Teacher Evaluation

Teacher Evaluation Abby Butler, Ph. D. Wayne State University

NAfME Position Statement Measures of student achievement used in teacher evaluation must: • Be based on student achievement directly attributable to individual teacher, in subject area taught by that teacher. • Be based on evaluation instruments that accurately reflect the achievements they are purported to measure. • Be created to evaluate the curriculum that is taught, reflecting national, state, and local standards and curricula while using clear criteria known to teacher in advance. • Be developed and applied in context of number of students taught and instructional time available. • If based on growth models, take into account beginning level of achievement from which growth is expected to take place. W • Work on a multi-year cycle to allow for appropriate professional development and growth in order to meet primary goal of helping teachers improve service to students.

NAfME Position Statement (cont.) Successful Music Teacher Evaluation: Must include a balanced, comprehensive assessment of the teacher’s contribution to student learning through multiple measures. These measures can and should collect information indicating: • Teacher practice, such as planning and preparation • Teacher’s role in maintaining a productive classroom environment • That instruction is designed to reach specified goals • Teacher’s contribution to the school or district, as well as to the profession of teaching at large • That students attain 21st century skills through instruction

NAfME Position Statement (cont.) Successful Music Teacher Evaluation Must: • Include measures of music student achievement along with the above indicators, as only one element of a teacher’s evaluation. Measurements of student achievement should include evaluation in the three general areas of creating, performing, and responding. • Limit the use of data measuring group outcomes (e.g., adjudicated ratings of large ensemble performances), to valid and reliable measures. They should form only part of a teacher’s evaluation. • Avoid using school-wide measures other than those directly associated with music achievement (eg. measures of attendance, dropout and graduation rates, and/or work habits). • Limit observation-based teacher evaluations to those conducted by individuals with adequate training in music as well as in evaluation.

Opportunities • Legitimize music as a core subject by providing concrete evidence of student learning in terms understandable by other educators. • Contribute to teacher’s professional growth by identifying strengths as well as areas of weakness, knowledge which in turn can be used to develop meaningful professional development or other types of assistance.

Challenges • Diversity of programs in terms of breadth and depth of statewide music programs • High numbers of teacher/student ration • Limited contact time • Unequal access to adequate resources, including materials, equipment, staffing, and facilities

Pro-Active Strategies • Communicate – with colleagues, administration, and experts in music assessment • Stay informed – utilized state and national web sites, forums, attend workshops, read material from reliable resources • Diligently collect and record data of student learning and evidence of your own professional development activities • Avoid spreading unconfirmed information or that obtained through unreliable sources

Back to the Basics Instruction (Teaching) Planning & Preparation Assessment

Evidence of Effective Teaching

Assessing Student Growth • Defining Terms • Value-added • “growth” • Mediating factors: • Differences between classroom and ensemble settings • Availability of valid and reliable measurement tools for individual vs. group growth • Numbers of students and contact hours per week • Lack of consistent music instruction across state • Quantitative vs. qualitative measures • Quantitative – data is numerical (anything that can be counted, percentages) • Qualitative – data is in words (descriptions, written critiques)

Assessment Tools Measurement tools must provide evidence of student learning and typically fall into two distinct categories: Written Assessments Performance Tests Critiques of audio/video recordings of individual and group performances Performance tests used to evaluate a specific task Sight reading Performing or improvising on Orff instruments Performing solos or within a small group • Quizzes/tests • Worksheets • Written reports, papers, reviews, critiques, essays

Matching Assessments with Tasks Types of Assessment Outcomes to be Assessed Skills Knowledge Factual Procedural Understanding (concepts, principles – big picture) • Quizzes and tests • Academic prompts • Performance tests and projects

Measuring Skills Skills Appropriate Assessments Checklists Rating scale Rubrics Worksheets Portfolios • Singing • Playing instruments • Moving • Listening • Composing, Improvising, Arranging • Notating (perform, read, write -PRW)

Measuring Knowledge Types of Knowledge Appropriate Assessments Quizzes or tests (written) Worksheets Diagrams (flow charts, webs) • Factual • Terminology • Symbols (notation) • Instruments • Genres • Procedural (“How to”) • Audience role during concert • Build a major scale • Create triads

Assessing Understanding Understanding Appropriate Assessments Questioning (divergent) Problem solving activities Projects • Concepts • Principles • Big Picture

Factors in Grading • Criteria – skills and knowledge • Weighting – how must weight given to each criterion • Standard – how grades are interpreted • Normative grading (Bell curve) • Criterion grading (Specified competencies – GLCEs) • Individual progress (Against individual baseline)

Scheduling Assessments • Decisions about when to assess students should be made in consultation with your principal • Determine whether you will use a pre-test or other types of assessments to provide a baseline for what students can currently accomplish • Baseline measures should be taken at the beginning of the year • Determine whether measurements will be taken for ALL students or for certain grades • Depending on the number of students seen, you may want to rotate which classes or grades are assessed and how often • Remember the key is to collect multiple types of assessment data over time – the more data provided, the greater the reliability

Documenting the Evidence • Once you have determined what aspects of student learning you will include (i.e. which of the MI GLCEs for which grades) you need to determine how that evidence will be documented and where it will be recorded. • Documenting evaluations – quantitative or qualitative? Rubrics, checklists, or rating scales? Both you and your principal must agree on what the numbers or words mean – how they will be interpreted. • Recording results – simplify the number of times a grade or assessment is recorded. Use computer assisted instruments whenever possible (iPad, Smartboards, software programs that record student data – i.e. Music Ace). • When possible try to assess students while teaching. Laminated seating charts for recording performance data allow you to record data without interrupting active teaching and learning.

Interpreting Results • Must have adequate and consistent data collected over time. • Establishing a baseline for comparison is critical. • Comparison of results form one teacher, school, or district must take into consideration critical demographic information in order to be fair. • Consult experts in assessment and evaluation if there is any question about how the results are being interpreted or used.

Questions

Examples

Student Attitude Towards Women’s Chorale • Please circle the appropriate number in each category which BEST describes your attitude towards being in Women’s Chorale: • 5 = Strongly Agree; 4 = Agree; 3 = Neutral or no opinion; 4 = Disagree; 1 = Strongly Agree • 1. By singing in Women’s Chorale, I am able to experience the beauty of music. 5 4 3 2 1 • By singing in Women’s Chorale, I feel a great sense o f accomplishment. 5 4 3 2 1 • 3. By singing in Women’s Chorale, I feel successful. 5 4 3 2 1 • 4. By singing in Women’s Chorale, I am “turned on” to music. 5 4 3 2 1 • 5. By singing in Women’s Chorale, I feel personally rewarded. 5 4 3 2 1 • During rehearsals, I am attentive and pay close attention to the director’s instructions. 5 4 3 2 1 • I feel good about being a member of this ensemble. 5 4 3 2 1 • 8. I feel positive about being involved in Women’s Chorale. 5 4 3 2 1 • 9. This ensemble’s rehearsal’s are highly organized. 5 4 3 2 1 • 10. This ensemble’s rehearsals are fun and enjoyable. 5 4 3 2 1 • I feel that every minute of my time in this ensemble is used. No time is wasted. 5 4 3 2 1 • 12. There are times I lose interest in this ensemble. 5 4 3 2 1 • 13. In general I enjoy the music we perform in this ensemble. 5 4 3 2 1 • 14. Whenever possible I try to find an excuse NOT to participate in this ensemble’s activities. 5 4 3 2 1 • (+) (-) • 15. My overall attitude towards Women’s Chorale is: positive (5); negative (1) 5 4 3 2 1

Choir – End of Year Evaluation • Thank you for your participation in Choir this year. I truly enjoyed the opportunity we had to make music together! In order for me to better evaluate your progress as individuals and as a group, please answer the following questions. • Choose one thing that you learned during Choir this semester that you feel contributed to your personal growth as a musician. • Choose one thing that the ensemble as a whole learned this semester that you feel contributed positively toward our performances. • Name one thing you personally would like to work on that you feel would enhance your musical skills. • Name one thing you would like the ensemble to work on that would improve our overall musicianship. • Please comment on the literature we performed this semester. Was there a particular piece you especially enjoyed? Do you have any suggestions for programming musical selections for next semester? • Please share any additional suggestions that you feel will help bring our choir to another level.

Director’s Teaching Style Please circle to appropriate number in each category which you think BEST describes the teaching style of your director during rehearsals. a. bubbly 5 4 3 2 1 quiet b. outspoken 5 4 3 2 1 reserved c. aggressive 5 4 3 2 1 passive d. outgoing 5 4 3 2 1 withdrawn e. assertive 5 4 3 2 1 soft-spoken f. organized 5 4 3 2 1 disorganized g. patient 5 4 3 2 1 impatient h. Stimulating 5 4 3 2 1 dull i. Demanding 5 4 3 2 1 easy to please j. Enthusiastic 5 4 3 2 1 apathetic towards music towards music k. Enthusiastic 5 4 3 2 1 apathetic towards teaching towards teaching

Templates – Graphics Organizers The following templates can be downloaded from McGraw-Hill at http://spotlightonmusic.macmillanmh.com/national/teachers • Block Organizer • Comparison Chart • Flow Chart • KWHL Chart • Prism Graphic Organizer • Venn Diagram • Transposition Wheel • Web Graphic Organizer

Graphic Organizer Charts Comparison Chart • Use a Comparison Chart to identify similarities and differences • The example below shows a completed chart

Graphic Organizer Charts Venn Diagram Use a Venn diagram to show the shared and separate characteristics of two or three items or ideas. Shared characteristics belong in the overlapping areas; separate and/or unique characteristics belong in the areas of the circles that do not overlap. Students may find it useful to create lists of characteristics before placing them in the appropriate areas of their Venn diagrams. On the vertical diagrams, there is space for students to write lists or describe their findings.

Performance Quiz (Piano) Quiz #1 Scales Two octaves, hands together, ascending and descending Keys ____________

Resources Music Assessment Web Site, created by Ed Asmus • http://www.music.miami.edu/assessment/ • Provides forms, glossary, rubrics, templates, software and links. McGraw Hill Web Site • http://spotlightonmusic.macmillanmh.com/national/teachers • Provides links to free downloadable graphic organizers • Textbook series includes worksheets, quizzes, tests and other tools for assessing children’s musical skill and understanding Music Ace Software, by http://www.harmonicvision.com/. Among other things, it allows teachers to: • Import assessment data from earlier versions • Export assessment data in industry-standard format • Archive student and group assessment data

Teacher Evaluation