Secondary General Music

Learning in general music classes is most effective when students are actively involved and have quality aural experiences. Performing, working in small groups, active listening, creating, moving to music, and independent projects result in deeper learning than lectures and worksheets. Courses in general music, therefore, should provide opportunities for performing (voice, guitar/ukulele, keyboard, percussion, handbells, electronic generated music and other instruments); responding (movement, listening-based classes such as music history and literature); creating (electronic music, improvisation, composition); and making connections to other arts, disciplines, cultures, and personal life. Because performing, responding, and creating are the modes through which musical understandings are achieved, even listening-based classes should include appropriate performing and creating activities. Recommended activities, such as listening, performing, creating, improvising, and responding are efficient hands-on learning modes, attract and hold the students’ interest, and give students a key to lifelong enjoyment of music.

• Classes address the interests and needs of the students in your schools, but the essential questions and enduring understandings will guide the development of curriculum and assessment.
• The teacher determines the specific skills and skill levels that will aid in the understanding of the essential questions and enduring understandings.
• Several points should be considered in the design of these courses. They should be based on the Wisconsin Secondary General Music Standards and focused on the needs and interests of those students who elect not to be in a performing group. There should be no prerequisites, real or implied, that might discourage students whose last music course might have been in sixth grade.
• The WI Secondary General Music Standards have pulled creating, performing, responding, and connecting objectives from the following strands as all can be encompassed in the development of secondary general curriculum: Ensemble, Technology, Instrumental & Vocal, Composition & Theory. This will allow the teacher to design a custom curriculum that meets the needs of students their school. It will also provide a balance of the creating, performing, responding, and connecting standards.

*Standards maps may be reproduced if Wisconsin Music Educators Association is cited as the original source.