My car was hit and run

June note

My other Homework

Narrative Portfolio

This is my fifth year studying in Kennesaw. Honestly in the beginning of the first two years I did not consider to be a musician but to be a chemist making money. Music is my interest and I knew violin is my strength since I was ten when I perform in front of my music class. I like to be music major in Kennesaw State even though strings instrument is the weakest program in the beginning. We did not have a university orchestra but a strings ensemble and Cobb Symphony. I could barely count the rhythm of Brahms Symphony No. 3 during the first rehearsal. I also had the opportunity to play solo part of Corelli Christmas concerto for strings ensemble. I paid two hundreds dollars for private lessons which are cheaper than outside school. I played Kreutzer Etude no. 35 for violin studio class when Emily Alexander played 1^st movement of Mozart Concert no. 3 without cadenza which motivated me to practice.  Dr. Edward Eanes might not be a famous violinist but he is a very good teacher. I memorized the first movement of Mozart violin concerto no. 4 during Christmas 2003 and auditioned for Kennesaw State concerto competition. Ms. Karen Parks was impressed what I was playing and let me pass the first round. I borrowed a valuable violin from a violin collector for the final round, from whom I bought two bows costs $150. I did not understand the use of bow and apply too much pressure on the strings. Anyway I practice with discipline and tried my best in Stillwell Theater which is not a good place for acoustic sound.

In same semester, I got three Cs from Calculus I, English I and Biology I because I was late for tests and did not study. So, I took many music class in the next fall semester because music classes make my GPA went up. At the same time, I practiced piano every night because the piano program is great and the pianist practiced all the time which motivated me a lot. I watched many senior recitals and learned from them. In January 2004 before the semester began, I was in trouble for sneaked into practice piano to practice. Peter Witte, the chairman of Music department, helped me out anyway. And because of me, the security guards kick students out at eleven every night. I still think students have the right to practice in the practice as late as possible. Practice is the only way to get better. Now I practice in the student center which opens 24 hours everyday. This is my sophomore year and I played first movement of Viotti violin concerto no. 22 for concerto competition. In the fall 2004, Dr. Michael Alexander became the orchestra director. I learnt a lot from him as our orchestra director and conductor of Cobb Symphony.  

During the summer, I heard Helen; a great violinist was coming to teach. I chose to stay with Dr. Eanes so that I would be his only student. During the master class with David Perry and his strings quartet, I listened to Helen Kim’s students. I was playing 1^st movement of Bruch violin concerto while her high students were playing 1^stnd movement of Bruch violin concerto in master class with Joseph Lin and 3^rd movement for master class with Peter Zasofsky and concerto competition. I learnt a lot from Joseph Lin who stood close to me and showed what vibrato was. Certainly his violin is priceless and produces tremendous sound but his vibrato skill is very unique and sensitive. He explained many different kinds of vibrato and how to imagine the sound of beauty and produce it. In the dead sound of Stillwell Theater, his performance impressed me a lot. He played Tzigane from Maurice Rave and Chaconne from Bach Unaccompanied Sonata for violin. Since Helen Kim became the assistant professor of violin, the department set up audition for her and two other candidates who were Asian with DMA. I played Bruch 2^nd movement for them and learnt how to find beauty from the slow movement. There are climax on phrases of appreciations. The speed of bow can make the sound change. Even though I gained experience from these great violinists, my 3^rd  movement of Tchaikovsky and Sibelius. To challenge myself, I played 2 movement of Bruch was still not too good. After my failure on my junior recital jury, Dr. Michael Alexander and Dr. Eanes recommended me to switch to music education major. I did not feel to bad because I planned to be a music education major and took the first education class already a semester before. As a freshman, I thought music education was students who could not play well enough. As a sophomore, I thought my English was not good enough to handle public school teaching. So, I found a great opportunity to learn how to teach and learn English. In May I went to Hong Kong which my first time back to home since four years ago. Then I took summer classes, one of them is the second education class. Since I spoke Cantonese for a month and I did not pay attention to my grammar mistake, the instructor gave me a B even though my score should be an A and she did not recommend me as a candidate for education major until I showed improvement on my English. That class was a joke learning teenager behavior. Anyway I found a conversation partner from the chairman of Asian club. Also I partied more and made friends in music building.

The third I took lessons with Helen Kim because I started to be serious on studying violin and become a musician. Helen played 1^st movement of Mendelssohn violin concerto, Carmen Fantasy from Sarasate and two fast movement of Bach Sonata for audition. I also find her teaching was very efficient compared to two other candidates. I remembered when I was teenager in Hong Kong I saw her on TV playing Bach double violin concerto with Sarah Cheng. She had wide connections with lots of musicians. She knew the solo violinist in Atlanta Symphony in person. I started writing notes and took pictures with musicians on many concerts. Helen taught me Brahms violin sonata no. 2 and Bach Sonata before she gave born to her first son. Sou-Chun Su, 2^ndst movement of Lalo Symphonie Espagnole for concerto competition after failure of playing Tzigane on lessons with Helen. She encouraged me to practice whenever I had free time. I increased my nightly practice to daily and nightly practice. I impressed Peter Zosofsky with improvement during master class. As music department expanded, many teachers joined. They gave speech on professionalism. Connections, punctuation and being nice are the keys to success.   violin principal, taught me for a month instead. He gave me freedom to decide how the music supposes to sound while he emphasized on rhythm. I found that musician from Cleveland Institute of Music are excellent on rhythm. Actually later on, I discovered rhythm and intonation are the priority of be professional. I chose 1

In January I went to Savannah for GMEA. I watched lots of performances and attended lots of workshop. I watched Columbus State University orchestra and their faculty chamber music. Pianist Jon Kimura Parker and violinist Sergiu Schwartz impressed me with Franck Sonata. I went to Michael Alan strings section. Then several days after, I gave my senior recital for music education. Many friends from music classes came to support. I played first two movement of Brahms sonata, Bach sonata first movement and Lalo. This year I did not win concerto competition, I earned recognition. About ten audiences asked me for signing autographs. Dr. Alexander let me played as concertmaster for Elixir of Love directed by Dr. Young from Miami. I also played for Honor recital. Sam Skelton, jazz director, let me play music for cocktail music for Art Gala in Kennesaw Airport. At the same time, I expanded my studio from two students to nine students. And during summer I performed with a band two times in a club and a bar in downtown. Also I tried to learn jazz (but not successful), and went to my friend Leeland Davis’s concerts including one concert in jazz festival.

Until last fall semester finally I was accepted to the education program and took my last education class, exceptional childhood. As I had free time, I decided to perform one more senior recital for music performance degree. Also I took conducting private lessons with Dr. Alexander. I learnt rhythm again is the most important element to become a conductor. I practiced Hindemith exercise with metronome so that I could internalize rhythm. I learnt Piazzolla Historic Du Tango with guitarist Otto and played as concertmaster for my last orchestra concert with Franck Symphony. Unfortunately I dislocated my elbow during a soccer game in November, 2007. After that, in the same month I got a bad car accident. I recovered quickly and gave my senior recital in the first day of student teaching.

I student taught in the day time and expanded my studio to fourteen students in the evening. I needed money because I did not have health insurance. In fact it is a good idea to me because I can switch my idea from private teaching to student teaching. I learnt behavior management and group teaching skills from cooperating teacher Mr. Schroter. It was his first year in Durham Middle School and fifth year in Cobb County where he taught Cooper middle school. I am glad to teach with him and experienced the first year teaching in a new school. 8^th graders may be like the new teacher as they missed the old teacher. New class policy may offend the old rules from the old teacher. Anyway, everything went well. It was a good school with good students, just same as what I asked for.

I went to Kennesaw State University because it was close to my uncle’s home. Kennesaw State gave me everything I need and I found myself here. It is the fast growing University with lots of funding. Nice natural environment with new facilities. Music department is small but everyone was forced to sit in the hall just like family. It is unusual to see so many master classes and performance here with a nice performance like Spivey Hall with manager Bobby Asher. I am just lucky to study here.

Impact on Student Learning Analysis

Impact on Student Learning Analysis

Durham Middle School is located at north of Cobb County in Atlanta, Georgia with nine hundreds and forty eight students. 85 percent of students are White. 7 percent are Black. 3 percent are Hispanic. 2 percent are Asian. 3 percent are Multi. Ratio of Female to Male is 1:1. House hold economic of parents are high. Most students can afford to rent or own their instruments. Durham Middle School is the pioneer school for technology. All teachers received Smart board and Smart technology last August. It has a short history, which is ten years. Its architecture is new and most new middle school around copied its architecture, which is one floor, long rectangular shape.

Students’ academic achievement is high. They participated in academic activities too. One student got a first place of geography state competition. In my 8^th grade orchestra class, many students play guitar very well.

I went to school everyday from 8:40am to 4:15pm. My schedule is:

9:30 – 10:15 7^th grade orchestra

10:15 – 11:10 7^th grade guitar

11:15 – 12:30 6^th Planning/Lunch

12:30 – 1:25 6^th grade orchestra

1:25 – 2:25 6^th grade orchestra

2:25 – 3:20 8^th grade guitar

3:20 – 4:15 8^th grade orchestra

Analyzing and Reporting the Data:

I test 7^th and 8^th grade orchestra students with 2 octaves G major and D major which require them to shift. Shifting is totally new technique to them. Only less than 5 percent of the students knew shifting for pre-test. After instruction, practice and let them play for each other, most students show progress of learning the 2 octaves and shifting. Finally most students passed the playing test which is the post test.

7^th grade and 8^th grade beginning guitar class students do not know how to read music notes on music staff during pre-test. 10 percent shows that they can read notes because some of them have been taking private music lessons. I use internet access and smart board to show them space notes are FACE and notes on the lines are EGBDF, “Even George Bush drives fast”. 90 to 95 percent shows they can recognize the music notes on www.musictheorty,net during post-test.

40 percent of 6^th grade orchestra students show that they know staccato. After instruction on the definition, most of them show that they understand what staccato means and also hooked bowing during post test.

No significant data shows any different of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, gender, language, religion… but new students transferred from other school shows difficulty to adjust learning materials and teaching style.

Reflecting on the Data:

Two 6^th grade orchestra students show most different of “Impact on Student Learning”. In January, I usually teach the second orchestra class students, which I copied all teaching materials and teaching style from my co-operating teacher teaching the first 6^th grade orchestra class. In February, I started to teach both class. I found the second class students are responding to my teaching style while the first class students still need time to adjust my teaching style. I found also my teaching is more efficient for the second class since my teaching materials are exactly the same.

Success and failure:

6^th grade orchestra students were most successful on sight reading. I made them count the rests loudly and subdivide the eighth notes.

7^th grade orchestra students show most successful on dynamics. They can play forte and piano with a dramatic difference.

8^th grade orchestra students show most successful on sight-reading.

However, most orchestra students need more opportunity to grow on intonation.   

Both 7^th grade and 8^th grade beginning guitar students show success on composing. They are very creative play their song writing project.

Weakness/Differences:

Even though I am a good violinist, I have no clue what music middle school beginners can achieve. I know repertoire of beginners from private lessons teaching. And I learn a lot repertories when I student teach for four months. I sight-read a lot of music and also let students to sight-read. I also adjust my Suzuki teaching materials to Michael Alan Essential music. Suzuki start from A and E strings and Michael Alan starts from D and A strings on violin. In addition, I played cello, viola and bass when my cooperating teacher teaches so that I feel comfort to teach and say out the fingering on these instruments.

Improvement:

I am weak at pacing in the beginning of student teaching. I stick on one particular section and forget to pay attention to other section. Most middle school students cannot handle to wait patiently and silently. I learn to keep most students busy all the time even though I have to concentrate on some sections and particular students. I always adjust my teaching style from private lesson to group lesson.

Strategies and instruction:

The first time I taught whole day classes is the Thursday and Friday of GMEA meeting when my cooperating teacher went to Savannah. Most important strategy is keeping students busy. I keep them playing most music they learned for festival and teaching materials. I talked less and let them have more opportunity to play their instruments.

The second strategy is focusing one problem at one time and class. Especially, beginners cannot handle rhythm and intonation at the same time. I cannot expect them to play in rhythm, correct intonation and correct dynamic at the first time. I have to subdivide the music into sectionals and teach them step by step.

The third strategy is making students feel successful. Choosing the suitable level and music and music they like is the key to make them feel good. Also, even they have a hard to play more difficult music; I must let them play something they can achieve in the end of any classes.

The forth strategy is making comments on their playing every time I let them play. Comments must be quick and efficient, so that I do not talk too long. Comments should be positive so that they are motivated to improve.

Professional development:

I always establish a good relationship with all people, especially my cooperating teacher. I respect as my teacher. He is a percussionist and studied strings pedagogy for master. He is a very good with excellent characteristic. Not only I learn teaching style from him and I learn the way he handle students and parents problem. 

What I learn from student teaching

Discipline and behavior management are the most important part of teaching. Luckily this school has point system. Students will be deducted points from late, out of seat, unprepared, off task, out of area, public display of affection, misuse of equipment, disruptive behavior, poor lunch behavior, disrespectful, defiant, misuse of computer, lost card, lost agenda. Consequences of every ten points are silent lunch plus parent phone call, advisement plan, am or pm detention and administration referral.

If students behave well, they get reward, cats for helping teacher, class leading, random acts/kindness and good character.

Most students have not much behavioral problem except the 8^th grade guitar class. Since they did not choose to be in the guitar class and it is the last year being in middle school, they have the poor attitude. In addition, there are notorious students together. Three to four female students are friends. This combination let them react worse. They came to class to socialize rather than learning. Four students had been sent to advisement plan for talking, tardy, disrespectful and disruptive behavior. Two of these students ended up detention. When my cooperating teacher and I review, he explained it was an exception. However, better behavior management should have been set up and explained to students in the first week of class. More organized and planned lessons could avoid such incidents.

Prokofiev violin sonata op.b 1st mvt by Wilson Tong