Iowa Core Standards:
https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/General%20Music%20Iowa%20Core%20Companion%202014-01-17.pdf
General Music is taught in grades preschool-8th at St. Benedict School. Instrumental music is taught in Grades 5 through 8, and we offer choir as an extracurricular for grades 6 through 8. The overall goals of the music program are:
1. To achieve music literacy using creativity and collaboration.
2. To teach students awareness and enjoyment of music in the environment.
3. To acquire the feeling of accomplishment, positive self-image, and joy of making music through individual and group participation. The students take ownership in their learning.
4. To develop an appreciation of music from other cultures and of composers, past and present.
5. To experience values of lifelong learning from participation in liturgical music.
These goals are met in a variety of ways. Good vocal techniques are taught and music history and beginning theory are stressed in the curriculum. Students will have the opportunity to explore and analyze music of both the past and present. The students spend three weeks on a guitar unit with 25 classroom guitars and several weeks each semester are spent preparing for concerts. Students receive a rich learning experience when it comes to exploring musical genres, instruments, and cultures. Each year a set of djembes and tubano drums are circulated for teaching rhythm, diverse music genre, and experiencing a drum circle. Something new this school year is the inclusion of a ukulele unit. The use of Ipads and laptop computers combine technology and music skills. Ipads help them learn keyboard skills and identify notes on the keyboard. They also help the students learn music and have hands-on experiences with composition and more. Technology and music unite to create a fun learning environment.
The above units and skills help to keep the student highly engaged in the music classroom.
Students communicate and work productively with others (rehearsals), incorporating different perspectives (blending and balancing, learning music from various cultures) to increase innovation (improvisation and choreography) and the quality of work (high expectations for individuals and ensembles).
Students demonstrate initiative and self-direction through high achievement and lifelong learning (practicing for performance, contest or auditions, taking private lessons, either in or out of school).
Students demonstrate productivity and accountability by meeting high expectations (early morning and after school rehearsals, concert performances, ratings from contest, participation in festivals).
Students adapt to various roles and responsibilities, working flexibly in climates of ambiguity and changing priorities, (various performance venues - school programs, contests, festivals - with large group, solos or small ensembles).
Students demonstrate leadership skills (section leaders, band duties), integrity (respect for equipment, discipline required to do extra practicing), and ethical behavior while collaborating to achieve common goals (respect for each others’ skills, students practicing on their own w/o teacher).