The Classroom Environment
Classroom Management Plan
It is my goal to foster an environment that provides students a safe, effective, and dynamic place where they can be comfortable to explore, question, imagine, and learn everyday. I am driven by the philosophy that students desire structure and routine. Therefore, within each of my classroom settings, students are expected to adhere to a variety of clearly defined objectives and expectations. The majority of my classroom management strategies stem from setting up consistent structured routine for each class meeting. The variety of management stems from expectations set forth from assessment within the classroom and are defined in the following paragraphs.
Clear, meaningful, and consistent assessment is necessary within a classroom. Whether it is through playing, performing, singing, or composing, there are countless ways to assess students on both a creative and academic level. The long-standing issue with assessment within instrumental music is that merely just showing up earned a student a passing grade. Grading should be comprised of a variety of student work that represents their musical progress and achievement.
Because music is a subjective art form, it is necessary to outline expectations and guidelines for performance-based assessment in a number of ways. Quantitative characteristics of a performance, such as rhythm, note accuracy, and intonation, can be graded with objectivity and are easy to determine. Interpretation and expression must be assessed through a student’s justification of specific musical choices. Because these elements are often hard to identify, especially with young musicians, evaluation should be drawn from student’s justifications for their musical choices rather than their interpretations themselves. We should only assessment musicality and interpretation if a student has made a well-informed musical decision and attempts to execute it within a performance. As students mature as musicians, their ability to make sound musical decisions should be more readily apparent in their performance.
Personal growth for students as musicians is paramount. As educators, identifying student’s needs and goals should factor in greatly to their individual assessment. Achievement based standards are good ways to set long term general goals across the curriculum. Defining expectations for grade levels, provides a framework which students, parents, teachers, and administrators can understand what is expected of students. However, within these achievement standards, must be the understanding that students progress through these benchmarks at different rates. It is the job of the teacher to facilitate and supplement the student with the necessary tools to continue working towards the next attainable goal.
Grades themselves will be a variety of assessments that consist of performance, individual playing, participation, singing, composition, and an assortment of other activities. Rubrics serve as a great tool for teachers, students, parents, and administration, because they define clear expectations and how requirements are met. In addition, the easy of recording student performance gives all parties a chance to do an initial assessment, and opportunity to reevaluate performances as a student progresses.
As a long-term way to assess a student, a musical portfolio can be made that a student contributes to throughout their musical career. This can consist of recordings of individual and ensemble performances, compositions, academic writings, and other elements that make up their musical identity. The portfolio is compiled and maintained by the student and allows them to consciously make the decision as to what content will be assessed, given a set criteria of requirements. Student reflection also becomes the centerpiece of building the portfolio because with each performance or event students have the chance to choose what they add to their personal file. This portfolio also gives great value to assessment and is a tool for students, parents, and administration to understand how assessment works within the instrumental curriculum.
Assessment and grading is a valuable tool as a reflective decision maker. If constructed and administered in a valuable way, it can serve both teacher and student in understanding how content has been mastered and in what ways it needs to be improved. However, music is one of the only studies where showing up, playing all the right notes and rhythms, and going home does not earns an A+. 100% accuracy is merely the beginning of musical proficiency. Expression, interpretation and communication are crucial to the assessment process. Students will be assessed on all levels of musicality through a valued assessment and grading policy that reflects variety of opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery of musical concepts.
Clear, meaningful, and consistent assessment is necessary within a classroom. Whether it is through playing, performing, singing, or composing, there are countless ways to assess students on both a creative and academic level. The long-standing issue with assessment within instrumental music is that merely just showing up earned a student a passing grade. Grading should be comprised of a variety of student work that represents their musical progress and achievement.
Because music is a subjective art form, it is necessary to outline expectations and guidelines for performance-based assessment in a number of ways. Quantitative characteristics of a performance, such as rhythm, note accuracy, and intonation, can be graded with objectivity and are easy to determine. Interpretation and expression must be assessed through a student’s justification of specific musical choices. Because these elements are often hard to identify, especially with young musicians, evaluation should be drawn from student’s justifications for their musical choices rather than their interpretations themselves. We should only assessment musicality and interpretation if a student has made a well-informed musical decision and attempts to execute it within a performance. As students mature as musicians, their ability to make sound musical decisions should be more readily apparent in their performance.
Personal growth for students as musicians is paramount. As educators, identifying student’s needs and goals should factor in greatly to their individual assessment. Achievement based standards are good ways to set long term general goals across the curriculum. Defining expectations for grade levels, provides a framework which students, parents, teachers, and administrators can understand what is expected of students. However, within these achievement standards, must be the understanding that students progress through these benchmarks at different rates. It is the job of the teacher to facilitate and supplement the student with the necessary tools to continue working towards the next attainable goal.
Grades themselves will be a variety of assessments that consist of performance, individual playing, participation, singing, composition, and an assortment of other activities. Rubrics serve as a great tool for teachers, students, parents, and administration, because they define clear expectations and how requirements are met. In addition, the easy of recording student performance gives all parties a chance to do an initial assessment, and opportunity to reevaluate performances as a student progresses.
As a long-term way to assess a student, a musical portfolio can be made that a student contributes to throughout their musical career. This can consist of recordings of individual and ensemble performances, compositions, academic writings, and other elements that make up their musical identity. The portfolio is compiled and maintained by the student and allows them to consciously make the decision as to what content will be assessed, given a set criteria of requirements. Student reflection also becomes the centerpiece of building the portfolio because with each performance or event students have the chance to choose what they add to their personal file. This portfolio also gives great value to assessment and is a tool for students, parents, and administration to understand how assessment works within the instrumental curriculum.
Assessment and grading is a valuable tool as a reflective decision maker. If constructed and administered in a valuable way, it can serve both teacher and student in understanding how content has been mastered and in what ways it needs to be improved. However, music is one of the only studies where showing up, playing all the right notes and rhythms, and going home does not earns an A+. 100% accuracy is merely the beginning of musical proficiency. Expression, interpretation and communication are crucial to the assessment process. Students will be assessed on all levels of musicality through a valued assessment and grading policy that reflects variety of opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery of musical concepts.
3rd and 4th Grade Orchestra Performance
Diverse Students:
This multi-cultural lesson plan is designed for all students, to analyze cultural and societal issues within their modern lives, and equate them to issues from the past. Each student will analyze how the music from specific time periods, reflected the times in which it was composed. They will then write their own song to address an issue or observation within their own culture.
Protest Song | |
File Size: | 112 kb |
File Type: |
Danielson Standards:
DAN.2 Domain 2: The Classroom Environment (Danielson, 1996)
- DAN.2a - Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport (Danielson, 1996)
- DAN.2b - Establishing a Culture for Learning (Danielson, 1996)
- DAN.2c - Managing Classroom Procedures (Danielson, 1996)
- DAN.2d - Managing Student Behavior (Danielson, 1996)
- DAN.2e - Organizing Physical Space (Danielson, 1996)