Index
Philosophy of Assessment
My philosophy of assessment is based primarily upon providing my instrument music students k-12 with performance based and paper & pencil activities, while incorporating technology into my music students learning. I feel the most important part of any assessment must be the student. It is important to provide a range of different assessment formats so student strengths and weaknesses can be seen in a fair and positive manner.
Will students learn the material they need to know to be successful?
Will students be able to apply cognitive, psychomotor and affective skills to the performance of a band instrument as they develop from beginning, intermediate, and advanced musicians?
Because of the importance of these two questions, I have based my philosophy of assessment surrounding goals to develop cognitive, psychomotor and affective skills to produce music students who will practice the "Art of Excellence" in their musical studies.
Cognitively, students knowledge of various musical concepts, such as scales, musical terminology, and playing principles will be evaluated through various assignments and activities. My primary instruction strategy is modeling by teacher and by student peers, who are proficient in the material, which is being studied and performed. I believe that in an instrumental or band activity students should be playing a majority of the time, while they are in class. I believe that through modeling and guided practice students are better equipped to take concepts, skills and knowledge into use in their own home practice sessions. Some examples of terminology which is used on a consistent basis are what note values are being used, the letter names of notes, the proper fingering of specific notes on individual instruments, and how to read the road map of music to play a phrase, section or whole musical composition.
In the assessment of psychomotor skills students will be assessed in the evaluation of posture, correct playing positions, embouchure, and various other assignments as they occur. I feel that teacher along with peer modeling is very important in the psychomotor skills of any music student also. Constant positive reinforcement is a very effective tool to use with students.
When the learning process can be made silly and fun this also can improve the ability of students to retain skills and apply them in the future. For example, when I teach a brass player to form an embouchure I ask students, "Have you ever smelled a skunk?" Students will answer, yes or no. I then ask students what they words they use to describe the smell of the skunk. I tell the students, I use the word Peu and this is the same word to use when they form their embouchure. I say the word and then they say the word, while I check for accuracy of their understanding. I ask them if they know how to speak French. Usually most of my students have told me, "No." Then I tell them they just spoke in French, when they said peu. The more laughing, which takes place the better the results. Learn can and should be fun if it is possible. There will be serious times structured periods, but students and teachers need to be able to enjoy what they are learning. This is very important in the learning process. If a student enjoys what they are doing they will have motivation to excel.
Affectively students will be assessed in their written concert evaluations, self-assessment insights, and various other assignments as they occur. As students develop from beginning to advance musicians they will become aware of the development of emotion throughout music. They will also be aware of the character and values, which are incorporated into the discipline of being a musician. They will develop skills to be able to perform songs with expression. Just as a poem, essay, short story, play, or novel meaning in the text, students will develop vocabulary, schema, and capabilities to express meaning in written and musical formats through concert critiques, self evaluations, and music performances.
