Quick practice checks using Google Voice

Students are not usually 100% honest on practice records. We all know it. Rather than grade by number of minutes practiced, you can simply check that they are at least practicing a specific passage of music once a week (or however often you want a check). The audio quality is terrible, but at least you can confirm that they take their instrument home.

You can set up a free local Google Voice number, and depending on available numbers in your area you can even personalize it. Such as 555-Go-Viola. Or 555-PANTHER (if you mascot has 7 letters, that makes this convenient. Ha!). I set this number to go straight to voicemail (as well as turned off text message capabilities) and recorded this voicemail greeting:  

Thank you for calling the Orchestra Practice Line. After the beep, clearly state your name and class period. Set the phone down and play your assigned excerpt. Once your are done pick the phone back up, state your name one last time and then end the call. Happy Practicing!

You can give this number out to students and assign a very short excerpt you'd like to hear (Google Voice will cut off the voicemail recording at 3 minutes). Students can call the number from any phone. All you have to do is a quick check of your voicemails from your computer and check off student's names. Done.

​I think that this system avoids a lot of the technical difficulties students run into when trying to submit a recording online (through Charms, Essential Elements Interactive, etc.). Especially since I work in an area where technology access at home is not always reliable. Pretty much every student has access to a phone at home.

Parents worried about privacy

If parents are concerned about keeping their student's number private, then instruct those students to dial *67 before dialing the practice line. This will keep the number from showing up on the Google voicemail inbox. 

I personally don't advertise this option to all students because I create a contact for each phone number as they come in, making it easier to check who is calling as the year goes on.