Metacognition True/False

 I am aware of my intellectual strengths and weaknesses. True

I am able to know what kind of information is most important to learn.  True

I am good at organizing information.  True

I know what the teacher expects me to learn.  True

I am good at remembering information.  True

I have control over how well I learn.  True

I am a good judge of how well I understand something.  True

I learn more when I am interested in the topic.  True

I try to use strategies or learning techniques that have worked for me in the past.  True

I am aware of the methods that I am using when I study.  True

 I use different learning strategies depending on the situation.  True

I use my intellectual strengths to compensate for my weaknesses.  True

I know when each strategy I use will be most effective.  False

I slow down when I encounter important information. True

I draw pictures, diagrams and take notes to help me understand while learning. True

I try to translate new information into my own words. True

I ask myself if what I’m reading is related to what I already know. True

I try to break studying down into smaller steps.  True

I ask myself periodically if I am meeting my goals.  False

I consider several alternatives to a problem before I answer.  False

I find myself analyzing the usefulness of strategies while I study.  False

 I ask myself questions about how well I am doing while learning something new. True

I ask others for help when I don’t understand something.  True

I am persistent when working on a challenging problem.  True

I re-evaluate my assumptions when I get confused.  True

I stop and reread or re-view material when I get confused.  True

I know how well I did once I finish a test.  False

I ask myself if there was an easier way to do things after I finish a task.  True

I ask myself how well I accomplish my goals once I’m finished.  True

I ask myself if I learned as much as I could have once I finish a task. True

Self Regulation Inventory & Work Habits Self Assessments

A.  Provide a summary of your perceived areas of strengths and areas of needed improvement

I need to make sure I am using my time wisely and with purpose. I have a lot to accomplish before my auditions and staying focused and on task is crucial for my success.  

B.  Provide the ratio of true to false out of 30

True:False

25:5

Benchmark Goals

What is it that you hope to know and be able to do at the conclusion of the class?

I hope I master the "art of practicing". By that I mean I want to make solid long and short practice schedules for myself that I can use every day. I also hope to focus on universal technical skills such as timbre consistency and vibrato control in order to improve my tone. 

What are three things you would like to achieve in order to count your semester as successful?I would like to be able to match pitch on my mouthpiece ranging from F# to B with consistent tone, have basic control over the speed and depth of my vibrato, and improve my air support. I'm going to add a fourth goal which is to gain control over overtones on the mouthpiece. I know the first and last goals are very specific, but I know that achieving these indicates an improvement in muscle support, control, and air support. 

How motivated are you to achieve these goals?Very!!! I worked all summer with UMASS Amherst discovering where I am skill wise and learning exercises on how to improve and I really want to meet these goals. 

How will you increase your motivation if it becomes low during the course of the semester?By looking at my college audition dates I will regain motivation. I know that seems sarcastic but it's true; I have a lot of work to do before auditions and fear/hope can be a great motivator. 

What strategies can you use to achieve your goals?I keep a practice notebook where I discuss my improvement. I also would like to use Neil and David as resources to give me feedback on my tone, air support, and even phrasing. I think the feedback and reflection will keep me focused. 

What might interfere with your achievement and how can you prevent this interference?I might hit a "practice slum" which will definitely interfere with my achievement. Basically, when homework, work, or just life gets overwhelming practicing can seem really really boring or difficult. I need to keep in mind that it can be very fun and freeing and if I can't get myself to do mouthpiece exercises, I should at least play an etude I like and work on my phrasing.