Rubrics seem to me to be an element that comes out of the “product”
oriented way of learning so common in schools today. Students are trained to “produce” according
to a strict set of standards, and in terms of assessment the product that comes
from the students is the only thing that counts. In this mode students don’t have to think
very much about what they are producing as long as the product they come up
with complies with the appropriate standards spelled out in the rubric. In instrumental music instruction the focus
on product gives rise to the “churning out” of performances that Brandt
Schneider mentions as the malaise of today’s music programs. Unfortunately I think the need to placate an administrator’s
hunger for data may mean that occasionally we music educators have to package
what we do with students in terms of a product.
However, let’s not lose sight of what is really important: the process
of learning music, learning to speak the musical language and actually have
something to say. This means providing
our students with a meaningful vehicle to improve their musicianship as well as
their technique, and most importantly have some fun doing it.
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