Action Research Project outline

Problem

In schools where students have band once or twice a week in the afternoon in a non-traditional classroom space, focus is often not optimal. Most of the students are beginners with regard to reading music, but they do not learn at the same pace. Students who learn less quickly and are not able to read and play the song flute sometimes become disruptive while students who learn more quickly get frustrated if the pace of the class is slow.

Domain / Design

Of twenty 4th grade band students at one of my schools, six students work well and have made good progress in a group, so I will continue to see them once per week in that setting, and they will not be part of this project. Starting April 28th (after the CRCT is completed), I will split the remaining fourteen into two groups. I will continue to see seven of the students once per week for thirty minutes in a group, and the other seven once per week for an individual five minute lesson. Barring school interruptions, I will see each group for five weeks, concluding on May 28th (I am at this school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons.) I will give a short pre-test and post-test to evaluate reading music and song flute skills to compare progress in the two groups.