+

Teacher Evaluation & Music Education: What You Need to Know

Strategies for Assessing Student Growth in the Ensemble Setting

+IntroductionPhillip Hash, Calvin College

+Session Overview

Michigan Laws

Measurement Tools

Scheduling & Implementation Questions

1

+Legislative Review: Talking Points

• All Teachers Evaluated Annually

• Percentage of Evaluation to Relate to Student Growth

• National, State, And Local Assessments

• Evaluations vs. Seniority in Personnel Decisions

• Michigan Council On Educator Effectiveness

2

+Pilot Programs

• 2012-13 Pilot• 14 districts• 4 evaluation models• Standardized tests• Local measures for non-tested subjects• Recommendations by 2013-14 school year

• Urgency for Measures of Students Growth

4

+Frameworks, Methods, Systems Used as part of Local Evaluation

Danielso

n

Marz

ano

Prof S

tandard

s for M

I Teac

hers

Peer Revie

wOth

er

N/A (p

rior c

ontract)

050

100150200250300350400450

Evaluation Methods

+Effectiveness Ratings & Percentage of Student Growth

<10% 11-20%

21-30%

31-40%

41-50%

> 50%0

50

100

150

200

250

Effectiveness Ratings

% of Growth in Local Evaluation Systems

+Current Trends: Effectiveness Ratings for 2011-12

Ineffective1%

Minimally Effective2%

Effective74%

Highly Ef-fective

23%

Effectiveness Rating

+Teacher Ratings & Student Growth

Ineffective Minimally Effective Effective Highly Effective0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

0.59 1.07

83.24

15.1

0.84 2.31

72.55

24.3

1.084.39

67.71

26.82

< 10% 11-40 % > 40%

+StrategiesMitch Robinson, Michigan State University

+Forms of Alternative Assessment

• Performance-Based Assessment• Student Auditions• Solo/Ensemble Festivals

• Critiques of Student Compositions• Coaching Jazz Improvisation• Playing Checks• Student Writing

9

+Rating Scales & Rubrics

Two Types• Continuous Rating

Scales• Additive Rating Scales

Should include:• Points that are

equidistant• Four or more rating

points• Descriptors that are

valid and reliable

Rating Scales(Criteria-Specific)

Rubrics*

*From: K. Dirth, Instituting Portfolio Assessment in Performing Ensembles, NYSSMA Winter Conference, Dec. 3, 1997.

10

+Rating Scales

Should be:• Criteria-specific• Objective• Easy to use• Clear

11Robinson

National Standard #7:

Evaluating music and music

performances.

Sample Rating Scale

12

+ What Does A Rubric Look Like?

Beginning Basic Proficient Advanced

Breathy; Unclear; Lacks focus; Unsupported

Inconsistent; Beginning to be centered and clear; Breath support needs improvement

Consistent breath support; Centered and clear; Beginning to be resonant

Resonant; Centered; Vibrant; Projecting

Adapted from: K. Dirth, Instituting Portfolio Assessment in Performing Ensembles, NYSSMA Winter Conference, Dec. 2, 1997.

Features:• Scale includes (preferably) 4 rating points• Points of the scale are equidistant on a continuum• Highest point represents exemplary performance• Descriptors are provided for each level of student performance

13

+Rubrics (cont.)• Types include:• Holistic (overall performance) • Analytic (specific dimensions of performance) • Both necessary for student assessment

• Descriptors must be valid (meaningful)• Scores • Must be reliable (consistent)• Should relate to actual levels of students learning

• Can be used by students for self-assessment and to assess the performance of other students

14

+Creating a Rubric – Why Bother?

• Helps plan activities• Focuses your objectives• Aids in evaluation and grading• Improves instruction• Provides specific feedback to students

15Robinson

+ The MorningAfter...

• Focuses student listening

• Guides students to attend to musical aspects of performance

• Can be done in groups

• Encourages comparison and contrast judgments 16

+JournalKeeping

• Stenographer’s notebooks work best• Younger students need more directed writing assignments• Try to avoid the “pizza & pop” syndrome• Teacher feedback is essential

17

+ImplementationAbby Butler, Wayne State University

+Planning to Assess

• What aspects of student learning do you want to measure?*

• Skills• Knowledge• Understanding

• Decide which measurement tools best suited for outcomes to be measured

• Obtain or develop measurement tools

*Consult the Michigan Merit Curriculum, available online at MDOE. 18

+Planning for Assessment• Build assessment into rehearsals• Develop activities as a context for measuring skills or

knowledge• Include these activities in your lesson plans

• Develop and use simple procedures for recording assessments• Laminated seating charts• Electronic gadgets (iPads, tablets, smart phones, desk

computer)

• Plan ahead where and how this data will be stored (filing system) 19

+Schedule Assessments

• Measure each of the identified goals several times throughout the year• Baseline measurements• Intermediate measurements (formative)• Measurement at the end

• Make the following decisions before the school year begins:• Who will be assessed• How often assessments will occur• When assessments will occur

• Build these assessments into your year long plan20

+Working with your Data• Decide how assessments will be recorded• Numbers?• Descriptive words?

• Decide how you will report the results• Percentage scores with differences between beginning

and end of year assessments? • Percentage of students moving from one competency

level to the next? • Graphic charts, spreadsheets?

21Butler

+Ex: Comparison of Sight Reading Competency by Ensemble

Beginning Ensemble Intermediate Ensemble

Advanced Ensemble

B D P A B D P A B D P A

First Marking Period

55%

30%

15%

0 % 25%

50%

15%

10%

0% 20%

65%

15%

Last Marking Period

30%

50%

15%

5% 15%

40%

30%

15%

0% 10%

70%

20%

Key: B (Basic) – D (Developing) – P (Proficient) – A (Advanced)22

+Tips for Starting Out• Develop measurement tools over the summer

• Start small by limiting• The number of students, grade levels, or ensembles

assessed• The number & frequency of assessments

• Build assessment into your lesson activities

• Simplify recording tasks

• Choose a system for assigning scores that is easy to average

23

+ConclusionPhillip Hash, Calvin College

+Resources

• MCEE website• http://www.mcede.org/

• www.pmhmusic.weebly.com • Legislative Summary• Policy Briefs• NAfME and MISMTE

position statements• MI GLCE - Music• Sample assessments in use

today• This PPT

• Please send examples of your assessments to pmh3@calvin.edu

• Ottawa ISD – Feb. 14, 3:30pm

25

+Responsibilities & Considerations

• Design, administer, and evaluate assessments

• Must be Quantitative• Rubistar4teachers.org

• Same or very similar for every music teacher

• Valid

• Reliable (consistent)

• Integrity of Process• Transparency• Record performance

tests (Vocaroo.com)

• Regular music staff meetings• Review assessments• Discuss/resolve issues

24

+Questions for the Panel

26