Currently, there is a statewide push to emphasize performing and creating in the arts. The statewide Arts & Humanities assessment (which consisted of 13 multiple-choice questions and 1 open response question) was eliminated a few years ago. It has been replaced by the Arts & Humanities Program Review which is a way for each school to assess their arts programs throughout the enitre year. We are encouraged to collect evidence of student learning throughout the year through pictures and video. Although there are still many kinks to work out with this process, I am a big fan of the switch to the Program Reviews. It is much more improtant for a student to be engaged in making music instead of reciting textbook definitions of music vocabulary words. (Most of you are probably not music teachers in Kentucky, but if you are interested in our new Program Reviews, you may visit the Kentucky Departement of Education website.)
With the new emphasis on the artistic process, we now have to adjust our outlook on other things as well, such as posting student work. Since we are encouraged to document evidence for the new Program Reviews, I found myself taking more pictures in the classroom. A fellow teacher started posting pictures in the hallway to show what the students were DOING in the music classroom. During a visit to her school last spring, I saw her pictures and thought is was a fabulous idea!
At the end of August, I posted several pictures in the hallway highlighting a variety of activities and grade levels. (You can see on the right that I also saved some hallway space for the traditional paper exit slip.)
I wish I had money to afford printing the pictures in color, but they still look good in black and white. (I posted the pictures in color on my classroom webpage.) I printed the pictures on regular copy paper and placed each picture in a plastic page protector before hanging them in the hallway. I plan on replacing the pictures with new ones at the end of each month.
According to district policy, all student work posted in the hallway must be accompanied by core content numbers. I have included both the state and national standards as well as the learning target of the lesson. Below you can see a few of the pictures. I have blurred the student faces to protect their privacy.
I love this idea! Not only is this great proof of the learning that is taking place in your classroom but advocacy for your program. Any parent, teacher, administrator that walks by has a snapshot into what it's like to be a student in your classroom. :) I will have to try this out. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I love how you tied the standards to the photos too! I have a perfect space on the wall in the hallway that leads into my classroom. Thanks for sharing!
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