Introduction

K-5 General Music in the School District of Whitefish Bay is taught by the General Music Specialists.  Concepts are presented in a sequential manner enabling each child to enhance the quality of his/her life by participating fully in their music culture(Lehman, p. 3).

Music teachers in the School District of Whitefish Bay recognize that children in the early grades are active learners who learn music best by singing and playing instruments.  When they listen to music, they respond naturally by moving, singing, or playing along.  They create their own tunes, rhythms, and songs spontaneously and within contexts arranged for them.  As their cognitive abilities develop, children learn to read notation and use music vocabulary to talk about the music that they hear.  The music program in the School District of Whitefish Bay contributes to the students' musical growth by structuring each lesson so as to nurture and expand their musical interests and abilities, broaden their musical horizons, and enrich their knowledge about music (Davidson, p. 1).

Mission Statement

Through performing, describing, and creating, students will begin a fulfilling, lifelong relationship with music.

Student Standards

• Singing/performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
• Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
• Reading and notating music
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
• Evaluating music and music performances
• Understanding music in relation to history and culture

Organization of the Course

K-5 General Music in the School District of Whitefish Bay is taught by the General Music Specialist.  The students are seen in the specialists' classrooms according to the following schedule:

• 4K 20 minutes/week
• K5 20 minutes twice/week
• Grades 1-3 25 minutes three times/week
• Grade 4  25 minutes twice/week + 25 minute choir once/week
• Grade 5  50 minutes once/week + 25 minute choir once/week

Concepts in the music classroom are taught through the following sequence of learning experiences:

• Prepare: 

                 Experience

                 Imitate and Explore

                 Describe

• Label

                 Name the concept

• Apply

                 Practice with known material

                 Reinforce with new material

                 Read or interpret visual representation

                Create, consciously using the concept.

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References:

Davidson, J., Stauffer, S., (1996) Strategies for teaching.  Reston VA.

Lehman, P. (1994).  The school music program a new vision.  National Association for Music Education.  Reston VA