Page 44 - CJOct25

R ehe arsal Br e ak
Rehearsal Break

the area where I have experienced frequent barriers. It are helpful to minimize disruptions to class routines,
seems impossible to accurately assess every singer on and they allow you to pause for comments, rewind for
performance standards when you have forty-nine min- accuracy, and speed up to save time. I recommend us-
utes in a class period and more than fifty singers in a ing either excerpts from class literature or software like
choir. I found separating Performing assessments from Sight Reading Factory to generate musical examples so
actual concerts to be difficult but noticeably worthwhile you do not have to create the content yourself. Also,
for my teaching goals. I began by separating evaluative Sight Reading Factory allows students to record them-
qualities and Performing tasks into categories (Table selves with each generated example and can connect to
2 on the next page), then developing assessments that some learning management systems such as Canvas or
would both accurately assess them and cause the least Blackboard, further preserving your time.
amount of disruption to my routines. Other ensemble skills include balance, blend, and
One assessment I quickly adopted into my “teaching coordinated singing and can be assessed through small-
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toolkit” was Speed Dating, or as I call it “Speed Shar- group performances. These performances can hap-
ing” in an educational setting. The concept is simple: pen in class or for an event like a dedicated concert
students teach each other learned concepts to demon- or a “Parents’ Night.” When assessing it for a grade,
strate content mastery and collaboration in their learn- consider giving the students their own rubric to assess
ing process. After learning a concept, such as proper themselves, each other, or both to deepen the learning
alignment, students stand in groups of two lines facing process.
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each other. Their task is to teach information about the Practicing is an important part of performance,
topic to the student they face, rotating regularly. so teaching and assessing practice habits is paramount
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Table 3 on page 44 shows the rotation process, sep- to effective teaching in music. After teaching appro-
arating the stationary orange students with the mobile priate procedures and elements of effective practicing,
blue students. Each orange student could teach a part hold a “practice day” where your students demonstrate
of proper alignment so each blue student will learn the what they have learned. If you do not have an entire
entire lesson after a complete rotation through the line, day to dedicate, set aside at least fifteen minutes for this
or each orange student could teach an entirely different activity. While your students practice in front of you,
concept from alignment, providing a broader educa- move around the room to observe, correct, and provide
tional experience for the blue students. It is important to specific feedback as necessary. After a couple iterations
set clear objectives and expectations, and I have found of this activity, “practice days” lend themselves well as
it helpful to have a visible timer to signal rotations. plans for substitute teachers.
To assess an activity like speed dating, include Finally, the NCAS anchor standards four and six
yourself as a blue student to determine the orange stu- suggest there is merit in teaching your students how to
dents’ understanding of the topics. Alternatively, move appropriately select literature for a concert program.
around and take notes during the activity; rubrics could A simple assessment activity includes students creating
also come in handy here. This activity offers flexibil- a concert program using accessible software like Goo-
ity for varying group sizes, time available, and expe- gle Slides or Google Docs. More advanced programs
rience-appropriate topics. “Speed Sharing” works well like Canva are also effective, though they may entail
as a summative assessment at the end of a class period learning curves for you or your students. I enjoy seeing
or lesson, or as an opening review at the start of class. which songs the students programmed, finding a few
Consider introducing the process by allowing the stu- gems for my own choral library along the way. Consid-
dents to teach anything they want (within your school’s er selecting a song or two from this project to perform
guidelines). You might be surprised to learn what your with that group. Students will feel overjoyed when a
students enjoy doing and learning! song they selected becomes part of the concert!
Vocal technique, musicianship, and accuracy can also
be assessed through singing checks using clear rubrics
and cloud-based video submissions. Video recordings

42 CHORAL JOURNAL October 2025 Volume 66 Number 3