Chapter+9

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= **Chapter 9: Curriculum** =



The ways curriculum and subject matter are approached are affected by philosophical and educational beliefs.

Four perspectives/philosophical positions describing the curriculum are:
 * 1) Ideal: what "should" be offered
 * 2) Formal: viewpoints represented by parents, policy makers, special interests groups, etc.
 * 3) Instructional: the basic outline of what needs to be taught; it should be adapted by teachers to meet their students unique needs.
 * 4) Operational: ongoing activities in the classroom

All four perspectives are affected by several variables, including:
 * goals & objectives
 * materials
 * content
 * learning activites
 * teaching strategies
 * evaluation
 * grouping
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">time
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">space

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">** Determining Curriculum Content **
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Education in the American society is a responsibility which lies with the community, which in turn receives its mandates from the state. Often, conflicting views are presented as teachers, administrators and government agencies all attempt to decide what subjects need to be included in the curriculum. It is difficult for administrators to be thoroughly knowledgeable about every subject taught in their school; in this case teachers can provide their administrators with guidance regarding their subject ares as well as educating administrators as to why their subject area is of importance in the curriculum.

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Curriculum Models**
<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Three basic models that may be helpful in planning a curriculum: <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Linear/control: based on //empiricism/realism//**
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">essential task of teaching is to enable students to perform precisely defined responses.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">based on identification of purposes of curricula by specialists
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">evaluation of the outcomes would be baed on pretesting and post-testing of students
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Consensus: based on //pragmatism//**
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">based on identifying needs & concerns of students
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">teacher's role is to guide students into gaining understandings, values & skills through group planning
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">evaluation is done cooperatively
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Dialogue/freedom: based on //naturalism//**
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">has minimum control over student outcomes
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">teacher serves as facilitator & guide
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">student is the center of decision-making
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">evaluation rests with the student

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Curriculum Development**
<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">It is vitally important that those in charge of developing a curriculum for music be fully aware of the fundamental nature of the art of music, since the courses of study and curriculum guides are tools that are used to organize and develop experiences that lead students to attain the essential nature of music. The students must be ensured of a comprehensive understanding of each musical experience that is appropriate for their individual growth and development.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">The focus of any music curriculum should be threefold. Music students should be able to: <span style="color: #d000ff; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">1. **Analyze** what they hear or see <span style="color: #d000ff; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 2. **Perform** in some medium that he/she enjoys <span style="color: #d000ff; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 3. **Organize** sounds in an expressive manner of his/her choosing

//<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">If these three goals are achieved, it is highly likely that students will remain involved in music even when they are no longer enrolled in the program. //

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Selecting Courses and Content**
<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> When deciding what should be included in a music curriculum, it is important to select content which will provide the greatest variety of experiences as well as the broadest scope of musical literature. It is more valuable to offer a few courses of high quality than a large selection of courses which provide immediate satisfaction but minimal lasting value. Students should all be provided with a broad musical experience before entering more specialized courses- composition, jazz band, marching band, show choir, etc. Because of this, the best music programs begin with strong elementary and middle school general music programs which provide students with a thorough understanding of musical concepts- styles, music theory, instruments, dynamics, terminology etc.

//<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A tree analogy clearly demonstrates how a strong music program grows. //



= <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">** Composition **** Theory **** Band **** Orchestra **** Chorus ** =

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**General Music Curriculum in Elementary and Middle Schools**
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A strong music program grows from strong musical "roots"- <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">a thorough elementary and middle school general music program. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Students are then prepared to exel in more specialized programs.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">The following guidelines are helpful when selecting the material to be covered in music courses:

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Educational-** students should gain information, attitudes and skills which they would otherwise not have prior to class. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Valid-** the content taught should be widely accepted as a legitimate portion of the field of music. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Fundamental-** students should learn the basic ideas of a subject. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Representative**- students should be introduced to music from all significant periods of music. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Contemporary**- music classes should include contemporary works in addition to the "classics." <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Relevant**- the interests and needs of the students should be considered so that the course content relates to them. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Learnable**- what is taught needs to be within the students' capabilities

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">The subject-matter content of any music curriculum can be organized into a list of activities which should produce a set of outcomes. If the activities done in a classroom are not producing the desired outcomes, the curriculum needs to be reanalyzed and edited accordingly.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">** Activities--->Outcomes **
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Performing Music............... Making Music <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Reading Music <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Listening to Music.............. Understanding and Knowing Music <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Describing Music <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Creating Music ................... Valuing Music

<span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Guides and Courses of Study** <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**What is a //curriculum guide//?** <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**What purposes does it serve?**
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">﻿Printed material which provides some guidance and direction to a school's music program
 * 1) <span style="color: #050505; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">serves as a sourcebook for teachers, advising them of goals/objectives and provides suggestions
 * 2) <span style="color: #050505; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">serves as an aid for training/development for music and/or classroom teachers
 * 3) <span style="color: #050505; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">provides information to interested parties about the role of music & what is being taught
 * 4) <span style="color: #050505; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">provides information to school officials to aid them in better understanding the desirable kind of program for their school

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**What is a //course of study//?** <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">** What is //subject-matter content//? **
 * <span style="color: #050505; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">a more specific set of printed materials which designate content and sequence of a specific course
 * <span style="color: #050505; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">contains materials to be used, as well as suggestions for teaching procedures that will lead to the development of specific skills, musical concepts and knowledge
 * ====<span style="color: #050505; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">refers to the topics to be taught (for example: major & minor scales, sonata-allegro form, etc) ====

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #800080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">[[image:HML-Multicultural-big.jpg width="358" height="219" align="left"]]
**//<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Because we live in a pluralistic society, it is the responsibility of educators to make all students //** **//<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> aware of and sensitive to the ethnic diversity that exists in America and throughout the world. //**

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">In order to develop respect for other cultures other than their own, it is essential that teachers integrate multicultural music into the core music curriculum.

//Some methods of doing this may be://
 * -include a representative sample of the various types of music
 * -use recordings or include performances by knowlegeable performers to perform the music of various ethnic groups
 * -instill attitude of respect and acceptance toward all types of music

**Music Education for the Handicapped**

 * What is //Public Law No. 94-142//? **
 * In 1975 Congress passed this law which provided the opportunity and the right for all handicapped children to receive free, 'appropriate' public education.
 * This law makes it incumbent upon every music education program to provide music experiences for handicapped children, regardless of the nature of their handicap, and to include them in programs for the nonhandicapped students.
 * It is expected that music teachers assign students to classes under the mainstreaming provision when appropriate. When this is not possible, an acceptable alternative is individualized instruction.

//**What is Discipline-Based Music Education program all about?**//

 * Also called DBME, the goal of this program is to develop students' capabilities in understanding and appreciating music.
 * DBME aims to developmature students who are capable of expressing their ideas through various musical means.
 * It involves theories and contexts of music, as well as the ability to respond as well as to compose music.
 * Four disciplines which are the basis for DBME:
 * understanding the nature of music (aesthetics)
 * criticism (establishing criteria for judging and valuing music)
 * contexts in which music is composed (history)
 * processes and techniques for composing and performing music

**Music in Early Childhood Education**
Music instruction in the early years of life is extremely important to a child's development. Young children respond to music in a very natural and uninhibited manner. Dr Edwin Gordon stated that whatever is learned in the early years of a child's life helps form the foundation for subsequent educational development. Gordon's research indicates that the quality of musical experiences offered at the preschool level will ultimately have an effect on the ongoing musical development of the maturing child.

** Performing and Performances [[image:music_stand.png width="105" height="126" align="right"]]**
The ultimate goal for students should be //learning about music//, not focusing on performance alone. As a result of the music contest system, much of the focus on music education has shifted to making performance the ultimate goal. Initially the objective of the contest system was to motivate students and as a method of raising the standards of performing groups. The 'ideal' performing group is one that should be involved in the learning process and in stimulating the creative process.

**Electronic Instruments in Curriculum Development**
In recent years, one innovative development has been the use of electronic instruments in organizing curriculum programs and implementing instruction. The Yamaha Corporation and the Yamaha Music Foundation created a unique program demonstrating this development. The purpose of incorporating electronic instruments is to assist in developing well-rounded musicianship, geared toward both children and adults, through providing training in composition, improvisation and performance.

The 3 main components of the program:
 * 1) YMES: Yamaha Music Education System
 * 2) Keyboard Encounters
 * 3) MIE: Music in Education