Getting the Most from RML

Oct 04, 2023

Estimated Read Time: 5-7 minutes

By Rob Chilton

I began teaching the first iterations of Readymade Music Literacy ("RML") in 2013. Since then, I’ve tried countless ways of completing the lessons, worksheets, and grading in search of effectiveness and efficiency. Here’s what I've discovered.

The Video Lessons: When?

To get the most out of RML, pick one day a week to show the video lesson.

My staff and I commonly did Wednesdays or Thursdays, but you can do whatever day works best for you! Doing it the same day each week will give your students something different to look forward to in their routine.

The Worksheets: What Works Best?

We tried doing the worksheets in-class, sent them home for homework, uploaded them into our LMS, and even occasionally skipped worksheets. This is what we learned:

We routinely observed students rushing through their work with the goal of “getting it done” rather than “getting it right.” For this reason, we found that doing the worksheets in-class worked best.

To encourage our students to do their best work, we came up with a system we called:

Grading: The “Everyone Gets a 100” Method

Here’s a summary of the method:

At the start of class, the students watch the video lesson.
After the video lesson, the teacher(s) hand(s) out the worksheet.
While the students work, the teacher(s) walk(s) around the room actively monitoring for students struggling or off-task.
As students complete their work, they bring it up to the teacher(s) for checking. If everything is correct, the assignment is given a 100 and the grade is immediately entered into the gradebook. If wrong answers are present, the teacher circles or highlights the incorrect answers, provides short remediation as necessary, and sends them back to do corrections. Then, they bring their work back for grading once corrections are complete. As time allows, repeat the corrections process.

Here are three reasons we liked the “Everyone Gets a 100” method:

It encourages students to do their best work the first time.
It teaches them that the work is done when the work is right, not when an answer exists for every problem.
It teaches them that mistakes and corrections are part of the learning process.
All of the worksheets were graded and entered in the gradebook during class time. There wasn’t any work to grade outside of school.

At first, this method is time-consuming and laborious, but after a few weeks, your students will start producing better quality work–faster–because they know they’re expected to do it right.

Tip: Try Using a Timer

Over the years, I revised the worksheets, eliminating difficult and out-of-sequence questions that slow down completion. My goal was for every worksheet to be doable in 15-minute or less. To keep students on task, try a timer. There’s something about a ticking clock that makes people work faster. I suggest 15 minutes as a starting point.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to do the same amount of time for every class! One year, my clarinet class needed more time. I gave them the remainder of class to complete their worksheets. I could have pushed them to work faster, but I would have gotten incomplete or incorrect work that would, over time, have resulted in gaps in their learning.

Like water currents, each class has its own speed. Some will run fast and loose while others will trickle slowly or even stand still at times. Finding the right pace for each is a delicate balance between the teacher, students, and curriculum. Try focusing on accuracy over speed. Don’t be afraid to allow more time for completion if it means getting it right.

Q: What happens if a student doesn’t finish the worksheet by the end of class?

This is a tough one and an issue that regular classroom teachers deal with often. For starters, always use your best discretion, especially if the student has an accommodation or reason for not completing their work in a timely manner.

If they’re not completing the work because they didn’t understand, then you may need to set-up a tutorial or ask a peer to assist them. However, you’re facing a much bigger issue if they’re not completing the work because they’re getting off-task or refusing to do it. In that case, I recommend collecting their incomplete work at the end of class so you at least have the sum of their efforts. You may never see that work again if you let them take it home. Then, make contact with their parent(s) or guardian(s).

Once you’ve made contact with a parent or guardian–preferably over the phone–calmly and factually describe the situation. Offer two or three possible resolutions such as (1) grading what they’ve completed by the end of the period, (2) assigning them to a lunch or outside of school time to finish, or (3) send the worksheet home to be completed under the observation of an adult. When possible, let them choose their preferred resolution. This will often yield faster and more positive results.

Q: How do we handle disinterested students?

Most students will look forward to the literacy lessons, but don’t be discouraged if you have a few that don’t. My staff and I discovered that those who voiced opposition were often the same individuals that disliked just about anything we did–especially activities that held them accountable. These students would often ask, “can’t we just play?” We finally figured out that they liked playing in the group setting because they could exert less effort by hiding their performance in the sound of others. With RML, there’s no hiding–especially if you’re doing the “Everyone Gets a 100” method.

Q: What do we do if a student is absent or misses a lesson?

Over the years, the RML scope and sequence was revised to address this problem. Every concept is taught and retaught over many lessons ensuring an occasional absence wouldn't lead to unfillable learning gaps. If it’s just an occasional absence here and there, you can let them skip it. Rest assured, the information will be covered again!

Tip: Possible Time-Savers

Using one day a week to teach music literacy may slow down your processes now, but will pay-off later when your students can move faster due to increased literacy. Still, you may be wondering if there are possible time-saving solutions. Here are a few suggestions:

Take a week off when you need it! In a perfect world, you'd do one lesson a week and get them all done by the end of the year. At the least, we recommend completing through Lesson 25. If you shoot for 25, you can take 11 weeks off throughout the school year.
Remember, your students can catch up on lessons when you’re absent! For example, let’s say you're going to be away for several days attending a convention. You can have your students complete multiple back-to-back lessons!

Conclusion: There Are No Shortcuts & Trusting the Process

We live in a world of “quick fixes” and instant gratification, but there are no shortcuts with music literacy! If you’re like me, the hardest thing when I started this journey back in 2013 was just trusting the process and doing it regularly–despite my fears that I was wasting precious time.

One of my favorite phrases has always been–trust the process. It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind and worry that you’re falling behind. Remember, the time invested now will pay off later! Keep up the great work and trust the process!

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About the author:

Rob Chilton is the creator and owner of Readymade Music, LLC and its content. Previously, Chilton was a middle school band director from 2007-2021. His most recent teaching position was the Head Band Director at Killian Middle School in Lewisville, Texas from 2014-2021.

Under his direction, the Killian Honors Band was named the 2018 Texas Music Educators Association CC Honor Band and performed at the annual 2018 TMEA Clinic/Convention. In 2019, the Killian Honors Band was invited to and performed at The Midwest Clinic in Chicago. Additionally, the Killian Honors Band was named a National Winner in the Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Honors Project in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Chilton is a graduate of Southern Methodist University where he had the opportunity to study music education under the tutelage of Lynne Jackson and Brian Merrill. During his years as a middle school band director, Chilton continued his professional growth under the guidance of his primary clinicians, John Benzer and Brian Merrill.

Chilton’s mission for Readymade Music is to promote the overall well-being of music education and support school music teachers by providing solutions to help make teaching music more efficient and inspirational while increasing engagement for 21st century learners.