Critiquing the teacher model

Today we started by critiquing the teacher model.






Listening skills were clearly improving and the quality of technical language being used was very impressive.


Mr Said has some homework to do to redraft the model as the pigeon sample was recorded at a kennel that was too quiet and is noisy. He was told by B that it sounds too jumpy as the white noise is invasive in the mix.


J also asked Mr Said to consider spacing out some of the blackbird samples in the A section as the overlaps were too busy and detracted from the ambient mood that is the desired effect.


Below are the student responses. They were first asked to describe the piece both qualitatively and quantitatively. We then dug a little further for what made this a good model based on our knowledge of the birds and ambient music.

The Skill of Listening: Student reflections.

This is not only  essential for our everyday learning but  is a key component of this project.

So how have they improved since yesterday?

• My skill improved by not being distracted by "S", if she wasn’t there I will listen well.
• My listing skills improved only a little bit because I have been talking too much at times.
• My listening skills have gone even better from day 1.
• I dont think that I have listen today as much as yesterday because it was the fact that I was outside of the school grounds
•  They haven’t changed.
• My listening skills have not changed much since yesterday because I was making a continous effort to keep quiet.
• I think that my listening skills have stayed the same because I did and always listen well
• My listening skills have changed because I am more aware of the sounds around me than I was before.
• I know that this has happened because I can hear the birds more.
• I feel my listening skills have improved from yesterday by being quiet when I am told.

How would you explain the change or lack of change?

• I think this is the case because I was ready and not talking and I was following the 5 rules of twitching (bird watching). I was also trying my best to listen to the birds and the teacher. Though at some points I was getting a bit overexited about being out of school grounds.
• I was able to get more and better recordings today because everybody was quieter allowing me to listen better to the songs
• It helped me learn a pigeons call. Since I listened to the teachers I didn't get lost. I found out when a bird was singing.
• I HAVE IMPROVED BY ME NOT SHOUTING!!!!!
• I have been a lot more  confident so therefore I were listening a lot better last but not least i were standing still more and listening to the birds more carefully and the projects going to need high quality sounds.
• I was being silly.
• Improvement will come from ...  following the rules and planning things.

It is important to realise that this skill will not change over night, but being aware of how we can improve will be essential in developing your skills over the project. It is interesting that responsibility is a thing which you believe will help.