Damain 4 Portfolio

Benjamin Sherk

A. State and National Assessment:

PLAN Data
During a professional development session at Kingsford High School, the PLAN Data
sheet with Kingsfords post testing scores reveled that analyzing written materials
or formulating answers based on previous student knowledge was below required
minimum standards. In examples presented at the professional development by Jan
Van Gasse, students often had difficulty collating, and communicating in writing
complete thoughts. Students also had difficulty writing complete sentences based
on information they already new.
As I do not write papers in our music performance classes I felt I could best help
with writing by have students write at least on complete sentence analyzing what
they had practiced in their one hour of required practice time.
The results were varied. At first students simply listed what they had worked on.
This week I practiced all the songs we have worked on Though this was a
complete sentence it did not indicate any sort of thought process dealing with
analyzing their work. After two weeks of this and making comments on their sheets,
I addressed in class the focus that I wanted.
I made comments like I dont want to see lists of music written on your sheets I
then gave examples of what I dont want to see written I was still frustrated as the
weeks went by and I did not see much improvement from the majority of the
students. It was during a pre-evaluation meeting with Mr. Holmes that I learned that
telling students what not to do actually encouraged students to do it because it is
what they remembered. So taking Mr. Holmes advice, I began to have students with
good sentences read them in class. I also read some good ones and had students
critique what was written.
There were a few more students that caught on to this, but by and large, students
still did not give me what I was looking for. Then I felt that I confounded the problem
using the words that lead the students in the wrong direction. I said write down
what you practiced, but what I meant was what method did you use to practice
your music. I have written notes to this effect for some time and have pushed this
in the classroom.
After months of trying to get them to analyze what they were actually working on, I
feel there has not been a great improvement in their sentences. I do know that
some have been very skilled at writing what they have worked on, and others have
built quite a log of what they have been working on over the past year.
I think next year, I will provide more room for them to write on the sheets and
broaden their writing to produce a journal of their journey from the beginning of the
year to the end, perhaps supplementing their sentences with a question or thought
that may trigger a response.

B. Local Assessments:
Grade Level Common Assessment pre & post test data
6th grade students were give pre-test on what scales were , how they were used in
music and if they were able to play any scales.
7th grade was given a pre test and post test on the 7 fundamental building blocks of
music performance.

C. Other Objective Growth Data:

Students were evaluated by 3 judges on 3 songs performed during a festival.
Students were graded on the 7 building blocks of music performance. Students
were also required to write their own comments on other school groups who
performed that same day. These are used to gage whether students understand
these building blocks and can apply them to a real life situation.
Growth is also recorded in the form of pre and post recording of music performed.
Even to the novice, the difference of the process from beginning to end is clearly
evident, and learning on a performance level has definitely taken place.