Grades are a very efficient way for a teacher to give feedback to students and their parents about how the students are performing in class. In my personal philosophy, music is a learned skill, not just a talent you are born with, so this places a lot of responsibility on me as the teacher. My expectation for my students is that they will participate and give me their best effort in whatever concept we are working on. I am not concerned with perfection. My goal is to see growth and learning taking place. Remember, the forest would be very quiet if only the most talented bird sang.
Here is more information about grades at the various age levels:
Pre-Kingergarten 4 students attend music class but do not receive a grade.
Kindergarten through Second Grade
Students receive two grades - one for concepts and skills and one for participation. Here are the RRISD Rubrics for these two grades:
Demonstrates Concepts and Skills
MS (Met Standard): Consistently demonstrates singing, beat, rhythm and an understanding of rhythmic and melodic concepts.
AS (Approaching Standard): Demonstrates singing, beat, rhythm and an understanding of rhythmic and melodic concepts with minimal guidance.
LP (Limited Progress): Demonstrates singing, beat, rhythm and an understanding of rhythmic and melodic concepts with direct guidance.
Participates in Activities
MS (Met Standard): Listens actively and responds to musical experiences.
AS (Approaching Standard): Listens for a sustained period of time and participates in musical experiences with few reminders or redirection.
LP (Limited Progress): Listens and participates occasionally in musical experiences with consistent reminders and redirection.
The concepts will be different depending on what is being taught during each nine weeks so levels might fluctuate.
Third through Fifth Grade
Students will receive two grades - one for concepts and skills and another one for participation. These two grades will be averaged for the final grade on the report card. A grade of S (Satisfactory) is considered to be grade level mastery and the equivalent to a MS (Met Standard) level on the kindergarten through second grade competencies. Here are the RRISD Rubrics for the two grades:
Demonstrates Concepts and Skills
E (Excellent): Independently demonstrates tuneful singing, part work, steady beat, rhythm and an understanding of rhythmic and melodic concepts.
S (Satisfactory): Consistently demonstrates tuneful singing, part work, steady beat, rhythm and an understanding of rhythmic and melodic concepts.
N (Needs Improvement): Inconsistently demonstrates tuneful singing, part work, steady beat, rhythm and an understanding of rhythmic and melodic concepts with guidance.
U (Unsatisfactory): Does not demonstrate tuneful singing, part work, steady beat, rhythm and an understanding of rhythmic and melodic concepts even with direct guidance.
Participates in Activities
E (Excellent): Listens critically and expands ideas and experiences to demonstrate new insight in musical experiences.
S (Satisfactory): Listens actively and responds to musical experiences.
N (Needs Improvement): Inconsistently listens for a period of time and participates in musical experiences with reminders or redirection.
U (Unsatisfactory): Does not listen and participate in musical experiences even with reminders and redirection.