ABSTRACT
Every teacher assesses; assessment is an integral part of teaching, for in order to respond helpfully to students we are necessarily forming and articulating impressions of what characterises their work. These appraisals have their origin in intuition but they have to be developed further if we are to avoid being arbitrary, basing any judgement on the whim of the moment. Assessment should be founded on some considered idea of what is at issue, what is central in the particular subject or activity. In the case of music we have to know what counts when people perform, compose or respond to music as audience-listeners. It is unacceptable to rely only on how we happen to be feeling at the time, especially if for any reason we are not able to respond sympathetically to the work of a particular student. If there is to be any meaningful interaction between teacher and student in schools and colleges, hidden assumptions underlying assessment have to be brought out into the light. It is not necessary for this transaction to be short-handed into a grade, nor need it be comprehensive. But there must be a sense of what really matters, an attitude of focused critical judgement. Intuitive responses are sustained and developed by appropriate analysis.
