Guitar Ensemble: Peer & Self-Assessment
Instructor(s): Maria SchwabGrade Level: Secondary (6-12)
I used formative assessment techniques, peer and self-review, to have students work on playing in a guitar ensemble. The students learned a familiar folk song through both listening and performing the song as a whole (class) group and in a small group. They had to engage in peer review throughout the process (practice, practice, practice!).
Keyboard Fluency: Peer & Self-Assessment
Instructor(s): Michelle TurnerGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
My 1st graders have a difficult time understanding the concepts of flow and practice. I used a checklist and a protocol to help them maintain focus during keyboard practice. As their familiarity with the checklist grew these early learners became better at listening, started to identify performance problems, and had greater perseverance in working on the gap.
Keyboards: Peer & Self-Assessment
Instructor(s): Maria CombaGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
My 2nd grade students engaged in a process of peer assessment using compliments (stars) to continue proper piano techniques and suggestions (wishes) for improving their piano playing. As a result the students were able to maintain focus during their practice time, engage in dialogue with music vocabulary, monitor their progress, and improve their playing technique.
AABA Composition: Peer Assessment
Instructor(s): Gina TrombettaI paired my 6th grade students for this entire process as they learned the basic techniques to begin composing their own AABA form songs. Experimentation, notation, and verbal and written reflection effectively amped up this partner work and helped students to develop confidence in their choices and performance.
Choral Singing: Peer & Self-Assessment
Instructor(s): Vanessa GrossGrade Level: Secondary (6-12)
Students often know that they make mistakes in their singing but don’t know how to fix those mistakes. My students worked individually and in groups to establish musical goals, analyze their singing, and eventually improve their performances by using a process of self and peer assessment.
Kodaly: Peer & Self-assessment
Instructor(s): Ken HughesGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
Over the course of four years I have been able to promote an effective classroom musical culture using peer and self-assessment as students take control of their learning. We developed a set of checklists, rubrics and protocols for students singing and playing in the classroom together. Students have become more critical and active listeners as they assess performances and writing.
Notereading: Peer Assessment
Instructor(s): Gina TrombettaGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
Over the course of 3 months (6-10 sessions) students were exposed to various note reading and writing exercises. At first many seemed overwhelmed and reluctant to even begin this process, but the checklists and peer feedback engaged them and supported their learning. I was pleasantly surprised that the final sight-reading assessment was accurate for a large portion of the class!
Recorder Technique: Peer & Self Assessment
Instructor(s): Maria CombaGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
My upper elementary students used a recorder performance rubric to improve their fingering, reading of rhythms, phrasing, and their ability to execute smooth sounding tones on the recorder. The rubric guided their peer feedback and self-assessment, which helped develop both the students’ ensemble and solo playing skills. As listening and giving feedback became a shared responsibility, my students demonstrated more independence in setting goals for themselves and guiding their own practice.
Orff-Improvisation: Peer & Self-Assessment
Instructor(s): Gina TrombettaGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
Students in my 5th grade general music class practiced formative assessment techniques to work on musically satisfying solos based on historical work songs (Orff xylophone improvisation). The students had a chance to revise their improvisations and took rhythmic and harmonic chances. Their improvisations sounded more musical and more creative.
Percussion Composition: Peer Feedback
Instructor(s): Lawrence CardinaleGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
In this project, students were tasked with composing and improvising with percussive instruments. Through the use of a rubric and peer assessment, students provided useful feedback for revision. My highly engages students created unique, original compositions.
Recorder Performance: Peer & Self Assessment
Instructor(s): Michelle TurnerGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
My 3rd grade students used a process of peer and self-assessment to improve their recorder performance. The rubric and the assessment protocols provided them with specific goals and a vocabulary to guide their improvement toward the ideal.
Recorder Tone: Peer Assessment
Instructor(s): David PatersonGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
My beginning recorder students were unaware of basic foundational challenges in recorder playing and were often frustrated. Through the co-creation of a checklist, individual goal setting, and the use of peer assessment, my students worked more independently and accurately to address the challenges in their playing.
Rhythmic Composition: Peer & Self-Assessment
Instructor(s): Jonathan MeyersGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
Students worked in small groups to create a short theme-based percussion piece. They became more active composers and improved their percussion performance skills through a process of peer assessments and self-reflection. Students’ original compositions sounded more interesting in the areas of tone, form and rhythm.
Scale Performance: Peer & Self Assessment
Instructor(s): Audrey MullenGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
I want my students to perform a Level 1, NYSSMA solo (state adjudicated performances) upon completion of our instrumental program. Students focused on solo performance criteria such as “scales” that can be taught and assessed (peer or self) with the use of a checklist or rubric. In the end, student performance of scales improved significantly, and we adapted this strategy to address the other aspects of their solo performance.
Sight-Singing: Peer & Self Assessment
Instructor(s): Allison Hungate WoodGrade Level: Secondary (6-12)
My 6th grade class became more independent musicians and sight-read very accurately by the end of the unit with the support of a Sight-Reading Protocol. They used the protocol in both peer and self-assessments. My students are better listeners and are applying their sight-reading skills instinctively when faced with new choral music in class.
Strings Technique: Peer Assessment
Grade Level: Elementary (K-5)My upper elementary students learned basic violin technique and engaged in peer assessment using a D & A string rubric which I introduced one criterion at a time. At the end of the project, students showed both improved technique and greater independence. The continuous use of vocabulary was very beneficial for their musicianship as well.
Beginner Recorder Skills: Peer Assessment
Instructor(s): Marianna HillenbrandGrade Level: Elementary (K-5)
My 3rd graders created checklists for audience members and performers to follow which included criteria for a successful concert. I incorporated their criteria into a hybrid rubric checklist that they used to give peer feedback. Students successfully engaged in the process and improved their abilities to play three notes and more.