Class shows: how to evaluate a music teacher

The most reliable way to know if anyone can teach music is to watch them teach. A class shows 8 to 15 minutes with real or simulated and with a rubric, gives you concrete evidence that an informal interview cannot give you.

Here you find why it works, how to design it by office, what to order at audition, an example with a scale of 1 to 4 and the rules to make the qualification fair and comparable between candidates.

To sum up

Research into personnel selection consistently finds that structured interviews are among the best predictors of performance and class shows a high level of direct evidence about how the candidate teaches.
A good class shows with an 8 to 15 minutes and an interactive and high-level student.
At schools, the sample class should prove group management, and not just an explanation of a content.
It qualifies with established criteria and attached descriptors for each scale level.
To be fair: the same task for all, two independent evaluators and scores before we discuss them.

Why does a class show say more than an interview

In a free interview, the conversation goes to where the interviewer and the candidate are leading. They weigh their sympathy, their confidence and their personal interferences and each candidate ends up answering different questions. The result is difficult to compare and easy to bias.

Research into personnel selection consistently finds that structured interviewswith the same questions and a defined rating scale, they are among the best preachers of work performance. The class shows that logic a step beyond: Instead of asking the candidate how she teaches, you ask him to teach and observe with established criteria. It's a sample of actual work, not an account about him.

A class shows well designed reveal things that no life sheet shows:

How she explain a concept when the student doesn't understand it at first.
If you listen before you correct or fix by reflection.
How she reacts to an error, a distraction or a shy student.
If you set up the level as you go or follow a rigid script.
How you manage time and how you close class.

How to design the class shows

Duration: 8 to 15 minutes

That's enough time to see a complete sequence (to have an introduction, practice, recite and close) without turning the test into an entire class. Reserve a few more minutes for a brief conversation: ask the candidate what went well and what would do different. His ability to reflect about his or her own class is also information.

Interactive, not an exposure

The slogan should force the candidate to interplay with students. A talk about music theory with the evaluators doesn't tell you how to teach.

Reactual or simulated students

The ideal are real students at the level of office. If they are underage, they have their families' permission and have their team's presence throughout their class. If this isn't possible, they simulate: members of your team play as students with previous instructions to make typical mistakes, to be distracted or to misunderstand their first.

A receptacle adjusted to his office

The task should be similar to actual work, content and level.

Academy, guitar 1: 1: teach an adult beginner two chords and change between them with a simple scrape.
School, primary: teach a group a rhythmic pattern with body percussion and get them to a canon with two voices.
Baccalaureate chorus: Do a vocal warming and teach first sentences from one piece to two voices.
Early childhood: an activity of pulse and movement from a childish song.
Bilingual college: Any of the above, conduct in English.

It sends the call to all candidates with the same advance and information: level, number of students, duration and available resources.

In schools, test group management

A good class 1: 1 doesn't guarantee that someone can hold the care of a living room. If his office is for a school, he works with a group and prepares small incidents: a student who speaks, an advanced student, an independent student. He sees how he gives instructions, how his transitions are handled and if he gets them all to participate without losing the class's rhythm.

The audition: what to demand as well as class

The hearing confirms that the candidate dominates the instrument at the level required by his office. He does not have to be long and his demand should be proportional: to teach beginners, a soloist's profile isn't necessary but a reliable model that his student can mimic.

Components of an audition for music teachers
Componente	What's his assessment?	Sugerencia
Free choice	Technique, sound, musicality and monitoring.	A short piece or a representative fragment of the repertoire that I would teach.
Reading at first glance	Flow reading, pulse and response capacity.	A fragment of the level of the material that you will use with your students.
Accompanying, if applicable	Harmony, stable pulse and listen.	Accompanying a song or a singer, a key to chorus, singing and musical initiation.
Improvisation or transposition (optional)	Musical flexibility.	Useful in popular music, jazz or ensemble charges.

Section of an example to evaluate a music teacher

A useful heading has few criteria, a short scale and with an anchor: phrases that say what's observed at each level, so that a 3 means the same for all evaluators. That's a basis with 6 criteria and a scale of 1 to 4 that you can adapt to your institution:

Sample and hearing class heading (scale 1 to 4)
Criterio	1. Insufficient	2. In development	3. Solid	4. Overpowering
Music domain	Common lung, tuning or technical errors and their model is unreliable.	Play with correction but with insecurities or little musicality.	Solid technique and musicality for the level of office and its model is clear.	It shows with precision and musicality and offers several ways to solve a passage.
Educational clarity	confusing or excessive explanations, and the student doesn't know what to do.	He's clear but his only way.	Divide the task into steps and use demonstration and simple language.	A clear sequence and a change of strategy (ear, image, movement) when something doesn't work.
Level adaptation	Content far above or far under the student.	Retiring soon or later.	Reaping the difficulty as you observe.	Rapid diagnosis and timings rhythm, difficulty and language as you go.
Group management / student connection	He's losing his attention or generating tension. He doesn't manage interruptions.	It keeps order at times and the connection's irregular.	He keeps his attention, gives clear instructions and creates a friendly climate.	They all participate, solve incidents without cutting their rhythm and the student feels secure.
Retrofeeding	It does not fix, or purptitiously or with a disqualification.	Reforms generally ("very well," "again").	A specific and friendly backstop, one or two things at a time.	Special, timely and enforceable, recognizes progress and leaves a clear task.
Timeness and professionalism	He arrives late or without preparation and does not fulfill his motto.	Fits half and minimum production.	A dedicated, prepared and respectful of the term and of time.	The above and his own class reflect with judgment.

How to use it

Minimum set before we start. For example: No criteria at 1 and, for a high school office, group management at 3 or more.
Define weights by office. Classes 1: 1 more weigh adaptation to the level, at a school, group management and at an ensemble office, musical domain and accompaniment.
Write down evidence with each score. A concrete phrase remains: "He repeated his instruction three times without changing his explain."
Look at every criterion at its time. The musical domain can be seen in listening and class, and punctuality and professionalism throughout the whole process.

How to Qualify Just

A good applied without method lose a good share of its value. These rules make the scores comparable between candidates:

The same task for all: The same slogan, duration, level and conditions.
At least two evaluators: for example, an academic and a musician co-ordination of the instrument area.
independent scores: Each evaluator qualifies and scores his or her evidence before talking with the other. If they discuss first, it's easy for the second score to suit the first score.
Discussion with evidence: When scores differ at more than one point, check together what each saw or heard before agreeing to the final score.
Attention to biases: The halo effect (a brilliant criterion engulfed with others), the affinity ("looks just like me") and the order (compare with the previous candidate rather than with the rubric).
Closed registration: keeps scores and notes and they serve to decide, to give feedback to the candidate and to improve the rubric in the following process.

If you record the sample class, first ask for permission from the candidate and, if minor students participate, their families. Drive those recordings with restricted access as any information about the process. Here we explain [verifications and data management while hiring]](/blog/verificaciones-antes-de-contratar-profesores-colombia).

From selection to evaluation of your equipment

The same heading serves beyond recruitment. If you apply it to a class observed at 90 days, you can compare actual performance with what the class shown and adjust your selection process. If you apply it to your whole team, you get a comparable photo of its strengths and where to focus training. That's the [teacher's assessment] approach.](/academias/evaluacion-docente): class observed, heading and development plan.

In A medio tono we evaluate every teacher with audition, class shows and interview before his first class. If you have candidates and you want an outside look, at Evaluation of candidates We have been listening and we have been giving you a report with scores so that you can decide. services for schools and schools or review complete recruitment process.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a class have been shown for a music teacher?

Between 8 and 15 minutes of class and a few minutes of later conversation. It's time to see a complete sequence without lengthening the process for candidates and evaluators.

What do I do if I have no students available for the sample class?

It simulates class with members of your team as a student with previous instructions to conduct as the real public: make typical mistakes, get distracted or misunderstand the first.

Can you do a virtual sample class?

That's best for face charges with large groups, the virtual version remains short to evaluate group management, so we have to do that in person.

Do I have to share with the candidates?

Sharing the general criteria is good practice: the candidate knows what to expect and the proof becomes more fair. What's important is that they all get the same information.

The same heading as that serves to evaluate the teachers I have already?

A class with your own team can add criteria such as planning, monitoring student progress and communication with families.

The class shows how to evaluate a music teacher with a rubric