middle school child and the middle school experience

middle school child and the middle school experience

Introduction

Design is a verb used to designate process as in designing a curriculum. The design may also be used as a noun to refer to a specific plan due to a process of design as in curriculum design (Cook-Sather et al., 2019). Thus, curriculum design is the purposeful, systematic, and deliberate organization curriculum within a course or class. The design of a curriculum is purposeful; it is aimed at the improvement of student learning (Bennett and Rowley, 2019). However, curriculum design may have other purposes, whether the purposes are short term or long term, technical or political, in conflict or in harmony, curriculum designers must ensure the designs remains clear as to the major purposes for an appropriate response. This paper outlines a music curriculum design that takes into account critical external factors, reinforces the teacher’s experience as a central component in the process, and emphasizing the teacher’s role is not just technical one but professional, and also includes artistry instead of a simple craftsmanship enterprise. This paper focuses on the middle school child and the middle school experience.

Curriculum design involves a conscious planning effort, which is a process of clear identification of what is to be done, when and by whom. It operates on many levels, and design decisions implemented on one level must be in sync with other levels. Curriculum design is a creative process where every stage offers opportunities for the utilization of inventions, novel concepts, and innovative thinking. Curriculum design is not immune to failure. The failure of one or more of its elements may lead to the collapse of the whole system (Cox, 2007).

Part A of the curriculum will focus on middle school children. The first step that a teacher should embark on is to gain the trust of their students.

Middle school children have the interest to enjoy their education and play, but will hardly demonstrate this interest. These children should know that the teacher is someone worthy of their trust. Middle school students are at the age of adolescence; it is at this point that children realize they should not tell the world everything as they freely did in elementary school. Such information is only shared with a select few in a ‘safe environment’ (Giebelhausen, 2016). Thus, the teacher intends to create a safe environment as the first step in their classroom. The teachers should also build a reputation for themselves being regarded as the teacher who honors student’s ideas and intentions. Reputation can also be created by connecting with other grade level teachers.

Part B of the curriculum should not downplay music-making; children should be allowed to appreciate music. Children like music, but they are unsure of their social safety inside the music classroom environment. The teacher needs to create a safe environment where any case of intolerance of others will be punishable. This will create an environment where children can share their music with the teacher and their peers (Giebelhausen, 2016). To assist children in feeling safe, music-making activities with minimal personal such as started from the outside moving inwards, beginning with instruments followed by singing. A curriculum that lets children begin with devices makes them feel comfortable in the environment but still creates room for a music-making experience. Thus, such a curriculum supports the child’s social needs.

 

Cumberland county schools [District CNA] middle school general music is a discipline that most educators feel unprepared to teach. This is because most of the undergraduate programs spend minimum time teaching such scenarios. The challenges associated with elementary school general music are not similar to those of middle school general music, or middle school ensemble. Teachers are, therefore, short of expertise to create a relevant curriculum for their clientele.

 

 

References

Beeching, A.M., 2010, July. Career development and entrepreneurship across the curriculum: Best practice in professional development programs in undergraduate music programs. In Proceedings of the 18th International Seminar of the Commission for the Education of the Professional Musician (CEPROM) (pp. 11-14).

Bennett, D., and Rowley, J., 2019. Leading change in higher music education pedagogy and curriculum. In Leadership of Pedagogy and Curriculum in Higher Music Education (pp. 178-187). Routledge.

Cook-Sather, A., Matthews, K.E., and Bell, A., 2019. Transforming curriculum development through co-creation with students. Re-imagining Curriculum: Spaces for disruption, p.107.

Cox, J., 2007. Curriculum design and development in higher music education. Utrecht: European Association of Conservatoires.

Giebelhausen, Robin. 2015/07/06. At the beginning of the Middle: Curriculum Considerations for Middle School General Music. General Music Today: JOUR: Vol. 29. doi.10.1177/1048371315593112

Spencer, S.J., 2015. Musicians at the Margins: A Case Study of the Role of Instrumental Music Teachers in a University Music Department.