Restructuring Music's Role in the Middle School Curriculum

Mar 30, 04:32 AM

Current Headlines: By Eady, Israel L; Wilson, Janell D

Curriculum is more than the syllabus, the required reading list, schedule of test, papers, or homework assignments. It is the manner in which the world enters the school. Curriculum encodes the social relations and the power of these relations with respect to people and knowledge. Music is known as the universal language; therefore, it can be integrated in all curricular studies to promote learning in all academic arenas.

According to Schlechty (1990), restructuring refers to changing social systems. Paradigms, roles and relationships need to be altered so that schools can more effectively serve students. Integrating music into core areas to positively influence learning in middle grades is a restructuring strategy. In order to activate this strategy, teachers must be encouraged to improvise utilizing an interdisciplinary core approach to curriculum planning and implementation.

Curriculum is more than the syllabus, the reading list, schedule of tests, papers or homework assignments, etc. It is the manner in which the world enters the school. Curriculum encodes the social relations and the power of these relations with respect to people and knowledge. Therefore, teachers and students do not need to have adversarial, split-off, and specialized relationships. Music is referred to as the universal language of the world. Teachers do not need to bring a world to students, especially those in middle grades, that is a jumble of walls, barriers and gates (Gromet, 1989). James Beane (1990) argues that middle grades teachers should base curriculum on the developmental needs and abilities of students in connection with society's values and expectations. Society values and expects music. Therefore, music staff and core staff need to link music to other disciplines. According to Finn (1990), this will allow opportunities for students to use visual and auditory media, in addition to the written word, to express ideas and concepts.

Staff members need to be committed to and enjoy working with young adolescents. Personal interest needs to be taken in these students throughout the school day. Administrators need to believe in the total development of students, especially in middle grades and to administer the school with that in mind. The goal of mid-die grades schools is to improve the success of students in a variety of curricula in order to raise the students' self-esteem. Encore subjects such as music should not be given second class treatment, and music teachers should not be treated differently than core teachers (Larson, 1992).

Philosophers and child development experts believe that arts experiences such as music are important for middle grades students (Musoleno, 1990). However, some administrators have been led to reduce instructional time in the arts in order to increase time for core subjects. Instead, middle grades students need expanded time for arts instruction at a level that enables them to experience quality. Classer (1990) states that students have a good idea of what parts of their schooling are high quality. Music is viewed by students as high quality because they feel important participating in the group or team work involved in music. Therefore, according to Hackett (1991), music teachers as well as core teachers should be included on curriculum planning teams. Insights of both staff need to be utilized for integrating music into core areas.

Music-Core Staff Collaboration

The general role of educators is to guide middle grades students and all students in their learning about life. Seldom is life experienced in a series of isolated events. Therefore, teachers should share in collaborative curriculum decision-making in order to shape the world of their students. Because music is an integral part of life, it should be an integral part of school experiences. Administrators need to assure that integration projects are carried out as an expansion of music offerings in the school. The integrity of music needs to be maintained. Music teachers need to be appropriately recognized and rewarded for their input (Thompson, 1992).

Music educators need opportunities to advance their professions by utilizing local resources and by building partnerships. Music teachers need to work cooperatively with other individuals who have demonstrated commitment to arts education (National Arts Education Accord, 1991). Mark Shubart (1992), president of the Lincoln Center Institute for Arts in

Education, offers a viewpoint for all educators. He mentions that the place of arts in the learning process needs to be reconsidered. Educators need to realize that the arts are a potent force to insure that the next generation will be able to function freely and imaginatively in the imaginative domain. The basics should not be replaced, but understood in a different way. Instructional program teachers need to work in partnership with artists in order to touch every child through the arts. Administrators, core, and music teachers need to function in collaborative curriculum decision- making roles in dealing with middle grades students. Focus needs to be placed on interdisciplinary core learning for the total development of adolescents. These goals can be enriched through the study of core themes integrated with music. The collaboration of administrators, core and music teachers should enhance an interdisciplinary core approach to curriculum and promote real professionalism.

Summary

Developmental goals such as selfesteem, creativity, motivation for learning, problem-solving and communication skill have been enhanced through a few core curriculum programs. Music has been used to provide motivation in mathematics, social studies, language arts, science, history, etc. Music is known as the universal language; therefore, it can be integrated in all studies to provide learning appeal. Because music can help make school a pleasant place, and children and music belong together, educators should take advantage of this natural source of motivation (Brunk, 1981; Cohen-Taylor, 1981; McTeer & Bailey, 1980; Weisskoff, 1981).

References

Beane, J. (1991). The middle school: The natural home of integrated curriculum. Educational Leadership, 49(4), 9-13.

Brunk, V. N. (1981). Validations of a sociomusic curriculum: Music integrated with social studies and science. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Texas A and M University, College Station.

Cohen-Taylor, G. (1981). Music in language arts instruction. Language Arts, 58, 363-368.

Finn, C. (1990). The biggest reform of all. Phi Delta Kappan, 71, 584-92.

Classer, W. (1990). The quality of school. Phi Delta Kappan, 71,432.

Gromet, M. R. 1989. Dinner at Abigail's: Nurturing collaboration. NEA Today, 7(5), 21.

Hackett, R. (1991, March 18). Network of WaIdorf Schools grows. Christian Science Monitor, p. 12.

Larson, B. (1992). Music programs at the middle level: Scheduling for success. NASSP Bulletin, 76(554), 27.

McTeer, H. J., & Baey, R. T. (1980). The effect of the teaching technique using popular music upon students' attitudes toward history and subject matter knowledge. A study conducted at South Cobb High School, Austell. GA. April Dialog, ERIC, ED 196 749.

Musoleno, R. (1990). A model for music curriculum suited to exemplary practices of middle school education. Ann Arbor, MI: University microfilms International.

National Arts Education Accord. (1991). A statement on arts education to school boards and superintendents. Reston, VA: Music Educators' National Conference.

Schlechty, P. (1990). Restructuring schools for the 21st century. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Shubart, Mark. (1990). Touching every child through arts. The School Administrator, 47(10), 52.

Thompson, K. P. (1992). Integrating music into the curriculum: A recipe for success. NAASP Bulletin 76 (544), 47.

Weisskoff, R. S. (1981). The relationship of pop/rock music to children's task performance and continuing motivation in language arts instruction. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Connecticut, Hartford, CT.

ISRAEL L. EADY, ED.D

Assistant Professor

Department of Educational Resources

JANELL D. WILSON, PH.D

Professor

Department of Secondary Education

Jacksonville State University

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