5 Fun Ways to Recognize Student Achievement in Elementary Music
These simple no-cost ways to recognize student achievement increase students’ engagement, motivation, and performance.
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Are you looking for more ways to recognize and celebrate your students’ music classroom achievements? Acknowledging REAL student success (both in your classroom and performance) increases engagement and motivates students to keep working and continue learning.
Check out these simple, “outside the box” ideas you can start using today. Best of all, they’re free and require NO extra preparation!
Read on.
What’s in this post? Click to open the Table of Contents
Recognize REAL Achievement
Celebrating student achievements is important, but the successes should be genuine. Students can sense false praise, which doesn’t benefit anyone. Plenty of REAL successful moments happen in your classroom each week, if not daily. Recognize and build on those small wins.
1. Celebrate with Dance Moves or Signals
This doesn’t have to become a big classroom production to celebrate student achievement in your music classroom. Use FUN, simple, no fuss, ways to identify quality student performance. It can be as simple as a “thumbs up” from the teacher and fellow students. Or use dance moves to recognize extraordinary or vastly improved performances.
Here’s a list of classic dance moves or signals. While they might feel a bit “old school,” that often adds to the fun! To keep things fresh, brainstorm some simple, student-friendly moves together.
- Raise the Roof
- Around the World
- Round of Applause
- Silent Cheer
- “Wooooo Hooooo!”
- Clap in sign language*
*To clap in sign language, place open hands at head level with palms facing forward. Quickly shimmy hands, turning at the wrist. (Think jazz hands.)
2. Spontaneous Classroom Performances
Another way to celebrate quality performance is to present a spontaneous classroom performance. When students perform a particular piece well, invite someone in to hear the piece right then and there. Invite the principal, secretary, classroom teacher, custodian, or your next incoming class.
With the homeroom teacher’s permission, I have often kept a class a few minutes longer. I seat the incoming class and then the previous class performs for them. This not only builds the confidence of the performing group, it also inspires the listening group.
3. Perform a “Radio Concert”
Schools are BUSY places and sometimes no one can come to your classroom to listen. The classroom teacher may be on a strict schedule and cannot stay even a couple of minutes longer. If that’s the case, present a “radio concert” during class.
The first time I sprung this one on our school secretary, she was VERY surprised. But, she enjoyed the occasional radio concerts, saying they brightened her day and added some fun to her routine.
So, what is a RADIO CONCERT? When students were ready to perform, I pushed the intercom button and we performed for the secretary in the office. I announced the group and the name of our piece as if we were performing live on the radio. The secretary would clap and praise the group through the intercom.
Students LOVE this type of “reward” and it’s a simple way to share our performances!
Radio Concert Resources
While vocal songs can work well for radio concerts, instrumental activities are perfect for this audio-only performance. Recorder songs, Orff arrangements, ukulele pieces, and anything instrumental gives students a chance to show off their new skills “on the radio.” The kids are so excited when they master a song, they want to share it immediately.
The radio concert gives you an instant venue. And no tickets are necessary! 😊
4. Take Your Show on the Road
If the performance doesn’t involve cumbersome instruments, the activity would be a candidate to take “on the road.” Give your “audience” a quick call and ensure it’s a good time before you start over with your entire class. Consider performing for office staff, a kindergarten or first-grade class, the nurse, the custodian, or the cooks.
My favorite on-the-road performances have been for our cooks. Every year, my kindergarten classes performed the “Turkey Tango” in the cafeteria for our cooks as they prepared lunch. The lunchroom staff looked forward to this impromptu performance every year.
5. Document and Demonstrate Student Achievement by Making a Video
Another way to celebrate and document student success is by making a video. I always keep a tripod within easy reach. When students do a FABULOUS job on a particular piece, I pull out my tripod and make a quick video.
Then, I let students view and self-assess their performance.
I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so we almost always film two takes of the performance. (Never do more than two takes. This is a simple celebration of student achievement NOT a professional video.) Then students watch both performances and vote on which one to upload to our school website.
I’ve often used these videos for student-led conferences. I create QR codes for each grade level so parents can easily find their child’s videos. Families scan the code and see their child(ren) performing right on their phones. I always have a few iPads available for families who need them. This is an efficient and effective multitasking activity!
Note: We always have a few students at our school who can’t have their images posted online. I position these students off to the side of the group, just out of the camera’s view. I call them “radio stars” and give them mallets to use as their “microphones.” They perform alongside the group as if they’re on screen.
Recognizing Student Achievement Increases Student Participation
When you celebrate student success, you not only increase their confidence, you increase student motivation, and participation as well. Students can see the fruits of their labor. Take a peek at this blog post for more Tips to Involve ALL Students ALL the Time.
Celebrate in Many Different Ways
Mix it up! Choose different ways to celebrate student success. The important thing is to build students’ confidence and skills through these recognitions and mini-performances. A former student said it best, “It’s so nice to have something like this to make me feel special.”
I agree!
Do you have more simple ways to celebrate student success? Leave a comment through our contact form.
Meet the Author
Terri Lloyd is a former elementary music teacher with over 25 years of experience. She holds a Bachelor of Music, a Master of Science in Education, and a Technology Certificate in Instructional Design.
Terri is active in music education through blogging, presenting and attending workshops, and curriculum development. She serves on the music staff at her church and volunteers for an after-school children’s program. Terri is an active musician in the community, performing in a local Big Band, pit orchestras, and various events.
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