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Professional Learning Community
American String Teachers Association2014 National Conference
March 7, 2014
Dottie Ladman & Rhonda NeelyLincoln Public Schools: Lincoln, Nebraska
Creating Effective Assessments for Strings
Professional Learning Community
American String Teachers Association
2014 National ConferenceMarch 7, 2014
Dottie Ladman & Rhonda NeelyLincoln Public Schools: Lincoln, Nebraska
Creating Effective Assessments for Strings
AGENDA
1. Profile 2. Process 3. Examples
4. Collaboration 5. Results 6. Thriving
7. Activity 8. Resources
“Behind every PLC is a veteran
teacher rolling his eyes.”
Profile
LPS Elementary String Program
of instruments for rent or fee waiver
1500elementary string students
15 to 100+students per school
15elementary string teachers
School Inventory
LPS Elementary String Program
“Essential Elements 2000 for Strings” vol. 1 & 2
Orchestras4th (some)
5th (all)
Begin in 4th Grade
Small Group
Instruction
• School district size: nearly 38K students
• Socioeconomic populations between schools
• Pulling students for small group lessons
• Computerized classroom testing
• Differing class size/classroom space
• Time to reteach students
• Different teaching styles
Challenges
Begin in 4th Grade
Orchestras4th (some)
5th (all)
Small Group Instruction
Process
Establish NormsOn Time
Fully Present
Keep Meeting Moving
One Person Speaks
Honor Confidentiality
Be Prepared
Actively Engaged
No Bird Walking
Respect Opinions
Support Decisions
Identify Essential Outcomes
Note Names
Posture/Position
Rhythm
Create Assessments
• D major scale• No key signature
Note Names/Fingerings
(4th grade beginners)
Rhythm Counting• Quarter notes• Eighth notes• Written• Traditional counting
“Knowing what you want to
accomplish is half the battle. The other half is the room full
of fourth graders.”
Assessment Examples
Beginning NNF has stayed the same since 2008
Note Names and Fingerings
(Beginners)
Note Names and Fingerings
(Version #1)
1st Try
Note Names and Fingerings
(Version #2)
2011 Only
All lines start with 4 quarter notesAdditional measure for all rhythms taughtChallenge: too long and confusing for some students
Note Names and Fingerings
(Version #3)
2012 - 2014
Eliminated a measureCustomized rhythmMore manageable for beginnersTeachers recording the playing tests
Scoring Sheet
Bowing Assessment
New essential outcome based on ASTA curriculumNew district-implemented data gathering processCommittee created examplesGroup decision on selected assessment tool
(2nd Year)
Bowing Assessment - Scoring
Sharing Teaching Strategies and Best Practices
Note Name Fingering (Worksheet)
One strip per week
Note Words
Higher order thinking
Analyze visually, mentally
Traditional Counting (Worksheet)
Use after pretest
Rules for Counting (Worksheet)
Counting / Performance (Worksheet)
New line each week at lessonsPractice writing the counting, then playing
5th Grade Bowing Practice
Same measures, different order
Measuring Results - Data
“The new data analysis
software is here, Ms.
Riggs. Could you send one of the third
graders down to install it?”
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
300
800
1300
1800
82%
84%
86%
88%
90%
92%
# St
uden
tsAvg Score
Results: Fingering
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
300
800
1300
1800
82%84%86%88%90%92%94%96%
# St
uden
tsAvg Score
Results: Note Names
Results: Individual Students
Growth from pre-test to post-test
Results: Measuring Schools
Data Gathering in Google Docs
Thriving
“We need to choose
somebody to plan a little
celebration. Did anyone here go to a
party school?”
“That’s who the principal thinks I am.”
Common vocabulary
Common curriculum and
pacing
Develop teaching strategies
Identify students who
need re-teaching
Collegiality / Respect among
teachers
Teacher accountability
PLC Positives
Our Team
15 Elementary String Specialists in Lincoln Public SchoolsLincoln, NE
Group Activity:Scoring Assessments
Group Activity
Resources
ResourcesWebsite wp.lps.org/rneely/
• Dottie Ladman – [email protected]
• Rhonda Neely – [email protected]
• ASTA Curriculum Guide
• Cartoons from The PLC at Work Cartoon Book by Martha F. Campbell
• Essential Elements 2000 for Strings. Allen, M., Gillespie, R., and Tellejohn Hayes, P.
• Renee Alexander, Alexander & Associates, [email protected] -- PowerPoint designer
Resources
Dr. Jane StavemAssociate Superintendent for Instruction
Dr. Jadi MillerDirector of Curriculum and Professional Development
Dr. Raymond LowtherSupervisor of Music
LPS Administration
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