students voices. During this part of the video segment, teacher also
spends time affirming student responses, creating an environment of positive feedback. Rather
than saying No, youre wrong, the teacher responds with Yes, this is correct. More
specifically, as students raise their hands in response the questions regarding identification of
instrument parts within the Balance Pyramid, the teacher responds with positive affirmation,
while writing on the board and speaking out loud which instruments belong to the different parts
of the Balance Pyramid. By providing positive feedback, the teacher fosters a classroom
environment that enforces students with confidence and encourages full participation. At 3:49, a
student responds to the Balance Pyramid activity by saying I could not tell the difference.
Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.
1 of 6 | 6 pages maximum
All rights reserved.
V4_0915
The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.

Teacher addresses the students misconception by using a contrasting activity of balanced and
unbalanced ensemble sound. This interaction demonstrates students trust and confidence in
responding to the task at hand. This interaction also demonstrates teacher responsiveness,
flexibility and willingness to help students understand new concepts and develop a contextual
understanding of the Balance Pyramid, which is also a learning target defined in Lesson 1.
In Video Clip # 2, teacher engages student in a graphic organizing activity of basic dynamic
markings that incorporates student collaboration and discussion. Honoring student thought and
voice is a part of classroom respect. At 5:55, teacher gives students an opportunity to discuss
and collaborate with their partner for examples of loudness in everyday life. This helps to
foster a positive classroom environment by encouraging students to engage in healthy and
productive discussion about the subject matter and helps students establish a rapport with not
only the teacher, but with each other. At 6:30, after about a half-minute of partner discussion, the
teacher brings students focus back together to open the discussion to the entire class, setting a
safe environment for students to respond to the prompt given. Students were asked to come up
with an example of loudness occurring in everyday life according to dynamic markings found in
music. By opening the floor to discussion, the teacher gives students some autonomy with their
voice and opinions. Students are respectful of each other, raising their hands and allowing other
students to speak when it is their turn. The teacher responds positively, by nodding, smiling, and
providing positive feedback. Furthermore, the teacher repeats what students say so that all can
hear their response. This act gives students voice value. ]
3. Engaging Students in Learning
Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.
a. Explain how your instruction engaged students in developing and applying
knowledge/skills (e.g., tools/instruments, technical proficiencies, processes,

elements, organizational principles),
contextual understandings (e.g., social, cultural, historical, global, personal

reflection), AND/OR
artistic expression (e.g., interpretation, creativity, exploration/improvisation, individual

choices).
[ Prior to the learning segment in Video Clip # 1, which is from Lesson 1 of the Learning
Sequence, the teacher provided students with a pre-assessment lesson to measure their
understanding of ensemble balance and blend. In this pre-assessment, the teacher introduced
the idea of the Balance Pyramid and gave a brief overview of its use and meaning. Lesson 1
engages students in developing and applying the knowledge/skills, contextual understandings,
and artistic expression as they refer to balance and blend of a band ensemble. In Video Clip #
1, after a brief warm-up exercise used to facilitate student focus and engagement through
routine, the teacher refers to the visual of the Balance Pyramid which was already displayed on
the white board at the front of the room. The pyramid is blank, or empty, and the exercise
engages students in using their prior knowledge from the pre-assessment lessons and prior
knowledge of their instruments to help the teacher fill out the pyramid. Students are also
assessed on this knowledge using an Exit Slip that they fill out at the end of class before the
period is over. Starting at 0:54 in Video Clip # 1, the teacher provides students with the Balance
Pyramid visual. It is an equilateral triangle that is divided horizontally into three major sections.
In this exercise, the teacher provides students with the visual and asked them to raise their
hands if they belongs to the bottom, middle, or top sections of the pyramid. As students evaluate
and identify their place in the pyramid, their engagement is measured through their participation
V4_0915

in the discussion. At 2:32, teacher engages students to think deeper and analyze the pyramid.
Teacher asks students What does all this mean? Here students are challenged to examine the
use of the pyramid to describe a balanced ensemble sound. Later in the segment, at 5:00,
students participate in an activity that contrasts balanced and unbalanced ensemble sounds.
The teacher uses hand signals to indicate when the pyramid is balanced (right side up) and
when the pyramid is unbalanced (upside-down, or inverted). Students respond to these hand
signals. At the end of the exercise, the teacher asks Can you hear the difference now?, giving
the teacher and students an opportunity for assessment of the efficacy of the learning segment.
In Video Clip # 2, the teacher engages students in an activity that helps them chart and organize
basic dynamics by their abbreviation, name, definition, and example. This segment of the lesson
begins at 1:54 of the video clip. Organizing and charting the basic dynamics falls within the
analyzing domain of Blooms Taxonomy. Analyzing separates material or concepts into
component parts so that its organizational structure may be understood (Anderson 2001). This
is beyond remembering, understanding, and applying within the cognitive dimension. The
dynamics were also written in order from loudest to softest. This type of delivery gives students
a dynamic spectrum. As they look at the chart on the board, students experience the dynamic
spectrum from loud to soft, giving them another way to organize basic dynamics. Another way
the teacher engages students in developing the knowledge/skills of basic dynamics is through
instructional scaffolding. At 3:05 she gives definitions of the prefix and suffixes of the dynamics.
-issimo means very and mezzo means medium. The teacher then asks, What does forte
mean. Students respond, Loud. The teacher writes the definitions on the board. She then
asks, What does piano mean? Students reply, Soft. With this information provided to the
students the teacher asks students to define the dynamic terms that they named a few minutes
earlier. This requires students to engage in some critical thinking, linking the prefix and suffix
terms together to create new meaning.]
b. Describe how your instruction linked students prior academic learning and personal,
cultural, and community assets with new learning.
[ In Video Clip # 1 at 1:01, the teacher prompts students to activate their prior academic learning
by asking students to raise their hands if they belong to the top, middle, and bottom of the
Balance Pyramid. Students are challenged to recall pre-assessment lessons as well as dig into
their experience of instrumentation to demonstrate where each instrument belongs in the
pyramid. Since the Balance Pyramid organizes instruments by voice part, students must use
prior experience and prior knowledge to identify their instrument within the pyramid. In the
practice/support activity for the Balance Pyramid, students draw on their prior knowledge and
skills regarding dynamics. In video clip # 1, students are asked to demonstrate a balance sound
according the pyramid, having the lows play the loudest and highs play the softest. This
occurs at 3:00. Moreover, students must rely on prior knowledge and skill to adjust the dynamics
on their instrument. As a part of instructional scaffolding, the teacher engages students in the
Zone of Proximal Development by operating between what students know and what they do not
know. What students know is their prior knowledge, personal, cultural, and community assets.
What students do not know is the learning target defined by the lesson. Teachers draw on
students prior knowledge to help students create meaning and context with new material. In the
very beginning of Video Clip # 2, the teacher introduces the learning target for the day by
prompting students to respond to a few questions regarding cues given by the conductor and
their interpreted dynamic meaning. Teacher asks, What does it mean when my arms are big?
Does that mean loud or soft? Students answer collectively using prior experience within an
ensemble setting watching a conductor. At 5:50, the teacher asks students to come up with
examples of loudness in everyday life. This activity challenges students to think about sound

V4_0915

and loudness around them, making connections to everyday items within their personal, cultural
and community assets. ]
4. Deepening Student Learning during Instruction
Refer to examples from the video clips in your explanations.
a. Explain how you evoked student performances and/or responses to support
students development and application of knowledge/skills, contextual understandings,
and/or artistic expression.
[ Towards the end of Video Clip # 1 at 6:36, the teacher says Now, how does this Balance
Pyramid refer to our music? Lets take out Irish Pipers. In attempt to evoke student
performance in response the Balance Pyramid activity, the teacher chose to have students work
on a legato passage that requires students to listen to each other and consider ensemble
balance and blend. At 8:08, teacher asks students to sustain the first note, or downbeat, of
measure 17. As students play the chord, the teacher provides feedback in terms of balance and
dynamics to help students achieve a balanced and blended ensemble sound. In Video Clip # 2
at 8:33, the teacher applies dynamics to concert repertoire. Teacher asks students to identify
their beginning dynamic and applies a relatable metaphor. This identification and translation
occurs several times within the lesson segment. At 9:46, the teacher refers back to the chart on
the white board at the front of the room. By offering feedback to the students, the teacher aims
to apply dynamic context to the music. Teacher tells students her interpretation of the heard
dynamic level, then relates it to the written dynamic in the music. This helps students facilitate in
self-assessment and adjust their dynamics in rehearsal. ]
b. Explain how you used modeling, demonstrations, and/or content examples to develop
students knowledge/skills, contextual understandings, and/or artistic expression for
creating, performing, or responding to music/dance/theater.
[ In terms of using modeling, demonstrations, and content examples, in Video Clip # 2 at 4:55,
the teacher offers students real-life examples of loudness. The teacher relates dynamics to
loudness of voices. Fortissimo is like shouting or outside voices. Forte is like making an
announcement. Mezzo forte is like speaking to the teacher. Mezzo piano is talking to someone
next to you. Piano is like whispering. Pianissimo is like quietly talking to yourself. The teacher
gives these examples to provide contextual understanding of dynamics, then encourages
students to collaborate and do the same. By providing the examples before the peer
collaboration, the teacher helps guide student discussion to be focused and directed on the
learning target and the subject matter. In response to performance, the teacher can use
examples provided by students to refer back to during rehearsal. This would make development
of students knowledge/skills, contextual understandings, and artistic expression for performing
music more individualized and more effective. ]
5. Analyzing Teaching
Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.
a. What changes would you make to your instructionfor whole class and/or for students
who need greater support or challengeto better support student learning of the central
focus (e.g., missed opportunities)?
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different
strategies/support (e.g., students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners,
struggling readers, underperforming students or those with gaps in academic
knowledge, and/or gifted students).
V4_0915

[ Changes that I would incorporate into my instruction to provide greater support to the whole
class, as well as individuals with different learning needs, include more partner collaboration,
opportunities to create through different mediums, and supplemental materials for students with
specific needs. In Video Clip # 1 at 0:50, I jump right into part identification within the balance
pyramid. Although this engages students through inquiry and discussion, I feel that a better way
to engages students in this activity is first through partner collaboration then bringing students
together to discuss their thought processes. For this supplemental activity, I would pair students
with a partner from a different section and provide them with a worksheet with a blank Balance
Pyramid. The worksheet would include a word box of all the instruments in band and directions.
The directions would state, With a partner, using what you know about high to low
instruments, place each instrument within the Balance Pyramid. Also indicate using an arrow in
which direction the does the pyramid get louder. This change can be added to the existing
lesson plan or replaced by the warm-up activity at the beginning of class, at 0:14. Another
change I would like to incorporate in the learning segment shown in Video Clip # 1 is I would
also insert an activity before balance/unbalance contrasting activity demonstrated at 4:35. This
activity supports students in the application of the Balance Pyramid and support actively
listening down through each section to the tubas. For example, those in the top group of the
Balance Pyramid would listen to the instruments in the middle group, and those in the middle
group would listen to the instruments in the bottom group. Teacher would direct students to build
from the bottom up. Beginning with tubas, the lowest instrument, the teacher would prompt
students to play a note or chord, reminding students that they cannot be louder than the group
before them. This would support instructional scaffolding by initiating students to listen to each
other and the ensemble. After creating a balanced sound, I would take the activity another step
further and build from the top down, creating an inverted, or unbalanced pyramid, helping
students create a frame of reference based on comparing and contrasting ensemble sound.
As I reviewed my learning segment within Video Clip # 2, I felt that I did not give enough partner
collaboration time. According to the video, I gave the students approximately 30 seconds to
discuss with their partner examples of loudness in everyday life. This occurs from 5:56 to 6:29.
Instead of observing students from the front of the room during this time, I should have taken
the opportunity for informal assessment and walked around the room listening to student
conversations, evaluating their creativity, contextual understanding, and knowledge of
dynamics. Giving students greater support often simply means that students need more time to
process and think through the problem. Furthermore, I felt that the exercise was a little flawed.
At 7:47, a student offers a mouse as an example of the piano dynamic, meaning soft. I
conversed with students and asked them if a mouse was really piano, or would if it would be
pianissimo. Since dynamics are relative, I would adjust the exercise for greater understanding.
Instead of asking students to give me a single example of loudness, I would ask them to come
up with examples of loudness within the spectrum of dynamics. When opening up the
discussion back to the class, I would ask students to give me their examples from loudest to
softest, write their examples on the board in order from loudest to softest. In order to connect to
the previous lesson, I would then ask students in terms of the balance pyramid, Which
instruments should be the loudest in the Balance Pyramid? Which instruments should be the
softest? Who stays right in the middle? After the students answer the previous questions, I
would have the students identify their dynamics starting at a mezzo-forte as the center and most
balanced ensemble sound. ]
b. Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your
explanation with evidence of student learning AND principles from theory and/or
research.

V4_0915

[ In the first change or supplement where I would have students get together with a partner to
discuss and collaborate on a worksheet regarding the balance pyramid, students would have
the opportunity to activate not only their own prior knowledge, but also the prior knowledge of
their peers. Collaborative learning is a technique used in education by pairing or grouping
students together to impact their learning in a positive way (Firestone, 2003). Working together
to achieve a common learning target increases student success and also helps students create
greater contextual knowledge of the subject matter. In this change, specifically, students would
collaborate with students in other sections, giving them a different perspective of ensemble
sound. Through this interaction students would acquire an appreciation and awareness of other
sections, which supports the concept of the Balance Pyramid in regards to ensemble sound as
a whole. The second change in Video Clip # 1 supplements student learning through
instructional scaffolding by inviting students to assess each other, and themselves, in order to
create and perform a balanced ensemble sound. In this activity students are invited to build and
sustain a concert Bb. In this particular activity the teacher facilitates the exercise in order to help
students achieve the desired ensemble sound. Here students are operating in the Zone of
Proximal Development, the area of learning that happens between what students know and
what students do not yet know with support. According to Lev Vygotsky, learning is always
occurring and cannot be separated from social context, and students learn most efficiently when
they are using prior knowledge/skill and contextual understandings to achieve a new learning
target with the support of a teacher, or expert (Vygotsky, 1978). Furthermore, this activity
contrasts balanced and unbalanced ensemble sound. The benefit of this lies within Blooms
Taxonomy, which is a ladder of cognitive processes and levels of higher learning functions. The
lowest function is factual, which is defined as the basic elements students must know to be
acquainted with a discipline or solve problems (Clark, 2004). Students in this class are equipped
with the basic skills to play and discern different dynamic levels of their individual playing. The
change, or supplemental activity, challenges students to function at the upper levels of
conceptual and procedural functions. Conceptual function is the interrelationships among the
basic elements within a larger structure that enable them to function together. The activity
promotes conceptual function by adding and incorporating sections one by one. The teacher
also engages students in questioning to encourage students to self-assess during the activity.
This relates to the procedural function which is how to do something, methods of inquiry, and
criteria for using skills, algorithms, techniques, and methods (Bloom, 1956).
The change in Video Clip # 2 relates to all of the above: student collaboration, Blooms
Taxonomy, and instructional scaffolding. The activity supports further student learning through
additional partner collaboration time. The act of providing examples of loudness would be more
helpful if students created examples for each dynamic level in terms of a spectrum of loudness.
This incorporates analyzation and organization skills. Both of which are higher cognitive
processes. Deeper student learning occurs the higher up one goes in terms of the cognitive
functions within Blooms Taxonomy.

V4_0915

Edtpa Pfa Instruction Commentary

Transféré par

Informations du document

Description originale:

Titre original

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Edtpa Pfa Instruction Commentary

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

K-12 Performing Arts

Task 2: Instruction Commentary

TASK 2: INSTRUCTION COMMENTARY

Promoting a Positive Learning Environment

K-12 Performing Arts

knowledge/skills (e.g., tools/instruments, technical proficiencies, processes,

contextual understandings (e.g., social, cultural, historical, global, personal

artistic expression (e.g., interpretation, creativity, exploration/improvisation, individual

K-12 Performing Arts

Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

K-12 Performing Arts

K-12 Performing Arts

Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

K-12 Performing Arts

Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi