Assessment in the music classroom is very important for gauging the level of your students overall understanding, individual students progression through the course, and also defending your program to parents and the administration. Assessing a variety of areas ifs important as well, including knowledge (cognitive domain), skills (psychomotor domain), and attitudes (affective domain). Assessment can be though informal and formal techniques. Effectiveness and efficiency is also a must, so simply have the students participate in a call/response motive during attendance is a simple yet very effective way of assessing a students learning. This way you have a record of what each student has accomplished and how he or she has progressed throughout their time in the course. Questioning during class discussion is also very good way to get students involved and gives them a chance to volunteer information they have learned. Questions should also be given at multiple levels and follow Bloom’s Taxonomy so the level of understanding can be even more clearly assessed, all the way from basic knowledge to reflection on the material. Formal assessment is also something that students should take part in, performance opportunities individually and group performances in a concert are great ways for students to show off what they have learned. Personal reflection as a teacher is important for professional development. Reflecting on the days lesson plan, how your students are doing, your program and how you are doing as a teacher and what you may need to change are very important to running a successful music program.
Artifact:
Assessment Handout (Handout presented by Dr. Kimberly Inks in my Elementary General Methods class.)
Rationale: This is a handout made by Dr. Inks for Elementary General Methods class about assessment in the general music classroom. This handout gives many ways that assessment of How, Why, and When assessment can take place. This artifact shows that I am dedicated to formal and informal assessment strategies of the general music classroom.
Artifact:
Jagow Chapter (Summary and Reflection of a Chapter in Jagow's Book "Developing the Complete Band Program")
Rationale: This artifact is a summary of a chapter in the Jagow book that deals specifically with assessment. Jagow give specific principles that should be employed when assessing your students. Jagow discusses the difference between evaluation and assessment, and also how it ultimately helps your program to assess your students constant progression. This artifact will be useful in the future to help me decide what is the best way to assess my students, and important information I should consider when assessing them.