PAINLESS ASSESSMENT IN THE MUSIC CLASSROOM

Quick and Easy Ways to Assess while Supporting, Not Interrupting, Your Performance and Rehearsal Agenda

Assessment Fundamentals

What is assessment? What are some examples? Why do we assess? Who uses the results of

assessments?

Assess what you teach

Assess based on your daily musical objectives Typical beginning band, orchestra, etc.:

lines from a method book, scales Typical ensemble with experienced

students: assess the literature students are preparing, scales, rudiments, technical etudes

Jazz ensemble: improvisational skills

What do you assess?

Now that you have the material selected, what do you listen for? Correct pitches and rhythm – what else?

Practice Assessment

Read your rating sheet Listen to the recording Assess what you heard

How did we rate our clarinettist? Please share your total score at the bottom.

Define your expectations

What might be good for a beginner might not be good for an experienced student!

Formative versus summative assessment Summative – final ranking, trophy, medal,

etc. No information provided, just results Formative – informs the student of how

they did, where they were strong, where they were weak

Formative Assessment

What do your numbers mean? Formative assessment leads to

positive growth – but how do you inform the student? Write detailed feedback for each student Record yourself giving commentary as

they play Use a rubric

Designing the Rubric

The criteria on the rubric should reflect your priorities

How many criteria? What ratings do you use?

Letters (A, B, C, D, F) Qualitative Descriptors (Superior, Excellent,

Good) Numbers (1-3, 1-5, 1-100)?

1-3 doesn’t differentiate between students clearly 1-100 is too much: what is the difference between

an 84 and an 83?

What do the ratings mean?

3-6 criteria, 5-10 ratings For each criterion, define each level

of rating. What exactly differentiates a “5” on intonation from a “4”?

Category Excellent 5pts Very Good 4pts Good 3pts Fair 2pts Poor 1pt

Tone Quality

Tone is consistently focused, clear, and centered throughout the range of the instrument

Tone is focused, clear and centered through the normal playing range of the instrument. Extremes in range sometimes cause tone to be less controlled. Tone quality typically does not detract from the performance.

Tone is generally clear with some unfocused notes. Extreme range s is slightly controlled.

Tone is often focused, clear and centered, but sometimes the tone is uncontrolled in the normal playing range. Extremes in range are usually uncontrolled. Occasionally the tone quality detracts from overall performance.

The tone is often not focused, clear or centered regardless of the range being played, significantly detracting from the overall performance.

Rhythm The beat is secure and the rhythms are accurate for the style of music being played.

The beat is secure and the rhythms are mostly accurate. There are a few duration errors, but these do not detract from the overall performance.

The beat is secure most of the time with some mistakes. Some duration errors.

The beat is somewhat erratic. Some rhythms are accurate. Frequent or repeated duration errors. Rhythm problems occasionally detract from the overall performance.

The beat is usually erratic and rhythms are seldom accurate detracting significantly from the overall performance.

Pitch Virtually no errors. Pitch is very accurate.

An occasional isolated error, but most of the time pitch is accurate and secure.

Mostly accurate pitches with some errors. About a 60/40 ratio of correct to wrong notes

Some accurate pitches, but there are frequent and/or repeated errors.

Very few accurate or secure pitches.

Articulation Tonguing and sticking are accurate for entire selection.

Most of the notes are clearly articulated, with a "dah" sound (rather than a "TUT" sound).

There is some separation between notes; student is able to fix these errors with teacher direction.

Frequently no separation between notes. Student is able to fix some errors with teacher direction.

There is no separation between notes; tonguing is not being used.

Poor Fair Average Above Average Excellent

Rhythm Performer is off beat, not counting, playing incorrect rhythms(5 or more mistakes)

Performer has less rhythmic mistakes and is mostly on the correct beat(3-5 mistakes)

Performer has few rhythmic mistakes(2-3 mistakes)

Performer is mostly plays accurate rhythms(1-2 mistakes)

Performer plays correct rhythms (0 mistakes)

Intonation Performer plays with inaccurate air stream and is not in tune (5 or more mistakes)

Performer is slightly in tune and plays with less focused air (3-5 mistakes)

Performer has a fair number of intonation issues(2-3 mistakes)

Performer is mostly in tune and plays with good air (1-2 mistakes)

Performer plays with focused air stream and is in tune(0 mistakes)

Articulation Performer plays little to none of the correct articulation (5 or more mistakes)

Performer plays some of the correct articulation (3-5 mistakes)

Performer plays an average number of correct articulation(2-3 mistakes)

Performer plays most of the correct articulation(1-2 mistakes)

Performer plays all of the correct articulation(0 mistakes)

Posture Performer is slouching, unenthused, and not conveying the mood of the piece (5 or more mistakes)

Performer looks uncomfortable and barely conveys the mood of the piece(3-5 mistakes)

Performer somewhat conveys the mood of the piece and slightly slouches(2-3 mistakes)

Performer mostly conveys the mood of the piece and sits properly

Performer conveys the mood of the piece to the audience and sits/stands properly

Tone Quality5- The tone is very full and obviously backed by good breath support4- The tone is mostly good with a few spots that could be improved3- The tone quality is okay but somewhat thin2- The tone quality is thin or breathy1- The tone quality is very unclear and thin Technique5- Posture, embouchure, and the hold on the instrument are all very good4- Posture, embouchure, and the hold on the instrument can be improved in several

places.3- Posture, embouchure, and the hold on the instrument needs overall work 2-Posuture, embouchure, and the hold on the instrument are poor1-Very poor posture, incorrect embouchure, and impractical hold on the instrument Correctness of Pitch5- All of the pitches were right and fingered correctly4- Most of the pitches were right and fingered correctly3- A fair number of the pitches were right and fingered correctly2- Many of the pitches were wrong/ fingered incorrectly1- Student obviously has no understand of the fingerings for the piece.  Correctness of Rhythm 5- The piece is played at an appropriate tempo with correct rhythms 4- The piece is played at an appropriate tempo with occasional hesitations3- The piece is somewhat slow with several hesitations2- The tempo is inconsistent with many hesitations1- The tempo is hard to find and rhythms aren’t correct at all

Strategies for Implementation Now that you have it, how do you

use implement it with a 50-piece ensemble? Assess all 50 students in one day

In regular classroom setting In sectionals

Assess a few sections each day Takes relatively little time and doesn’t

break your overall rehearsal momentum

Uses of Assessments

Now that you’ve done the assessment, what can you do with this information? Student grades Chair placement Baseline data to set future goals Determine where to concentrate greater

attention during rehearsals