MY PROCESS |
The context of my Unit Plan: History. City Middle and High School, housed in the old Creston High School, in the Creston District of Northeast Grand Rapids, has a long history within the Grand Rapids Public School (GRPS) System. GRPS was established in 1871, and has had many changes of locations and personnel over the years. City was established in the 1970’s as an alternative school for highly motivated and academically gifted students. Originally, it was on Grand Rapids Junior College ( GRJC) campus, then in 1990’s moved to Central High campus, and again in 2006 to Fuller Avenue. In 2012, Creston HS was closed, and became the building to house City MS/HS. It is a 7-12 grade school using the International Baccalaureate Standards. This program emphasizes Holistic Learning, Intercultural Awareness and Communication. 11 and 12th graders participate in the Diploma Programme, which focuses on Independent Research essay, Theory of Knowledge Course and accumulating hours for CAS (Creativity, Action, Service). City High Middle School is ranked in the top 5% of all Michigan schools on combined measures of student achievement and growth over time. It has been ranked among the top high schools in America by U.S. News & World Report for four consecutive years. City is also ranked as the top high school in the county by the Mackinac Center. Students enter by selection based on GPA, reading and math tests given by the school and teacher recommendation. There are three 6th grade academically gifted programs within GRPS which feed City: Blanford, JBP Zoo, and Economicology at City. City HS does not have any athletic programs, so students join one of GRPS other teams to participate in the sport aspect of school like football, swimming, track, and basketball. The students come from all over the region, from as far as Wayland to the south and Rockford area. There is bussing for students within Grand Rapids, either on school busses or City busses. They can attend through School of Choice, and need their own transportation if outside the district.
Demographics: Creston Neighborhood encompases 2.45 square miles on the NE side of Grand Rapids. The population of 9,949 is 25.9% Hispanic, with the rest white. The average income is $43,640, less than 20% have achieved a bachelor’s degree, the average household is 2.5 people, 4% do not list English as their first language, 22% live below the poverty level, and 52.1% of K-12 students are enrolled in private schools. This means that the student population at City MS/HS do not necessarily come from this neighborhood. The Creston Neighborhood itself provides several services for the community, including home repair services, energy audits, water use reduction, lead paint elimination, Neighborhood Watch. These type of programs promote accountability, responsibility and appreciation within the community. Student Body statistics: About 700 students are enrolled at City MS/HS, with 55% white students. Of the minority 45% student body, Hispanic is the largest element (17%), followed closely by 16% African American population, with 6% Asian, 6% mixed race, and just combined 0.2% Pacific Islander, Alaskan Native, Hawaiian, or Native American. 57% are female students. 38% are economically disadvantaged and on the free/reduced lunch program. Proficiency on the Michigan Merit Exam for Math and English is 73% and 98%, respectively. Compared to the State of Michigan percentages of 30% (math) and 50% (English), it is evident that the student body is highly motivated and academically gifted. On the College Readiness Index, the students rate 92 out of 100. (US News website, 2014) The student/teacher ratio is 22.57 The school operates their school day on an alternating regular and block schedule, with an added 8th period on Thursdays. Although I worked with all band students, my lesson plan focused on the 7th grade classes. |
Faculty and the Music classes: Mr. Schroeder took his band director position after serving a long career of 30 years in Elementary Music, first in Arizona, then Colorado, and finally Grand Rapids. He previously taught at the Blandford and John Ball Park Zoo schools in the district. He joined City’s staff in 2002, so has been in three of City’s locations. There are five band classes at City MS/HS: zero hour, which includes one 9th grader, one 10th grader, 17 11th graders and 22 seniors meets before school, and is for those students for whom the other band hours do not fit into their schedules. 29 are male, 13 female. The exact racial breakdown is unknown, but white population seems to be greater than the school average in this class. 1st hour is seventh grade band, of which there are two groups which alternate depending on regular or block schedules. In this grade are 45 males, 29 females. 2nd and 4th hours are 9/10 grade bands, which perform separately from one another. 93 students are in these two classes, 68 which are male. Finally, 3rd hour is the 8th grade band, with 36 of the 60 students male. Racially, again the exact breakdown is unknown, but seems to fit the school overall with 45% minority and 55% white. The ability levels of the students vary widely in the 7th and 8th grade classes. At City, 7th grade are required to take both visual art and music. In 8th grade, they are to choose one path. Therefore, there are some students in each of these grade levels who have not had 6th grade band, or have switched from another instrument. This makes differentiation necessary within the music. One example in 8th grade is a student who is playing trombone for the first time. Previously, they were in orchestra on a string instrument, but because of scheduling, they were given band class, and had to begin a new instrument. Providing individual help to make up for the 3 years they are behind most the other students is not evident. Another example is a student in 7th grade, who decided to take up tuba, after playing bassoon, a very dissimilar instrument. Again, teacher availability to make this transition is minimal. Although the students are highly motivated and academically advanced, the large band classes make individual help difficult to achieve.
In City MS/HS, the orchestra rehearses in Creston’s choral room, with built in risers for vocalists. The choir rehearses in a small classroom, perhaps a former office space? The band room itself is a large space, with several percussion instruments and larger band instruments available for student use. There are smaller rooms off the larger rehearsal space which can be used for small groups of students to work on projects. There is a windowed office for the teacher, and access to the parking lot for band parade drills. Brigg’s field is two blocks away, for practicing marching band formations. The context of rehearsing, after attendance, is for tuning, warming up with tone, technique and chorale playing. Then repertoire is practiced. For 7th and 8th grade, this means using either the Standards of Excellence I or Essential Elements II band method books. These books contain important information about the language of music, specific positions and fingerings for individual notes, and exercises in scales and rhythms basic to music ensemble performance. Some students have their own instruments, and the school provides instruments to students who do not have their own. Individual practice at home is encouraged. Application: Understanding the context of the school and community help me to relate to the students in the classroom. Knowing that they are there by choice makes a big difference in their motivation, and therefore achievement is high. Maintaining their GPA and succeeding on the IB rubric are important to the students. Even though there are more minorities here than in the surrounding neighborhood, the students work hard in spite of language difficulties they may face. The language of music prevails over lack of comprehension which may happen with minorities. The fact that most Creston K-12 children are sent to private schools shows that education in general is important to many families. Unfortunately, not important enough to entrust their children to their neighborhood school. I wonder how many students at City actually live in the Creston neighborhood? Sources at bottom of page, below |
Karen Yonkers bio
I was born into a middle class white family which was involved in community, the arts, and literacy on a daily basis. We read the newspaper and the bible together as a family. We were not rich, yet could afford musical instruments, lessons, and books. My siblings and I were all encouraged to study piano and another instrument in band or orchestra. My father was director of Methodist Church choirs for as long as my memory can reach. We sang in these choirs as a family. When I got to high school, I accompanied church and school choirs on piano. Our family activities revolved around Dad’s Band/Music teacher career. During high school, I would often go to the band room after school to help him sort and file music, so learned the proper filing order for musical scores. The family traveled during summer vacations, visiting museums, National Parks, and passing around the road maps, playing alphabet sign game and collecting state license plate sightings to entertain on the road trips. There weren’t dvd’s to watch, nor cd’s to listen to, no iPods or cell phones or handheld video games, so conversation and road games captivated those many hours traveling.
When arts funding was cut in the early 1980’s, Dad was moved from Middle School band director to sharing elementary music and math and science classes. I observed his research, exploration, and innovation in creating programs which were engaging and meaningful in these new subjects. At the time I was in my early 20's, studying Music Education at Hope College. I have been able to apply this nurturing method as I have taught over the years, both in school settings and with my private students. I look forward to meeting the challenges of ability levels which occur in secondary music programs. Today, there are so many tools available with the internet, iPads, electronics, etc. which make creating engaging lessons for individuals easier. For gifted students, extending the music lesson with composing programs, or providing You Tube examples to contrast, compare, and study is possible. Also, extra drilling on note identification can be found online (I already use this extensively with my piano students), as can videos to help struggling students by showing proper technique or suggesting special exercises to practice. Re-writing music parts to simplify OR to embellish for individual abilities is something I observed often growing up, and I want to do the same. I worked on this Unit Plan on Musical Quality as part of my continuing education at Calvin College in the Music Education program. My greatest goal is to help students see that music is a lifelong pursuit, one of the few subject areas of school which IS applicable to life after 12th grade! |
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