1. Abby Butler, Ph. D. Wayne State University
1/6/12
Teacher Evaluation
Abby Butler, Ph. D.
Wayne State University

2. 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.
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Guidelines from national organization (paraphrased)
Intent to assist teachers and administrators in developing meaningful measures of student growth and assessment of teacher effectiveness
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. Student achievement measures must be used with care, accurately reflecting a given teacher’s contributions.
Be based on evaluation instruments accurately reflect achievements purported to measure and used by individuals with sufficient expertise to accurately observe and interpret outcomes.
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. Evaluation instrument must be able to capture all levels of achievement, including very highest levels of mastery.
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.

3. 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
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4. 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.
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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. The relative weighting of measures in these three areas should be carefully designed to be commensurate with the nature of the class taught and the express educational goals for that class.
Must, where the most easily observable outcomes of student learning in music are customarily measured in a collective manner (e.g., adjudicated ratings of large ensemble performances), limit the use of these data to valid and reliable measures and should form only part of a teacher’s evaluation.
Must avoid using school-wide measures other than those directly associated with music achievement. If the use of school-wide measures of attendance, dropout and graduation rates, and/or work habits is mandated, they should account for a minimal part of the music teacher’s evaluation.
Must limit observation-based teacher evaluations to those conducted by individuals with adequate training in music as well as in evaluation.

5. 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.
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Not all is gloom and doom. The recent clamor for teacher evaluation based on student growth is not a bad thing.

6. 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
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These challenges must be taken into consideration when developing individual teacher evaluation plans. One size does not fit all and accommodations must be made to adjust expectations and measurement strategies that are appropriate for each teacher.

7. 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
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8. Back to the Basics Instruction (Teaching) Planning & Preparation
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Instruction (Teaching)
Planning & Preparation
Teacher evaluation incorporates ALL three stages of teaching.
Assessment

9. Evidence of Effective Teaching
Activity
Evidence
Planning & Preparation
Lesson plans
Instructor created
Props, teaching materials
Assessment tools
Curriculum
Teaching
Observations of actual teaching (live or recorded)
Student input (survey)
Self-analysis
Assessing
Variety and quality of teacher developed assessment tools
Measures of student growth
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The chart lists items that can be assessed across the teaching triad to provide evidence of effective teaching.
Our presentation is going to focus on measures of student growth.

10. 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)
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Terminology – need to be sure we’re all on the same page
Music teachers may want to document both individual and group progress
When possible balancing qualitative and quantitative measures will provide a well-rounded picture of student learning

11. Assessment Tools Written Assessments Performance Tests
Measurement tools must provide evidence of student learning and typically fall into two distinct categories:
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Written Assessments
Performance Tests
Quizzes/tests
Worksheets
Written reports, papers, reviews, critiques, essays
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
Written assessments can be teacher created, found in series textbooks (McGraw-Hill, SilverBurdett, Standards of Excellence, Experiencing Music).
Individual scores can be aggregated to represent a standard score for a given age group, but must be done over a number of years before they have meaning.
A few standardized tests in music are available for purchase (Gordon’s PMMA, IMMA, for example)
Maybe talk about the “growth score” here – what to include and how to calculate

12. Matching Assessments with Tasks
Types of Assessment
Outcomes to be Assessed
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Quizzes and tests
Academic prompts
Performance tests and projects
Skills
Knowledge
Factual
Procedural
Understanding (concepts, principles – big picture)
Important questions to be asked are:
What are we assessing?
Skills – procedural, performance based
Knowledge – procedural, factual
How do we align state standards to assessment?
Must have a school curriculum in place – describes what is to be taught
Content and activities
Key is matching appropriate assessments with targeted skills/knowledge to be assessed.
Select the type of assessment that best fits the task (outcome).
Performance tests would be most appropriate for skill based assessments
Academic prompts and projects would be more appropriate for assessing conceptual understanding
Quizzes or tests for measuring knowledge

13. Measuring Skills Skills Appropriate Assessments Singing
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Singing
Playing instruments
Moving
Listening
Composing, Improvising, Arranging
Notating (perform, read, write -PRW)
Checklists
Rating scale
Rubrics
Worksheets
Portfolios
Skills are probably the easiest to assess. Either a child can do something or not in which case a checklist would be appropriate. If you need to rank children’s skill level across a continuum a rating scale or rubric would be most effective. Students’ would be categorized according a pre-determined criteria (1= needs improvement, 2 = developing, 3 = proficient, 4 = exemplary). Worksheets can be used to assess students ability to listen, compose, arrange, and notate music, while portfolios are most useful for evaluating individual progress over time (formative evaluation) and work best for special projects such as composing.

14. Appropriate Assessments
Measuring Knowledge
Types of Knowledge
Appropriate Assessments
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Factual
Terminology
Symbols (notation)
Instruments
Genres
Procedural (“How to”)
Audience role during concert
Build a major scale
Create triads
Quizzes or tests (written)
Worksheets
Diagrams (flow charts, webs)
Procedural knowledge refers to a series of steps that must be performed in a specific order in order to complete a given task.
Questions for discussion:
Are quizzes/tests appropriate for younger children (grades K-2)?
How could you create paper/pencil measurements for young children? (Show examples from MacMillan)
How might you use diagrams to assess students’ knowledge?

15. Assessing Understanding
Appropriate Assessments
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Concepts
Principles
Big Picture
Questioning (divergent)
Problem solving activities
Projects
Concepts, principles, big picture ideas are developed over time. They might include things like understanding how melodies and rhythms can be used to show different feelings or how music and dance share the elements of time, space and energy. For younger children conceptual understanding is more basic, for example recognizing same and different parts of a given piece and how that makes it more interesting or how musical themes can be used to represent characters in a story.

16. 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)
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In relation to each other (“The Curve”) – normative grading
According to some absolute standard – criterion grading (i.e. set grading scale, specified competencies)
Based upon individual progress

17. 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
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18. 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.
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19. 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.
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When comparing results to other teachers or districts, it’s important that all other variables (number of students taught per week, demographics and prior experience of students, available resources, etc.) are common between the comparison schools/teachers.

20. Questions
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21. 1/6/12
Examples

22. 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
By singing in Women’s Chorale, I feel a great sense o f accomplishment
3. By singing in Women’s Chorale, I feel successful
4. By singing in Women’s Chorale, I am “turned on” to music
5. By singing in Women’s Chorale, I feel personally rewarded
During rehearsals, I am attentive and pay close attention to the director’s instructions
I feel good about being a member of this ensemble
8. I feel positive about being involved in Women’s Chorale
9. This ensemble’s rehearsal’s are highly organized
10. This ensemble’s rehearsals are fun and enjoyable
I feel that every minute of my time in this ensemble is used. No time is wasted
12. There are times I lose interest in this ensemble
13. In general I enjoy the music we perform in this ensemble
14. Whenever possible I try to find an excuse NOT to participate in this ensemble’s activities
(+) (-)
15. My overall attitude towards Women’s Chorale is: positive (5); negative (1)
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This survey was created by Abby Butler for use with the women’s ensemble.

23. 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.
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This is an end of year (summative) evaluation I always gave my choir students to complete. I was able to use the information to plan for the following year. Used over time, it can help me understand the quality of students’ assessment of their individual and well as group growth.

24. 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 quiet
b. outspoken reserved
c. aggressive passive
d. outgoing withdrawn
e. assertive soft-spoken
f. organized disorganized
g. patient impatient
h. Stimulating dull
i. Demanding easy to please
j. Enthusiastic apathetic
towards music towards music
k. Enthusiastic apathetic
towards teaching towards teaching
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This short survey is intended to provide feedback on choir student perceptions of their conductor’s teaching style. It is based on work published in JRME by James Drake.

25. Templates – Graphics Organizers
The following templates can be downloaded from McGraw-Hill at
Block Organizer
Comparison Chart
Flow Chart
KWHL Chart
Prism Graphic Organizer
Venn Diagram
Transposition Wheel
Web Graphic Organizer
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These templates of graphic organizers are free and include directions on how to use the organizer along with blank templates for downloading and copying.
For example, using the comparison chart will help students compare and contrast two or three different musical compositions, styles, genres, or any other information. The flow chart can illustrate how well they understand certain procedures. In turn, these charts can be used to collect data reflecting student understanding.

26. Graphic Organizer Charts
Comparison Chart
Use a Comparison Chart to identify similarities and differences
The example below shows a completed chart
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These templates of graphic organizers are free and include directions on how to use the organizer along with blank templates for downloading and copying.
For example, using the comparison chart will help students compare and contrast two or three different musical compositions, styles, genres, or any other information. The flow chart can illustrate how well they understand certain procedures. In turn, these charts can be used to collect data reflecting student understanding.

27. 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.
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28. Performance Quiz (Piano)
Scales
Two octaves, hands together, ascending and descending Keys ____________
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1 point
2 points
3 points
4 points
Score
Not Yet Successful
Developing Satisfactorily
Successful
Highly Successful
Fluency
Student performs with many hesitations and quite a few mistakes
Students performs with few hesitations and mistakes
Student performs with almost no hesitations and very few mistakes
Student performs with no hesitations or mistakes
Correct Fingering
Student performs with mostly incorrect fingerings
Student performs with some incorrect fingerings
Student performs with mostly correct fingerings
Student performs with correct fingerings
Tempo
Student performs at a very slow tempo (Largo)
student performs at a somewhat slow tempo (Adagio)
Student performs at a moderate tempo (Andante)
Student performs at a fast tempo (Allegro)
This an example of a simple rubric for evaluating one aspect of students keyboard skills, the ability to play scales with both hands over two octaves. Points can be aggregated to provide a single score which can be used to compare with subsequent performances, yet the qualitative component of the rubric provides specific and meaningful feedback to the student.

29. Resources Music Assessment Web Site, created by Ed Asmus
Provides forms, glossary, rubrics, templates, software and links.
McGraw Hill Web Site
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 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
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This is just a sampling of a few different types of resources you might find useful.