Proper skill execution is often at the heart of the learning intentions that drive my Middle School rehearsals.  Due to the fact that all of my students are in different places developmentally and on various instruments, my use of learning intentions and success criteria in my music classes is essential to delivering lessons with impact.  My application of them can be reduced to two steps:

1. Students should be able to know what will happen in class, know why, and then be able to predict what will likely happen in the following lesson.
2. Students need to be reminded of what success sounds/looks/feels like throughout every class and have access to that when not in class

ELIMINATE THE GUESSWORK
According to John Hattie, teachers are more likely to deliver meaningful lessons and deepen learning when the teacher is:  

• Seen as credible
• Passionate about the subject
• Clear about what a student should learn (learning intention)
• Able to demonstrate what successful mastery looks like
  *It should be noted that there are many other factors according to Hattie, but for my purposes I am only focusing on these.

During the “Silent Class” students were reviewing previous material, adding a new rhythm, and then applying that rhythm to play a new section - which was almost identical to the previous material.  After our regular routine of warming up and tuning, we performed measures 30-38 with ease. Then came time to add the new rhythm (8th 16th 16th) and we began an echo activity that I often use; without talking, I had to use it.  I called the phrase (I played the new rhythm for the class on my instrument), then I directed my instrument to students and they played the response.  After almost all the students were able to execute the rhythm, I sat down in every section and demonstrated to each instrument group how the new rhythm sounded with their written part. The students could feel my passion as I moved around the room and played alongside them, and they knew that I was credible the first time I executed the parts.  They also knew why the new rhythm was important (it was part of our piece for the concert and would eventually be used in future pieces). The next class, they knew that we would start the class with the rhythm with which we left off.  The guesswork was gone and it allowed students, no matter where they were in their musical development, to be a part of the lesson. Students still remind me of the lesson and ‘how fun it was to have class without talking’, but the fact is that it was fun because we were all focused together and the objective was clear and attainable.