ASSESSMENT PORTFOLIO

High School Band

Ms. Jessica Brummel
Rubrics
A guide listing specific criteria for grading or scoring academic papers, projects, or tests.
A clear and objective way to state musical and technical criteria for often subjective musical tests
and projects such as playing tests, performance grades, and other projects.

Rubrics for playing tests will be given with the music the playing test will be over, around three
weeks before the test. Students will be expected to refer to the rubric as a guide for their practice.
Rubrics will also be given to students at the class period they are introduced for other projects
such as a presentation of the history of a piece or a small ensemble arranging project.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15SXoh35BWwcCL8eh2wYCt-
C6N5NrD2_KAL_qlkT5NL8/edit?ts=5bbf4880#gid=0

Rating Scales
A rating scale is a set of categories designed to elicit information about a qualitative attribute.
Rating scales are necessary in a music classroom for self and group assessment of their
technique, musicality, and overall musical experience.

Rating scales will be implemented sometimes alongside rubrics for clarity of group or self
assessment. Students need to think deeply about how they are playing in the moment as well as
listening to recordings of themselves and others, and rating scales are an effective way to start
the deep thinking process.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/18-item-4-factor-Jazz-Big-Band-Performance-Rating-
Scale_tbl2_276370639

Journals/Reflection
Serious thought and consideration is expressed and shown in written record, daily.
In the music classroom, subjective material thinking outside the box of a rubric or rating scale
needs to be encouraged because so much of true music making cannot be categorized or graded
on. This journal would keep students thinking expressively and deliberately about their music
making and how they contribute to the whole.

At the end of each rehearsal students are given a few minutes to reflect on the rehearsal. This
could be in the form of a notebook or portfolio to document what students saw or head during
that rehearsal, as well as their feelings about rehearsal. This daily reflection could be formatted
as a grading scale in different areas of rehearsal such as individual or ensemble playing,
productivity, and behavior with space for rationale, or a series of questions such as “What are
some areas of concern that we/I could improve on for next rehearsal?”, or as a free-write.
Example of a journal prompt: “How can what we learned in class today translate to our daily life
outside of band class?”

Check Lists
A list of items required, things to be done, or points to be considered, used as a reminder.
Check lists are needed for the quantifiable needs in a music classroom. What to wear for a
performance, what to bring to rehearsal, and practice excerpt tasks are all needed in a classroom
to get everyone on the same page.

Check lists will be given before the first rehearsal and all performances to make sure every
member knows the expectations of attire, preparedness, and timeliness. Check lists will also be
given through excerpts to practice on a weekly basis and turn in recordings of progress on the
excerpts. Failure to meet every mark on a checklist results in a percentage of that grade taken off.

Example from a marching band handbook:

REHEARSAL EXPECTATIONS
1. Each student is expected to be responsible and bring your instrument (unless it’s in for
repairs), instruments maintenance accessories, pencil, drill and music for each rehearsal.
2. Talking will not be allowed on the field while the director is giving instruction. If a
section is being addressed, it is expected for those section members to raise their hand
showing that they are listening.
3. All of the students’ music should be marked with drill sets.
4. Students should arrive to rehearsal early so they can be stretched and ready to start
rehearsal right when the bell rings.

Written Tests/Exams
Formal assessment of theory, history, and overall musical knowledge is best assessed using
written examinations in the form of short answers or multiple choice questions depending on the
kind of comprehension that is being assessed.

Written exams will be given once a quarter over the concepts learned in the previous two concert
blocks. There will be multiple choice questions over history over the pieces, short answer
questions pertaining to music theory learned in the semester, and extended questions about
performance and listening.

https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=nji5nze01wxk

In-class Discussion/Feedback Participation

Student participation during class and rehearsals are a good indicator of student engagement and
understanding. This form of informal assessment is most effective when questions are designed
in a way that prompt students to access specific information or a particular skill.

In-class feedback will be prompted during every rehearsal, possibly every time the band stops to
fix something. The quality of responses across the ensemble or class can give information about
topics or objectives that might need to be reviewed. Participation in class will be noted in a
“student participated” “student didn’t participate” on a daily basis as a part of their attendance
grade.

Example:
Opening question has a limited number of answers to get the students talking. “Did we rush or
drag during this section?
Following questions build on the opening question to facilitate deeper thinking. “What do we
need to do technically on our instrument to stop rushing in this section? What can we do
musically? What notes are being rushed? Which instruments are rushing?

Performance Observation
Students will observe and listen to various pieces by other groups and evaluate what they hear.
They will do the same for the recording of their own concert.
Performance observation is crucial in a music classroom to identify weaknesses and strengths in
a performance or ensemble to continue to work and improve on those weaknesses and strengths.

The day after a concert, the ensemble sits in their normal chairs but without instruments. They
are given rubrics and open-ended questions about the performance, including strengths and
weaknesses they see in the group that could be identified in their listening. A similar listening
activity might happen before we start work on a piece by listening to another group that has
played it.

Example: see “journal”, “rubric”, and “In-class discussion”

Self and Peer Assessment

Assessment or evaluation of oneself or one's actions, in particular, of one's performance at a job
or learning task considered in relation to an objective standard. Assessment of neighbor’s actions
or performance at a learning task.
Self and peer assessment are crucial to a music classroom because without this type of
assessment, teachers struggle to develop students that can think for themselves and be proactive
in their music making.
Through the use of all other assessment tools, self and peer assessment should come second
nature to the students in every second of band class. If I’ve set the students up with an active role
in the music making decisions, an active role in giving feedback in class on what they hear, and
an active role in assessing others through listening examples and rubrics, the students should
think more critically about their music making at every rehearsal.

Example: Self assessment can be seen in all other assessment tools. The only difference is, the
teacher is not assessing for a grade. Rather, the student is assessing for themselves what they can
do to further the group and further themselves in their musical journey.