Mr Carvallo Peer Performance Critique Assignment - Overview

Students will create a written critique of their peers' performances, in which they will assess the strengths and weaknesses and offer suggestions for improvement. By engaging in the critique of works in progress as well as completed products, students learn to value the creative process. Through assessing the work of their peers, students will develop a greater understanding of assessment and evaluation and they will also have a means for assessing their own growth and setting learning goals for the future. This written assignment also promotes literacy across the curriculum. Learning Activities Timeline/Steps: 1) Diagnose students' familiarity with the music terminology needed for this activity. This could be accomplished through a quiz. 2) Hand out and explain the assignment sheet. Announce timelines and due dates. 3) Model the process. Have a volunteer group perform for the class or use an audio or video recording and have students practice filling out the PeerAssessment Rubric. Take this up using an overhead or on the board and model how to make the comments more specific using terminology. 4) Select groups and repertoire selections. You may want to create copies or overheads of the score for students to use while they are listening (in order to state bar numbers) 5) Allow class time for students to practice their performances. 6) Student performances. You may want to take audio or video recordings of these performances to allow for self-evaluation and to enable absent students to write the critique. Have extra copies of the Peer-Assessment Rubric available so that the listening students can fill out more than one. Allow the students time after each performance to fill in their chart. Emphasize the need to use specific vocabulary.

Mr. Carvallo

Peer Performance Critique Assignment

Task: To create a written critique in which you assess the strengths and
weaknesses of a performance by your classmates, and offer suggestions for improvement.

Steps:
1) Perform for your classmates. In a small group, you will rehearse and perform a selection of your repertoire for your classmates to critically analyze. Performance Date: _______________________________________________ 2) Listen critically to a performance by your peers. As you listen, write down the strengths and weaknesses you hear in the Peer- Assessment Rubric (attached). Try to make your comments specific by using adjectives, music terminology, and referring to bar numbers. Your goal is to demonstrate your ability to analyze what you hear, as well as to provide your classmates with insight into their progress. 3) Write your critique. Use the notes you made in the Peer-Assessment Rubric as you were listening. Your critique should be approximately 2 pages in length, typed and double-spaced in 12pt font. Use paragraph form. Organize your ideas so they flow in a logical order. You may wish to use the following structure: Paragraph 1: Introduction - names of performers, piece, date, etc. and your purpose in writing the critique Paragraph 2: Strengths Paragraph 3: Weaknesses Paragraph 4: Suggestions for Improvement Paragraph 5: Conclusion - summarize your ideas and explain what you have learned by listening to your classmates and writing this critique 4) Hand in your critique to your teacher by the due date, with the Evaluation Rubric for Written Critique, attached. The mark for this assignment will be accorded to the 'Analysing' Strand.

Due Date: ______________________________________________________

Evaluation Rubric for Written Critique

Name: __________________________ Class:_______________ Total: _____
Level 1 - Emerging -minimally describes and analyzes the specific strengths and weaknesses of the performance Level 2 - Developing -generally describes and analyzes the specific strengths and weaknesses of the performance Level 3 - Competent -substantially describes and analyzes the specific strengths and weaknesses of the performance -gives most of the suggestions for improvement of weaknesses - makes specific reference to musical events -shows good use of music terminology - demonstrates substantial understanding of the elements of music Level 4 - Powerful -accurately describes and analyzes the specific strengths and weaknesses of the performance

-gives limited or vague suggestions for improvement of weaknesses - makes limited reference to musical events - shows limited use of music terminology - demonstrates limited understanding of the elements of music

-gives some suggestions for improvement of weaknesses - makes some reference to musical events - shows fair use of music terminology - demonstrates partial understanding of the elements of music

- gives specific and effective suggestions for improvement of weaknesses - makes strong reference to musical events - shows excellent use of music terminology - demonstrates thorough understanding of the elements of music

(Source: Beatty, Rodger J., "Assessment and Evaluation in Music Education: Enhancing Student Growth", The Best of The Recorder 2000-2007, pp. 91-98.)

Comments:

Peer-Assessment Notes
Listen critically to a performance by your classmates. As you listen, make point form notes about the strengths and weaknesses you hear. Try to make your comments as specific as possible, by making use of adjectives, music terminology, and bar numbers. Skills/Techniques Balance Strengths Weaknesses Suggestions for Improvement

Expression: Dynamics/Phrasing

Intonation (tuning)

Elements of Music

Strengths

Weaknesses

Suggestions for Improvement

Tone Quality

Articulation

Tempo/Rhythmic Accuracy

Posture/Presentation

Peer Assessment Performance Rubric Name of Performer(s): __________________________________ Name of Adjudicator: __________________________________ Skills/Technique Balance Expression: Dynamics/Phrasing Intonation (tuning) Tone Quality R (49% or less) The ensemble is completely out of balance. There is no attempt at expression. The ensemble plays out of tune. There are frequent and distracting problems with tone. There is no apparent attempt to perform notated or stylistically correct articulation. The rhythms are incorrect and there is no discernible tempo. There is no attempt at correct posture or stage presence. Level 1 (50-59%) The ensemble is rarely in balance. There is rarely an attempt at any expression. The ensemble rarely plays in tune. The ensemble rarely plays with attention to tone quality. The ensemble rarely plays notated or stylistically correct articulations (i.e. proper bowing, slurs, staccatos, pizzicato, tonguing, etc.). The ensemble rarely plays correct note and rest values or keeps a steady tempo. The ensemble rarely plays with good posture and stage presence. Level 2 (60-69%) The ensemble is somewhat balanced. The ensemble plays with musical phrasing and notated dynamics some of the time. The ensemble plays in tune some of the time. The ensemble plays with attention to tone quality some of the time. The ensemble plays notated or stylistically correct articulations (i.e. proper bowing, slurs, staccatos, pizzicato, tonguing, etc.) some of the time. The ensemble sometimes plays correct note and rest values and keeps a steady tempo. The ensemble sometimes plays with good posture and stage presence. Level 3 (70-79%) The ensemble is considerably balanced. The ensemble usually plays with musical phrasing and notated dynamics. The ensemble usually plays in tune. The ensemble plays with considerable control of tone quality. The ensemble usually plays notated or stylistically correct articulations (i.e. proper bowing, slurs, staccatos, pizzicato, tonguing, etc.). The ensemble usually plays correct note and rest values and keeps a steady tempo. The ensemble usually plays with good posture and stage presence. Level 4 (80-91%) The ensemble is mostly balanced. The ensemble mostly plays with musical phrasing and notated dynamics The ensemble plays in tune most of the time. The ensemble plays with good control of tone quality. The ensemble mostly plays notated or stylistically correct articulations (i.e. proper bowing, slurs, staccatos, pizzicato, tonguing, etc.). The ensemble mostly plays correct note and rest values and keeps a steady tempo. The ensemble plays with good posture and stage presence. Level 4+ (92-100%) The ensemble is balanced. The ensemble always plays with musical phrasing and notated dynamics The ensemble always plays pitches in tune. The ensemble plays with excellent control of tone quality. The ensemble always plays notated or stylistically correct articulations (i.e. proper bowing, slurs, staccatos, pizzicato, tonguing, etc.). The ensemble always plays correct note and rest values and keeps a steady tempo. The ensemble maintains excellent posture and stage presence while playing.

Articulation

Tempo/Rhythmic Accuracy Posture/Presentation