Grading Policy for Music
Weights
Grades are weighted in music in order to not allow one set of points to overwhelm students' grades in music. The weights are as follows:
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1st -2nd
Classwork/Assessments - 30% Performance/Participation - 70% |
3rd - 8th
Bellwork/Materials -5% Assessments - 15% Classwork/Homework - 40% Performance/Participation - 40% |
Grade Categories- All
Assessments
Students will be assessed in three ways. First, students will participate in traditional tests at various points during the year to assess their comprehension of material covered in a partial or whole unit. Students may also receive a performance assessment which will be graded on a rubric and sent home to parents. Finally, students may be assessed electronically and I am still working on how to inform parents of those scores outside of the online gradebook. More information on that will be coming soon!
Students will be assessed in three ways. First, students will participate in traditional tests at various points during the year to assess their comprehension of material covered in a partial or whole unit. Students may also receive a performance assessment which will be graded on a rubric and sent home to parents. Finally, students may be assessed electronically and I am still working on how to inform parents of those scores outside of the online gradebook. More information on that will be coming soon!
Classwork
Students will have four basic types of classwork. First, students will have traditional written assignments at various points in the year to assess student progress towards understanding a new concept. This work may be graded for correct answers on part of the assignment, all of the assignment or may occasionally be given a completion grade.
Second, students will participate in group work and group projects. Students will be graded on many elements depending on the demand of these projects. An example will be included at the bottom of this page. These rubrics will not be returned due to the fact that they will include more than one student's grade.Group work of any kind will not be returned for the same reason.
Next, students may have a performance classwork assignment. This will be when their progress is being evaluated on their own or in a small group (depending on the circumstances. These may or may not have documentation depending on the nature of the assignment.
Finally, students will have digital classwork in the form of online activities and games designed to help students rapidly improve their skills with immediate feedback. These scores will only be reported in the gradebook unless otherwise notified.
Students will have four basic types of classwork. First, students will have traditional written assignments at various points in the year to assess student progress towards understanding a new concept. This work may be graded for correct answers on part of the assignment, all of the assignment or may occasionally be given a completion grade.
Second, students will participate in group work and group projects. Students will be graded on many elements depending on the demand of these projects. An example will be included at the bottom of this page. These rubrics will not be returned due to the fact that they will include more than one student's grade.Group work of any kind will not be returned for the same reason.
Next, students may have a performance classwork assignment. This will be when their progress is being evaluated on their own or in a small group (depending on the circumstances. These may or may not have documentation depending on the nature of the assignment.
Finally, students will have digital classwork in the form of online activities and games designed to help students rapidly improve their skills with immediate feedback. These scores will only be reported in the gradebook unless otherwise notified.
Performance/Participation
Students will receive a grade for participating and performing in class. Since music is often a performance subject, in class performance is important. While I am grading students, much of this grade comes down to them doing their personal best. My main focus here is if your student is trying to progress. I do have a rubric, which I will link below, that I base their score in this category on. I will not be sending these home with students or filling them out every class.. I keep this rubric in the front of the room and refer to it when deciding on this grade (when needed). Students will begin with a certain number of points during class and they will lose points if I see them not meeting the requirements for a top score in each category. Please note, that student behavior can have a direct impact on this grade because often a poor behavior choice will keep the student from participating and/or performing to full potential.
Students will receive a grade for participating and performing in class. Since music is often a performance subject, in class performance is important. While I am grading students, much of this grade comes down to them doing their personal best. My main focus here is if your student is trying to progress. I do have a rubric, which I will link below, that I base their score in this category on. I will not be sending these home with students or filling them out every class.. I keep this rubric in the front of the room and refer to it when deciding on this grade (when needed). Students will begin with a certain number of points during class and they will lose points if I see them not meeting the requirements for a top score in each category. Please note, that student behavior can have a direct impact on this grade because often a poor behavior choice will keep the student from participating and/or performing to full potential.
Additional Grade Categories 3-8
Homework
Homework is given for students to continue to practice and review concepts taught in class. Typically homework will include either music theory practice in areas like rhythm, and pitch or it will be the completion of review/activities surrounding the music history they have been studying. Other homework assignments might include test study guides/reviews, personal opinion pieces, and individual practice, although these will be rare. There is more homework information below.
Homework is given for students to continue to practice and review concepts taught in class. Typically homework will include either music theory practice in areas like rhythm, and pitch or it will be the completion of review/activities surrounding the music history they have been studying. Other homework assignments might include test study guides/reviews, personal opinion pieces, and individual practice, although these will be rare. There is more homework information below.
Bell work
This is work to be completed at the beginning of class. Often these short assignments will only be worth a few points and may be graded or given a completion grade depending on the nature of the assignment. These may or may not need to be made up if missed. I have separated this out of the homework/classwork category due to the fact that these scores were having too large of an impact on student grades at the beginning of the quarter especially.
This is work to be completed at the beginning of class. Often these short assignments will only be worth a few points and may be graded or given a completion grade depending on the nature of the assignment. These may or may not need to be made up if missed. I have separated this out of the homework/classwork category due to the fact that these scores were having too large of an impact on student grades at the beginning of the quarter especially.
Materials
I will be performing checks to make sure that students have brought all of their materials to class. This may happen every class or may be an unannounced spot check. We have struggled with students not bringing materials to class and students having all their materials is vital to student success in the music room. Normally these supplies will include the following:
- their music folder
- 2 pencils
- a book to read
- their planner/agenda
Students will be notified either by myself or their classroom teacher if this list changes.
I will be performing checks to make sure that students have brought all of their materials to class. This may happen every class or may be an unannounced spot check. We have struggled with students not bringing materials to class and students having all their materials is vital to student success in the music room. Normally these supplies will include the following:
- their music folder
- 2 pencils
- a book to read
- their planner/agenda
Students will be notified either by myself or their classroom teacher if this list changes.
Other Grading Information
Homework
All work is due the music class after it is assigned unless otherwise noted (these are very rare). Students will be told the due-date and also be told to put it in their agenda/planner. Every rotation this information can also be found on the home page of the music website. A long of all student assignments will be coming to the website soon. Some assignments may even include links where an additional copy of the work can be downloaded however, you should not expect this for every assignment.
Students in 3rd-8th grade can expect to receive homework on a frequent basis. Assigned homework will normally be practice of a concept covered in the class or an assigned reading with activities to accompany it. Most homework is not designed to be completed in 1 sitting but instead worked on in small chunks through the week so that students do not forget the new material they have learned in the 8-10 days between classes. Reading and response assignments are given to 5th -8th grade students only and will connect with music covered in class.
All work is due the music class after it is assigned unless otherwise noted (these are very rare). Students will be told the due-date and also be told to put it in their agenda/planner. Every rotation this information can also be found on the home page of the music website. A long of all student assignments will be coming to the website soon. Some assignments may even include links where an additional copy of the work can be downloaded however, you should not expect this for every assignment.
Students in 3rd-8th grade can expect to receive homework on a frequent basis. Assigned homework will normally be practice of a concept covered in the class or an assigned reading with activities to accompany it. Most homework is not designed to be completed in 1 sitting but instead worked on in small chunks through the week so that students do not forget the new material they have learned in the 8-10 days between classes. Reading and response assignments are given to 5th -8th grade students only and will connect with music covered in class.
No name papers
Students who turn in papers with no name on them will receive a zero on the assignment in all grades. I do not keep no name papers.
Students who turn in papers with no name on them will receive a zero on the assignment in all grades. I do not keep no name papers.
Incomplete work
Students who turn in papers that are not finished will miss every item they leave blank.
Students who turn in papers that are not finished will miss every item they leave blank.
Late Work
Late work will be accepted after the due dates. All work is due the moment it is collected in class. After that, it is a late assignment. Work turned in the same day/day after will lose 10%. Work turned in by the beginning of the next class will lose 25%. Work later than the next rotation will receive half credit. Work cannot be added to the gradebook once grades have been posted for the quarter. Missing work will go into the gradebook as a 0 until it is turned in. Any digital work that is missed can be made up at home but must be emailed into Ms. Illsley and include a screen shot of the final grade/score or have that information printed out and returned to the late bin.
Late work will be accepted after the due dates. All work is due the moment it is collected in class. After that, it is a late assignment. Work turned in the same day/day after will lose 10%. Work turned in by the beginning of the next class will lose 25%. Work later than the next rotation will receive half credit. Work cannot be added to the gradebook once grades have been posted for the quarter. Missing work will go into the gradebook as a 0 until it is turned in. Any digital work that is missed can be made up at home but must be emailed into Ms. Illsley and include a screen shot of the final grade/score or have that information printed out and returned to the late bin.
Absent Work
Students who are absent should see absent work from general music on their desk (or other location for materials) in their classroom upon their return to school with an attached form giving any necessary information filled out by a neighboring student or the teacher. If that is missing, it is your child's responsibility to come see me when they return to get any missing assignments.
Normally students will have until their next music class to get the missing work in. If a student is out for an extended period of time (more than three days) and needs more time, students and/or parents need to contact me to set up a plan to get missed work in. Your child's performance grade will be excused for dates they are absent. Any digital work that is missed can be made up at home but must be emailed into Ms. Illsley and include a screen shot of the final grade/score or have that information printed out and returned to the late bin.
Work that is unable to be completed outside of the music room will either be made up at school or will be excused on a case by case basis.
Students who are absent should see absent work from general music on their desk (or other location for materials) in their classroom upon their return to school with an attached form giving any necessary information filled out by a neighboring student or the teacher. If that is missing, it is your child's responsibility to come see me when they return to get any missing assignments.
Normally students will have until their next music class to get the missing work in. If a student is out for an extended period of time (more than three days) and needs more time, students and/or parents need to contact me to set up a plan to get missed work in. Your child's performance grade will be excused for dates they are absent. Any digital work that is missed can be made up at home but must be emailed into Ms. Illsley and include a screen shot of the final grade/score or have that information printed out and returned to the late bin.
Work that is unable to be completed outside of the music room will either be made up at school or will be excused on a case by case basis.
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A note about grades
Frequently parents become concerned when we get to progress reports but often those are not an accurate portrayal of a student's progress in my classroom due to the fact that there are only a couple of grades available by the time those come out. Usually this is a couple of bell work assignments and their performance grades. A better time to check is 6 or 7 weeks into the quarter. I encourage parents to check familylink at that point for updated grades for a more accurate reflection. If you are not familiar with familylink, please contact your child's classroom teacher or the main office to get access. Your child's success in my classroom is extremely important to me. I believe that music education has many benefits and I want to see each child reach their full potential. Music is the one subject that uses both sides of the brain simultaneously and a knowledge of basic music concepts and history will serve your child well no matter what they decide to pursue. I want your child to be successful in my classroom. Students do struggle from time to time because some of these concepts are so new and need to be use together to be able to create music. While I love to see students receive Es (or As) in my classroom, it is much more common to see grades of an S (or a B/C) simply due to the nature of what they are learning. Grades lower than an S (or a C) are a sign that your child is struggling with a concept AND/OR missing 1 or more assignments. While I do my best to contact families when I can regarding low grades, I do teach over 600 students and it can be impossible at times to contact families regarding grades. Please check familylink often. If you have serious concerns about your child's grade, please feel free to email me at jillsley@paintedrockacademy.com. PLEASE include your child's full name AND their classroom/homeroom teacher's name in the email as it saves me a lot of time and allows me to get back to you much quicker. I am more than willing to work with a struggling student when needed and offer tutoring sessions before school (Mon, Wed, Fri) when requested and scheduled. If your child is struggling, please encourage them to complete as much of the homework as they can and then email me. I can often get a much better idea of how to help your child if I can see what they are missing. |
Why Music Homework?
I get asked this question quite often. Why is there homework assigned in music class? I figured I would take a moment to answer this question. Music Reading I see every child once every six school days. That translates to 8 to 10 real days between classes. This poses a problem with comprehension. Students are learning how to read music in my classroom which is a very technical activity. That music reading will eventually be applied to an instrument. These music reading processes must become almost automatic in order for students to be successful. That simply won't happen if they only practice it once every 8 to 10 days (or at least will take much much longer). Until students have mastered reading music notation, they have to practice it like they practice their math facts. Music History I assign music history homework for similar reasons. When you are learning about something new, you retain the information much better if you work with it more than once. By having the students have to go back through the facts of the history piece or culture we have just covered, students retain more of the information. |
