MUSIC 23241
March 1, 2011
Power of the Standards
Lehman uses the introduction to discuss the complexities of the standards and how it is difficult to explain it clearly to everyone. He also provides basic ideas of how to teach certain skills by using examples of teachers and how they use the standards and what they think about them. He then proceeds to identify the nine standards and then explain their purpose and why they are important. He talks about the reasons for the standards in his opinion and how he feels they should function.
Obviously I have been subjected to many of the standards throughout my educational career. The most obvious one is dealing with singing and playing instruments. Another standard that I was very much a part of in high school was reading and notating music. I wish I could have learned more about the historical and cultural context of some of the music I performed, but there wasn't nearly enough time to learn all of that in the limited class time. I also wish there would have been more time for listening to, analyzing, and describing music because when I got to college it was hard for me to do the listening comprehension tests in my music theory classes.
I agree that the standards can definitely help benefit students because it gives them a broader idea of music and helps them truly comprehend music from several different stand points. I also agree with Lehman that the standards can help music educators focus where their efforts should go and help keep class organized and productive. Music deserves a place with the other curriculum in schools because of all the benefits music can have on a person and community and humans in general. I am also a believer in the standards and I feel they are very important in many aspects of music education.
Lehman, Paul R. Power of the national standards. 3-9.
Good statements.
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