Music Is Not for Insects

The best part about being a musician is that you’ll never be perfect…there’s always something to learn. The worst part about being a musician is that you’ll never be perfect…there’s always something to learn.

Over at mustech.net, Joe Pisano just returned from PMEA and posted the following sentiment he over heard from fellow music educators:

Students are given a trophy for everything they do. They expect to be rewarded for simply participating in something. It’s all part of the “I’m o.k., you’re o.k.” culture… I think it’s a “dumbing down” of the perception of excellence. This is why I am such an advocate of “getting beyond the four walls of your school and classroom”. Students in music MUST be exposed continually to people, groups, and ensembles that perform music excellently. Too often a student is told they are good at something (in our case -music) and they go through life under a false pretense. Encouragement is needed at all times to truly strive for “better”, BUT they must have a reference to what “BETTER” is! Don’t believe me on this one? Tune in to the auditions at American Idol.

How do we get our kids thinking about excellence? Or how do we teach our students to be realistic about their ability? When do we learn how to evaluate, change and grow as musicians? Can we be critical of our own performance as musicians, yet remain sane in the process?

All of this got me thinking about my teaching with beginning musicians, particularly instrumentalists. From day one in my classroom, I strive to create an environment where students can risk big, feel rewarded, and act responsibly. I believe this creates a framework for students to strive for excellence and honestly evaluate their progress.

From day one in the beginning group lesson, I introduce the concept of risk by insisting that everyone must feel safe when they perform for each other with some simple rules:

• Play with courage.
• Play with understanding.
• Be patient with others and yourself.
• Know you can ask for help at anytime.

As kids progress, they know they will be rewarded daily, weekly and monthly by:

• Constant encouragement.
• Being highlighted in “The Podcast of the Week”
• Being chosen as a soloist in an upcoming concert.
• Getting a medal or certificate at the end of the year for completing achievement lines.

These may not be new ideas to anyone in music education, but it’s the last “R” of responsibility that I think often gets overlooked in our teaching.

Let me try to explain by giving you a “sample” transcript of what you might hear during a lesson in my classroom:

T: Ok, who is ready to play for me #43 on page 10? This was your assignment for today’s lesson…

S: I’m ready!

T: All right. Lucy, please begin when you are ready…

[Lucy plays but doesn't quite get the rhythm right in the last measure...]

T: Thank you…now, did you play that without any mistakes?

S: No.

T: Good! That’s right. Where did you have a problem?

S: I think I made a mistake in the last measure…uh…with the counting?

T: Yes. That’s right. [addressing the rest of the class now..] The good news is she can now fix it…[with humor] or should we kick her out of the band? Of course not! How about this…does anyone have any tips for Lucy on how she can get the rhythm correct in that last measure?
-end transcript-

I really encourage my instrumental students to be honest and objective about their playing by constantly asking questions about what they are hearing and to immediately assess their performance with the help of others or by listening to recordings of their playing. I often make a big deal and applaud students when they can identify a mistake they have made after playing something. I say “if you can hear your mistakes, you can fix them.” This encourages them to take responsibility for their playing and growth as a musician. Assessment and especially self-assessment in instrumental music is a process of learning how to evaluate, reflect and change one’s practice.

How does this relate to kids understanding the difference between an excellent performance and something that is mediocre? If we can instill in our students from the very beginning that excellence is a journey, they will come to realize that the joy in learning to play an instrument, or sing, is akin to the first part of the quote at the top of this post: “The best part about being a musician is that you’ll never be perfect…” and the journey never ends.

It’s our job as music educators to give them the proper tools and perspective for the journey. Let me know how you make that happen with your students.

Here in the state of Washington, we are supposed to be implementing Classroom Based Performance Assessments in the Arts, including music.
I won’t bore you with all the details, but the process involves video taping students performing various “sets” and then scoring each child’s video according to a rubric that is supposed to be aligned to specific state Essential Academic Learning Requirements, or EALRS. (Click here for an overview of the music CBPA’s by grade level).

Since I am leading a training on this for teachers, I could use your insight on this touchy subject…

Initial reactions to this state mandated testing from teachers in my district have ranged from indifference to hostility-

“How can we test for music? Are they nuts?”

“We barely have time to teach our students as it is…and now they want us to test?”

“No one is going to care about these scores; what difference will it make?”

“I’m not doing it!”

“I think testing is a bad way to justify the arts….”

“What difference will this make?”

This really surprised me. My initial reaction to all this was, “Finally the legislature sees enough value in the arts to have them assessed for all students.”

I often joke with my colleagues that after the first round of dismal arts scores are made available, I envision a press conference where the Governor says: “Look at these test scores for the Arts; it’s obvious our students need more resources for arts education…I am proposing we pass a bill for increased spending in the arts for all WA State students.” End dream sequence.

I think testing for the arts fundamentally says that all the arts are essential for every student’s education. It says we no longer need to justify arts education based on how it supports other disciplines…Art for Arts Sake!

I am wrong about this?

What’s your take on assessment for music?

Does your state have a mandated arts assessment program?

I’d be grateful for your input. Please add to this conversation by commenting below.