ObservationToolsandDescriptiveFeedback

Band class is a little difficult to approach from astrictlyeducationalassessmentperspectiveinmath

class, for example, you dothings(calculations, worksheets) that you rarely would dooutside ofthat
context. A band rehearsal, on the other hand, can (and does) happen regularly outside of school,
because (believe it or not) people can just
be in a band
,andtherehearsalprocessis thesame,and
is not inherently based on curricular outcomes. For example, It is expected that students will:
perform dynamics with appropriate tone quality within the functional range of the instrument is a
PLO from the Instrumental Music 11 & 12 IRP, but is also not an unreasonable expectation of a
performerinanonacademicbandsetting.

However, the bandclass does conveniently present a fairly standard musical toolthatiseasilyused
for onthefly notetaking and feedback for learning: The conductors score.Consider the following:
The first page of the scoreforGustavHolsts
SecondSuite inFforMilitaryBand
,astandardpiecein
the concert band repertoire, appears here with my markups in red indicating typical mistakes that a
bandmightmakeinthissection1 .

(B&H1922)
1

Obviouslysuchmarkupswouldbedonebyhandandinpencilinsteadofinpaint.

BrennanConroy(EDPBYr.5Secondary)

ObservationToolsandDescriptiveFeedback

These are the sorts of things I could circle on the fly as the band plays through a piece and make
more detailed notes about after the fact this falls under thecategoryofananecdotal,contextbased
record. Generally speaking, in a band rehearsal setting, feedback on this sort of thing is provided
immediately for an academic
sightreading activity
, on the other hand, a rubric with descriptive
feedbackmightactuallyproveuseful:

RubricforSightReadingExercises
Date:

Sightreadingpiece:
Section:

Rhythm

Students:
Ina
Level1
performance,
thesection...

Ina
Level2
performance,the
section...

Ina
Level3
performance,the
section...

Playsfewoftherhythms
correctly.

Playsmostoftherhythms
correctly.

Playsalmostalloftherhythms
correctly.

Comments:

Melody

Playsfewofthenotes
correctly.

Playsfewofthearticulations
correctly.
Playslittleofthepiecewith
accuratedynamics.

Isfrequentlylost.

Comments:

Playsalmostallofthe
articulationscorrectly.
Playsmostofthepiecewith
accuratedynamics.

Getslostoccasionally,but
findsitswayback.

Doesnotgetlostatanypoint.

Comments:

Musicianship

Playsmostofofthe
articulationscorrectly.
Playssectionsofthepiece
withaccuratedynamics.

Comments:

Form

Playsalmostallofthenotes
correctly.

Comments:

Expression

Playsmostofofthenotes
correctly.

Demonstratespoor
instrumentaltechnique.
Playswithout
professionalism,is
distracted,orplayswith
disrespectforthemusic.

Demonstratesreasonable
instrumentaltechnique.
Isfocusedmostofthetime.

Demonstratesaccurate,
competentinstrumental
technique.
Playswithprofessionalism,
withoutdistraction,andwith
respectforthemusicandits
composer.

BrennanConroy(EDPBYr.5Secondary)

ObservationToolsandDescriptiveFeedback

The abovenoted elements come directly fromthecurrentMusic11and12IRP,anddirectlyaddress

PLOs. I decided on assessing students by section for this activity, as such feedback in a practical
context would likely be received in that way, anyway, and its difficult onthe fly to determine which
studentinasectionhitawrongnote,forexample.

When I originally developed the rubric, I didnt assign a grade level. Afterwards, I decided to apply
the Senior Band label to it I wouldnt use goals quitesodifficultwiththeJuniorBand.Thisactually
seems like something I would use in the band room hopefully I get a chance to do so during the
February practicum. After review with my classmate on February 6th, I decided to remove the
quantitative elementsin favour of the few/most/almost all language yousee in the current version.
This makes it more flexible for use with more groups. This particular system allows for ongoing
developmental feedback and formative development, but if I were to do a final, summative
sightreading test, I could put the ranges back in (<50, 5080, >80), potentially adjusted for thelevel
ofthegroup(grade8vs.seniorband).

My classmate on February 6th also suggested that I ensure I make explicit these criteria upfront
before the first exercise,andthatits not inherently formarks.Ofcourse,I wouldntdoacourselong
sightreadingcomponentwithoutmakingclearwhatexactlyitwasIwaslookingfor.

BrennanConroy(EDPBYr.5Secondary)