MUSIC

Music, Google Classroom and Guardian Summaries

The introduction of Guardian Summaries into Google Classroom provide a much welcome window into instrumental lessons and ensemble rehearsals for our College musician’s families. Our instrumental staff have been working together to discuss how we can use this newly introduced parent access to Classroom to keep parents informed about the great learning that happens in music lessons.

While we were already using Google Classroom in some capacity prior to the COVID-19 crisis, we emerge from isolation with refined skills and improved functionality which improves our transparency and engagement. For parents, Guardian Summaries will provide a weekly summary of their child’s instrumental lessons. For students, Google Classroom will be the place to check in on practice notes, find materials and communicate with instrumental teachers. 

From Week 5 onwards, all instrumental staff will use Google Classroom to post information about what was covered in each lesson as well as practice notes, and any other relevant information. You will notice that our instrumental teachers will provide notes that reflect their best practice teaching strategies, driven by the principles of John Hattie’s formative learning cycle. Parents will be able to see that students are being given clear information each lesson to help them know where they are in their playing, what they should be striving for, and what steps they can take to improve their playing. Teachers will provide clear expectations for practice, including specific techniques, practice tools or aids and suggested time frames for practice. Parents should see students receiving feedback on their playing each instrumental lesson. Feedback will be concise and driven by Hattie’s principles: individual, timely, specific and forward-focussed.

Please note that Google Classroom will function only as the teaching and learning space for instrumental lessons. Notification about lesson cancellations, absences or lesson time change requests should still be made via email communication between the teacher and parent.

I will also be utilising the Guardian Summaries function to manage much of the communication for Band, Stage Band and String Sinfonia with parents from Week 5 onwards. Weekly or fortnightly updates on rehearsal times, music being studied, upcoming events, practice and rehearsal expectations will be communicated to students and parents alike via Google Classroom rather than email. Look forward to your “For Parents” posts in the Guardian Summaries for College ensembles for special messages. This will be a great way for parents to stay informed about the learning that happens in our prize-winning ensembles program.

Clare Brassil | Director of Music Performance