A Framework for Teaching Music
Resources and Materials Beyond the Method Book
Developing a Framework
Define Standards
Organize Standards into Core Competencies
Develop Learning Progressions for Standards
Select Materials, Learning Activities, & Assessments
1. Define Standards
Compile a comprehensive list of all the topics you believe necessary for musicians to learn and understand. Recognize the commonalities between some of those standards and begin to group and organize them. Identify the main standards: content which you believe to be the most vital to learning music. There will be more content on that list than there is time to teach it all. The main standards simply serve as the foundation of the framework.
2. Organize Standards into Core Competencies
Core Competencies serve as categories to organize the main standards to be taught. They are not all-encompassing; these categories include the standards that are most vital and will serve as the foundation of the framework for teaching. Main standards, once identified, are listed in a progression to be taught within the Core Competencies.
1. Rhythm
1a. Rhythmic Figures
1a.1. Quarter Notes & Quarter Rests (Duple)
1a.2. Half Notes & Half Rests (Duple)
1a.3. Whole Notes & Whole Rests (Duple)
1a.4. Dotted Half Notes & Dotted Half Rests (Duple)
1a.5. 8th Note Pairs (Duple)
1a.6. Dotted Quarter-8th Note Groups (Duple)
1a.7. 8th-Quarter-8th Syncopation (Duple)
1a.8. Single 8th Notes & 8th Rests (Duple)
1a.9. 16th Note Groups (Duple)
1a.10. 8th-Two 16th Note Groups (Duple)
1a.11. Dotted 8th-16th Note Groups (Duple)
1a.12. 8th-16th-8th Note Groups (Duple)
1a.13. Single 16th Notes & 16th Rests (Duple)
1b. Meter
1b.1. 4/4 Time
1b.2. 2/4 Time
1b.3. 3/4 Time
1b.4. 2/2 (cut) Time
1b.5. 6/8 Time
1b.6. 3/8 Time
1b.7. 9/8 Time
1b.8. 12/8 Time
1b.9. Other Duple Meter Time
1b.10. Mixed Meter
1c. Tempo
1c.1. Andante
1c.2. Moderato
1c.3. Allegro
1c.4. Ritardando
1c.5. Accelerando
1c.6. Vivace
1c.7. Adagio
1c.8. Presto
1c.9. Largo
2. Pitch
2a. Key & Tonal Patterns
2a.1. Concert Bb Major
2a.2. Concert Bb Minor
2a.3. Concert F Major
2a.4. Concert F Minor
2a.5. Concert Eb Major
2a.6. Concert Eb Minor
2a.7. Concert Ab Major
2a.8. Concert C Major
2b. Harmony
2c. Polyphony
2c.1. Unison
2c.2. Rounds
2c.3. Bass Line
2c.4. Harmony
2c.5. Ostinato
3. Expression
3a. Articulations
3a.1. Tenuto
3a.2. Slur
3a.3. Staccato
3a.4. Accent
3a.5. Marcato
3b. Dynamics
3b.1. Mezzo Forte
3b.2 Forte
3b.3. Piano
3b.4. Mezzo Piano
3b.5. Crescendo
3b.6. Decrescendo
3b.7. Forte Piano
3b.8. Fortissimo
3b.9. Pianissimo
3c. Form
3c.1. Repeat
3c.2. 1st & 2nd Endings
3c.3. D.C. al Coda
3c.4. D.S. al Coda
3c.5. D.C. al Fine
3c.5. D.S. al Fine
4. Instrument Fundamentals
4a.1. Instrument Assembly
4a.2. Care & Maintenance
4a.3. Holding the Instrument
4a.4. Posture
4a.5. Embouchure & Oral Cavity
4a.6. Breathing & Airflow
4a.7. Tonguing
4a.8. Hand & Finger Movement
4a.9. Stroke & Sticking
4a.10. Advanced Techniques
3. Develop Learning Progressions for Standards
Every standard can be broken down into a learning progression with increasing levels of complexity. Benjamin Bloom created a taxonomy of educational goals, or student skills and abilities, lying along a continuum from simple to complex. Since learning and making music is a skill-based subject, we generally have to ask the questions: do you know it? and can you do it?
Musical Concepts should be taught in a logical and predictable progression which is understood by both the teacher and the student. Learning objectives can be scaffolded to present concepts in a hierarchical model with varying levels of complexity and specificity. That same learning progression can be used to plan lessons, track student progress, track student growth, and report grades. One framework guiding all areas of the educational process.
A learning progression, or scale, is developed for each Core Competency and reused for the standards in that competency. The learning activities, practice, assignments, and assessments align with the objectives for each standard. Below are examples of a Rhythm (rhythmic figure) Learning Progression and a Pitch Learning Progression.
Keep in mind, we have three main outcomes for our students: Perform Music, Read Music, and Audiate Music. Students should be able to perform, read, and audiate each standard. The objectives of the learning progression for each standard (and the educational activities used to teach those standards) are designed to promote those three student outcomes.
Rhythm Learning Progression
Recall & Identify
Identify Image of Note & Rest
Recall Duration of Note & Rest
Define Note & Rest
Draw Note & Rest
Label the Counting of Note & Rest in Measures
Standard & Application
Echo Rhythms using Note & Rest using voice and instrument on a single, unison pitch
Read and Count rhythms using Note & Rest with a Steady Beat
Perform rhythms using Note & Rest with a Steady Beat using an Instrument on a Single, Unison Pitch
Perform melodies using rhythms with Note & Rest and a select range of pitches
Sight Read rhythms using Note & Rest on a single pitch or without pitch
Sight Read melodies using rhythms with Note & Rest and a select range of pitches
Application & Extension
Compose using Note & Rest
Arrange using Note & Rest
Improvise using Note & Rest
Transcribe using Note & Rest
Memorize using Note & Rest
Pitch Learning Progression
Recall & Identify
Identify Pitch on Music Staff
Identify Letter Name of Pitch
Identify Scale Degree of Pitch
Identify Solfege of Pitch
Identify Correct Fingering of Pitch on Instrument
Draw Pitch on Staff
Label Letter/Scale Degree/Solfege of Pitch on Staff
Standard & Application
Echo Pitch and Tonal Patterns using Voice and Instrument
Read & Perform Pitch and Tonal Patterns without rhythm
Read & Perform Melodies using select Pitches and select rhythmic figures
Sight Read Pitches without rhythm
Sight Read Melodies using select Pitches and select rhythmic figures
Application & Extension
Compose using select Pitches
Arrange using select Pitches
Improvise using select Pitches
Transcribe select Pitches
Memorize Music using select Pitches
