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By Sharon Burch Incorporating assessment into our teaching routine is a constant challenge, but the benefits make it worth the effort. I began assessing to test my teaching strategies and discovered that I learned far more about myself, my students, and educated my students' parents!
As music teachers with limited class time, we tend to do most activities in large groups with little one-on-one interaction. My job entails traveling between five K-3 buildings and teaching 400 students twice a week for 25-minute periods. Informal assessments of the general group are fairly easy, but I like to assess the individual in a one-on-one situation. Using a video for the class, I individually assess students in October and April to check understanding of music concepts and learning growth. I record the assessment on an assessment spreadsheet for my records and on an assessment report sheet for each student. I then hold the assessment sheets until grade card time. The assessment sheets are printed on blue paper and designed to fit inside the report card. Classroom teachers insert the music assessment sheets inside the envelope and send them home. The feedback is tremendous! I quickly realized it was my greatest form of advocacy. (PowerPoint assessment sheet file is available by emailing Sharon at:
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) Perception is reality, and the parents receiving the grade sheet with the regular grade card perceive it as being just as important as their other academics. I include music concepts that we continually work on throughout the year. Parents often comment that they don't remember learning all so much when they were in music. It is a strong, silent statement that we take music seriously and there is a whole lot more going on in music than playing games, dancing and singing. About the Author:
Sharon Burch is a music teacher, clinician and author. Ms. Burch is in growing demand as a clinician. Sharon and Freddie share their interactive teaching methods in elementary music with groups across the country. Sharon holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Truman University, and a Masters Degree as a Professional Educator from Morningside College. She also holds a certification in piano instruction from the International Piano Teaching Foundation developed by Dr. Robert Pace. She has served as a vocal and piano instructor, and taught preschool through 8th grade general music and directed junior high and high school choirs. She makes her home in the rolling hills of southern Iowa. Each Freddie the Frog book uses notation or a music concept in the story. There are three books in the series: Freddie the Frog and the Thump in the Night , Freddie the Frog and the Bass Clef Monster and the new Freddie the Frog and the Mysterious Wahooooo . Separate flash cards are available for the first two books. Also available to help animate the story is a fun Freddie the Frog Hand Puppet!
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