The author of the study observed ability-grouped reading lessons in a first grade classroom for an entire year. The ability groups were formed based on the recommendations of the previous year's kindergarten teachers, who acknowledged considering both ability and maturity in their recommendations. The study looked at student attention during reading lessons, the pervasiveness of classroom management techniques during lessons, the type and frequency of reading turn disruptions, and the self-fulfilling nature of the teacher's predictions of aptitude. The author hypothesized that each reading group would have a different educational climate. Lower-ability groups, because their assignment was made partially based on maturity, would have more inattentive behavior, which would lead to more classroom management actions, which would lead to more reading turn disruptions, all causing the lower-ability groups to have a lower quality of educational experience than the higher-achieving groups. After analyzing the data, the author concluded that the lower-ability groups were significantly less attentive, encountered a significantly greater number of management acts, and had to endure a significantly higher number of reading turn disruptions. The author surmises that this significant difference in learning context creates an atmosphere which is detrimental to the lower-ability groups' members chances of achievement. Scores on a standardized reading test, taken by all students at the end of the year, were compared across ability groups and then to measures of teacher impressions of student reading ability. Students assigned to the higher-ability groups did significantly better on the test than students assigned to the lower-ability groups. There was also a significant, positive correlation between teacher impressions of reading ability and scores on the standardized test, indicating the presence of the self-fulfilling prophecy of achievement potential set in motion by the grouping of students by perceived ability.
Eder, D. (1981). Ability grouping as a self-fulfilling prophecy: a micro-analysis of student-teacher interaction. Sociology of Education, 54, pp.151-162.
So what?
Well, I think the implications on the school musical ensemble are quite large. There seems to be a parallel between the ability grouping of students in reading class and the grouping of students that occurs in an ensemble as a result of seating auditions. Assuming the ensemble director assigns parts within a section, in a top-down fashion, based on the results of a norm-referenced seating audition, the director may very well be making self-fulfilling prophecies regarding the musical achievement of the students. Students who are at the bottom of the rank order are given the easiest parts, potentially leading to less engagement, more inattentiveness, more management actions coming their way, and more stoppage of playing music for them. In essence, the director is handing these students the easy part and saying, "this is what I think you are capable of." And the students need not reach any higher than that, regardless of whether or not they are actually capable of playing the harder parts. Well, you have heard me say it countless times and I will say it again: this is why we should be employing rotating sections instead of rank-order, part-assigned sections. More research on this topic to come.
Remember last week how the contra was broken? It was such a sad moment. Though, I have to admit that I got a little excited about driving the contra out to Indiana to have it serviced at the Fox factory. Well, I took another look at it this week and, lo and behold, there was just a screw that had backed itself out. I screwed that bad boy back in and, BAM!, working contra. So, in Wind Symphony, we are playing a tune called Bells for Stokowski by Michael Doherty. There is this cool little moment where the contrabassoon and some other low reeds (bassoons, bass clarinet, and such, but who is really listening to them when the contra is cranking?) have a really aggressive iteration of the melodic content.
(The passage in question happens around 5:44. To be fair, the Marine Band could use more contra. Come on, guys!)
Anyway, I must have been channeling my inner monster as we played it on Wednesday because Dr. T. turns to the low reed section and said something to the effect of, "let the contra take the lead here. We don't often have a contra player as talented as the one we do right now." Turbo Contra, baby!
I didn't have a terribly great Night Owls rehearsal on Monday. I really planned out what I wanted to do and had convinced myself that it would be a really weighty task to get through. But, somehow, the group powered through my whole 15 minute plan in about 6 minutes and I was left unprepared with what to do next. I lost my momentum and, even though we did get some good work done, I wasn't in complete control of the situation and I didn't feel that great about it as a result. I let myself fall into one of the traps I keep reminding the undergrads of: always plan too much because you never know what will happen. Silly, Mitch: practice what you preach!
I was super stoked for Temple Prep on Saturday. Problem: Temple Prep was cancelled this Saturday due to school of music auditions and nobody told me about it. So, I showed up and it took me longer than I would care to admit to realize there were no Temple Prep people milling about, and then went right back home.
Upcoming Events:
- Wind Symphony Concert: March 11 at 7:30 pm at TPAC
- Category 5 Wind Ensemble Concert (yes, I am playing again!): March 14, probably at 7 pm, I think at Laurel HS, Laurel, MD
- Wind Symphony Concert: March 22 at 7:30 pm at the Kimmel Center
- Mitch speaks at NAfME conference: October 25-28, 2015 in Nashville, TN
Well, that is all for this week. Stay warm, my friends.
Future Doctor Mitch, out!
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