Citizenship Values - Students will be active, responsible members
of society who appreciate and respect individual differences.
Students who learn music must be responsible for preparing their own
part, in order to make the group sound better. All students will come from
different backgrounds and different levels of experience. Music students
have the opportunity to use these varied experiences as they learn from
each other and improve their performance skills.
Communication - Students will be able to communicate effectively
using listening, speaking, writing, visual, and technological skills.
Students communicate with each other verbally and nonverbally with
music. Nonverbal gestures by the conductor or from one musician to another
often occur throughout the rehearsal and performance of music. Music is
abstract, so the teacher and students must use analogies and images to
describe the musical process. Verbal skills are reinforced regularly in
the discussion of music.
Collaborative Work Ethic - Students will be able to work both independently
and with others, effectively using career skills such as organization,
goal setting, integrity, self-discipline, and personal initiative.
By working together in music ensembles, students learn the importance
of collaboration. Short and long-term goals abound as students prepare
for performances with excellence in mind. Regular practice and performance
opportunities allow students to build self-discipline and personal initiative
into habits.
Decision Making - Students will use logical processes which reflect
on alternatives and weigh consequences in order to make effective decisions.
In order to create or perform music in a stylistically appropriate
manner, students must decide how they will interpret their part. In order
for an ensemble to perform with proper blend and balance, students must
actively make decisions, while they are playing or singing.
Problem Solving - Students will apply problem-solving processes by
using creative, critical thinking, and technological skills.
In reading music, decoding rhythms and finding ways to tune or just
two examples of problem-solving. Technical problems with instrument fingerings
or range issues for voice also frequently arise and need to be addressed.
Academic Development - Students will complete school with the academic
preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post secondary
options, including college.
Music is a separate subject matter with unique attributes which separate
it from the other courses available to students. The music skills learned
in class can only be taught in a music class. Research on the history of
a musical composition allows students to practice other academic skills
in the area of music.
Transitional Learning Skills - Students will understand the relationship
of academics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community.
Music has a place in the work world. Many careers are music-specific.
There are also many jobs which deal with music, but perhaps not as directly
as performing or composing. A commercial writer may need a jingle written,
or a movie producer may need a soundtrack to highlight the action on the
screen. Students who take a music course are given opportunities to see
how their practice and self-discipline can lead to necessary job skills
for the rest of their lives.