Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions. The Core Music Standards don’t ignore the development of skills, knowledge, and dispositions that music teachers have addressed for generations. They involve the use of these personal and collaborative habits as student’s participate and engage in music education while achieving literacy in music.   

NAfME Councils have provided in-depth templates for teaching area and level to assist teachers and curriculum planners make these essential connections. Please refer to the additional document following a teaching area for a description of the dispositions along with the format and descriptions of the knowledge and skills sections.

 

 

 

Thank you to the the following NAfME Councils and its members for providing the Dispositions, Knowledge, and Skills content:

  • Band– Council Chair, John Miller

  • Choral – Council Chair, Debbie Glaze.  Geoffrey Boers, Director of Choral Activies, School of Music, University of Washington, Seattle

  • General Music– Council Chair, Bridget James. Past-Chair and Member-at-Large Sarah J. Bartolome.       Jennifer Bailey (Central Division Representative);  Amy Anderson (Southwestern Division Representative); Erin Zaffini  (Eastern Division Representative);  Val Ellett (Northwest Division Representative); Anne Fennell (Western Division Representative);  Sarah Watts  (Member-at-Large); Rob Lyda (Southern Division Rep/Chair-Elect)

  • Guitar-Council Chair, Bill Swick. Past-Council Chair, Glen McCarthy

  • Innovations– Council Chair, Anne Fennell. Past-Chair Jeanne W. Reynolds

  • Jazz– Council Chair, Richard Victor

  • Music Composition– Council Chair, Patricia Riley

  • Orchestra – Council Chair, Joanne May.  Past-Chair, Christopher Selby

 

“Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions” defined (revised January 2017):

KNOWLEDGE
Structure
This category of knowledge refers to the understanding and application of the organization of music, using knowledge of music theory and notation to identify how the elements of music (pitch, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, timbre, texture, form, and style/articulation) are used within a piece, including the difficulty or challenges of music being performed or created.

Context
This category of knowledge refers to the historical, cultural and social context of the music as well as the impact of the purpose and venue of our choices (selections) and presentation of music, including programming, etiquette, performance, and behavior.

Evaluation Criteria
This category of knowledge refers to the understanding of the criteria that are used to evaluate music and performances and how this knowledge impacts our ability to identify and solve musical problems and make decisions based on an awareness of individual and other participants’ strengths, needs, and/or preferences.

SKILLS
Performing
This area of skills refers to the performance abilities and qualities that are expected at a specific grade or level (often embedded in core music standards developed at states or national levels and/or on audition and adjudication forms). These include areas such as technique, sound quality, technical accuracy, interpretation and expression and ensemble skills; as well as implementing effective approaches for selecting and programming appropriate work(s) for performance and refining work using effective practice strategies and work habits. In addition, it includes the presentation or performance of work demonstrating appropriate etiquette and deportment (see context). These skills are expressed through singing, playing instruments, and movement.

Creating
This area of creating refers to  skills that are expected at a specific grade or level, in areas such as imagination, craftsmanship, and the ability to create and/or refine work by making effective choices for specific contexts to express personal intent. These are expressed through improvising, arranging, and composing.

Listening, Reading, Notating
This area of skills refers to literacy in music at specific grade levels, including the aural and notational skills needed to hear, read, and notate the melodic, rhythmic, harmonic, and expressive elements of music. These are expressed through listening (audiating), reading, and notating music.

Evaluating
This area of skills refers to the application of evaluative or assessment criteria to the processes of creating, performing, and responding to music. It is expressed through assessments (self and group), including critiques of music and performances.

DISPOSITIONS — qualities of character and mind
Collaboration
Working with others interdependently to perform a task and to achieve shared goals

Flexibility
Demonstrating the ability to see and hear multiple perspectives and monitor and/or adjust work based on input from a variety of sources and depending on differing conditions.

Goal-Setting
Establishing specific and timely goals for completion of work.

Inquisitiveness
Having curiosity and drive to learn more about known and unknown strategies, techniques, concepts, applications, ideas and musical phenomena.

Openness and respect for the ideas and work of others
Listening with understanding and empathy to others who have differing ideas, understandings, and/or cultural backgrounds.

Responsible Risk-Taking
Willing to chance making mistakes while tackling challenging musical or ensemble problems that do not have easy, obvious, or conventional solutions, and seeing these challenges as opportunities for learning and growth.

Self-Reflection
Applying self-knowledge and objective evaluation to personal work through questioning and introspection.

Self-discipline and Perseverance
Demonstrating independence and self-motivation, managing impulsivity, and learning/applying delayed gratification while striving for excellence.