Curriculum Planning
Aims
The aims of music education are
- To enable the child to enjoy and understand music and
to appreciate it critically
- To develop the child’s openness to, awareness of and
response to a wide variety of musical genres
- To develop the child’s capacity to express ideas,
feelings and experiences through music as an individual and in collaboration
with others
- To enable the child to develop his musical potential
- To foster higher-order thinking and lifelong learning
through the acquisition of musical knowledge, skills, concepts and values
- To enhance the quality of the child’s life through
aesthetic musical experience
Broad Objectives
The music curriculum should enable the child to
- Explore the expressive qualities of a variety of sound
sources
- Listen to, enjoy and respond to a wide range of music
- Develop sensitivity to music
- Demonstrate and describe differences between sounds
showing a sense of pulse, tempo, duration, pitch, dynamics, structure,
timbre, texture and style
- Acquire the musical skills that enrich musical
understanding
- Imitate with accuracy rhythmic and melodic patterns
- Recall and perform musical phrases and pieces, using
tuned and un-tuned percussion or melodic instruments from memory or from
notation as appropriate
- Select and structure sounds to create musical ideas
- Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns in response to
music, movement, ideas, poems, stories and art works
Overview of music curriculum
Concepts development
Musical concepts
- A sense of pulse (steady beat)
- A sense of duration (long /short, patterns, rhythm)
- A sense of tempo (fast /slow)
- A sense of pitch (high /low)
- A sense of dynamics (loud / soft)
- A sense of structure (same /different)
- A sense of timbre (tone colour)
- A sense of texture (one sound /several sounds)
- A sense of style
The above concepts are common to all classes, and will be
developed as work is completed on the various strands.
The strands, strand units and sub-units of the music
curriculum
Listening and responding
- Exploring sounds – environmental, vocal, body
percussion, instrumental
- Listening and responding to music
Performing
- Song singing – unison-singing, simple part singing
- Literacy – rhythm, pitch
- Playing instruments
Composing
- Improvising and creating
- Talking about and recording compositions
Principles and Issues relating to planning in St
Colmcille’s BNS for the music curriculum
The purpose and nature of music in the school – music
contributes to the full and harmonious development of the child
A broad and balanced curriculum
- The aims and objectives within the three strands
provide the basis for curriculum planning; specific guidance will be given
with regard to the repertoire of songs at each class level and the range of
listening excerpts
- The development of an understanding of the musical
elements at each class level (pulse, duration, tempo, pitch, dynamics,
structure, timbre, texture and style) forms an important aspect of school
planning
- The needs of the children – the aim is to give the
children a systematic music education from junior infants, so that by first
class, some children will be singing in tune reasonably well. Children with
differing needs must be enabled to develop knowledge, skills and
understanding by engaging in musical activities in a structured manner.
Therefore some flexibility in planning and preparation is essential in order
to present the same material in a variety of ways to different children. For
example, a child with poor co-ordination will need additional time to
practise a skill. A child who is
physically disabled will need suitable support for an instrument or an
instrument that is sensitive to touch. A child with a hearing defect will
need a quiet learning environment while instrumental needs may include a low
or high-pitched instrument, according to his specific needs. A child with a
visual impairment should encounter music that can be learned by rote. Where
a child is experiencing learning difficulty, encouragement is necessary to
foster self-esteem. A child with emotional or behavioural difficulties will
benefit from as wide a range of musical experiences as can be provided. All
activities should be structured with specific rules and clear instructions.
A child who is musically able, should be encouraged to proceed at his own
pace and allowed an occasion to pursue personal projects or teacher-designed
tasks. A child from a different cultural background should see the music of
his culture recognised and valued along with the music of the other children
in the class
- Sequence
of progression and continuity –previous knowledge is used
as the basis for elaboration and progression. Continuity refers to
the reinforcement of common curriculum concepts and approaches throughout
the school.
- Selection within strands – the objectives
stated in the three strands form the basis of the curriculum at each level.
The allocation of time for music education
The quality of the learning experience is of greater
importance than the quantity of time allocated to it, and it is for this reason
that planning plays a critical role in the allocation of time for musical
activity. It is more useful to consider the time allocated to music over a month
or a term and to identify opportunities for integration with other subjects well
in advance.
Approaches to teaching
Approaches to music vary, and the children can benefit
from the different strengths of different teachers. The school plan takes
account the range of approaches to the teaching of music within the school.
Planning takes account of continuity where valuable work has begun, and it seeks
to provide support when weaknesses emerge. The
pupils should encounter both staff and tonic solfa notation during their primary
school education. A core list of
appropriate singing and listening material has been prepared for each class
grouping. A minimum number of songs (6) is to be taught from the list for each
class.
Health and safety aspects
- Consideration is given to the ventilation of the class
room during a music lesson
- Equipment is stored safely in area under the IT Room
- Consideration is given to the amount of space available
for children to sit or stand when doing choral or instrumental work
Integration
Engaging children in activity that encompasses a number of
objectives from different subject areas is an effective means of teaching and is
an important principle of the curriculum. Planning for integrated learning has
sought to ensure that the music component is meaningful, that the range of notes
and words is appropriate, and the number of strands included is manageable.
Assessment
Classroom music making involves assessing as a natural
part of the teaching and learning process. Assessment can serve many functions
but predominantly it is needed to determine what adjustments are needed in
instruction and whether the child is prepared for the introduction of the next
unit or at a higher level. The purposes of assessment in music in our school are
as follows:
- To meet the needs of the pupils
- To identify shortcomings in pupil achievement in music
- To inform future teaching
- To summarise what has been achieved so far
- To observe and guide participation in and emerging
attitudes towards music and music making
- To provide a basis for reporting and communicating
pupil progress
- To guide decisions regarding the development or
effectiveness of the curriculum
Assessment Tools
- Teacher observation
- Teacher designed tasks and tests
- Work samples and portfolios
- Curriculum profiles
Recording and reporting: continuity and progression
The following system of recording and reporting is in
use:
- The progress records give details of the musical
experiences which the pupils have encountered during each month. These are
retained for one year, and made available to the teacher for the following
year
- The report forms give a grade attained by individual
pupils
- The report card provides an overall grade for each
pupil for the year.
Organisational Planning: Roles and Responsibilities
Developing a shared sense of purpose for music
education
The development of music in the school involves
consultation and collaboration among the partners in education.
A vital part of this process is creating positive attitude towards music.
All available opportunities are availed of to promote this positive attitude to
music, with the main emphasis being on the pleasure which can be derived from
involvement with music.
Board of Management
Provides support for the development and implementation of
the school plan for music within its available resources
Principal
- Oversees the development and the implementation of the
school plan
- Raises awareness of the importance of music as an
integral part of the curriculum
- Ensures that teachers are supported in their teaching
by their colleagues
- Ensures that sufficient time is allocated to music
education in all classes
- Identifies teacher(s) with particular interests and
expertise in music education to lead staff discussion and to draw up policy
document on the place, purpose and content of music education
Special Duties Teacher
- Development and co-ordination of school plan in music
- Preparation of choir for sacraments, liturgies and
carol services
- Provides input on purchase of resources for music
- Collects and communicates information about in-service
training, school visits and musical events
- Creates a positive musical environment which encourages
and values the sharing of ideas, skills and resources among teachers and
pupils alike
- Assists colleagues in the preparation of schemes of
work for music
Other Teachers
“Since music is an essential aspect of an integrated and
child-centred curriculum, the class teacher is the most suitable person to
present rounded musical experiences in listening and responding, performing and
composing in most circumstances.”
- Establish a musical environment that embraces the
approach to music in the school and links naturally with other areas of the
curriculum
- Devise programmes of work that seek to meet the needs
of the children in their classes
- Provide a range of musical experiences through a
variety of approaches
- Facilitate, motivate and respond to the children’s
work
- Evaluate the programme and assess the children’s work
- Communicate information to parents about the
children’s progress
- Participate in listening, singing, playing and
improvising activities
Resources and facilities
Hardware
- 3 electronic keyboards
- 1 piano
- 16 CD Players
- 16 cassette players
- 4 TV’s
- 4 Video Recorders
- A number of rooms (Learning Support, IT Room, R. 9. R.
18, R. 11 are cabled for communal TV)
Software
- BBC video tapes
- Let’s All Sing Tapes
- Pied Piper series
- Lively Music
- Sites on Internet
Percussion
- 2 kettle drums
- 1 bass drum
- set of cymbals
- triangle
- More to be bought within the context of review of
School Plan in Music
Books, Tapes and CDs
Detailed list available from Mr Mc Guinness
Special Events
- Carol Service
- Liturgies for Confirmation, First Penance, First Holy
Communion
- Concerts
- Groups and bands invited to play for the pupils on
special occasions – Garda Band, local traditional musicians
Considerations with regard to each of these events
- These events complement classroom music. They do not
replace it.
- Every child is given the opportunity to participate in
these special events. They are not the preserve of an elite group of pupils.
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