1. Collaboration Plan and Reflection: Drakes Creek Middle School
Names of individuals who are parts of the collaboration plan.
Student’s Name: Lindsey Smith
Teacher(s): Mrs. Fields
Parents: Mrs. Smith
Activities that are planned to improve the learning of the identified student:
1. Provide three one-on-one voice lessons after school.
2. Build a positive relationship with student and student’s guardian.
3. Help improve the student’s basic vocaltechnique
4. Have student self-assess singing during lessons (musical elements, technique, etc.)
5. Have student apply what is learned in voice lessons to choir rehearsals.
At Drakes Creek Middle School there are two choirs: 8th grade Advanced choir and 7th/8th grade Mixed
choir. During my first few weeks at Drakes Creek, I spent most of my time observing while the choirs
rehearsed. During this time of evaluation and observation,I began to consistently notice a young lady by
the name of Lindsey in the Advanced Choir. She was always actively attentive,always participating, and
seemed anxious to learn; ultimately, she was a leader in the Alto section. Out of curiosity, I asked my
cooperating teacher about her background and experience. In response,my cooperating teacher told me she
had evolved into a leader this year and continues to show great interest in choir class.It was at this moment
that I decided I wanted to work one-on-one with Lindsey; mainly because she reminded me so much myself
at her age.
In forming and executing my collaboration plan, I developed four overall activities/objectives that were
spanned overthe course of three weeks. I wanted to meet with Lindsey one day a week for three weeks and
provide her with a free 30-minute voice lesson after school.The first plan of action in executing this
collaboration plan was to communicate with her parents and teachers in order to establish a time and place
the voice lessons could occur. After emails with her mom and conversations with Mrs. Fields, it became
possible that Lindsey could stay after schoolon Mondays for 30 minutes and get picked up by her mother.
Mrs. Fields was also generous enough to stay after and let me use her room and materials (such as piano) in
order to run a smooth voice lesson.By being flexible and patient through the course of organizing this plan,
I was able to build positive relationships with Lindsey and her mother. My emails were always
complimentary of Lindsey’s work ethic and appreciative of her mother’s cooperation and res pect for me
throughout.
In my voice lessons I wanted to help improve her basic vocal technique and have her learn the constant
method of self-assessment when singing. Every week we talked in depth about the characteristics of proper
singing technique (breathing, posture,tone quality, etc.) and then used vocal exercises to learn how to
apply these characteristics. I used many of my past experiences as a vocal student to relate to Lindsey and
help her understand what to do. I also made use of my own voice and body in order to model for Lindsey
the correct and incorrect way to breathe, stand,sing,etc.
During every lesson,I also had her self-assess herselfafter each time she sung.I would ask things like,
“How did that feel?” or “Good, but what did you forget to do? How can we make that better” By doing this,
Lindsey was learning to become more aware of herself as a musician. For instance, she began to realize
what it felt like to use a head tone versus a throat tone. Her reaction/analysis: “One feels like a ringing bell
in my head and the other one feels like I’m pushing and it’s harder”
In the Advanced Choir, Lindsey was interested in trying out for a solo.Therefore, I used our voice lessons
as an opportunity to help her improve the solo line before auditions. We worked on phrasing,tone-quality,
text-meaning, etc. Lindsey took what she learned in our lessons and applied it in class when she auditioned.
She was awarded with the solo at the Spring Concert in May. I was very proud of her! I have no doubt
Lindsey will continue to grow as a musician and will always appreciate the voice as an instrument.