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National Core Arts Standards Public Review: Music and Media Arts for your consideration

The Core Arts Standards are now available for public review. A video orientation helps in providing some background information but you will probably want to take a look at the conceptual framework of the core arts standards as well. It is critical that music educators participate in the public review process, analyze the proposed standards, provide specific feedback and critique, and propose potential alternatives if they are not satisfied with those proposed. It may be helpful to consider concrete examples… Read More »National Core Arts Standards Public Review: Music and Media Arts for your consideration

Philosophical thinking & Music Education: International Symposium on the Philosophy of Music Education IX

If you did not attend the International Symposium on the Philosophy of Music Education (ISPME) IX you can read Roger Mantie’s reflections on the conference. Mantie speaks about the importance of “grappling with big questions” and how ISPME fosters a community where this can occur. Whether or not one attends ISPME, philosophical thinking can occur in our own practice ranging from curriculum development and planning to department meetings and casual conversations while “talking shop.” The field is certainly stronger due… Read More »Philosophical thinking & Music Education: International Symposium on the Philosophy of Music Education IX

Toward Convergence: Adapting Music Education to Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture

Tobias, E. S. (2013). Toward convergence: Adapting music education to contemporary society and participatory culture. Music Educators Journal, 99(4), 29–36. doi:10.1177/0027432113483318 The digital supplement providing examples of the varied musical practices I discuss in the article. (Also available on the NAfME Bonus Content website). Also included in the same issue of the MEJ is: A thoughtful and nuanced response written by Thomas Regelski. My condensed response to Regelski’s response as published in the MEJ. A complete response is available on… Read More »Toward Convergence: Adapting Music Education to Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture

A warning on moving from complex goals to discrete and disconnected tasks

Grant Wiggins (of Wiggins & McTighe’s Understanding by Design) recently highlighted the issue of breaking things into little bits in education. new post on the error of breaking complex goals into itty bitty pieces & marching thru them, & the warning on c core: http://t.co/hwLHJAYgmk — Grant Wiggins (@grantwiggins) April 20, 2013 He focuses on the following excerpt from the High School Publishers’ Criteria for the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics Fragmenting the Standards into individual standards, or individual… Read More »A warning on moving from complex goals to discrete and disconnected tasks

Perspectives on Marching Band and School Music Programs: Frank Deford’s commentary

Frank Deford’s recent commentary on Marching band  titled “School Bands Should not be Entertainment Adjunct for Sports” (on NPR) generated some very interesting dialogue on the comment section of the NPR website. Deford’s key point is that students should not be required to be members of the school marching band. He frames marching bands as primarily a means of entertainment for people at football games. While Deford could flesh out the social and cultural aspects of marching bands and use… Read More »Perspectives on Marching Band and School Music Programs: Frank Deford’s commentary