Episode 69: Higher Standards-Lower Anxiety

Want your singers to make fewer mistakes while sight reading?

In this episode I outline some approaches, philosophies and even a rubric. But first, one obvious tip, and one counterintuitive one:

1. Obvious: SRF assignments, quizzes and most importantly daily class work, and test EACH kid individually at the level appropriate for their current aptitude.
2. Not obvious: don’t reduce grade for mistakes, or count off “points” for mistakes. Instead, make the rubric about independence and problem solving. Let them fix their mistakes. After all, isn’t that how we use literacy in rehearsal?

Might seem less “rigorous,” but this model has helped reduce test taking and sight reading anxiety for us big time, and has led to MORE accurate, fluent music reading.

When we evaluate literacy progress, often times we do this thinking of sight singing as a game of guitar hero. This does not translate to real world music making. In this episode I offer a different approach complete with two student demonstrations! Students appeared with parent permission!

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The Rubric is very basic-

2- Student is able to sing the entire exercise correctly and independently with no teacher help or instruction

1-Student is able to sing the entire exercise correctly and independently, but needs teacher help or instruction

0-Student is not able to sing all or part of the exercise correctly and independently