Contextual Factors Template

Total Number of Students in the School: _____400______

School Socio-Economic Make-Up (i.e., % free and reduced lunches): ____27%_______

Class Class Class Class Class Class

1 2 3 4 5 6
Grade Level 7 6 5 6/7 8 7/8
Subject Taught Band Band Beginning Jazz Band Band Festival
Band Band
Number of Students in Classroom 21 30 60 38 36 52

Contextual Information: Class Class Class Class Class Class Student Learning Adaptations:
(List the number of students identified 1 2 3 4 5 6 (Describe at least one example of a strategy
in each class you teach and identify the to provide equitable opportunities,
class in which you are teaching your accommodations, or modifications you
unit) attempted for any student identified within
each contextual characteristic)
There were students of either gender on all
Gender 14 17 35 20 16 25 instruments and all were given the
Number of Females: 7 13 25 18 20 27 opportunity to play in small ensembles with
Number of Males: either gender.
Music was selected across cultures to
Ethnic/Cultural Make-Up 18 25 51 34 34 45 include every background and ethnicity.
Caucasian/White: 1 1 4 3 0 3 Students were given an equal opportunity
African American/ Black: 1 4 3 1 1 3 to participate in discussion and playing
Hispanic/Latino:
0 0 0 0 0 0 instruments in class. Students were given
Asian/Pacific Islander:
1 0 1 0 1 1 equal opportunity to improvise or perform
American Indian/Alaskan Native:
for classmates.
With only one class with an English
Language Proficiency language learner, I made sure to explain
Number of English Language 0 1 0 0 0 0 things using modeling, body language,
Learners (ELL): handouts in different languages, and other
clear ways to communicate.
Students above grade level were mentors
Academic Performance to the class, models of sound concept on
Students Performing 2 3 4 1 2 1 their instrument, and leaders of small
Below Grade Level: ensembles. Students struggling or under
Student Performing
4 6 8 8 9 10 grade level were paired with their mentors
Above Grade Level:
in class, given individual attention before or
after school during open band room
practice time. Every child was given the
proper tools and attention to succeed, they
just needed to make the choice to work
hard.
Accommodations were given to every
Students with Special Needs 1 2 3 1 2 1 student through varied instructional
Learning Disability: 0 0 3 0 1 0 strategies in every class. Pacing went
Emotional/Behavioral Impairment: 2 2 2 1 3 2 quickly yet clearly for students who struggle
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD):
 Developmental Disability: 0 1 0 0 0 0 with focus. During warm ups and during
Intellectual Disability: 0 0 0 0 0 0 songs, the teacher would walk around and
Speech/Language Impairment: 0 0 0 0 0 0 help individuals struggling with air, tone, or
Autism Spectrum: 1 1 2 0 1 2 technique and answer any questions they
Gifted: 4 5 4 3 5 6 had about the music. Questions and
Blind/Visual Impairment (VI): 0 0 0 0 0 0 activities were worded carefully and
Deaf /Hearing Impairment (HI): 0 0 0 0 0 0 executed carefully for behavioral or
Physical Disability:
0 1 0 0 0 0 emotionally impaired students to be
Other Health Impairment:
0 0 0 0 0 0 successful with the group. Gifted students
at their instrument were given leadership
roles or were mentors to those that
struggled in class.
Military Connected Students 2 3 6 2 2 5 No accommodations or recognizing was
done to these students, but I made
references in my teaching about the
discipline and honor of our veterans and
current military and how it relates to the
ensemble and our roles in band class.

Contextual Factors Continued

Student Characteristics:
Describe the developmental characteristics of students in your classroom.
(Cognitive, Physical, Emotional, Social).
Most all of the students in my classes functioned at a developmentally normal cognitive, physical, emotional,
and social rate for their age. 6th graders were physically smaller than 7th and 8th graders, which added to the
challenges of holding instruments properly and creating good sounds. 8th graders had higher-level social
interactions and were more communicative about their emotions and world around them. Cognitively, all
students functioned highly and participated actively in all music lessons and did well on playing tests.

Highlight the prior knowledge and interests of students in your classroom.

All students at the middle school had finished beginning band and all general music classes at the
elementary school. All students knew the note names on the staff, how to properly hold their instrument (with
some corrections or accommodations from time to time), how to use good air, and the expectations that were
set for them upon entering the classroom. In middle school, many were interested in pop culture and popular
music of the day.

Describe the implications these characteristics have on planning and instruction.

(e.g. What instructional strategies will you use to meet the unique learning needs of all your students?)
I use analogies the students can relate to. Whether it’s playing popular music over the speakers before class,
relating their pieces to popular music, or making analogies to the Avengers movies or popular tv shows or
video games, the students identify and relate to things that they experience outside of the classroom and
those things need to be integrated into the classroom.
I interact differently with the younger ones than the older ones because of their stages in cognitive,
emotional, and social development. It’s important to meet students where they are at and make
accommodations for the outliers so they don’t either slip through the cracks or get bored.
Environmental Factors:
Describe district, school, and classroom environmental factors impacting the quality of education for all
of your students.
Compared to the surrounding areas, Lexington Trails Middle School in DeSoto is very low SES. There’s
ample experiences and opportunities offered in KC and the DeSoto areas, however students struggle to
meet the financial requirements of engaging in those experiences. Fundraising through the music
programs and encouraging students to seek out those opportunities is a never-ending cycle and a
necessary cycle to create motivated and deliberate young musicians. The school side of things is top-
notch in DeSoto and the faculty set rigorous expectations for every student to succeed to their highest
potential.

Describe community and family environmental factors impacting the quality of education for all of your
students.
The low SES family life cannot be easy on the students, however the community comes together as a whole to
lift each other up very well. The faculty and staff at all the DeSoto schools go above and beyond to make sure
every student gets a great education and is accommodated for at every level.

Describe the implications these factors have on planning and instruction.

(What instructional strategies will you use to address the unique environmental factors impacting each
student?)
Many classes we have talked about different opportunities in the surrounding KC area could benefit the
students in their musicianship. Many classes we have talked about how neither money nor the absence of
money disqualifies you from being a good person and participating in every opportunity the band program
has to offer.

Contextual Factors Continued

Focus Students Information
Provide information about the two focus students you selected from the class in which you will be
teaching your unit that you feel would benefit from modified instruction. You MUST choose one
student with exceptionalities or an English Language Learner as one of your focus students.
Complete the chart below referring to these students only as Student A and Student B. Do not use
proper names.
 Describe this student Why did you What did you find out Based on this
using information from select this about this student? information what
the Contextual student? Address characteristics are the
Information and Student from the Contextual implications for
Learning Adaptations Information and this student’s
Student Learning instruction?
Adaptations
Student Student A is a Latino Student A Emotionally and This student
A male in class 2 that struggles socially, he is behind his needs to be
other classmates. He
speaks Spanish as his academically in often doesn’t
challenged to do
primary language but school and has communicate effectively his best
is fluent in speaking low self- if he is having any whenever
English as well. He efficacy in all negative emotion. possible and
has emotional and classes, even Physically and encouraged
cognitively, he’s a very
behavior issues that band. bright student that could
constantly to do
stem from his Sometimes he hit all marks if he put his best. He
struggles with written acts out and forth effort/had better needs to sit
English literacy. disrupts a self-efficacy. This away from his
whole lesson, student requires a good friends, away
relationship with a
other times he teacher in order to reach
from distraction,
checks out his highest potential. He and given no
completely and requires more attention attention for
doesn’t and accommodation than negative actions
participate. I a lot of students, and the that affect the
rest of the students
want to make deserve to believe he
classroom. This
sure he doesn’t isn’t getting any special student might
slip through the treatment as well. need handouts in
cracks of my Spanish or
class and written
instructions
spoken to him.
Describe this student Why did you What did you find out Based on this
using information from select this about this student? information what
the Contextual student? Address characteristics are the
Information and Student from the Contextual implications for
Learning Adaptations Information and this student’s
Student Learning instruction?
Adaptations
Student Student B is a I wanted to Cognitively, Student B needs
B Caucasian female in make sure my emotionally, and to be more
physically, student B
Class 1 that speaks unit was exceeds all expectations
integrated into
English as her primary interesting, and requirements of the student
language. She has been challenging every class. However, community
identified as a very enough, and she does struggle dynamic. She
gifted student both rigorous socially in connecting could benefit
with her peers. She
academically and on enough to thrives off of
from helping
her instrument, the educate even encouragement from the others in class
trombone. the brightest that struggle and
 students in my teacher and participates to be challenged
class. actively in all lessons. to continue to go
above and
beyond while
building others
up.

Entry 11: Data Analysis Template

Pre-Assessment Data
Student Scores by Objective on the Pre Assessment
Student Obj 1 Obj 2 Obj 3 Obj 4 Obj 5 Overall %
Can you Can you Do you Can you Can you
successfully describe know all identify articulate
clap a proper air your note dynamic correctly
rhythm of needed for names? symbols on your
various
your on a piece instrument
eighth,
instrument of music and
quarter,
and and and mark describe
sixteenth describe a phrase what is
notes? quality starting required
sound and to
concept? endings? articulate
correctly?
1 6/10 10/10 8/10 9/10 8/10 82%
2 7/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 92%
3 6/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 86%
4 10/10 10/10 8/10 10/10 10/10 96%
5 9/10 8/10 7/10 9/10 7/10 80%
6 7/10 10/10 9/10 8/10 10/10 88%
7 8/10 8/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 88%
Focus A 6/10 7/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 80%
Focus B 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 100%

What do these data mean for instruction during the unit?

Overall, students are meeting high marks on their pre-assessment and should be fairly on track
and successful to meet their assessments at the end of the unit. The concept that the students
struggled the most with was clapping rhythms, so I know to take extra care and spend extra
time when reviewing and building upon rhythmic concepts.

What do these data mean for instruction for the Focus Students
during the unit?
Student B is going to be successful with the content and objectives laid out for the class. She
will be a leader to the group and I hope to meet an objective of her integrating more into the
peer community. Student B is going to struggle without review of the pre-assessment concepts,
so I’ll spend extra time to make sure he can meet all the pre-assessment objectives before
moving on so the concepts aren’t over his head too much and he can feel successful. If he
thinks he can do something, he generally can, however, if he doesn’t believe he can do
something, he will either give up or distract the class. It will take effort to keep every lesson in
his zone of proximal development while catering to the whole of the student body.

Formative Assessment Data

Student Scores of Two Selected Formative Assessments
Student Formative 1 Formative 2

1 20/25 22/25
2 18/25 20/25
3 22/25 22/25
4 19/25 23/25
5 24/25 24/25
6 20/25 25/25
7 17/25 18/25
Focus A 16/25 20/25
Focus B 24/25 25/25

How did the data from these formative assessments impact learning
during the unit?
I was able to gauge the effectiveness of my teaching over the first half
of the unit and modify future lesson plans to fit the needs of my
students. Students were also able to accurately self-assess their own
learning and where to pick up the slack by asking questions and taking
their instrument home to practice certain concepts. Overall the
formative assessment propelled the entire class forward and made all
students more aware of the learning that had been accomplished and
how much more was required to meet class and personal goals.

How did the data from these formative assessments impact Focus
Student Learning during the unit?
Student A was motivated by his own self-assessment to do better after
the first formative assessment didn’t go as well as he had planned. He
truly wants to do well in this class, sometimes he fails to show it. Giving
student A an opportunity to tangibly grasp the amount he has been
learning in this class and how much he’s improved motivated him
through formative assessment B.
Student B didn’t struggle with either assessment. However, she was
able to reflect on the formative assessments while guiding other
struggling students in the class and help them gain knowledge she now
knew would be tested over.

Post-Assessment Data
Student Scores by Objective on the Post Assessment
Student Obj 1 Obj 2 Obj 3 Obj 4 Obj 5 Overall %
Are your Are you Do you Do you Do you
rhythms using know all describe describe
and notes quality air your note or and
correct? and names produce perform
producing and musical correct
quality specific decisions articulation
sound on key of for various
the signatures dynamics styles of
instrument? being within a music?
learned? piece?
1 10/10 10/10 8/10 10/10 9/10 94%
2 8/10 9/10 8/10 10/10 10/10 90%
3 9/10 10/10 7/10 9/10 10/10 90%
4 6/10 9/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 78%
5 9/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 92%
6 8/10 8/10 8/10 9/10 9/10 84%
7 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 8/10 92%
Focus A 9/10 10/10 8/10 8/10 9/10 88%
Focus B 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 98%

What does these data mean for learning during the unit?
There were unexpected lower scores when it came to note name and
key signature testing, but that could have been teacher error in not
reviewing and spending enough class time going over these concepts.
Students scored fairly well on these post-assessments, leading me to
think that the content and instructional strategies used were scaffolded
in ways that benefitted the students in their learning. Overall, the unit
was a success and I believe each student walked away feeling they had
learned over the course of the unit!

What does these data mean for learning for the Focus Students during
the unit?
With Student A, I made a breakthrough in how to motivate him. He
needs to be reminded of how much prior knowledge he truly has in
order to feel successful in moving forward. Giving encouraging and
direct feedback on all assessments helped him move forward in music
class, and the student-teacher relationship has grown because of his
newfound success.
Student B has grown in her social interactions with the class and has
shined as a leader of her section and of the ensemble. She has found
purpose in helping other students reach their full potential and
continues to be successful with every assessment.
For future instruction, what have you learned about how students
learn and the efficacy of your instructional style? What would you
change, if anything?
I will continue to add more specific and measurable objectives for my students to meet and
timelines for them to be completed. With music, so much is subjective that it is hard to set
rigorous and deliberate objectives to measure student growth and success. But through these
specific and measurable objectives, students find purpose and motivation and are able to see
their own growth to continue working hard in my classes.