MUS 326-001 SYLLABUS
General Classroom Music Methods (3 credits)
Tuesday & Thursday, 12:30 - 1:45 PM
Cultural Arts Building, Room 1059
Spring, 2014
Contact
Text and Materials
Course Description
Course Requirements
Proficiencies
Assessments
Attendance Policy
Grading Scale
Course Schedule
Contact:
Instructor
Office
Office Hours
Phone
Email
Learning Goals and
Objectives
Assignments and Late
Work Policy
Academic Honor Code
Daniel C. Johnson, Ph.D.
Cultural Arts Building, 1056
M – F, 10 - 11 AM by appointment
(910) 962-7559
johnsond@uncw.edu
Texts and Materials:
Required: Music in Childhood—fourth edition (Campbell & Scott-Kassner, 2013) available at the UNCW
Bookstore and Seahawk Books. A soprano recorder is also required available at the UNCW Bookstore or off
campus. Additional readings, online links, and exercises will be provided by the instructor.
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Course Description:
This course includes methodologies for teaching music in the classroom (Orff, Kodály, and Dalcroze
approaches), computer applications, music textbooks, and classroom materials for music education in grades
K-12. Course topics focus on the non-performance music curriculum. This course also includes the study of
learning theories appropriate to elementary-aged music students combined with applications in practical
lesson plans. Classroom meetings are combined with observations and practice teaching. Practice teaching
and observations will take place off campus, with cooperating classroom music teachers in K – 12 public
schools. In addition to scheduled class meetings, one hour of field experience is required each week.
This course focuses on the importance of roles a universal human pursuit (music) plays in society with
particular applications to formal and informal educational settings. As an upper-level course, it draws upon
principles from psychology, education, and sociology and applies them using critical and higher-order
thinking skills. It also introduces applicable research methodologies to enhance students' understanding of
music education for community engagement and global citizenship.
Prerequisite: Admission to the College of Education or consent of instructor, and piano skills sufficient to
pass Class Piano II (MUS 142). As an upper-level course, this class draws on each student’s abilities to
synthesize musical and pedagogical skills in preparation to teach classroom music.
Corequisite: Field Experience in General Music (MUSL 326).
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Learning Goals and Objectives:
Learning goals of this course are to prepare undergraduate music majors to teaching classroom music by:
1. becoming familiar with the major learning theories in the context of classroom music
2. writing sample lesson and unit plans based on a variety of musical concepts
3. experiencing and understanding the most effective elementary pedagogies in simulated teaching
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situations
4. demonstrating effective teaching skills in simulated and realistic classroom situations
5. observing certified music educators teach in classroom music situations
At the completion of this course, the student will be able to:
• write a lesson plan focusing on one of the five major musical concepts
• estimate the appropriate grade level for a given piece of music
• outline a unit plan focusing on a nonmusical theme
• give effective directions in simulated classroom situations
• undersatnd, explain, and give examples of effective instructional design principles as applied to K-12
music education settings
• demonstrate competent classroom performance skills (i.e. singing, moving, and playing classroom
instruments such as the xylophone/glockenspiel, recorder, and piano)
The goals and objectives of this course are consistent with the Watson College of Education Conceptual
Framework for preparing highly competent professionals to serve in educational leadership roles.
This framework includes:
• Informed data driven decision making
• Reflective practice
• Commitment to ethical and professional standards
• Academic content and pedagogy knowledge
• Technological competencies
• Ability to meet needs of diverse learners
• Knowledge and use of appropriate communication strategies
• Educational practice that positively impacts learning
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Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
1. Students will be able to explain the foundations of educational psychology as applied to
music teaching through their understanding of its major terms, concepts, methods, and
principles.
2. Students will be able to evaluate given social scientific information by applying and
developing criteria for judgment based on the major terminology, concepts, methods, and
principles presented.
3. Students will be able to apply foundational concepts, methods, and principles of human
behavior to resolve conflicting claims related to the arts in public education.
4. Students will be able to articulate issues in public educational policy and explain how
principles from educational psychology can be applied.
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Course Requirements:
• Regular attendance and successful participation in class activities. (Remember that anything
presented in class is a potential test item.)
• Classroom Performance Skills Proficiencies.
• Classroom observations (off-campus).
• Mini-lessons (10-15 minutes) in a peer teaching and a realistic setting.
• Three tests and one final exam.
• Timely completion of written assignments.
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Proficiencies:
For this course, each student needs to have proficient skills in piano, recorder, body percussion, mallet
percussion, and vocal performance at the beginning of this course. During the first two weeks of the course,
all students will demonstrate their vocal and instrumental skills using material provided at the first class
meeting. Up to the first three weeks of class may include teaching these skills, depending upon the students’
prior experiences.
Necessary piano skills are playing a right-hand melody with block left-hand chords using at least three
different chords. The necessary recorder skills are playing pentatonic melodies in the key of G or D covering
the range of one octave (D to D). Necessary vocal skills are singing elementary-level songs, alone, with
lyrics, demonstrating good tone and diction, and with solfége hand signs.
Each proficiency will be scored using a five-point rubric.
For example:
RECORDER
Technique
1
2
3
Pitch accuracy
1
2
3
Rhythm
1
2
3
Total Score
4
4
4
5
5
5
Plan to perform these proficiencies by the end of January.
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Assessments:
There will be three assessments throughout the semester to measure student achievement in this course.
Although anything is "fair game," I will ask questions to allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of the
important content. There will be a review of each unit prior to each test to help you prepare. The tests and
exam will be given on the dates indicated in the course schedule. There will be no make-up opportunities for
these assessments.
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Assignments and Late Work Policy:
For each unit, the material will be presented according to the course schedule. The material will parallel the
textbook, including in-class and homework exercises. To monitor student progress and facilitate the learning
process, you will complete numerous individual assignments as well as group discussions to reinforce the
content of each unit. For the scheduled class sessions, there will be numerous individual assignments to
complete and submit. These assignments are similar to traditional worksheets. See the course schedule for
specific dates scheduled for each unit.
Students will receive full credit for complete, correct assignments submitted on time. (At my discretion, I
may excuse minor errors and award full credit.) Students will receive partial credit awarded on a sliding
scale for incomplete assignments containing substantial errors submitted on time. Students will receive no
credit for missing assignments.
For full credit, students must turn your assignments and any other materials in class or in my office mailbox
at the time that the assignment is due. Assignments will be accepted up to one class period late for full credit
if you are absent from class. In the event that you do not turn in an assignment by the due date and time, it
will be given half credit (50%) if you submit it by the beginning of the next class period. After the beginning
of the next class period, the assignment will neither be accepted nor graded.
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Online Learning Enhancements via Blackboard:
This course has a designated course site available at Blackboard. Log-in instructions will be distributed in
class so that you can access this site at your convenience.
Content Enhancements:
Review and supplemental material relating to course content are posted by textbook
chapter or by topic. These include website references, stand-alone applications, and podcasts.
Course Calendar: The online course calendar details the planned schedule of class meetings and
assessments.
Assignments: Assignments will usually be given and collected in class (face-to-face). The assignment
grades will be posted online so you can track your progress.
Assessments: Test and the final exam will be given online to make the best use of technology and to
minimize grading errors.
My Grades and Progress: Using the My Grades and My Progress tools, you will be able to track your own
work in this course. This feature is often slow; instead, you can navigate to the Assignment and Assessment
tools to track you scores on individually. You may also monitor your assignment grades using the
Assignment tool.
Attendance Policy:
Attendance at each class meeting is required. Absences communicated prior to class sessions may be excused
at the instructor’s discretion. An attendance record with zero or one unexcused absence will result in the final
course grade being raised by one-third (e.g. one unexcused absence would raise a “B” to a “B+”). Two
unexcused absences will not affect the final grade. Any more than two unexcused absences will result in the
final course grade being lowered by one-third a letter grade per unexcused absence (e.g. four unexcused
absences would lower a “B” to a “C+”).
Although class meetings are scheduled twice per week, some instruction may take place online. As
announced by the instructor at least one class period in advance, there will be no regular face-to-face class
meetings in such instances. Instead, readings, exercises, or out-of-class work will be assigned. Frequently,
these tasks will involve material accessed via BlackBoard.
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Grading Scale:
GRADING: Calculation of the final course grade is as follows:
Classroom Performance Skills Proficiencies
Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
Final Exam (comprehensive)
Worksheets and Assignments
TOTAL
10%
15%
15%
15%
20%
25%
100%
For the final course grade, a ten-point grading scale will be used as follows:
92-90=A82-80=B72-70=C62-60=D-
100-93=A
86-83=B
76-73=C
66-63=D
59-below=F
89-87=B+
79-77=C+
69-67=D+
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Course Schedule (tentative)
There are numerous topics, each based on the course objectives and the tentative calendar (below). Because each of the
topics addresses one or more course goals and relates to the other topics logically, students are expected and
encouraged to attend class regularly. The tentative course schedule for this semester is:
Week of:
Topic:
Jan. 14
Syllabus and Introductions
Jan. 21
Classroom Performance Skills Proficiencies
Jan. 28
Chapter 1, Multiple Meanings of Music
Feb. 4
Chapter 2, From Theory to Practice
Feb. 11
Chapter 3, Methods of Teaching Music
Feb. 18
Chapter 3 (cont.)
Feb. 25
Review and Test 1
Mar. 4
SPRING BREAK
Mar. 11
Chapters 4 & 5, Singing & Pitch
Mar. 18
Chapters 6 & 7, Moving & Rhythm
Mar. 25
Chapters 8, 9, & 10, Playing, Listening, & Creating
Apr. 1
Review and Test 2
Apr. 8
Chapter 11, Motivation and Management
Apr. 15
Chapter 12, Curriculum Design
Apr. 22
Chapter 17, Technology for Music Instruction
Apr. 29
Review and Test 3
May 8
11:30 AM – 2:30 PM (Thursday)
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**Please turn off all cell phones and pager devices during class sessions.**
Academic Honor Code
The University of North Carolina at Wilmington is committed to the proposition that the pursuit of truth requires the
presence of honesty among all involved. It is therefore this institution's stated policy that no form of dishonesty among
its faculty or students will be tolerated. Although members of the university community are encouraged to report
occurrences of dishonesty, each individual is principally responsible for his or her own honesty.
All students are encouraged to read section V "Academic Honor Code", in the UNCW Student Handbook, for
definitions of plagiarism, bribery, and cheating, and the procedures for reporting and adjudication of any activities
involving student dishonesty.
UNCW practices a zero-tolerance policy for violence and harassment of any kind. For emergencies contact UNCW
CARE at 962-2273, Campus Police at 962-3184, or Wilmington Police at 911. For University or community resources
visit http://uncw.edu/wrc/crisis.htm.
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The above syllabus for this course is subject to change by the instructor. In the event of any alteration, written changes
to the syllabus will be provided at least one week before they take effect.
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