#musedchat Archive
Each Monday evening at 8PM EST, music teachers get together and share ideas about important topics within music education. It’s a great chance to interact directly with educators from all over the world and to get new tips and tricks to help you succeed in the classroom. The entire #musedchat discussion is organized and moderated by Joe Guarr.
Monday March 14, 2016
Hey everyone! Time for I will be guest moderating today for . Please introduce yourself!
Hello ! I teach HS band and choir in N. California. I'll be in and out of the conversation tonight...
Adam from NJ. On my phone tonight, but here. Thanks for running this, !!!
Paul from MI.... 5-12 band. Will be watching as I grade my band exams! Funny that should be during tonight's Chat!
I'm Kristen! I teach elementary general music in NC. My first
Welcome, Kristen! Glad to have you.
Sara from IL. MS band and orchestra.
Hi, Sara. Hope you are enjoying the nice weather!
Lani from PA K-5 vocal music
Q1: Music Curriculum. Do you have a curriculum? Who provides it? Do you follow it?…
Welcome, Lani. Thank you for joining us this evening!
A1: I feel like I've been building curriculum for several years now. Curriculum will always be a living document.
A1: its our districts curriculum, made by the previous teacher. And yes, I do follow it...roughly
A1. I pick and choose from the Silver Burdett Making Music curriculum. I supplement it with a hodgepodge of other materials.
A1: yes, it is written collaboratively with colleagues, I do follow it!
A1: District curriculum…from 2003. Bloated document that needs to be updated. Provides outline more than standards.
Agreed. Curriculum should not be set in stone - it needs to be flexible to the direction of education https://t.co/XgT38GbSf9
A1: I feel like I've been building curriculum for several years now. Curriculum will always be a living document.
Coming in late y’all! Happy Monday—Anne from WA K-5 music
did the curriculum approved by a larger authority? or was it simply implemented?
It seems like most of you have the curriculum written by your district. Interesting.
ours follows the model curriculum. The first three months objs are only about rhythm
I did in TX. Here in WA I don’t have anything—many Ts operating on different rhythm systems, etc. Not ideal
Welcome, Anne! Glad you made it.
That’s the best way! Everyone on the same page, can share ideas and serves as a support system
Nicole, student teacher at Farwell 5-12 band in Mi. Just listening in while score studying.
That’s what keeps it interesting for me—always finding new resources to fit into my sequence
A1: I have a scope & sequence that I made from different summer courses & trainings (Kodály, Orff, etc). living & breathing doc
it really is ideal and always a fluid document. However we “officially” rewrite every 7 years.
Thanks for joining, us Nicole! What is on the docket for score study?
it is refreshing to hear someone integrating multiple systems. So often people are purists.
anybody looking to rewrite theirs or at least get their curriculum in line with the CC arts?
Q2: Is your curriculum ensemble or individual based? (Group vs. Instrument/Voice/Individual vs. Hybrid) What would you like?
Love this! Firm believer that when you hit all the systems you help all the learning modalities.
more tools in the tool box.
Students need different ways to express! Some are dancers, some are singers, some are instrument players, etc.
A2: In keeping with the new NCAS, goals are being re-written to have a hybrid of ensemble and individual benchmarks:
A1: In terms of assessment, I have checklists to see that Ss can show certain behavioral objectives… all w/in a group setting
I can see both sides of this argument. Have seen some amazing purists.
that is the goal for this summer. Hoping use the NCAS standards.
Good teaching is good teaching :)
A2: never thought about that. I guess its individual, I do teach K-6.
A2: working towards Hybrid model. Currently have ensemble standards but no tools to assess achievement.
good luck! it is WORK. I believe in developing assessment tools at the same time.
our prof took us to see a T that was full Gordon, did the opposite of everything she told us to do and was amazing.
A2: hmm..haven’t thought about this. I would say Individual but a hybrid would be interesting. Especially exploring NCAS further.
I would love to see the end product.
even with a hybrid model, find myself moving more towards individual. Using NCAS benchmark assessments as guide.
A2: If rhythm/melodic objectives, usually individual. Important to have group ob in folk dance, choir, orff ensemble, etc.
I did an MLT workshop last summer at MSU and it was amazing. Definitely gave me new perspective
will totally share once I feel good about it. Of course, it'll never feel perfect.
that would certainly make following the curriculum easier! Anybody try the benchmarks for NCAS?
I as well. As I have mentioned before, we are looking at RCoM. Their syllabi cover all areas of music
haven't tried yet. Been digesting them all year. Planning to use as my SLO next year.
I try to incorporate them, but am not pushing it at the district level. Have some old boys mentalities.
not familiar with that one. Will definitely check it out.
Q3: How often do you assess curriculum standards? How often do you wish you COULD assess?
Q4: For each element, once we are in the practice phase. Lots of informal assessment during games & improv/comp activities
Q3: 15 lessons in a marking period. I aim for 3 summative...but it’s hard.
organizational inertia! It's the pits.
A3: Daily! Formally, every quarter. Many of my classes are quarter or semester so I have a lot of opportunities to revise.
A3: 15 lessons in a marking period. I aim for 3 Summative...but it’s hard.
A3: formative daily. formal submissions bi-weekly. large summative every 6 weeks.
A3. I am constantly informally assessing students. I would like to incorporate more formal assessments.
Shelley from TX K-5 music...need to catch up a bit!
A3: Daily! Formative assessments at least once a week. Summative every few weeks. Mostly project or performance based.
A3: It is interesting to follow the impact is having on elementary music assessment.
that is an aggressive assessment schedule for K-5!
A1: our district provides a wonderful curriculum, but I feel like we have the freedom to tailor it to the needs of our campus
Hi, Shelley! Glad you were able to make it.
Piloting at the MS level. Love how it breaks down standards and performance tasks.
how is helping? Something we are exploring.
A2: elements of both individual and group based - part of what makes it so great!
i agree! I just struggling with justifying report card grades.
In larger districts, helps build continuity between buildings. Facilitates assessments quite well.
Just to keep the pot churning:
Q4: What topics would your ideal curriculum include?
A3: Informal assessments daily through singing games and practice strategies. Feel like I need to work in more formal assessments
in smaller districts, it almost provides a built in collaborator.
A4: Balance between skill attainment and application of those skills. Tons of opportunities for Ss to take the drivers seat.
Hi. Becky Gillette MN General music K-5 I can never find the questions for chats. Where are they?
A4: I believe in a comprehensive approach: performance, theory, aural skills, composition. Too often we are one-sided.
A4: lots of opportunities for students to compose/improvise while applying new skills
THIS. https://t.co/g0MNOzom8s
A4: lots of opportunities for students to compose/improvise while applying new skills
Aural skills and composition get lost in so many secondary ensembles in place of skill and drill.
agreed. We focus too often on REcreation.
if there is one thing the MidwestClinic has taught me - Japanese ensembles are GREAT due to aural skills.
you misspelled kill and drill
anything that keeps them performing and independent musicians through life goes in my curriculum
Q5: How can curriculum allow for all ability levels (including Gifted and Special Needs)
Incredibly important.
https://t.co/F7puBDHSmh
anything that keeps them performing and independent musicians through life goes in my curriculum
A5: Needs to have an individualized component. Allow for S growth to be assessed. Many means for S to demonstrate proficiency.
A5: this is fueling my interest in NCAS standards, in addition to customization.
once you get past the horrific layout and really small font it is really so useful!
