University of West Georgia
MUSC 3900—Music in the Elementary Schools
Dr. Dawn Harmon McCord
Class: R 5:30-8:00 PM
Classroom: Humanities 235
3 hr. credit
Office: Humanities 233
770-839-6266
CourseDen email preferred
dmccord@westga.edu
Fall 2014
Office Hours:
M 5:00-5:30
T 8-9:30
R 8-9:30, 1:30-5:30
F 2:30-5:00
Office hours will be revised after
applied lessons are scheduled.
Appointments are available at other
times
Course Description
Principles, methods, and materials for teaching music in the elementary schools. Includes
the study of instructional procedures, techniques, resources, and tools for teaching
appropriate for early childhood and elementary schools children; appraisal of
instructional innovations, classroom organization and management; and measurement
and evaluation techniques. Includes a fields-experience component.
Prerequisite: Music 2302, 2402, 2502.
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework of the College of Education at UWG forms the basis on which
programs, courses, experiences, and outcomes are created. With the goal of Preparing
Exemplary Practitioners, our programs incorporate ten descriptors (knowledgeable,
reflective, inquisitive, decisive, adaptive, proactive, leading, collaborative, culturally
sensitive, empathetic), clustered into three interrelated and overlapping themes, that
demonstrate our commitment to (a) Professional Excellence; (b) Field-Based Inquiry; and
(c) the Betterment of Society. These themes and descriptors are integral components of
the conceptual framework and provide the basis for developing exemplary practitioners
who are prepared to improve schools and communities. National and state standards as
well standards established by the National Association of Schools of Music are also
incorporated as criteria against which candidates are measured.
Required Materials
Froseth, J. O. (1984). Do It! Play Recorder [Recorder book, CD, and Recorder package].
Chicago: GIA Publications,Inc.
Campbell, P. S. & Scott-Kassner, C. (2014). Music in Childhood from Preschool through
the Elementary Grades, 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Schirmer.
Membership in CNAfME (Collegiate National Association for Music Education) which
will provide you with journals (Music Educators Journal, Teaching Music, and
Georgia Music Educators) needed for class assignments.
Tort liability insurance, e.g., SPAGE student membership, SGAE student membership,
Home insurance policy
MUSIC 3900
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Tk-20--electronic portfolio required by UWG-College of Education for assessment, field
placement, and certification.
ASO Symphony ticket sold by CNAfME, $12. Schedule conflicts will be addressed with
a different ASO in consultation with professor.
Supplementary Materials
Bourne, P. (2009). Inside the elementary school chorus: Instructional techniques for the
non-select children’s chorus. Dayton, OH: Heritage Music Press.
Brophy, T. S., & Abrahams, F. (2010). The practice of assessment in music education:
Frameworks, models, and designs. Chicago: GIA Publications.Lindeman, C. A.
(2011). Musical children: Engaging children in musical experiences. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Robinson, A., Shore, B., & Emerson, D. (2007). Best practices in gifted education: An
evidence-based guide. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.
Sobel, E. S. (2008). An attitude and approach for teaching music to special learners.
Lanham, MD: MENC/Rowman & Littlefield Education.
Wade, B. C. (2004). Thinking musically: Experiencing music, expressing culture. New
York: Oxford University Press.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes
Each student will:
1. Expand their knowledge and understanding of principals/theories/ approaches
for teaching and assessing music instruction in elementary schools attenuating
that all students from diverse backgrounds can learn
2. Become familiar with instructional materials, resources and tools used in
teaching music in elementary schools including the introduction of
multicultural issues and approaches to addressing diversity
3. Develop classroom organization, procedures, and management skills based on
fairness when actuating the implementation of same
4. Observe music teachers in elementary music classes for teaching strategies,
learning styles, and processes used
5. Perform on instruments used in elementary music
Methods
The class will be taught by lecture, demonstration, discussion, observation, and student
presentations. Students will
1. Demonstrate proficiency in on recorder, Orff and classroom instruments.
2. Teach songs using prescribed pedagogy.
3. Plan lessons for listening, playing an instrument, singing and movement,
creating/reading/notating music.
4. Develop an assessment instrument for use in a lesson designed by the student.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of theories/approaches for elementary music curriculum.
6. Complete field experiences in an elementary music classroom.
MUSIC 3900
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UWG Common Language Syllabi Information
It is important that you review and understand the statements that are common to all
courses at UWG. These items address the Americans with Disabilities Act, UWG Email
Policy, Credit Hour Policy, and the University of West Georgia Honor Code.
These statements may be viewed at (Mozilla or Chrome browser):
http://tinyurl.com/UWGSyllabusPolicies
Evaluation
Teaching Activities1 .................................................................................................... 30 %
 Unit Plan and Individual Lesson Presentation
 Rote Song Presentation
 Group Lesson Presentation
 Song Project
 Reconstructed Field Lesson Plan
 Listening Map Presentation
Field Observations2 ..................................................................................................... 30 %
 Pre-Kindergarten
 Elementary School
Performance and Knowledge Based Activities ........................................................... 20 %
 Accompanied Song Performance
 Recorder (Final)
 Song Performance (Final)
 Orff Arrangement/Presentation
 Quizzes, tests
Professional Activities ................................................................................................. 20%
 Music Education History and Trends Paper and Presentation
 Journal reports and Presentation
 Philosophy
 CNAfME Membership
 Tk20 Submissions
No extra credit is given in this class. Assignments are due on given class date and
considered late after 5:40 pm. No assignments will be accepted late. Unless assigned
otherwise, students must print their own documents.
Attendance
Learning and participation is only possible if the student participates in class and receives
the essential information. Since the course will move at a very fast pace with written
2
No partial credit is given if less than thirty (30) hours are completed. If observation
reports are incomplete or unsatisfactory in requested detail, a penalty will be imposed.
MUSIC 3900
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work due on a regular basis, students are expected to attend every class meeting. Should a
student not be able to attend a class, he/she is responsible for the information covered and
assignments. Even if student is absent, presentations and assignments must be completed
on their assigned day with written assignments turned in no later than 5:40. Absence or
lateness will result in 4 points being subtracted from the student’s final points for each
absence for any reason beyond one absence. One point subtracted per tardy.
Field Experience
Students in Music 3900 are required to have two 30 hours total in the field. Four of the 30
hours will take place at the UWG Child Development Center and 26 hours will be at an
assigned elementary school. A background check completed by the COE Office of Field
experiences must be successfully completed before observations may be begun. Do not
enter assigned school until you have received an official placement notice by the COE
Office of Field Placement. For every observation, students must complete and turn in
observation forms. These forms must be completed in ink. Completed forms should be
turned in weekly and will be filed in student files located in the music department office
at the end of the semester. Under extreme circumstances, a student may be granted
permission to turn in observation forms after the deadline with a penalty imposed. After
observation submission deadline, a penalty of 5 points will be subtracted for each day
that forms are late, including weekends. Students who have not completed 12
documented hours of their field assignment by the mid-point of the term may be
withdrawn from this course and receive a grade of W. These 12 hours musit be from the
following two settings:
 Preschool observations (4 hours). Failure to sign up for field participation in the
first week may not be used for excuse. The Child Development Center rarely
allows make up observations as they have students from the COE coming in after
music students have completed their field experiences.
 Elementary School observations (8 hours) by the mid-point of the term.
Field Observation Forms
Copy the field observation form as needed. The form must be completed in ink during
the observation and the attending teacher must sign the form in ink at the end of each
observation. Each student will have a file for collecting forms each week. The deadline
for turning in the forms is in the course schedule. If forms do not record class procedures
identified on the form, 8 points will be deducted from total observation points.
Calendar
The following is a tentative and flexible plan and will be amended as necessary. All
changes will be announced in class or on CourseDen. It is your responsibility to check
CourseDen for communiqués.
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Week Month
Topics, Activities & Assignments
28
Singing, Class/Text information; Music concepts; Music
activities; choosing a song and Teaching a song by rote;
Introduction to recorder; Music in the preschool; How to write
a personal philosophy; Observation Reports; Preschool
activities and development; selection of symphony repertoire
assignments.
September
4
Class Activities: Rote Song Presentations, Preschool
presentations, Recorder, Assignments of Music Education
paper/presentation topics. Class topics: National Standards and
Quality Core Curriculum, History and Trends of Music
Education, Elements of music, Test I Overview (music
education history, National Standards, Georgia Performance
Standards); Philosophy of Music Education); Campbell
textbook reading assignment; Creating a Listening Map.
Campbell textbook reading assignment.
3
11
Class Activities: Test 1 (points given for completed field
observation hours and forms); Recorders; Listening/Playing
Instruments: Teaching Music report; Assignment of Music
Education topics; Personal philosophy due. Accompanied
Songs performed (3).
4
18
In CourseDen Discussion, identify your Journal Article (first
come first serve with no repeated articles). Journal review
should be posted on CourseDen by 5:00 PM 9/18; Ethics for
the Georgia Educator; Accompanied Songs performed (3).
5
25
Class Activities: Music Education History and Trends
Presentations; Select lesson for group presentation; Declare in
which in-field class you plan to teach your lesson: Class
Topics: Movement; Campbell textbook reading assignment;
Creating/Reading/Notating music. Accompanied Songs
performed (4).
6
2
Class Activities: Group Lesson Presentations; Declare which
elementary grade and class for which you plan to teach your
lesson. Accompanied Songs performed (4).
9
Listening Map Lesson Presentations (Selections drawn from
ASO Program) The Song Project. Accompanied Songs
performed (4).
2
October
August
1
Date
7
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Week Month
Date
Topics, Activities & Assignments
16
Class Activities: Listening Map Lesson Presentations,
Reconstructed Field Lesson Plan Due. Class Topics: The Unit
Plan; Discipline; Preparing the song project; Test II Overview;
Preparing the Unit Lesson Plan; Basal Series Critique.
Students who have not turned in completed forms for 12 hours
of observations (4 Preschool and 8 Elementary) will be
withdrawn from class
9
23
Class Activities: Recorder Test (Part of Test 3), Step 1 of Unit
Plan due. Class Topics: Special Learners, Approaches,
Theories, and Methodologies. Campbell textbook reading
assignment; Methods of Teaching Music to Children. Basal
Series Critique Due.
10
30
Step 2 of Unit Plan due along with written plan and assessment
due Submitted in CourseDen; Lesson Plan Presentations
11
6
Critiques of Lesson Plan Presentations due online by 5:30 PM.
Required attendance of Carroll Symphony Orchestra Concert
November
8
7
Department trip to Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Tickets sold
Friday by Collegiate Chapter of the National Association of Music
Educators; Friday, Nov. 7 (6:30 start time; 4:35 bus departure
time if seat has been reserved)--Beethoven's Leonore Overture
No. 2 and Brahms Symphony No. 1
12
13
Listening Maps Submitted through CourseDen with individual
critiques of each presentations; Test 2 through CourseDen;
13
20
Curriculum Planning; Campbell textbook reading assignment;
Teach Lesson in the school
24-26 Thanksgiving—No class
December
14
Final
MUSIC 3900
4
Observation reports due (No forms will be accepted after this
class); Last day to teach your lesson in the school; Review for
final. Song Portfolio due; Campbell textbook reading
assignment
11
5:30 PM (Final will not be given early)
Song Performance
Recorder Performance
Written Examination
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Disclaimer
Instruction contained in this syllabus was, to the knowledge of the instructor, considered
correct and complete when distributed for use; however, this syllabus should not be
considered a contract between University of West Georgia and the student. The instructor
reserves the right to make changes in course content or instructional techniques without
notice or obligation.
MUSIC 3900
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