Reply To: Common Core -What's Happening in Your District?

[nafmeadmin]

It may help to explain that the Common Core isn’t designed state by state–the whole point is that it’s a set of standards formed at the national level that states sign onto. Currently, there are only something like a handful of states that haven’t signed on. As of now, there are only Common Core standards for Math and ELA, but some states and districts (mine included) are asking their non-ELA and Math teachers to devise ways of helping to reinforce some of the ELA or Math Common Core Standards in their curriculum. For a music teacher, that could include hitting some of the critical reading standards by reading primary sources relating to repertoire and relating it back to performance practice, or hitting some of the writing through reflection about repertoire, the rehearsal/performance process and so forth.

I personally have no idea if there will eventually be Common Core standards in the arts, but there are some efforts underway by groups like NAfME and the NAEA to create new, national arts standards. Those might be worth a read, if you’re looking for some perspective or inspiration: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/standards.aspx

For what it’s worth, my district is also fairly small (I’m one of four full-time music teachers), and when we do curriculum work like what you’re describing, they tend to put all of us in a room with the art teachers, as well as the physical education/health and tech ed teachers.

Best of luck!