Music Content Knowledge: 7 things I have learned and strive to master one day:
- Teaching music is a performance art. Yet, effective music teachers are much more than performers. As Townsend writes, teaching music "envelopes command of content and mastery of all methods unlocked by the key of teacher attitude” (2011). Thus, a successful music teacher takes a solid foundation of content knowledge and brings it to life with pedagogical skills and artistry, in a way that reaches learners of all backgrounds and abilities. To engage young learners, the artistry itself must begin with in-depth pedagogical and methodical knowledge; drawn from a vast supply of content knowledge. To teach music without content knowledge, is to paint without the paint; your brush leaving dry, invisible strokes on a blank canvas.
- Music teachers must develop the ability to apply knowledge and skills from general education methods to the content of a music classroom. A music specific content background, from college level study, provides music educators with theoretical and technical expertise in many areas. Additionally, skills are developed in methods classes including brass, woodwinds, percussion, strings, voice, and conducting techniques. Through training which includes undergraduate and masters studies, I have covered both music-specific pedagogies, (including Suzuki teacher training, Kodaly training, Orff training, the Feierabend method and world drumming), and non-music related educational methodology, (such as brain-compatible lesson planning, the universal design for learning, and positive classroom management).
- Teaching, music, and teaching music are three separate things! Research by Ballantyne and Packer (2007), categorizes three essential aspects of a successful music teacher’s content background as: “general education pedagogical content knowledge and skills” (non-music related pedagogical knowledge and skills), “music specific pedagogical content knowledge and skills” (skills and knowledge pertaining to the act of teaching music), and finally, “music knowledge and skills,” (including the areas of performance, theory, aural training, conducting, composition skills and music history knowledge). A teacher’s comprehensive understanding and knowledge of teaching, music, and teaching music is central to providing students with a high quality music education.
- The national standards for music education are shifting from a focus on classroom specific skills, knowledge and content, to an emphasis on enduring understandings; such as real-life, authentic contexts where music extends the learning beyond the classroom. In 2014, the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) published a vision for all students to develop “the knowledge and understanding required to participate authentically in the arts.” Specifically here in Alaska, the arts have a huge significance beyond the classroom as a means of cultural integration and community engagement. Our local music curriculum, the Juneau School District (JSD) K-12 Music Curriculum, supports NCCAS’s focus on authentic artistic literacy by emphasizing “the process of the arts, rather than the products, and what students actually do, not how teachers should teach music” (2014).
- Both our national standards for music education and our local K-12 music curriculum, are based on four globally recognized artistic processes: creating, performing, responding and connecting. At every grade level from K-12, the JSD curriculum identifies the knowledge, skills and proficiencies necessary for each of the four artistic processes. These music-specific standards are based on the common elements of music; rhythm, melody, form, harmony, ensemble and expression ( NCCAS, 2014). Our local music curriculum is also aligned with state level standards including; the Alaska Content Standards for the Arts and the Alaska Standards for Technology Education. Local and state standards for music education are assessed on a scale of five levels of student achievement; Novice, Intermediate, Proficient, Accomplished and Advanced (NCCAS, 2014). With the focus on the process rather than the product, the national and local standards are to serve as building blocks while we move towards authentic musical experiences for all students. Therefore, the local curriculum is designed for all students to reach at least a Proficient level of achievement, to ensure that music literacy is achieved by all.
- As a means of equity and social justice, educators and policy makers alike are recognizing that every child deserves a high quality music education. JSD’s most recent music curriculum, focusses on actions to increase “equity and access to arts education for all students across all art forms” (Juneau School District K-12 Music Curriculum, 2014). Now, elementary students in Juneau must meet the current district minimum of 20 hours of music instruction per year. Once students reach middle school, they may take Choir, Band or Orchestra for 45 minutes each day. In high school Juneau students have the opportunity to take a variety of semester or year-long music courses including; Jazz Band, Guitar, Choir, Band and Orchestra. Options for Non-performance classes include: Theory, Songwriting, Music History and Music Appreciation.
- Awareness about the importance of arts education, including the strong positive correlation between music education and the attainment of content area skills in students, is growing locally, nationally and globally. Diamente's Analysis of Reading and Content Area Skills Improvement Through Music Instruction (2002), explains in detail how music can be an asset to our entire education system; in the content areas of social studies, reading, writing, mathematics, and science, but also in the areas of social-emotional development, cognitive development, cooperative learning and community building. The article explains how music instruction provides a means of teaching and evaluating a class of multiple intelligences.
**If you would like to skip all my writing here is everything in a nutshell:
With music content knowledge, general education skills, an enthusiastic attitude, and an advocate's drive, music teachers can provide all students with a positive music education.
References:
Ballantyne, J., & Packer, M. (2007). Integration, contextualization and continuity: Three themes for the development of effective music teacher education programmes. International Journal of Music Education, 25(2), 119-136. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
Diamante, T. (2002). An Analysis of Reading and Content Area Skills Improvement Through Music Instruction. Journal of Reading Improvement. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
Feierabend, J. (1990). Music in Early Childhood. Design For Arts in Education, 91(6), 15-20.
Juneau School District K-12 Music Curriculum. (2014). K-12 Music Curriculum One Strand of the Fine Arts Curriculum. Juneau School District Board of Education. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
McCarthy, M. (2003). Better Practice in Music Education. Better Practice in Arts Education, 2. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
National Coalition for Core Arts Standards. (2014). Retrieved February 15, 2016, from http://www.nationalartsstandards.org/
Townsend, A. S. (2011). Introduction to Effective Music Teaching: Artistry and Attitude. New York: Rowman and Littlefield Publichers.