This is my second year using karate belts as a motivator for encouraging my students to learn targeted songs. My first year looked much different than this year and to be honest was a complete disaster but I learned so much from what I did wrong that year.
Karate Belts are different colored yarns that students earn by playing different songs in their books. I use "Accent on Achievement for Band" and "New Directions for Strings". Since I teach first, second and third year students I have three different groupings of belts, Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced. For each group there are 5 different colors, white, blue, red, green and black. The songs get progressively more difficult for each belt a student earns.
Each student starts at the white belt for the level that they begin the year. In class we work on different music but will also touch upon the belt songs. If a student feels like they can play it before the official test day I allow them to quickly play it for me after or before class. Students are allowed to test for their belts early if they feel prepared enough to do so. About each month or so I will do a "karate belt test day" where I will test students (whether they are ready or not) on the belt that they are presently at. The test is out of 25 points and if they are able to earn 20 out of 25 points they will earn their belt. Here is the rubric I use:
If a student does not get 20 or more points then they will still be at that level and will test on it next time. It gives the students who are not as confident a player or who are struggling another chance as well as gives me a great way to see what level my students are performing.
If a student does pass their belt it is their responsibility to mark off the belt on the chart and cut their yarn. Students get super excited to tie their yarn to their instrument (or case).
I noticed this year that some of my students are quickly passing their black belts. After a student passes their black belt they are then considered to be the next level (intermediate or advanced) and can then start on their "double" belts. If that is the case students mark two checks in the white box. I have even had some cases of beginners getting to triple belts!
I base the songs on both the curriculum for the county as well as how my students progressed last year. Another way I keep track of my student's progress is by testing them on what we call "Exit Proficiency scales" in Prince George's County. Here is an example of half of the clarinet exit proficiency scales:
There are 16 scales for Elementary Band and 14 for Elementary Strings that students are expected to know by middle school. In order to motivate my students to learn these I offer them an air head (the candy) for each one that they can play for me. At first I thought that was a great idea and it has definitely motivated my students! However I have about 200 students, multiply that by an average of 15 total scales they could play and you get 3000 air heads and 1 broke music teacher. I've gone through 3, 90 piece boxes and am starting to refer to them as lollypop scales now. Here is the chart I use for students to keep track of their progress:
Overall, these have been a great success in my classrooms and have helped to keep me both honest to the curriculum and to encouraging my students to continue to learn songs ahead of the ones that we are playing in class. What do you do in your own classrooms to track student data for instrumental music?
Hopefully the snow won't be too bad this week! I can't deal with any more snow days.
