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Methods for Elementary Music Education

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Course Syllabus
SCMU 384 Course-Syllabus_2014

Course Syllabus

SchMu 328 – Spring Semester 2014

Methods in Elementary Music

Semesters Hours:  3

I.  Course Description

Methods in Elementary Music is designed to prepare students for teaching music to

children in grades K-6.  Emphasis is placed on developing a philosophy of music
education that considers the developmental needs of children as foundational in the
process of teaching music concepts.  The course consists of lectures, teaching
demonstrations, peer teaching, music classroom observations, a review of music
education literature, and the development of a teaching portfolio.   Students will develop
skills in teaching music that incorporates singing, movement, playing instruments,
listening, creating, and writing.
 

II. Course Goals and Objectives

A.  Goals

1.  Acquaint teacher candidate with recognized theories of music education

2. Provide opportunities for teacher candidate to observe experienced music educators
3. Provide opportunities for teacher candidate to plan and teach music lessons
4. Acquaint teacher candidate with professional resources and organizations that will
enable the candidate to continue to grow following graduation
5. Create a portfolio, containing resources, class notes, and lesson plans that will serve the
teacher candidate as a primary teaching resource following graduation
6. Facilitate teacher candidate in writing a personal philosophy of music education.
7. Acquaint teacher candidate with recognized strategies for teaching singing and diction to
children
8. Acquaint teacher candidate with recognized strategies for assessing children in the
music education classroom
9. Acquaint teacher candidate with recognized strategies for incorporating technology in
the elementary music classroom
 

B.  Objectives — Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1.  Identify recognized theorists in music education and articulate their philosophies of

music education.  Specifically:
a.  Zoltán Kodály

b.  Carl Orff

c.  Émile Jacques-Dalcroze

d. Shinichi Suzuki

f.  Edwin Gordon

h.  John M. Feierabend (T2, LR7)

 1.  Articulate a philosophy of music education, which will facilitate the teacher candidate in
developing an elementary music education program. (LD6)
2. Articulate the relationship of a child’s physical, mental, and social development in the
process of writing music lesson plans and developing the scope and sequence of an
elementary music program of instruction. (T6)
3. Write instructional objectives that are measurable, meet specific goals in music
education and include the areas of singing, movement, playing instruments, listening,
creating, and writing. (T1)
4. Identify classroom management strategies that facilitate music learning, address
discipline issues, and contribute to a safe and positive learning environment. (T4, LD8)
5. Identify specific techniques that may be used with exceptional learners to help them
accomplish music objectives.  Students included are:
a.  The visually impaired

b.  The hearing impaired

c.  The physically impaired

d.  The learning disabled

e.  The mild or moderately handicapped

f.  The gifted student

g.  The behaviorally impaired

h.  Students with other health impairments

i.  Students with multiple handicaps

j.  Students with autism

k.  The speech and language impaired

l.  Students with traumatic brain injuries

m. Students who are deaf and blind

1.  Students with mental retardation (T2, LR7)

7.  Demonstrate specific techniques that show the integration of music from a variety of
cultures into an elementary music program, including:
a.  The identification of culturally specific instruments

b.  The listening to music from a variety of cultures

c.  The performing of music from a variety of cultures

d.  The performing of folk dances from a variety of cultures  (LR4, LR7)

1.  List the national standards for music education, incorporate these standards in writing   
music lesson plans and developing the scope and sequence of an elementary music
program of instruction and develop a means for evaluating if the standards are being
met. (T3)
1. Develop music lesson plans that relate to listening and music appreciation,
including:
a.  Identifying instruments by sight and sound

b.  Identifying voices by type and style

d.  Knowledge of basic forms in music

1. Identifying a variety of styles of music (T2, LR7)

10. Write a series of lesson plans for a music elementary music education class that

demonstrate measurable music objectives and reflect a variety of music concepts

addressed in class. (T1)

11. Develop a curriculum map for the 5-lesson unit plan that includes (T1):

a.  A unit calendar

b.  National Music Standards (NAfME)

c.  Content

d.  Skills

e.  Assessments

f.  Instructional Activities

g.  Resources
h.  Faith Integration

12. Demonstrate a variety of ways of teaching music concepts relating to rhythm,

melody, and harmony. (T2, LR7)

1. Demonstrate effective teaching strategies for working with children’s voices, including:
a.   Matching pitch

1. Developing the child voice with respect to tone and range

2. Singing in tune
3. Unification of vowels
4. Diction
5. Singing in harmony
g.   Choosing appropriate music

h.   Basic directing techniques (T2, LR7)

14. Demonstrate the use of a variety of instruments to accompany children’s singing,

including:

a.  Autoharp

b.  Guitar

c.  Dulcimer

d.  Other pitched and non-pitched instruments (T2, LR7)

15. Articulate developmentally appropriate strategies that lead to music literacy,

including:

a.  The use of icons

b.  The use of manipulatives

c.  The use of traditional notation (T2, LR7)

16. Identify strategies for using computer technology in the elementary music
classroom, including the use of:
a.  Hardware

b.  Software

c.  Interactive web sites (T2, LR7)

1. Examine case studies in music education and identify strategies in dealing with the
problems presented
2. Evaluate music texts to determine their suitability for use in an elementary music
program. (LD3)
3. Identify strategies for encouraging music creativity, including
a.  Improvisation of melodies and accompaniments

b.  Writing original melodies

c.  Writing original texts to be set to original music

d.  Writing stories that coordinate with existing music (T2, LR7)

20. Demonstrate ways cooperative learning can be used in the music classroom.

21. Identify professional organizations in the field of music education and list their
contributions and sphere of influence, including:

a.  Music Educator’s National Conference

b.  The Choristers Guild

c.  The American Choral Directors Association

d.  The Organization of American Kodály Educators

e.  American Orff-Schulwerk Association – Music and Movement Education

f.  Dalcroze Society of America

g.  Suzuki Talent Education Society (Also state organizations)

1. The Gordon Institute for Music Learning (T5)

22. Identify strategies and tools for assessment in the elementary music classroom
based

on the fact that teacher assessment should be an ongoing process.  These strategies

include:

a.  Questioning

b.  Rubrics

c.  Student self-assessment

d.  Peer assessment

e.  Teacher self-assessment

f.   Tracking student growth and record keeping

g.  Portfolios

h.  Reporting to parents

III.  Required Texts

Music in Childhood from Preschool through the Elementary Grades (Fourth Edition,

Enhanced Edition)  by Patricia Shehan Campbell and Carol Scoot-Kassner, Copyright ©
2010, 2006, Schirmer, Cengage Learning. ISBN-13: 978-0-495-57213-8 or ISBN-10:  0-
495-57213-6

Note:  The above book must be purchased new to give you access to the web based
and digital learning tools.

 
Sing Together, Children! Developing Young Singers through Vocal Exploration, Warm-
ups, Rounds, Songs, and Singing Games by Madeline Bridges, Copyright © 2008
Choristers Guild.  ISBN 78-1-929187-22-5. Chorister’s Guild Number CGBK66

IV.  Course Requirements

1.  Develop a personal philosophy of music education

 

1.  Read assigned materials and be prepared to participate in class discussion

 

1.  Develop a portfolio written and compiled by the teacher candidate that includes:
1.  An example of an age-appropriate instructional objective with specific music
goals for grades Kindergarten – Grade 5 (one objective per grade level).
2. A music unit designed as a curriculum map comprising five lessons that shows
an understanding of a child’s physical, mental, social, and spiritual development
and addresses the elements of singing, movement, playing instruments,
listening, creating, and writing
3. A list of the national standards for music education and strategies for evaluating
these standards
4. A paper on each of the recognized theorists in music education that addresses
biographical information, musical contributions and educational contributions to
the field
5.  A detailed paper of specific strategies to address the needs of exceptional
learners
6. A detailed paper of specific strategies to address discipline problems in the music
classroom
7. A list of professional organizations, including contact information, their
contributions and their sphere of influence
8. A detailed paper of specific strategies to address teaching singing to children,
including matching pitch, singing in tune, singing in harmony, and diction.
9. A paper addressing the use of technology in the music classroom, including a list
of hardware, software, and interactive web sites and how technology should be
used.
10.  A detailed list of catalogs, web resources, and contact information for music
resources, instruments, and music

11. A compilation of class notes

12. A personal philosophy of music education

14. A paper that gives a detailed evaluation of classroom observations

15. A paper justifying the need for music education in schools

1. A paper that addresses recognized strategies for assessment in the elementary music
classroom

17. All lesson plans that are written throughout the semester

18. All lesson plans that are written by other members of the class (specifically, safe

classroom lesson plan, Kodaly, Orff, Dalcroze, and a children’s choir lesson plan)

19. A detailed sketch of your ideal music classroom

20. A copy of the autoharp song that you chose use to accompany the class

1.  Teach mini-lessons to the class that feature specific music goals and objectives.
 

E.  Observe two different music education classrooms and write:

1.  A description of the music goals being taught

2.  A description of the approach(es) used

3.  An evaluation of classroom management techniques

4.  Methods of assessment

3.  An evaluation of the lesson

 

1. V.   Evaluation
 

A.  Some assignments will be completed during class time, some will be cooperative
projects, and some will be due the following week(s).

B.  Grades will be based on the quality of assignments submitted, class attendance,
completion of the portfolio, and class participation.

1.  Class attendance and participation:  25 points per class

2.  Mini-Lesson Plans:  35 points per plan

3.  Philosophy of Music Education:  25 points

1.  Instructional Objectives:  35 points

2. A Curriculum Map – Develop a curriculum map that follows the principles of curriculum
mapping and shows detailed plans for a 5-Lesson Music Unit addressing a multicultural
area:  225 points
6.  National Standards:  15 points

7.  Papers on Music Theorists:  35 points per paper

8.  Strategies for Exceptional Learners: 35 points

10. Classroom Management Strategies: 35 points

11. A detailed list of Professional Organizations and Contact Information:  25 points

12. A detailed list of Resources for Music Education:  25 points

13. A paper describing the use of technology in the Music Classroom including a

detailed resource list:  35 points

14. Compilation of Class Notes:  35 points

15. Evaluation of Classroom Observations:  35 points per observation

1. A detailed paper addressing strategies for teaching singing to children:  35 points

2. A detailed paper addressing strategies for music assessment:  35 points
3. Finished Portfolio – complete with tabbed sections, organized and neatly done:  50
points
4. A paper making a case for music education. Include a discussion of a minimum of ten
reasons why music education should be available to all.  35 points
5. A sketch of a proposed classroom music design to include movement space,
instruments, storage, and technology:  25 points
6. The selection of a song to teach using the autoharp as an accompaniment instrument: 
25 points
 

C.  All written assignments are to be hard copies using “Times” as a font and double-
spaced with one-inch margins.  The course number and student’s name should appear
at the top of the first page.

Teacher candidates will be asked to email an attachment of mini-lesson plans and

comprehensive lesson plans in pdf format to all members of the class.  Each candidate
is

to download the plans of everyone in the class for inclusion in the portfolio.  Optional:

Students may instead provide a hard copy of their lesson plans to each class member.

E.  Class attendance is extremely important.  Much of the class involves peer teaching,
watching classroom demonstrations and brainstorming about what might be effective in
the music classroom.  This time cannot be recaptured.  However, if an emergency or
illness arises, students need to contact the instructor and make arrangements for
making up material covered in class.  Missing one class is equal to missing one week of
the semester.

January, 2013
Professor Cassandra McMahan

Cassandra.McMahan@cune.edu or cmcmahan11@gmail.com

402-466-6861 (Work)

402-770-1117 (Cell – you may text me)

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