Instrumental and vocal ensemble teaching each requires unique skills, methods and materials. However, it is not uncommon that a choir teacher may be asked to take on one hour of beginning band; an orchestra teacher may be assigned to direct a middle school chorus. In all cases, good relations among members of a music faculty rest on a substantive understanding of the various teaching contexts. It is the purpose of this course sequence to introduce skills that will help you in ensemble teaching situations, those that may be familiar as well as those that may be new to you.

Specifically, during MUSED 304 and 305 you will:

The instrumental part of this course will focus on designing and implementing a beginning band and orchestra program.

Contacting Your Colleagues

All class members are welcome to post messages to the MUSED 305 e-mail distribution list. The address is:

mused305a_wi12@uw.edu

Messages will be sent to your uw.edu e-mail address. Be sure to monitor this account, even if it is not your primary address. Remember, your instructor is on this distribution list, too!

Required Materials

These items will be used during MUSED 305:

• A secondary wind or string instrument (available from Metropolitan Music)
  
• Appropriate method books: (1) One for the instrument you are teaching and (2) one for the instrument you are learning

•    Colwell, Richard J., and Thomas Goolsby. The Teaching of Instrumental Music. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002. (on reserve)

•    Delzell, Judith K., and Paul F. Doerksen. “Reconsidering the Grade Level for Beginning Instrumental Music.” Update: The Application of Research in Music Education 16 (Spring/Summer 1998):  17-22.

•    Duke, Robert A., and James L. Byo. Habits of Musicianship: A Radical Approach to Beginning Band. Austin, TX: Center for Music Learning, 2007.

•    Fraedrich, Eileen. The Art of Elementary Band Directing. Fort Lauderdale, FL: Meredith Music Publications, 1997.

•    The Instrumentalist. First Lessons on Each Instrument. Northfield, IL: Instrumentalist Publications, 1999 (on reserve)

•    Littrell, David and Laura Reed Racin. Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2001.

•    Miles, Richard and Thomas Dvorak, Eds. Teaching Music Through Performance in Beginning Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2001.

This is an interactive, experience-based course. Learning can only happen if you are present and prepared for the class meetings. Participation and preparation is a significant part of your grade. Your colleagues are counting on you.

Most assignments for this course will be submitted electronically. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class meeting on the due date. Late assignments will receive a 1-point deduction for each calendar day late beginning at the start of the class period. Absence is not an excuse.

Every item you produce should reflect the highest level of professionalism. All written assignments should be checked thoroughly for spelling, grammatical and structural errors. Notated musical materials should be in the neatest of manuscript or generated by a notation program. Assignments not meeting a high standard of presentation reflect inadequate preparation and will affect your grade and/or will be returned for revision and re-submission.

Final grades in this course are determined by the final total of points earned on all assignments, exams, participation and preparation. The following scale shows the minimum number of points required to earn the given landmark grades. Other grades not shown (i.e., 3.9 or 2.7) will also be calculated using this scale.

4.0 = 96 - 100 points
3.5 = 90.5 points
3.0 = 85 points
2.5 = 79.5 points
2.0 = 74 points (minimum grade to fulfill Music Education major requirement)
1.5 = 68.5 points
1.0 = 63 points
0.7 = 60 points
0.0 = < 60 points

Follow this link for information on the general UW grading system.