With the new teacher evaluation system engulfing our school systems in Massachusetts, music teachers are looking for creative ways to provide evidence of formative assessment.
Many ensemble directors require students to meet with them individually after school to perform scales, solos, sight-reading, and repertoire. Over the last decade, new software has come out which makes it possible for students to perform assignments online at home. However, such software is often rising in costs each year and some students do not have a home computer with internet access.
What if there was a way for students to perform selections at home for free? There is an answer and it is called Google Voice. It is pretty simple as Google will offer a new phone number for each Google account which will forward calls, voicemails, and text messages to any number of your choosing. The voicemails in particular are saved as mp3's and can even be embedded onto a website (weebly for example).
Here's How:1. If you do not have a Google Account, create a new one at www.google.com. Also, you may want to create a seperate school Google account different from the one you use in life.
2. Go to www.google.com/voice
3. Set-up a new google number
4. Accept "Google Voice's Terms and Private Policy."
5. Select "I want a new number."
6. Select "Add a forwarding phone" and type in the telephone number you want everything forwarded to (calls, voicemails, text messages).
7. Select "Continue" followed by "Call me now." You will then see a screen with a two digit number. Google will immedately call you on that phone and you will be asked to enter the two digits on your screen into the phone. Your phone will then officially be "authorized." You can also select "1" after your phone is authorized to create an account name and voicemail greeting.
8. Next you will be asked to have Google create a new phone number based off of area code, zip code or text. It is recommended you select the area code from which the students will be calling from. Google will then generate a new phone number for you (this is the number you will give the
students).
Assignments:
1. Have students call your new google voice number. Make sure to let them know they need to say their name in the voicemail before they perform the music.
2. When you log into Google.com/voice you will then see all of these calls. Under each call you can select "more" and either download as an mp3 or embed. If embedding, you may want to create a free www.weebly.com website to embed to showing all of your evidence.
3. A great resource for scales and scoring rubrics sometimes can be found on your music educator association websites. Here are our in the Northeastern District of MMEA.
Things to think about:
1. The quality of the recordings will not be spectacular as most phones have a microphone which does not pick up high or low frequencies.
2. Google runs out of phone numbers, but they do try upload new ones each week so keep trying if you receive an error message saying there are no phone numbers in the area code your students are calling from.
3. Students are unable to listen to their recordings and re-record. As a result, you might receive multiple phone messages from the same student if he/she is unhappy with a recording.
4. You can get a Google Voice App for the iPhone now!
5. You can select to have messages go directly to voicemail so that your phone is not ringing non-stop. Go to "Settings," "Call," and click the box to "Enable Do Not Disturb."
Many ensemble directors require students to meet with them individually after school to perform scales, solos, sight-reading, and repertoire. Over the last decade, new software has come out which makes it possible for students to perform assignments online at home. However, such software is often rising in costs each year and some students do not have a home computer with internet access.
What if there was a way for students to perform selections at home for free? There is an answer and it is called Google Voice. It is pretty simple as Google will offer a new phone number for each Google account which will forward calls, voicemails, and text messages to any number of your choosing. The voicemails in particular are saved as mp3's and can even be embedded onto a website (weebly for example).
Here's How:1. If you do not have a Google Account, create a new one at www.google.com. Also, you may want to create a seperate school Google account different from the one you use in life.
2. Go to www.google.com/voice
3. Set-up a new google number
4. Accept "Google Voice's Terms and Private Policy."
5. Select "I want a new number."
6. Select "Add a forwarding phone" and type in the telephone number you want everything forwarded to (calls, voicemails, text messages).
7. Select "Continue" followed by "Call me now." You will then see a screen with a two digit number. Google will immedately call you on that phone and you will be asked to enter the two digits on your screen into the phone. Your phone will then officially be "authorized." You can also select "1" after your phone is authorized to create an account name and voicemail greeting.
8. Next you will be asked to have Google create a new phone number based off of area code, zip code or text. It is recommended you select the area code from which the students will be calling from. Google will then generate a new phone number for you (this is the number you will give the
students).
Assignments:
1. Have students call your new google voice number. Make sure to let them know they need to say their name in the voicemail before they perform the music.
2. When you log into Google.com/voice you will then see all of these calls. Under each call you can select "more" and either download as an mp3 or embed. If embedding, you may want to create a free www.weebly.com website to embed to showing all of your evidence.
3. A great resource for scales and scoring rubrics sometimes can be found on your music educator association websites. Here are our in the Northeastern District of MMEA.
Things to think about:
1. The quality of the recordings will not be spectacular as most phones have a microphone which does not pick up high or low frequencies.
2. Google runs out of phone numbers, but they do try upload new ones each week so keep trying if you receive an error message saying there are no phone numbers in the area code your students are calling from.
3. Students are unable to listen to their recordings and re-record. As a result, you might receive multiple phone messages from the same student if he/she is unhappy with a recording.
4. You can get a Google Voice App for the iPhone now!
5. You can select to have messages go directly to voicemail so that your phone is not ringing non-stop. Go to "Settings," "Call," and click the box to "Enable Do Not Disturb."
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