Anyone take the ap music theory test this year? Thoughts? Entire class very low scores...

[Sisyphus]

So, Ds took ap music theory at the local ps. He adored the teacher- me, too. A really neat guy. A really neat class. Ds was probably the lowest level kid there, he took band in middle school but didn't really read music well or have any music background. He learned a ton, and loved the class. The teacher had them take several practice tests, and Ds scored consistently in the 3-4 range. The teacher doesn't have students he feels will score below 3 take the test- it ticks off the school to have low scores and music theory (and music/arts in general) is viewed as a waste in our very high performing area.

 

Ds checked his scores yesterday, and with tears in his eyes told me he got a 1. Obviously, I was bummed, but he has bad test anxiety, and he loved the class, learned a ton, the score really doesn't matter to us, personally. Ds was worried about letting his beloved teacher down though!

 

Today he talked to 3 other students in the class, one of which also had 3-4 scores in practice tests, two who have seriously studied music and always got 5s in practice. They also, all, received 1s! They are all devastated because they are worried now the music theory class will be canceled, and they have (in Ds words) "single handedly brought down the music theory program" by receiving such low scores.

 

Texts were flying tonight, and it appears everyone who took it (only 7 or 8) all got...1. How can this be? Obviously, it is a teaching or test problem (not Ds test anxiety probably, if they all got 1s). Past years the average score has always been 4 for this class, the teacher spoke extensively how that fact is what kept the program afloat at the school. So this is a big departure from past years, but the teacher is the same, preparation the same...

 

I just don't get it? Did the test radically change? Did anyone here have a kid take it and get something other than a 1, lol? I'm not overly fussed as it pertains to Ds, he is starting community college with plans to transfer to a 4 year later, scores on ap tests aren't a big thing to him- no plans for a competitive college, etc. I am worried for the program, as is Ds, and curious if the test changed a bunch or-something?

 

Fwiw, Ds felt pretty confident, and the well performing students felt very confident. So the students themselves felt well prepared and the test didn't seem different/hard etc.

[Angie in VA]

Wow, that's odd. I wonder if anything went wrong w/ the scoring, esp. the aural part (or should I say singing part) that is recorded.

I'm sorry. My dd took it 2 yrs ago and passed, but her college doesn't take it. No matter, she learned a lot in that class and placed into the advanced theory classes.

Those tests are not fun. I know you all are concerned about the future of the class and teacher, but I wanted to post this meme, so here it is:

 

PIC REMOVED. Do a search for a standardized test bubble sheet w/ the words "This does not define you." written on it.
 

[Sisyphus]

Ds was sweating that part. He said if he got in there and it was heinous, he was just going to sing the "I have confidence" song from Sound of Music, lol. He learned all the words, apparently they have to listen to whatever you do on that part, even if it's clearly awful. But he said even that went well, so?

 

I love that picture! I sent it to dh to forward to his buddies. As a hippy dippy homeschooler, I wholeheartedly believe that, let's hope the school does too and doesnt yank the class. Ds and his friends are all so dejected and feeling like they let the teacher down.

[Sisyphus]

Whoops- dS not dh!

[FaithManor]

I am no fan of the AP music exam. It is far worse than the final exams of freshman college theory course I took at a top 50 LAC with very competitive music school, and the college board is famous for not hiring qualified music professors to grade the exam or write the questions, The sight singing examples for what was potentially going to be on the exam were examples from Bruce Benward's Music In Theory and Practice, the advanced text...third semester college level theory.

 

That said, music theory is one of those subjects that I do not recommend music majors AP their way out of because any small gap in knowledge or lack of solid skill is enough to cause failure in the second semester.

 

Gently though, despite my angst with the test, the reality is that college level theory is not something any high school student should attempt unless he or she is an excellent music reader with solid preparation in music theory and history prior to the class. It is a subject material that presumes a lot of background as a prerequisite. In my freshman college theory class, 2/3 of the class failed out or dropped. Band in middle school would not be enough. The test was bad this year, but I also suspect that most of the students this teacher worked with previously may have had a better background prior to beginning the course.

 

For anyone else looking at this for next year, please keep in mind that this is not music appreciation. It's freshman college music theory which is not a gen ed course. It is a requirement for music majors and a prerequisite to some very stout coursework. It is a weeder class at the good uni's and LAC's to see who is serious enough to cut it in the department. It acts in the same way as organic chem works in chemistry, nursing, and biology and can be the cause of a lot of sudden changes in major.

 

Op, tell your son to buck up. The test was a blinger this year and I am not the only music teacher that has emailed the college board about some of the questions and examples. He may not have had the necessary background to score highly, but if he enjoyed the class and learned a lot, then it's a win. If the score has not been reported to colleges yet, the I wouldn't bother. Tell him that this BA in piano performance and music ed says good job for working hard to wrestle with very difficult subject material, and do not let it dull his love of music!

[FaithManor]

Ds was sweating that part. He said if he got in there and it was heinous, he was just going to sing the "I have confidence" song from Sound of Music, lol. He learned all the words, apparently they have to listen to whatever you do on that part, even if it's clearly awful. But he said even that went well, so?

 

I love that picture! I sent it to dh to forward to his buddies. As a hippy dippy homeschooler, I wholeheartedly believe that, let's hope the school does too and doesnt yank the class. Ds and his friends are all so dejected and feeling like they let the teacher down.

Judging the sight singing portion can be a bit subjective. On the college level, even a small variance off the pitch or the slightest mistake in rhythm can be costly if the grader is tough. So unless he has near perfect pitch and his teacher was REALLY tough with them during practice sessions, that could have been an issue if the grader was strict.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

The score distribution is here.

http://www.totalregistration.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=494&Itemid=118

 

The teacher should have access to the teacher score reports. I'm not sure how much info is there.

[Sisyphus]

I'm not shocked Ds didn't do well, I was sort of surprised he was allowed/encouraged to take the test actually, but Ds and I are truly shocked at the other students scores. 1s for everyone? The score distribution (thank you! I didn't know that existed!) shows only 13% got 1s...so it seems really odd they all got 1s!

 

That is what is surprising and the big bummer to Ds, that the entire group of test takers scored so low! Especially as most did well, according to the link. Ds is the outlier of this group- everyone else is a serious band/choir/music kid. Ds took it for fun (and it was fun, so goal met) but the rest of the class took it very, very seriously. Not that Ds wasn't serious- he did his best- but he wasn't the calibre of student the others were, certainly. That's what is so odd.