Little Bit About Me
Growing up, I was fortunate enough to experience two types of education. I went to a school like every other kid and was formally taught my ABC’s and numbers, but during kindergarten, I also began piano lessons, where I learnt my do-re-mi’s and how to read music. I eventually dropped piano lessons when I was 12, focusing on the singing lessons I started to take when I was 9. I would continue to receive both types of education simultaneously until I graduated university. Yes, even in my undergrad, I received voice lessons from my professor 4 days a week along side my academic classes.
Were They Different?
Both experiences were different, yet similar. Obviously I didn’t go to a teacher every day like I did in formal school, but I went every week. I had learning goals for each week like I would in formal schooling, and at the end of the year, I would receive a few grades.
The biggest difference besides the formal vs informal setting was how I was assessed. In school, I was assessed by tests and essays with grades frequently. In lessons, I was given constant feedback and when I went home, I would practice and monitor my success, then go back to my teacher the next week, and receive more feedback based on my progress. The cycle was recursive of formative assessment and self reflection, or assessment for learning and assessment as learning. I would receive a summative mark towards my progress in competition and exams at the end of the year.
Because of my year long cycle filled with feedback and self reflection, I would look at the grades after my competition as an afterthought. I wanted to read the feedback notes. What did I do well, what could I improve on, was there strategies listed to help my success? In my lesson, my teacher and I would then discuss and reflect back on the competition in relation to the feedback, and I would ALWAYS improve based on that feedback. Every other year or so, I would work towards a graded exam for singing. I would learn repertoire, exercises, skills all year, and then be tested in June to see how well I learned the skills in order to move on to the next grade. When I received my final grade, it was usually a reflection of what I already knew were my strengths and weaknesses because of all the feedback I received throughout the year. It was similar in university. My teacher and I would spend a couple semesters exchanging feedback and reflection, and when I was given a final grade for year, I already knew the reasons why it was accessed as such.
The biggest difference besides the formal vs informal setting was how I was assessed. In school, I was assessed by tests and essays with grades frequently. In lessons, I was given constant feedback and when I went home, I would practice and monitor my success, then go back to my teacher the next week, and receive more feedback based on my progress. The cycle was recursive of formative assessment and self reflection, or assessment for learning and assessment as learning. I would receive a summative mark towards my progress in competition and exams at the end of the year.
Because of my year long cycle filled with feedback and self reflection, I would look at the grades after my competition as an afterthought. I wanted to read the feedback notes. What did I do well, what could I improve on, was there strategies listed to help my success? In my lesson, my teacher and I would then discuss and reflect back on the competition in relation to the feedback, and I would ALWAYS improve based on that feedback. Every other year or so, I would work towards a graded exam for singing. I would learn repertoire, exercises, skills all year, and then be tested in June to see how well I learned the skills in order to move on to the next grade. When I received my final grade, it was usually a reflection of what I already knew were my strengths and weaknesses because of all the feedback I received throughout the year. It was similar in university. My teacher and I would spend a couple semesters exchanging feedback and reflection, and when I was given a final grade for year, I already knew the reasons why it was accessed as such.
Self-esteem and Grades
Now, this alternative education didn’t fully change the way I looked at grades in my formal schooling. I still cared about what grade I was given, and I was devastated when I received a bad mark. But at the same time, my music education influenced my evaluation of how I interpreted my self esteem based on my grade. Having the constant cycle of feedback and reflection towards gradual goals allowed me to understand what personal growth really meant, and reinforced a growth mindset which translated over to my reaction to grades. Yes, I wanted to do well, but I didn’t care how my grade was compared to everyone else’s. I was trying to either beat my previous grade or at least maintain it.
I also had a better understanding of realistic expectations of my grade meant in terms of my strengths and weaknesses. While an 80% essay might be a good grade compared to the average in the class, to me that was a not so great grade. I knew I was capable of much higher. However, when I would receive a 68% in a math assignment, I would be okay with that when I usually received low 60’s and 50’s. I based my esteem on how I was growing as a learner, and not what that grade meant based on the average.
I also had a better understanding of realistic expectations of my grade meant in terms of my strengths and weaknesses. While an 80% essay might be a good grade compared to the average in the class, to me that was a not so great grade. I knew I was capable of much higher. However, when I would receive a 68% in a math assignment, I would be okay with that when I usually received low 60’s and 50’s. I based my esteem on how I was growing as a learner, and not what that grade meant based on the average.
Music lessons really helped change my mindset towards what assessment means and is something I would like to add to my future students’ experience.
1 comments:
Your experiences certainly give you an interesting perspective and a good understanding of the importance of feedback. The challenge for the classroom teacher, is to provide it every day, in every subject and to 20 or 30 kids at a time. As we work through this course it will be an asset to the class to share your experience, and ideas.
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