At the beginning of my 4th grade recorder unit a month or so ago, the students and I brainstormed strategies they could use to be sure they always had their recorders at school on music days:
- Keep their recorders in their backpacks anytime they aren't practicing, so they know it's at school every day.
- Put a sticker or other mark on their lunch calendar on every cycle day they have music.
- Make a note in their planners of every music day.
Many of my students have embraced these strategies and been very responsible about having their materials at school for every music class, but I have two gentlemen who haven't had a recorder at school in weeks and another student who still hasn't even given the order form to her family! I helped them brainstorm ways to remember, we discussed the logical consequences of not being able to practice their recorders to prepare for playing assessments, and I contacted home to clarify my expectations to their families and offer my assistance in helping these families support their children. Nothing seems to be working.
In past years, I have had a very specific procedure for how to handle forgotten recorders:
1st offense: Borrow a recorder from Mrs. Lindner
2nd offense: Contact home
3rd offense: Lowered recorder grade (you can't "meet expectations" if you aren't able to participate in class)
This year, insipired by the Eagle Creek "Love & Logic" push and my colleagues' approach to handling the same issue, I decided to allow students to experience the logical consequences of being irresponsible rather than trying to keep track of when and if 75 students have had their recorders at school. I no longer track whether a student has forgotten his or her recorder on a given date, but I also no longer loan out school recorders to students who are unprepared. The students and I have discussed that it will be awfully hard to learn the 1 or 2 songs per quarter they need to learn in order to "meet expectations" if they don't have their materials and school, and I only really address the issue with the "serial forgetters" who seem to need some support in learning responsbility. Many of my students have responded very well to this approach, and I have had fewer students forgetting recorders this year than in the past.
As we are nearing the end of the quarter, I am really struggling with allowing my plan to see itself out. These 3 students who never have a recorder at school have already missed out on an opportunity to play the 1 song I am assessing this quarter, and are quickly coming up on another opportunity to test after break. I'm having a hard time deciding how I'm going to handle the situation if any of these students come without an instrument on that day - will I loan them an instrument and allow them to attempt to play? What will I do if they attempt to perform and can't do it because they haven't prepared?
Any advice would be much appreciated. I'm really struggling with the balance between teaching responsibility and my instinct to help these kids out by "holding their hands" while they learn this song.
Hi, Liz. Is it possible for the students to demonstrate their knowledge of the song through an alternate assessment?
ReplyDelete-Maybe they need to practice and write the notes of the song on blank measures?
..Students who bring their recorders get to play the song and student who don't bring their recorders need to write the song?
-Could their assessment be paper pencil, filling out measures for the song?
Thanks for the suggestion, Ryan. Unfortunately, the curriculum benchmarks we're meeting require the students to actually play the recorder ("use correct articulation", "show correct fingerings", "perform a 3-5 pitch song", etc.). The question isn't whether they know this particular song, but whether they can perform a song at all... Hmm...
ReplyDeleteIt may sound tough but with love and logic it often asks to through ti in their "court." Ask them what they think is fair moving forward. Their actions have led to a consequence and that was their choice. You can try suggestiong ways other students have helped themselves remember their instrument such as putting it by the door, a sticky note on their mirror, etc. but with love and logic they need to decide what to do as you explain that they haven't brought it or practiced so how they perform is how you have to grade them. I hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Emily on this one. As awful as I'm sure it would feel to watch students get a poor grade on this assessment, from the sounds of it, you've done all you could do. You've made every effort to help them develop the responsibility needed to be successful in this particular area, and they haven't chosen to take your suggestions. The only way I can see that I would do anything else is if there is some extenuating circumstance regarding a particular student. Otherwise, you have to stay true to what you told them and allow them to learn from this. In the grand scheme of life, this is an okay time for them to stumble. Hopefully they can avoid a bigger issue because they've made this mistake now.
ReplyDeleteThanks, all, for your comments! 2 of the 3 students in question managed to get their acts together, locate their recorders (or buy a new one) and earn their white belt. The other found his recorder, but hasn't been prepared enough to pass the test. Your encouragement in the meantime really got me through the process and reminded me that "tough love" can often be the best thing for students!
ReplyDelete