only design the rubric that would be used as the assessment tool, but also select the measures that they would be assessed on. Using the de- scriptive vocabulary list compiled during our performance listening activity, we combined similar words into categories that addressed spe- cific musical elements such as “tone” and “rhythm.” In small groups, stu- dents then created a four-point ru- bric from a template selecting the music elements that they believed to be most important in a performance and wrote descriptions for each point category. After collecting the rubric drafts, I was able to see which musical elements students identified as key components to a performance and generated a final rubric from all of the draft submissions. With our class rubric complete, it was time to decide on the measures of music that would be used for the practice check assessment. (For this pilot practice plan, I chose to focus only on measures from our concert music). In small groups and within their instrument sections, students worked together to identify areas in their music that they thought they should be assessed on. (Prior to this point, we had our music for a few weeks, so students were familiar with it enough to identify some of the problematic areas). Students sub- mitted a list of proposed measures, and I generated a final list from all of their recommendations.


Modeling Practice Strategies And Assessment


Using the results from the ini- tial practice survey, I created a list of common practice strategies that students could choose from when practicing their music. Each strategy


MAY 2018


had its own name and contained a description on how to do it. For ex- ample, for the “Strawberry Rhyth- mic Jam” strategy, students would se- lect a challenging passage and change the rhythm of the notes (long-short- long-short, or short-long-short- long), and for the “Say and Play” strategy, students would identify an area in the music and count the rhythm out loud while playing it at the same time. During our lesson time, I modeled the strategies, and we tested several out together so stu- dents would know how to apply the strategies to their practicing at home. It was also important for stu- dents to understand how to prac- tice and assess their own playing us- ing our class-designed rubric. As a warm-up activity during a rehearsal period, I played a few excerpts from the assigned practice check measures and had the students assess my play- ing following the descriptions on our rubric. (I made a few mistakes to see if the students were really listening!). After giving me a rating for each category, I asked the students to ex- plain their reasoning for giving me a certain score. Following my playing demonstration, some students even volunteered to play for the class and have the other ensemble members assess them as a practice round! At the end of our rehearsal period, the students worked together in pairs to play and assess each other using our class rubric.


Next Steps


The purpose for the practice plan was to introduce and teach my students effective strategies for prac- ticing at home, include them in the assessment process, and equip them with the tools to help them develop


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into more independent musicians. A major consideration for this plan was to build these strategies into our regular rehearsal and lesson times, yet I am finding that taking the time to implement these activi- ties has benefitted all students. The class-generated rubric can be used as a practice tool—students can use the rubric to focus on specific musi- cal elements when they are practic- ing at home and self-assess their own playing (or self-assess a peer!). Hav- ing the students select the measures for their practice check assessment gives them more accountability for their practicing and helps them learn how to identify problematic areas in their music. I will continue to apply the newly learned practice strategies during rehearsals and lessons to re- inforce them and help students de- velop good practicing habits. Next marking period, students will select new measures for assessment! Although this year is the first


time I have incorporated a step-by- step practice plan into my teaching, I do plan on modifying this plan and continually developing it to meet the needs of my students. At the end of the school year, I intend on having my students complete a short ques- tionnaire about the practice plan to measure their perceptions regard- ing the new practice and assessment strategies. Having the students sub- mit their practice checks electroni- cally can also be used to track their progress, especially after putting the practice plan into action. Currently, I still find myself telling my students to practice more, but now they are more equipped with the appropriate tools and goals to focus on to be set up for success!


TEMPO


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