Self-Assessment Journal Form
Table of Contents To the Reader Professional Portrait Artifacts Action Research Portfolio Reflection

 


The self-assessment form below was created as part of a portfolio assessment program for my high school choir. Each student has a portfolio that includes evidence of the student's progress throughout the school year. On a regular basis, the students complete a self-assessment form. The goal of this process is to help the students develop the capability to analyze their own progress and set goals for continued improvement. By doing so, they increase intrinsic motivation as they learn that the more they improve as individual singers, the more they help the larger ensemble to improve as well.

The students' participation in this regular reflection helps them to develop metacognitive skills. It also helps them to become more aware of the standards on which their music instruction is focused, as well as their individual roles in improving the larger choir. In some respects, the form itself is structured around the cycle of action research: determine a problem, develop and implement solutions, and evaluate the results. By completing a self-assessment at regular intervals, the students develop a sense of this cycle and continue it throughout the school year.

The development of the portfolio assessment structure has improved my effectiveness as a teacher and choral director. The students and their parents now have a more complete picture of the progress that has been made over the course of the school year, rather than just a teacher-assigned grade at the end of each quarter. I have had to take a step back and reflect on my own teaching practices, as well as the elements of music education that I give the highest priority, in order to develop a more effective assessment system that demonstrates my commitment to each student, as well as the connections between my curriculum and the state standards.