Conjoined at the Hip, or Shackled at the Ankle?
Here’ a question that begs for feedback:
Let’s pretend for a moment that we are all teaching for process and not strictly product, that we are teaching concepts and not memorization, and that we are teaching for mastery and not merely for ‘no mistakes this time’. Let’s also pretend for a moment that we all teach and assess (again, for mastery) music theory, analysis and history during our performance ensemble classes.
If students will be required to understand and to perform music, and (here’s the assumption that may sink this hypothesis) if they must understand a concept before they can perform it reliably, then is it advisable—nay, even mandatory—that we assess a concept in writing before we assess it on the instrument? Should we strive to precede, or at least connect at the hip, every playing quiz with a written (or at least verbal) task?
Add comment February 2nd, 2009