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MUSE 446

MUSE 446: Methods and Practicum for Primary Music

Prerequisite: Declared Music Education Major/MUSE 353
Co-requisite: MUSE 400

Credit hours (3)

Study of children’s musical mental, physical, behavioral, emotional, and social growth characteristics from birth – age eight and development of appropriate curriculum, methods, and materials for teaching Grade PreK–Grade 2 general music.

Hours of observation/participation in early childhood music classes are required.

 

Content

  1. Lecture/Discussion
    1. Music Learning Theory for Newborn and Young Children
    2. Musical Growth and Development (Ages birth–8 years)
      1. Movement development
      2. Rhythm development
      3. Vocal development
      4. Tonal Development
      5. Appropriate Use of Props
      6. Listening Development
      7. Creativity Development
    3. Human Growth and Development
      1. Behavioral Views of Learning
      2. Cognitive Views of Learning
      3. Constructivist Views of Learning
      4. Self, Social, Moral Development
    4. Instructional Planning and Assessment
      1. Professional Standards
        1. National Music Standards
        2. Virginia Standards of Learning
      2. Goals, Objectives, Lesson Plans
      3. Assessment
        1. Teacher
        2. Peers
        3. Self
    5. Special Topics
      1. Classroom Management
      2. Adapting instruction to individual children’s needs
      3. Technology
      4. Legal and Ethical Issues
  2. Laboratory
    1. Developing a core repertoire of songs, chants and movement for EC music classes
    2. Weekly peer group co-lesson planning and practice teaching 
    3. Weekly hours of observation/participation in early childhood music classes
  3. Written Work
    1. Weekly Reflective Journals
    2. Quizzes
    3. Music Development Profile Paper
    4. Class Resource Notebook

 

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

In this course students will focus on curriculum, instruction, and assessment for teaching primary classroom music (Grades PreK-2). Students will learn about young children’s musical thinking from developmental points of view. Students will learn and practice teaching strategies and technologies for supporting student learning as defined by local, state and national standards for music education. Strategies for adapting instruction to students with specific types of exceptionalities will be explored. A combination of readings, media, lectures, guest speakers, discussions, model teaching, laboratory practice, observations, journaling, and mini-projects will be employed to aid student learning.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

In this course, students will develop and demonstrate:

  1. background knowledge of children’s, mental, physical, behavioral, emotional, social, and musical growth characteristics from birth to age eight.
  2. knowledge and awareness of a research-based approach to teaching early childhood music with an understanding of how children sequentially perceive and conceptualize music in accordance with their individual music aptitudes and achievement.
  3. conceptual knowledge and practical skills necessary for presenting appropriate activities in the primary general music classroom;
  4. musicianship skills by:
    1. Singing a repertoire of appropriate songs in a variety of tonalities and meters
    2. Performing and improvising a vocabulary of patterns in various tonalities and meters
    3. Demonstrating a movement repertoire using Laban effort elements: flow, weight, space, time
  5. Develop and practice planning skills and strategies—including long-term, curricular learning goals, sequential learning objectives, daily lesson plans—and assessment strategies that will support student learning in music as defined by local, state, and national standards.  
  6. Develop appropriate classroom management strategies.
  7. Develop foundations of professional teaching habits, attitudes, and dispositions, including:
    1. completing assigned written work competently* and on time. (*see page 11 for guidelines)
    2. preparing thoroughly for teaching demonstrations, both in class and in the field
    3. preparing for and actively participating in discussions in and out of class          
    4. keeping accurate records of fieldwork/observation hours,
    5. reflecting thoughtfully on the activities and experiences that occurred while you were at the school through online discussion boards, and
    6. using online applications (Google Docs) to co-write lesson plan activities with colleagues and record and track students’ musical behaviors across the semester.
  8. Develop critical self-assessment and reflective capacities through ongoing reflective assignments, recording observations, experiences, and thoughts regarding new or changing perspectives about music education and oneself as an emerging music teacher.

 

Assessment Measures

  1. Class Preparation/Participation Logs (Goals 7, 8)
  2. Core Repertoire Proficiency (Goal 4)
  3. Quizzes (Goals 1-3)
  4. Weekly Reflective Journals (Goal 8)
  5. Activity Planning (Goals 5-7)
  6. Lesson Delivery (Goals 4-7)
  7. Music Development Profile (Goals 1-3, 8)
  8. Course Resource Notebook (Goals 1-3, 5, 7, 8)

 

Other Course Information

None

 

Review and Approval

February, 2021

November, 2021

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