The Goal Schedule is a guide for skill attainment and can be used in a number of ways.
The theoretical models used for teaching this course are largely based on students needs and interests. Students can use this schedule to see the possible skills that can be learned and practiced in each of the levels. Each level represents a school years worth of lessons. Some of the skills in a level are foundational and need to be taught in a sequence that builds successful learning and playing skills. Other skills maybe independent of another and may follow another sequence. A lesson plan is provided and available to students for each skill on the Goal Schedule.
The method books are a foundation for learning and are very comprehensive in covering many skills and levels. What the method books may not offer each student is music and skills that are of particular interest to students. This schedule allows for students interests to be applied to music that can be selected by the students and have the schedule of skills applied to that music. The ultimate goal is for students to see progress in their skill development and to keep their interest by including self-directed music selection. This modelling allows for flexibility in a yearly or unit style plan that best suites the individuals in the course at any given period of time.
Students of all levels in the doublebass program can see at a glance what they will be challenged with for a years study and they can see the goals for the next years. The spiral nature of learning a new skill, practicing it and becoming a skillful user of the skill is combined with the understanding that that skill will be repeated and will remain part of the skill set of the student. Individual skills will be repeated and will be expected to have more nuance and depth to the skill.
This Goal Schedule is divided across the page into levels according to year of study and down the page the skill sets are clearly identified in "like" skills.Students should be able to easily see when a skill will be introduced. The page can be read as starting at the top left-hand corner of a skill set being Level 1 to the bottom right-hand of the skill set Level 4 seeing the most developed.