Where to begin?
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Tagged: middle school, standards
Thank you for being here to answer teacher questions. In my district teachers are evaluated based on the standards that they implement in their teaching. I am now going to be evaluated based on these new standards. The essential questions will be the guiding part of my assessments and now my assessments will connect to my evaluation. Where should my district begin? We understand the 4 overarching areas and we know our teaching reflects those, but the specific goals are tricky. For example in 8th grade: MU:Cr1.1.8
Generate rhythmic, melodic and harmonic phrases and harmonic accompaniments within expanded forms (including introductions, transitions, and codas) that convey expressive intent
Half of that is not what I currently teach. My 8th graders don’t create harmonic accompaniments, and they don’t use codas. Are you saying that they have to now know those? Because the standard is pretty specific, so am I understanding that now those have to be a part of my 8th grade teaching?
My suggestion would be to first start by becoming familiar with the Three Artistic Processes (Connecting is embedded in Creating, Performing and Understanding). Looking at the Essential Question is a great way to begin. I would also look at the definition of the Process Component (What is written right under the name of the Component (Imagine
Generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts). The Processes, their Components and the EU and EQs are what guided the development of the Standards.
Depending on the course the teacher is teaching at the 8th grade level, he or she may want to look at the Standards for the strands – Ensemble or Guitar. These standards may be more appropriate for the course being taught. If it is a General Music Class I am unclear as to why one would not teach codas (endings) or how harmonic accompaniments work in this type of class. In order more appropriately answer this question I really need to know the nature of the course being taught.
Reply from Richard Well, Posted by lisat@nafme.org
Christopher M. Johnson, Professor of Music Education and Music Therapy, is currently the Chair of the Music Education and Music Therapy Department and Director of the Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas. Johnson earned his Ph.D. from the Florida State University.
Since his arrival at The University of Kansas, Johnson has taught courses in Instrumental Conducting, Teaching Instrumental Music, Managing Behaviors in the Music Environment, Psychology and Acoustics of Music, and Research Methods in Music Education and Music Therapy. Johnson served two terms as the editor of the International Journal of Music Education: Research, the research publication of the International Society for Music Education. He is currently serving his second term on the National Association for Music Educations Executive Committee of the Society for Research in Music Education. He also served on the editorial board of the Journal of Research in Music Education, and one earlier term as the Chair for the MENC Executive Committee of the Society for Research in Music Education. Johnson also served as the Chair for the Research Commission of the International Society for Music Education.
Johnson’s research interests include applied research in music education, and basic research in all aspects of the psychology of music. He has published articles in many journals including the Journal of Research in Music Education, the International Journal of Music Education, the Journal of Music Therapy, Journal of Band Research, Contributions to Music Education, and the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, among others. Johnson has also been an active member and contributor to the Research Seminar of the International Society for Music Education and World Alliance for Arts Education.
Johnson received a university teaching award – the Ned N. Fleming Award for Excellence in Teaching and received the recognition for Graduate Teaching Achievement from the Center for Teaching Excellence. Johnson was also awarded a lecturing & research award as a J. William Fulbright Scholar and recently received the Ella Scoble Opperman Citation for Distinguished Achievement from the Florida State University College of Music.
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