Comments on: Music Exams – good or bad?

By: janice

janice — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:01:15 +0000

Hi Nathan – making assessments fun can be tricky! For some ideas you can have a look at the assessments included with our Printable Music Theory Books Products – There are multiple choice as well as traditional versions.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:22:50 +0000

Are there any ideas on making formative assessments fun for the teachers and the students alike? thank you.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:19:59 +0000

This one is for Tim: How did you exam your students? I am currently in search of a method that will allow for me to use formative assessment to positively affect my students in the understanding of music as well as preparing for a concert.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:16:27 +0000

I am currently partaking in a research project regarding music assessment in general. I believe that formative assessment is the way in terms of performance aspects.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:13:38 +0000

It depends on the age of the class and the content that you want to cover in your curricullum.

By: Wai Ling

Wai Ling — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:28:56 +0000

Yes I agree exams is good to assess how much the child has learnt but I don’t enter my students for the theory exams in every grade. I’ll teach them according to their grades till they are ready for a grade 3 as their first exams then maybe a grade 4 or straight to a grade 5. We can go according to the students’ pace of learning and don’t push them for exams every year. Let them try the pass years’ exam papers after completing the syllabus in the theory work book, use the papers as a test and see if the students can manage. In this case both the teacher and students will not be so stress preparing for the exams every year. Theory lessons can be in a form of questions from the pieces the students learnt not necessary written work. Sometimes I find that if the students can learn their theory throught games and playing, they can understand better then from reading and writing. So let the student take their time to understand and discover how theory can help in their playing and send them for exams when they are ready or willing to go for it.

By: Jane

Jane — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:05:17 +0000

I integrate theory from the time young children start music lessons. That way they receive little bits at a time, and it applies to what they are learning on the piano. I feel that it’s very important to be able to put the theory into practice. That’s when kids will understand it much better. If a student is very keen in music, then it’s time to consider a theory course, and running through a 1st theory course will confirm the student has understood all aspects of that grade level.
Having said that, I’m not a big fan of exams. A few kids really excel. But, many of them become very frustrated, and they lose interest in working dilligently at their musical abilities.
There’s no way to make a general decision about exams. We need to look at each student, and how exams will help or hinder them as a person. Their love for playing music should not suffer because of the frustrations of theory and theory exams. If they’re frustrated, we as teachers need to find a different way to help them understand how theory is part of what they’re already doing. Keep it practical! And, most of all, help students to love music!

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 07:49:40 +0000

I have in the past used exams a way of motivating my students to learn their instruments. I use it as a goal to aim for and also a rough gauge of how well they play their instruments. I always feel however that the one thing exams lack is any reference to a real performance!!
I know people that are grade 7 & 8 that could never be part of a group that performs. They have only ever prepared for exams.

I believe that exams have SOME purposes but they need to be used as part of a more holistic education package that we as teachers provide.

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 07:08:37 +0000

My problem with exams is that they’re basically one person/company that creates a ‘system’ and then that becomes the focus for a year in lessons.

Music and materials should be taken from many sources.

I teach my students material that I have written, material that others have written, and help them write music for themselves.

Exams can be a good way to get SOME students to focus, so I don’t disagree with them. But if that is the only study plan, then that’s a worry. It’s no longer music, it’s problem solving.

I have recently started taking some students through the Rockschool exams (www.rockschool.co.uk), as they seem more practical than most – at least for drums/guitar/bass etc. – but at the same time, we still learn other songs and technical aspects.

Personally, I don’t understand why keyboard students aren’t introduced to chord charts earlier! If a child wants to learn classical music, then fine, but if a child is learning an instrument, they should be exposed to everything that instrument can do – ie. playing keyboards in a country/metal/jazz/pop/funk band, not just exams and recitals.

By: Rebecca2

Rebecca2 — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 07:04:06 +0000

I think it is definitely a case of “horses for courses”. I think music students should all do the study but not necessarily have to do the exams, depending on the student and their goals. I have a lot of highschool students who are only beginners or are learning their 2nd or 3rd instrument. In most cases, I am teaching the theory but not requiring exams unless they want to continue to university with music or have a natural talent for it. With younger kids I encourage starting exams for theory as part of my aim to create well-rounded musicians. But I don’t push exams too early, unless they’re super keen. As a student, I sat my 1st Gr Theory exam in Yr 6 at school and got 100%. Naturally, my teacher and myself were thrilled! But then she pushed me to do 2nd AND 3rd Grade exams the next year (age 12) with my results dropping to 92 and then 78. It put me off theory for 4 years! (cadences were just too hard to understand at that age!) But when I resumed it I found I still had a knack for it and actually enjoyed it. Most students seem to have an aversion to theory, so best not to kill their love of music by insisting they do exams if they really hate the idea. If they want to pursue a musical career, they will want to do whatever it takes.