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Sandra Divnick’sElementary MusicEducation Portfolio

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Table of Contents○ Philosophy of Music Education○ Educational Background○ Transcripts○ Certifications○ Work History○ Volunteer Experience○ Lesson Plan Examples○ Music Arrangements○ Ensemble Experience○ Video Examples of the Children’s

Performances.

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My Philosophy of Music EducationMy goal as a music teacher is to allow my students

to experience music, because through music they will internalize math, language, science and history, and they will have the opportunity to be creative, to pretend, to be vulnerable, and ultimately, to be stronger and smarter individuals. I believe that everyone has a right to the joy of making music, yet I aim to teach not only enjoyment but also technical skills, which give students the opportunity to feel pride in their abilities and accomplishments.

more…

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Educational Background

○ MAIS in Music Education – anticipated graduation December 2011 (summa cum laud). University of Texas at Brownsville, Brownsville, TX 78520

○ BA in Music Education, vocal emphasis – anticipated graduation August 2010 (magna cum laude). University of Texas at Brownsville, Brownsville, TX 78520

○ BA in Communication, Spanish minor – May 2001 (cum laude). Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI 49104

○ High School Diploma – June 1997 (cum laude). Spring Valley Academy, Centerville, OH 45459

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Transcripts

○ Click to view this HTML document

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Certifications○ Orff Level I, 2004○ Orff Level II, 2005○ Orff Level III, 2006○Texas Certification for Teaching Music – EC-12, 2007○Kodaly Level I, 2008○Kodaly Level II, 2009○Kodaly Level III, 2010 (anticipated)(Orff and Kodaly are highly effective, student-centered methods of music education, embraced by many schools around the United States and the whole world. Orff focuses on creative movement, rhythmic layering and instrumentation, and culturally relevant singing. Kodaly focuses on training the ear to hear what it sees or to write what it hears with regards to melodies and rhythms. Both use folk songs as the vehicle to learning.)

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Work History○ Music Teacher at Victoria Heights Elementary (Principal: Michael Moreno) for the

Brownsville Independent School District in Brownsville, TX (2007-present)○ Student Teacher at Lucio Middle School (Mentor: Patsy Franco) and Putegnat

Elementary School (Mentor: Javier Balboa) for the Brownsville Independent School District in Brownsville, TX. (2007)

○ Pre-school Music Teacher & Private Voice Teacher for the Music Academy. The University of Texas at Brownsville. (2003-present)

○ English Composition Tutor for the SSSP/ASPIRE Program. The University of Texas at Brownsville. (2004-2006)

○ Music Teacher for Gymboree Play & Music in Williston, VT. (2003)○ Northwest Airlink Customer Service Representative. Burlington International Airport,

South Burlington, VT. (2002-2003)○ Spanish Teacher at Colchester Middle School (Principal: Jeff Shumate) in

Colchester, VT. 2001-2002○ Consultant for The Writing Center. Andrews University. Berrien Springs, MI. (1998-

2001)○ Assistant Publications Editor for the Communication Department. Andrews

University. Berrien Springs, MI. (1999-2001)○ Classroom Teacher for 7-Dwarfs Childcare Center (Miamisburg, OH 2001), Witherall

Childcare Center (St. Joseph, MI. 2000), and La Petite Academy (Miamisburg, OH. 1998)

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Volunteer Experience○ Director for the Renaissance Recorders in BISD. (2008-present)○ Coach for the Ballroom Dance Team at Victoria Heights. (2007-present)○ Presider for the Texas Music Educators’ Association Conference. (2006)○ Children’s Church teacher for Our Lady Star of the Sea. (2005-2006)○ Vocal Coach and Assistant for Music and Drama Summer Camp. (2002)○ Chaperone for Colchester Middle School dances. (2001-2002)○ Freshman Orientation helper for Andrews University. (2000)○ Classroom assistant in the Miamisburg Christian Learning Center. (2000)○ Senior Advisor to the Middle School Student Council’s Religious VP.

(1996-1997)○ Spanish, English, Math and Science tutor. (1996-1997)○ Group leader for the Adventist Development Relief Agency’s “Global

Village.” (1996)○ Group leader and teacher for Vacation Bible Schools. (1995-1996, 2003-

2005)○ Group leader for Youth Rallies and Prayer Conferences. (1993-1997)

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Sample Lesson PlansAll lessons connect with state standards, which are

comprised of the following general categories:○ Perception

○ The student describes and analyzes musical sound and demonstrates musical artistry.

○ Performance○ The student performs a varied repertoire of music.

○ Internalization / Expression / Presentation○ The student hears, reads and writes music notation.

○ Creative Composition○ The student creates and arranges music within specified

guidelines.○ Historical / Cultural Heritage

○ The student relates music to history, to society, and to culture.○ Response / Evaluation

○ The student responds to and evaluates music and musical performance through verbal, visual or kinesthetic means.

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Kindergarten Lesson Plan○ Objective: The students will connect a sound with

an animal’s movement.○ State Standards: Style perception and response to

a musical expression/sound.○ Method:

○ Students will quietly listen to Carnival of the Animals’ “Personages With Long Ears”

○ Teacher will read “Song of the Bunnies” to children and then ask students to identify rabbit movements from the song – hop, eat, sleep, etc.

○ Students will listen to “Personages With Long Ears” again and will hop when they hear the music “jump.”

○ Extension: Sing the known song “Let’s Play We Are Little Bunnies” and allow students to suggest and model possible movements.

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1st Grade Lesson Plan○ Objective: Students will identify the rhythm of a

known song.○ State Standards: Perception of sounds and beats,

and written expression / notation.○ Method:

○ Students will sing the known song “Buttercup” while keeping a beat.

○ Students will identify how many beats are in the song.○ Individuals will tap the beats on the chart on the board.○ Students will identify how many sounds belong in each

beat and teacher will mark the chart accordingly.

○ Extension: Students will choose another song and work with a partner, following the same steps, to fill in a beat-chart on a worksheet.

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2nd Grade Lesson Plan○ Objective: Students will identify and perform the

2nd scale degree (“re”) in songs.○ State Standards: Internalization and expression

of a sound.○ Method:

○ Students will sing “Hot Cross Buns” and will determine if the intervals are steps or skips.

○ Given that the students already know “mi” and “do,” they will identify that the missing tone is between those two.

○ Teacher will inform them that it is “re” and students will apply this information when they sing the song.

○ Students will identify “re” in written notation and in other songs.

○ Extensions: Students will create and perform an original composition which includes “re.”

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3rd Grade Lesson Plan○ Objective: Students will identify and respond to tempo

markings.○ State Standards: Perception, performance, and

internalization of musical terms.○ Method:

○ Students will be presented with basic tempo markings: lento, moderato & presto

○ Students will listen to brief excerpt of each tempo from a recording and will gently keep a beat.

○ Students will participate in an activity whereby they draw a tempo term from a hat and then play a passing game at that tempo.

“Down by the ocean, down by the sea, Johnny broke a bottle and he blamed it all on me.I told Ma, Ma told Pa.Johnny got a spankin’ so, HA HA HA!”○ Extension: Vary the game by not telling what the card

says and having the rest of the group guess, like tempo-charades. Add more tempo terms.

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4th Grade Lesson Plan○ Objective: Students will learn & memorize the

words to the Star Spangled Banner○ State Standards: Students learn a historical song

with significant cultural heritage.○ Method:

○ After being presented with the song and its history, students will listen to various recordings of the song.

○ While listening, they will work in small groups to put the words of the song in order. They will be given the first word of each line and a magnetic set of words with one word on each magnet.

○ When they have completed their lyrics sheet, they will be asked to sing along with the recording.

○ Extensions: Students will learn the sign language to perform along with the National Anthem.

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5th Grade Lesson Plan○ Objective: Students will learn the Contra-Dance

terms “Escargot,” “Thread the Needle,” and “Cast Off.”

○ State Standards: Kinesthetic response to music through active listening.

○ Method:○ After presenting the terms and their definitions, spend

a brief time practicing the movements without music.○ Teach the song “Let Us Chase the Squirrel.”○ Let the students arrange a “forest” of two-person

trees and have the “squirrels” practice their contra-dance terms while singing the song.

○ Change parts and repeat.○ Extension: Add more and more squirrels until

there are no more trees to hide in.

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I arranged this piece for the 5th graders. The accompanimentis very simple, which allows for quick and effective learning, as well as opportun-ities for embellish-ment and creativityfrom the students.

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I wrote this original composition during my Orff Certification courses. The melody is extremely catchy, and the song includes co-curricular extensions particularly to science (different types of birds) and self-image (we are unique). The lesson plan includes opportunities for imitative movement, in-tune singing, ensembling and layering of rhythms, and a brief story about a bird who was upset to hear another singing “better” than him, so he quit singing, eventually creating a domino effect and woods barren of bird sounds, until the bird realizes that it’s not good-better-best, it’s beautiful and heartfelt expression of self that creates the music of the forest.

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Ensemble Experience

bands and orchestras since elementary school.

I have sung in choirs and played in

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At UTB/TSC, I was also an active member of the Opera Company and the Renaissance Recorder group, Scorpio Consort.

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I have enjoyed coaching the ballroom dance team for the past four years, and I’ve also performed with a salsa dance team of my peers.

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A fifth grade class celebrating their contra-dance knowledge by

dancing a Virginia ReelC

lick the image to start the video.

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A group of 5th grade choir members singing around the

town in December. Click the im

age to start the video.

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First graders singing a fun Spanish song with movement.

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age to start the video.

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The fourth and fifth grade choir students singing “Chiquita Banana” at the hospital.

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age to start the video.

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A third grade class enjoying the instruments with a new rhythm.

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age to start the video.

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The 4th and 5th grade choir singing the school’s pledge song at the UT-Brownsville’s new fine arts theatre.

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age to start the video.