Observation Day for Alpine Music Teachers

BTS teachers in Alpine District are trying to implement more and more effective side-by-side integrated lessons with classroom teachers. 

Many music teachers expressed the desire to see how this can be done. So, on October 6th, the Arts Integration Coaches of Alpine School District took 15 BTS Arts music teachers to see a veteran teacher modeling a side-by-side integrated lesson at Early Light Academy in South Jordan.

The best part? They went on a teacher work day, so no one had to write sub plans!

Amy Hickenlooper and Rebecca Brookhart taught a 6th-grade science lesson about heat transfer, including conduction, convection, and radiation.

The classroom teacher helped teach the science concepts, and Amy used music skills & activities to practice and apply them. Students learned rhythms using speech, played hand-clapping games, played drums, moved with scarves, and saw a science experiment, all of which synthesized learning in both subjects. 

They then had a Q&A session with Amy to learn more about her process of creating successful lessons like this.

The Alpine group then spent the afternoon observing Jessica Heaton, a wonderful music teacher in Provo District, teaching whole-grade music lessons to first and second grades. 

Observing teachers in action provides a quick way to learn about everything at once! They are able to see their classroom set up and organization, behavior management, engagement and teaching strategies, content, lesson ideas, and style! 

It was an exciting day of sharing and learning that will ultimately benefit all of our students! 

Rebecca Gubler

Arts Integration Coach for Alpine School District