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Curriculum Project
Creating this curriculum project has given me a framework for the process of designing
quality and effective music curriculums for any teaching situation. I found it very challenging to
design an essential question at first, but I persisted and approached the issue in a different
manner so that I could solve-my problem and create a workable essential question (Dweck).
Once I switched the context of my curriculum to beginning band, I was able to envision my
teaching scenario better. This impressed upon me the importance of taking context into
consideration when designing curricula and assessments (Da Feltre, Dewey). Once I narrowed
approach, starting with an enduring understanding and an essential question. This is essential
to the design process because these elements help provide a focus for the curriculum. This
process starts with the big idea, or the enduring understanding, then switches to the smaller
parts, and then requires editing and refinement of the overall product. This reminds me of
Gordons whole-part-whole method of teaching. It also provides a better way for me, the
designer, to connect all of the learning activities to the enduring understanding and the essential
question. As a class, we discussed the importance of making informed decisions by taking into
consideration the National Core Arts Standards so that students can better connect ideas
(Piaget, Herbart), and be set up for successful learning through a spiral curriculum method in
which the same concepts in the NCAS would return time and time again in different forms
(Bruner).
After creating my enduring understanding and essential question, I began thinking about
the concepts and skills that a person who could answer the essential question would have. My
essential question is: To what extent do aural skills improve music literacy? A person who would
be able to answer this question would be comfortable learning songs by ear, improvising, and
responding to music in an informed manner. For the purpose of my curriculum, I chose to focus
on the performance and creation aspects (playing-by-ear and improvising). The next step in the
and learning activities that can be implemented part of the learning process.
discussing the importance of these concepts, I am now able to understand them more fully and
personally because I experienced creating them. I also believe that I will continue to develop my
understand this process because I will be able to apply my curriculum in the upcoming school