pictures, all my assessments, and in mere moments I can fill columns with the corresponding assessment number. Ten at a glance, I can decide how my class is doing with any specific skill. Tis tells me whether to move forward or to keep revisiting this skill. Let’s look at how this plays out in real life (See Figure 1).
In my second grade class, we have had several experiences with a simple steady bordun on the barred instruments. I have decided they are ready for their formal assessment. I have chosen a song that is also working on their current melodic goals, such as “Charlie Over the Ocean”. Tis song is great because it’s simple, engaging, and has a game that singles out a few students at a time, allowing for me to as- sess them while they play and sing. I am still spiraling in my work on melody (So-Mi-La) and focusing on developing their independent singing voice. In addition, the children who are not being assessed on instruments are patting the beat on their legs, allowing for practice prior to their formal assessment. During the song and game, 4-5 students at a time are at the barred instruments and playing the simple steady bordun on the Bass Xylophone. I am able to moni- tor the game, encourage the students in their playing and singing, and assess these few students individually without anyone being the wiser. Te game is over in about 5-10 min- utes, and I have used a 4-3-2-1 system to successfully for- mally assess them while maintaining a musical experience that is authentic! Each time I use this assessment method, I keep it simple in my brain with a set of skills I am looking for and how each of these skills translates to the 4-3-2-1 system. Here is a sample rubric for Charlie Over the Ocean:
Charlie Over the Ocean
Assessment Goal: Student plays the chord bordun evenly with both hands, stays on steady beat during the song, and uses proper mallet technique.
4 = demonstrates all three elements consistently 3 = demonstrates two of the three elements consistently 2 = demonstrates one of the three elements consistently 1 = does not yet demonstrate these skills consistently
BX
Charlie Over the Ocean
Traditional E. Bridge
BX 5 5
& &
& &
## ##
œ œ.. œ
## ##
6 8
8 œ 6 œ.. œ œj œ œ.. œ œj œ œ œ œ.. œ œj Char - lie caught a œ. big œ.. œ œ. Char - lie o - ver the o - œ.. œ œ. fish, œ.. œ œ. cean, œ.. œ œ œ.. œ œ. can't œ.. œ œj œ œ œ œ.. œ œ. catch œ.. œ Description of Lesson and Game: • Teach song in a call/response style, while students pat the beat on their legs.
• Teach the game to be played: students pass the ball (or in my case, the puffer fish puppet “Charlie”) around the circle to the beat of the song.
• Student holding the ball on the last word of the song is “out” and heads to the barred instruments. The student begins playing a steady chord bordun to the beat of the song while the other children continue to play.
• Up to 4 children will be at the barred instruments at a time. When the 5th child gets “out” the original student will return to the circle and rejoin the game.
• Game will continue with teacher guidance to make sure all students have an opportunity to play at the barred instruments.
Figure 1 œ. me! œ.. œ Œ. œ. Char - lie o - ver the sea. œ.. œ Œ. œ.. œ Œ.
Erika Bridge is in her 10th year of public school teaching and currently teaches in Okemos Public Schools, in Okemos, MI. She has her M.M. from Central Michigan University and has completed Levels I, II, III, and Master Class in Orff Schulwerk, as well as several certifications on curriculum
design and assessment. She is a regular state and national presenter for AOSA, and has most recently presented in Indi- ana, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan and California. She will be teaching Level I Orff Pedagogy Certification in the Summer of 2018 and has also recently been named the clinician-in-residence for the Fall 2017 Ala- bama State Elementary Honors Choir.
Tis is just one example of how a formal assessment can be inserted into an authentic musical experience. Tere are so many ways we can accomplish this, and we are only limit- ed by our own creativity. Te key is to take the time at the beginning to set a plan into motion, instead of reacting to a situation or an experience. Funnel your program down from a macro level view into the micro, and then always check in to make sure the details are lining up with those major musical goals. Make assessments short, clear, fun and built into the magic and music you are already creating. Don’t let assessment rule you; you are the master of assess- ment!
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