Music and the Role of the Arts

Musical Content

Although there is not musical content of any sort, the framework sets the bar at creativity and innovation, which is the basis of musical composition and interpretation. We have all heard and experienced musical performances that are uninspiring and the performers are just “playing the notes.” This framework brings the arts to the highest level of engagement and standards. It also allows students to create and work on musical activities other than performance. The framework (form) allows for each state to develop their own individual standards and assessments. My concern is the people on the individual boards that view music only as a performing art. There is so much more that music education is and does within our society. “Music is all around us, all we have to do is listen” from August Rush is my favorite quote. Today our society is rich in audio-visual material (the Facebook community is large enough to be the fourth largest country, youtube is the sixth largest) In looking closely at each state’s framework, only Wisconsin sees music as “music education,” the other states view the arts as “visual and performing arts.” If these states enact a benchmark of classes in the arts using this title, with ten percent of students in performing groups, we have allowed the visual art teachers to expand. This is our time to take charge and create classes for those students who so do not want to partake in the basic band, choir, or orchestra performing groups. The visual arts have figured it out and allow students to create art on any level, we MUST take that model and use it. We do have the best subject in town, we should expand upon that and our music departments will flourish.

Instructional Attributes

The open-ended matter of the curriculum is amazing. It is extremely cutting edge, looking at the education from K-20. Involvement of higher education and business is important by creating a competitive workforce in this Global society. The world is flat and flattening more and more each day. Our educational system must address this and make the “shift happen.” This is going to be a hard sell to those educators who still view books and paper/pencil important. Those days are gone in this digital world. Being able to communicate virtually and creating digital materials is not just a fad. I view it as the crossing from books in the library to educational textbooks or slates used in classroom to notebooks. It will transform education and the workforce.

Assessment

Assessments will be district and statewide. The framework allows for various kinds and types of testing and assessment. Each state has their own models. Please see attached sheet of the ten states and their assessment models. 

Field Test of Implementation

There will be field-testing on selected school districts before it is put in place within the entire state of Illinois. There has been field-testing within each of the states. West Virginia leads the pack; Iowa is still developing their model. Illinois will adopt the model in June 2009, so nothing is in place as of yet.

Worthy enough to be adopted

We are in exciting times to have a dramatic change in education. This framework includes higher education as well as K-12. The connection to higher education is an important piece.