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Elementary music teachers in my school district mainly teach three things: 1) singing, 2) folk dance, and 3) instrument (percussion) technique and playing. In addition we teach students steady beat, rhythm, iconic and traditional notation, make connections with history and culture. How can we prove and teach these things in our classroom?

Here are a few suggestions.

1) Pre-test and post-test. A end of the year test from the previous year and the list of skills with the skills to be learned from the current year. These tests can also measure progress from one nine or six weeks to another. Utilization of an eGradebook with a rubric, student grades, and objectives should be proof of student learning.

2) Audio recordings. Solo singing is an objective in our curriculum. Without having students identify themselves (a seating chart can do this), go down the roll and have students sing a part of a call and response song, e.g. "Pizza, Pizza Daddy-O", where the other students must respond. An audio recording should be acceptable. The digital recording identifies seconds and minutes. Beside a class roll, the teacher can identify at what point in the tape each student sang. Student performances on instruments can also be recorded.

3) Video recording. Video can best show students dance. While audio performance can reveal the quality of a student's performance, it cannot show if students are performing using proper instrument technique. Here is where video can be helpful. With students dancing in a group and standing in staggered formation, the teacher can place the video in a position in the classroom where student's faces are obscured. Student instrument and dance technique can be placed on video tape as evidence of performance objectives.

Final performances which include 1/3 of the class playing instruments, 1/3 of the class dancing, and 1/3 of the class singing would be ideal. Everybody would be engaged in the process. Once one group finished singing, they could move to instrument playing, then to dance. Three performances can successfully document all students performance in a matter of time. Of course, this takes planning on behalf of the teacher to make sure that students learn dance, song, and instrument parts during the grading period.