Each Monday evening at 8PM EST, music teachers get together and share ideas about important topics within music education. It’s a great chance to interact directly with educators from all over the world and to get new tips and tricks to help you succeed in the classroom. The entire #musedchat discussion is organized and moderated by Joe Guarr.
A1: We have standards based. I rate each student in 4 categories, from Not Yet - Progressing - Meets - Exceeds standard. This is at the elementary level. When I taught middle school four years ago, we graded on a 100 point scale. #musedchat
#MusEdChat A1: Our district has decided that we will grade our Kindergartners a 4-point system, and 1-5 get "E/S/N/U" grades which are essentially percentages. We grade based on their ability to meet state standards. So, yes - all of the above!
A2: for now as long as we agree as a music department on category and percent of the total grade, we are able to select. Ours are: Performance , assessment, music literacy, weekly skills #musedchat
A1: Our town phased in the SBG with K-5. Before that, students received Needs Improvement, Good, or Excellent. I scored them in just one main category. #musedchat
I've been thinking about making that stuff a separate category with 0 weight in my gradebook. So kids/parents can see where they are on those things, without impacting academic grades. #musedchat
I keep track of all of those things in a google form, but do not include it in the student’s mark. It’s good information for discussion with parents. #musedchat
#MusEdChat A2: We must give at least 9 grades per 9 weeks, and we have an #InstructionalPlanningGuide that highlights the basic goals for those 9 weeks, but we're not told specifics. The only thing we are really told is that our grades CANNOT BE based on participation/behavior.
A2: We have control over the one grade we give, but there seems to be an unspoken expectation that all students start at "satisfactory" at BOY and are moved to "excellent" by EOY, with rare exceptions #musedchat
A3: Performance (concerts), assessments, weekly skills, music literacy. No practice logs, materials or participation grades . Again same in band, choir and orchestra 6-8 #musedchat
Categories have not changed much over the years at high school. But going from percentages to outcome based at the middle school has been a struggle. #musedchat
#MusEdChat A3: My only category this year is "Content Mastery" - the grades are based on skill acquisition: CAN they keep a beat, CAN they perform the lyrics to the song, CAN they tell the dif. between quarter & eighth notes, etc.
Steal away! It's a 4pt rubric based on preparedness, engagement, teamwork, and a couple others. Highest weight, because that's where the bulk of their time is spent #musedchat
A3: The bottom 3 are our “work habits” that are reported separately and not weighted. The remaining are categories from our rubric that have percussion equivalents #MusEdChathttps://t.co/EivUNMUKMd
A3 Here is a link to our rubric. Always = 100. Usually = 93. Sometimes = 83. Rarely = 73. There’s also an insufficient evidence #MusEdChathttps://t.co/kbpRDvM9S2
A3: The bottom 3 are our “work habits” that are reported separately and not weighted. The remaining are categories from our rubric that have percussion equivalents #MusEdChathttps://t.co/EivUNMUKMd
Our HS even ditched it. In the past, such a grade had been used punitively. Now there's no grade, and also no problem with concert attendance. #musedchat
Within our categories we have 6 Essential Learnings apitch Reading, Rhythm Reading, Repertoire comprehension, Performing, Interpreting, and Evaluating #musedchat
Agreed! When I first started, I did it because "that's how it had always been done..." then I thought more about it and stopped. Might work for others, not for me though. #musedchat
A3: I have to be honest, this is my weak spot. I haven't figured out the best way to keep track for the 400 kids I see once a week, especially since specials' grades are kinda laid back for us #musedchat
It's difficult enough to grade kids I see every day...can't imagine what a challenge it is to do that for that number of kids in that amount of time. #musedchat
A3: K-5 has 4 categories: Musical Concepts, Music Literacy, Performance Skills, and Appropriate Behavior. It is difficult to assess all of the students I see, which is once per week for most. #musedchat
Q4: We use Aspen, so grades are available online. Report cards use letters only. Comments on report cards are stock and code-based, but assignments have comment boxes where we can input in more detail.
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#MusEdChat A4: Our district has a "parent portal" where parents can check in at any time to see how their children are progressing. They cannot see specific assignments, just the actual grade: if they have concerns, our contact information is attached to the grade.
I student taught in a place that used Skyward. One of the counselors was named John Connor. Had to keep an eye out for time traveling cyborgs. #musedchat
A4: Grades printed from PowerSchool ea.marking period & given to parents at conferences. Someone Forgot To Consider Instrumental Music when designing the SBG report cards. My husband (also an elem music teacher in town) & I designed a separate band report card w/ SBG. #musedchat
