Assessment Portfolio

Crystal Rathburn
Music 512
5 November 2021

#1: Exit Ticket

Definition: An exit ticket is a short response or form that students are required to complete at the
end of a class period. These are short assessments that ask two to three questions to test
comprehension skills.

Rationale: Exit tickets are informal assessments that are based on what has been taught or
discussed in the classroom. These not only tell the teachers how students are doing, but how the
teachers are doing and can influence adjustments for future classes.

Implementation
Protocol: Sticky Notes will be passed around near the end of the class period. Students will
write their name and their responses down and place it on the board as they are leaving class.

Reliability: Students will be asked questions that relate to the content such as terminology and
musical ideals that have been discussed in class.

Validity: Students will not be asked questions with unknown answers. Students will also not be
graded upon their response.

Assessment and Adjustment: Protocol can be adjusted depending on classroom accessibility.

Questions will vary depending on the ensemble and their capabilities

Example
Here are some example questions that might be on an exit ticket.

 What should the ensemble do during a decrescendo?

 In your own words, describe tempo.
 How can an ensemble improve blend and balance?
#2: Scale and Technique Recording
Definition: Scale and technique recording will showcase students’ abilities to perform scales and
small excerpts utilizing all musical concepts. Students will submit their videos on the school
platform, or on Seesaw.

Rationale: Scales lead to a greater understanding of music. The ability to know and understand
the relationship between single notes and chords will leader to better foundations and
fundamentals of music, especially at a younger age.

Implementation
Protocol: Every week a new recording assignment will become available. Students will have
two weeks to submit each assignment. Students will be graded upon note accuracy, rhythm
accuracy, and timeliness.

Reliability: The rubric will be copied and pasted for every recording as the goals are the same
for every piece. If students submit a poor video, they will have an opportunity to resubmit. All
students will be given the same time, resources, and opportunities to provide consistency.

Validity: The rubric will remain the same for each recording, however, there might be
fluctuations between instrument depending on capabilities.

Assessment and Adjustment: After the completion of each video, the teacher may make
adjustments to their teaching depending on results.

Example
Attached is an example of a scale recording assignment I have utilized during private lessons.
#3: Journal/Log
Definition: At the beginning of the school year, each student will be given a blank notebook. In
this book, they will write about anything and everything they have learned from the class. This
includes but it not limited to: practice logs, terminology, self-reflections, etc.

Rationale: The students will be assigned to write at least one entry a week. They will submit
their journals for the teacher to assess every couple months to see what the students take-away
from the class, judgement free.

Implementation
Protocol: Students will have journal prompts at least once a week. Students will understand that
their journal is confidential and will only be seen by the teacher.

Reliability: Students will be able to discuss what they are learning, and teachers will be able to
see how students develop and grow based on the entries. The teacher may then adapt other
lessons depending on the students.

Validity: This allows students the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings about what is
being taught in the class. The entries are not based on a grade and create a student portfolio.

Assessment and Adjustment: The assessment is based on how what students are sharing. The
adjustments will be made based on how much the students are sharing.

Example
Attached is an example of a young student journal entry.
#4: Seesaw Portfolio
Definition: Seesaw is a virtual classroom that teachers can use to organize student assignments,
postings, communications, videos, and expectations. Each student has their own page that
compiles all their work into an electronic portfolio.

Rationale: The virtual portfolio allows students to keep an organized source of their academic
growth. The portfolio also increases classroom organization for students, teachers, and parents.
Students can use this portfolio as a resource for their future endeavors.

Implementation
Protocol: Students will submit videos, assignments, and discussions with their classmates based
on the curriculum designed by the teacher. Assignments and grades can be incorporated on
Seesaw.

Reliability: This portfolio will compile multiple measures of assessment along with all types of
assessment. Student portfolios will be individualized and guided by teacher expectation.

Validity: Each portfolio will be unique the student and their individual progress. Requirements
will be outlined at the beginning of the year to create greater understanding and expectation for
the students.

Assessment and Adjustment: Each assignment can receive a grade, or the overall portfolio can
receive a grade. These grades will mostly be based on participation and punctuality. Each virtual
classroom can be adjusted to best benefit any student.

Example
This is a sample found online of the Seesaw homepage.
#5: Daily Sight-Reading
Definition: Sightreading is the process of reading and performing music following a first look.
This process can be difficult, but with practice and healthy strategies, students can identify the
most important aspects of music before playing.

Rationale: Sightreading is essential for beginning ensembles. It creates confidence, a stronger

foundation in rhythm and pitch, better listening and expanded musical opportunities.

Implementation
Protocol: Students will have a piece of music on their stand. The sightreading can include but is
not limited to scale exercises, technique exercises, breathing exercises, or musical exercises.

Reliability: Students will learn about personal and instrumental tendencies. They will be able to
grow as a musician depending on those tendencies and how they develop utilizing those skills.

Validity: The excerpts are a great way to focus on specific strategies that are relevant to what
they are working on without overworking the piece of music.

Assessment and Adjustment: Sightreading shows if students truly understand musical topics. If
students do not understand the topics, the teacher will re-evaluate and reintroduce the concept.
The consistency of these exercises will help develop lesson plans.

Example
Attached is a sightreading example.
6: musictheory.net
Definition: musictheory.net is a website in which musicians of all ages can test themselves on a
variety of music theory topics.

Rationale: Games are a way for learners to interact with and engage themselves to better
comprehend music theory. This website can record scores for assessment.

Implementation
Protocol: Theory games can enhance interest for studying fundamentals of music theory. Being
able to better understand music theory can help students understand music composition.

Reliability: Being able to access this website on any device allows to easy access. Students will
be held responsible for tracking their progress and score.

Validity: These games provide quantitative feedback. These should be completion assessments
as they are meant to track progress and understanding.

Assessment and Adjustment: The games can be adjusted to focus on certain topics and have set
boundaries to narrow down categories even more. Students need to be aware of these settings if
certain assignments have certain requirements.

Example
Website Link: musictheory.net
#7: Rubric Collaborations
Definition: A rubric is used as a scoring guide to evaluate the quality of student responses. The
criteria are determined primarily by the teacher but can involve students in the process. Involving
students in the process will encourage them to persevere and submit high quality assignments.

Rationale: It will clarify expectations for students and get them to think like teachers. This type
of mentality gives students more confidence to take ownership of their learning.

Implementation
Protocol: After guidance on previous rubrics, students will have opportunities to write their own
rubric. They can be written as a class or as an individual based on the assignment. These rubrics
will be utilized both by the student and the teacher to assess performances and other assessments.

Reliability: Since rubrics will be guided by teachers, they will create consistent expectations.
These rubrics will also be used on a weekly basis for student led activities such as sectionals or
rehearsal tasks. This will provide many opportunities to fairness through assessment.

Validity: Each of these rubrics will outline the standards for poor, good, proficient, and
exceptional assignments. Specifications for point values and other factors will be measures the
same across all rubrics for consistency.

Assessment and Adjustment: The teacher can use these rubrics to analyze their students’ ability
to self-assess and judge musicianship qualities. Students can use these rubrics to organize their
work and they can be adjusted to fit any level or ensemble.

Example
Attached is a sample rubric for a performance.
#8: Placement Auditions
Definition: Placement auditions are widely used by all music programs to organize students into
skill-based ensembles. Depending on the program, chair placements will determine what part
students will play in the ensemble. These auditions usually occur at the beginning of the school
year.

Rationale: It is a summative assessment of the student’s musical ability at that moment. These
auditions place students in the appropriate ensemble and help educators determine literature and
lessons. Since students grow and become better musicians over the course of the year, the
assessment can be retested at semester.

Implementation
Protocol: Students enrolled in the program will be contacted about fall placement auditions.
They will be given the music at least one month in advance. The music selection will depend on
the developmental level and ability of the program.

Reliability: Placement auditions give a short excerpt of the student’s musical ability at that
moment in time. Students will be given criteria to prepare their audition in advance and teachers
will judge with another educator to account for bias and consistency.

Validity: The teachers will create the most opportunity for student success because of their clear
grading system, expectations, and communication to students before auditions.

Assessment and Adjustment: Students can use auditions to self-assess their abilities. Educators
can use auditions to determine literature and lessons for the year. There are several adjustments
that could be made depending on the programs values and procedures.

Example
Attached is the beginning of an audition packet that includes important information and marked
excerpts for the audition.