The Effective Evaluation of Music Teachers
Of the 14,375 responsibilities school administrators struggle with every day, the effective evaluation of band, orchestra and chorus teachers should not create confusion or a sense of dread. The seemingly exotic and esoteric terms of those subjects, in much the same manner as AP Calculus or Chemistry, can be intimidating, misleading and confusing for those that allow terms, lexicology and mistaken assumptions to distract them from what essentially comes down to, when all is said and done, the recognition of good teaching when you see it.
Many teachers, regardless of the subject, often misunderstand their purpose and objectives when first beginning to teach. I went into my band room woefully unprepared and unaware of the actual work of teaching, and was hesitant to let my colleagues know I was unaware of the ins and outs of just what I was supposed to be doing. I was reluctant to ask questions or observe others to try to learn what I didn’t know, and was also under the mistaken assumption that music was unlike any other subject, and effective teaching in my chosen subject of music differed from effective teaching in any other subject in much more than just topic and venue. An experienced, patient and knowledgeable mentor teacher can resolve many of these misconceptions for newbies, and the use of planning times to observe other teachers (good and bad) of every other subject, along with a detailed analysis of what is seen, can present opportunities for growth and improvement.
One of the first things I learned from talking and observing others was the importance of rituals and established procedures to efficient and effective teaching. Experienced teachers call these “housekeeping.” When observing music teachers, watch carefully for these keys:
1) Do students go directly to their seats or assigned places after entering the room?
2) How much time is enough for instrument assembly, music procurement and seating?
3) Is roll taken without repeated exhortations for quiet, are the tasks for the day clearly displayed and are confusion and disorder and volumes kept to a minimum?
4) Is the room clean and set up before students enter?
5) Does the teacher greet students at the door as they enter?
6) Do students understand the procedures for backpacks, water bottles, cell phones, earphones and food?
7) Are behavioral expectations for the class well established and observed by students (and not just written on a sign)?
How the class begins is often a key as to how the class will proceed and conclude. When the teacher stands at the front of the class expectantly, begins to speak or gives a clear signal to the class that “we are now in session” are students attentive and ready to begin? The same expectations administrators have for core curricular classes should be applied to music classes. The vocabulary and specialized techniques and skills required may seem strange and mystical, but good teaching should be recognizable regardless of the subject.
One of the keys for successful and effective instruction is the voice level of the teacher. While volume is sometimes necessary as a result of the size of the classroom and the instruments involved, inflection and tone are keys to successful communication with students. Anger and frustration from the teacher are quickly noted by students. Remember they are experts at reading teacher moods, expectations and body language. They are also gifted at resolving or escalating teacher frustration levels at will. Anger is never a prime motivator for students or teachers. A combination of patience, resolve and empathy - easy to say but difficult to develop - can defray many situations before they escalate. A frustrated teacher quickly loses control - and respect - in a classroom situation. Students that are constantly berated, yelled at or subjected to sarcasm and demeaning comments will not be there for long.
In addition to writing an outline or plan of the day on the board, music teachers should have a detailed list of the specifics they intend to teach and/or correct during class, and should ideally identify beforehand musical spots, techniques, concepts and ideas for attention. If they are not using such a list, you might suggest they record each day’s lesson to give them material to review and list in preparation for the next day’s class time. Specificity in music is just as important as specificity in every other subject. Effective communication in classroom teaching is another important element of observational focus. General responses, observations that lack specificity, (e.g. “that’s good” or “we really need to work on that” or “that’s really bad” are useless if not counterproductive.
Notice also the posture, instrument position, music placement (stand height) and warm up routines used at the beginning of class. Unnecessarily loud tones or warmups may indicate both a lack of understanding or a lack of instruction from the instructor on proper personal warm- up techniques and procedures. After the class begins, does the teacher follow an established pattern for group warm up and tuning or leave these to chance?
Evaluators with little or no musical training can determine for themselves whether or not:
Students are playing at an appropriate volume with no instrument standing out or dominating the group.
Errors are noticed and corrected in detail.
There is a continual emphasis on the fundamentals of tone production and instrument/body position.
Individual instruments, sections and groups play or sing in tune with each other; (if it sounds bad to you it probably does to everyone else, too).
There is specificity in directions and instructions; (i.e., trombones check your 5th position intonation with each other; trumpets, low D requires the 3rd valve key extension; clarinets, throat tones are generally sharp - here’s what to do, etc.).
Students are attentive and responsive to the director’s instructions.
Poor behavior is not ignored. What is not corrected is being taught.
Student comprehension and musical progress is the goal, and having students truly understand and retain the information presented is key to successful performance, whether individual or collective. The difference is that in most subjects the performance is judged by student performance on teacher made tests; in music the performance is often seen or heard by parents and the public at concerts or events. Speaking of events, evidence of an objective grading system - not one based on attendance at after school or evening competitions or events - would also be an important item for administrative consideration. If the grading system in use is not written, then you can just about guarantee there isn’t an objective one available. Ask for a written copy if you need to see one. If an evaluator can’t see it, chances are students can’t either.
Setting classroom rules and encouraging appropriate behaviors can improve learning and student progress. One of the most important observable traits is modeling the behaviors you expect students to use. Don’t think students don’t notice whether or not the teacher observes the same rules set for students; of course they do. Classroom rules should be short, simply stated and few in number. The amount of attention students pay to lists of rules decreases exponentially with every posted rule past #3. Teachers with long lists of rules are usually the ones that think they need them; they generally do.
How teachers deal with behavioral issues during class time is also an important item. Effective teachers can clear up many minor issues with a look or with a quick “see me after class” instead of taking up valuable teaching time for the entire group. Teachers that spend class time dealing with minor issues can often turn a minor problem into a major one by confrontational behavior in the presence of other students.
Lesson plans, as in every other subject, should be expected. Generalized, repetitious terms in those plans are a tip-off that daily, weekly and yearly planning are not an important part of a teacher’s skill set. “Winging it” is often seen as standard operating procedure for some classes, and should be tolerated no more in music classes than in any others. Many directors use individual student performance of short musical phrases, sometimes 2 or 3 times per week, for checks on student practice and progress. The teacher/conductor/director should have a detailed list of musical objectives written for the class, and the musical pieces covered that day written on the board before class begins.
A yearly calendar of event planning is a must for music classes because of the performance requirements expected. Teachers that begin with the end in mind and work backwards from the end of school to the present can help themselves (and students and parents) be prepared for performances and events. Knowing your repertoire 5 weeks before a performance, for example, helps students prepare along the way instead of waiting until the last moment to practice. A calendar should also show dates for ordering buses for trips, booster meetings, report card dates, school activities and beginning and ending dates for every fund-raising activity. This practice also models professional expectations and behaviors and serves to limit the pandemonium of last-minute emergency notice of practices or performances.
Student enrollment for the tenure of the teacher should also be charted. Drops in student participation over time are sometimes indicative of student perspective of teaching effectiveness. Students will always vote with their feet for elective subjects, and individual and collective motivation is the responsibility of the teacher. Few students will choose to be a part of what they see as a failing or low-level group. As a general rule, any volunteer student organization that students do not feel meets their needs will not be successful from a participatory POV. The reasons for this are all a direct result of the teaching and motivational abilities of the person in charge.
Administrators should also investigate whether or not scheduling issues or conflicts are negatively affecting student participation. Since music is a co-curricular subject, scheduling conflicts, especially in smaller schools, can create insurmountable issues with student participation.
Remember that remediation for new and struggling teachers is the first goal. Assigning an experienced mentor from the start can quickly help a young director turn classroom issues into teaching strengths. Asking experienced music educators and/or master teachers in other subjects to contact and visit a new music teacher and provide hints and teaching tips is another way to build on strengths and correct weaknesses.
Plato, on the importance of music in the curriculum stated “Music is a moral law. It gives a soul to the Universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything. It is the essence of order and leads to all that is good and just and beautiful.” The importance of music in the lives of our schools and our students cannot be overstated, and it is our administrative duty to ensure our students receive the finest instruction possible in every subject. Your school, your community and your kids deserve the best in everything. Especially music.