Helper Project 2 - Blog 1

Milestone 1: Checking in and going through the test rough drafts with Mr. Joshi. June 1

Mr. Joshi checked in with us and although I hadn't written down any questions, I already had ideas of what I was going to do. As I began creating the answers, however, I found that it was much more difficult than I could imagine. It seemed that all the "obvious mistakes" were harder to find and make as I've had more experience with math. I was able to use mistakes I normally make as a basis for some of the misleading answers but that was mostly a swapped sign or something similar. There are also many tricks that can be found in Calculus but as this test is for algebra review, it was much more difficult to come up with answers and questions since we're limited in what we can address.

A student going through the Algebra test

Helper Project 1 - Blog 3

Students should be able to identify and name chords by April 15th

This particular milestone was reached much more easily than the prior milestones. After the major hurdles of intervals and the circle of 5ths, students are applying the knowledge they now know and using it to help them identify chords. For example, major and minor chords were mostly demonstrated. Major chords consist of a major third stacked with a minor third and minor chords consist of a minor third stacked with a major third. Those thirds are types of intervals and are a pattern in chords. If a student is able to identify the intervals, they generally are able to identify the chords. They are also able to identify the color of a chord through intervals. If there are only 3rds in the chord, this would mean that the chord is in root position. If there is a 4th in the chord, it is in 1st or second inversion. 

Identifying keys, a major part of being able to name chords

Students hard to work practicing how to identify/name chords

Students playin a game that the teacher utilized, having two people compete to see who can name the chords fastest

Example of find keys and how to use them to find the notes in a chord

A student showing off his work

Helper Project 1 - Blog 2

Students should be able to identify and name intervals by March 15th
 

Again, as with the first milestone, the majority of the students get it. Some students are still struggling to name their notes but mostly all the students are doing just fine. Over the period between the first milestone and this one, I have worked individually with a few students. The students that already understand this material have worked with me. I personally helped prepare Emilio for a much higher level theory exam, level 7. This requires some more in depth knowledge and I aided him in preparing. His brother is struggling to focus in class. The teacher, Daryl, attempts to get students to focus through voicing his dissatisfaction. This seems to work much of the time but some students are still very hyper. These few students are normally told to go outside of the room and calm down but sometimes I work with these students and tell them what they need to do and what they should be able to do. Daryl also ensures that students stay on track by forcing them to practice a skill that's being taught in front of the class. This mostly guarantees that students will be paying attention as some of them don't want to be called on and some students don't fully understand the material.




Example of multiple names of interavls

Using the circle of 5ths to help find intervals

More examples of intervals

Helper Project 1- Blog 1

 Students should have a solid knowledge of the Circle of 5ths by February 15th
 

Most of the students already understand the Circle of 5ths and are able to use it effectively for other parts of theory. Some students that jumped into the class also understood much more than is necessary and will most likely drop the class, students like Emilio. Some problems arose with some students not being able to name their notes. It seems that some of the students actually struggled and had to relearn their written notes since they had been playing music through playing the notes that sound right with the few notes that they are able to identify.

Students hard at work



Students enjoying themselves while learning about the circle of 5ths

The Circle of 5ths