Music Curriculum Models

Another inquiry into music education as part of the Contemporary Topics series is to design a model of the music curriculum for a specific class, grade level, or subject area. The curriculum must be informed by the student's previous model of the music experience, as well as the various curriculum models studied and researched in class. Here are a few examples.

Curriculum Model #1 - The Car and its contents

"I chose to display the way in which I view each of my students. They are each on a journey in life (the car) and my job is to help them gather the information and skills they need for their journey (trunks). Here, specifically I have focused on the viola student as that is my main interest. I chose four main topics: Technique, Repertoire, Pedagogical Knowledge & Experience, and Performance Experience. I feel each is vital to the life of a viola student. At the end of the student's college experience, the trunks would be full of the tools needed for each topic. The student is then well equipped to go on his/her way in life and can pull out the tools as needed."

Model #2 - The Rainbow

"I designed my music curriculum model based on six content areas - Music Literacy, Performance, Collaboration, Critical Assessment, Creativity/Choice, and Enjoyment/Personal Satisfaction. I believe that all six of these areas tie into one another, and assigned each area to a specific color of the rainbow. On each color of the rainbow, the other five areas also appear, indicating that it is not possible to travel down just one color and not run into the other content areas along the way. The focus may be on performance but, while performing, the other areas will/should come into play. In some areas the teacher will need to guide the students to these goals through exercises and projects that let students use these particular skills, such as collaboration or critical assessment."

Model #3 - "The Teeter-Totter"

"On one end of this teeter-totter lies the "who and what" of curriculum content. In other words, who and what determine and influence content? The elements displayed are just a few possibilities; one skewer has been left open to represent other possibilities. On the other end of the teeter-totter is the "who and what" of implementation. Again, a skewer has been left open to suggest additions. The content and implementation pieces are colored to represent how each element has shaded its sphere. Similarly, certain skewers have more weights attached to them, indicating a greater influence on the sphere. Weights can be added and removed as the level of influence changes. The teeter-totter hinges on purpose, as a balance between content and implementation is more easily achieved by a clearly articulated purpose. The intended outcomes or purposes of this curriculum include: Advance competency among professionals (teacher); Stimulate and propel personal growth (Student); Organize appropriate skill development (subject matter); Foster democratic values and cross-generational social engagement (milieu)."

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College-Conservatory of Music

Division of Music Education
Mary Emery Hall | P.O. Box 210003 | Cincinnati, OH 45221-0003
Phone: 513-556-6017

Fax: 513-556-0202