Week 2: Rhythm

A rhythm can be defined in a number of ways. It is the recurring pattern that is heard throughout a song. Sometimes it can be fast and sometimes it can be slow. A rhythm can be created from every day sounds. It is the sound of raindrops on a tin roof. It is the pitter patter of little bare feet down a hallway. It is the whistle of a tea kettle and the sound of doors being opened and closed.

·         What do you like about the way she presented the information? Why?

o   I like that the information she presented on the boards seemed to be so organized.  I believe that organization is key in children understanding the information that is presented to them.

·         What do you dislike about the way she presented information? Why?

o   It seemed that Miss Taylor was talking down to her students as she taught the lesson. I believe that we should talk to children just as we would talk to anyone. If I were to put myself in a child’s shoes, I would feel as if I were inferior to Miss Taylor because of the tone of her voice and the rapid pace of her presentation.

·         Is this an example of good teaching? Why do you think so?

o   I believe this is an example of good teaching. Miss Taylor presented the information in an organized way. She also used different methods of presentation, such as the boards, verbal, and by simple, yet informative hands-on activities, where the students actually created rhythms themselves. However, I was not fond of the way that she talked to the students or how quickly she ran through the information.

·         How many different ways did she present the information? Why do you think this is important?

o   Miss Taylor presented the information in three different ways. She presented it first visually with use of the boards. She then used verbal explanation where she elaborated on the information presented on the boards. Finally, Miss Taylor used demonstrative techniques. She physically demonstrated what she had taught and then gave the students and chance to learn hands-on by doing it themselves.

o   I think this is important because not all students learn the same way. For example, some students may learn simply by reading the information presented on the boards. However, other students may need to participate in a hands-on activity to learn the same information.