Colorado+Curriculum+Review+-+Michelle+Berra

I.Rigor: I believe that these standards are intellectually demanding.I particularly like the fact that the High School Expectations are broken down into two different groups (Performance and Generalist).This allows for distinction between the tracks while maintain the integrity of the standard. They are measured at a different level.This is very helpful for teachers who teach High School and want to make sure that they are differentiating the curriculum and holding all students to high standards. Another area that I felt to be useful is the integration of 21st Century Skills into the standards. Seeing them side by side with the standards, expectations, and evidence based outcomes is helpful. Many teachers, parents, students, and stakeholders know that music teaches valuable 21st Century Skills but don’t have the specific language to articulate their thoughts. Seeing it laid on next to the specific area makes it very easy to understand and comprehend.
 * Review of Standards for Colorado: Michelle Berra **

I believe that the standards are specific and appropriate for the grade levels, particularly at the elementary level.The progression of pitch and rhythm presentation is aligned with appropriate child development.

II. Coherence: The Colorado Standards are unified. The writers had a clear vision of what they wanted their students to take away from music classes PK-12. Having a scaled down list (12 items) of Prepared Graduate Competencies in Music helped focus the Grade Level Expectations. The fact that each expectation went back to support one or more of the 12 competencies always reminds stakeholders the purpose for the standard. Again, I feel that the expectations are age appropriate and manageable.

III.Focus The writers have made clear choices about what is most important for students to learn as evidenced by their Prepared Graduate Competencies in Music. There is a very clear focus. To address what music teachers teach by not “picking up a book” there are clear 21st century skills that address the “big ideas” in music.

IV.Specificity: The Colorado Standards are specific. They include the level of performance and often give a range of appropriate performance (for instance, at a level 2 or 3). They also include the grading criterion in the appendix. I think they are specific enough without being too limiting. The performance track at the High School level is more specific- though reasonably due to the targeted classes and students.

V.Clarity/Accessibility & Organization/Communication: I believe the standards to be clear, error-free, legible, and easy to use. However, someone would need to sit down at first and become familiar with the format. If a school system were to adopt standards like this there should be professional development to teach teachers how to use them effectively. At first glance I was a little overwhelmed with the amount of information but after reading for a few minutes and seeing the layout it became clear and easy to follow. I wonder if stakeholders not in the field of music would take the time to really “digest” all that there is in the content.Something that makes it easier is that they start the document with the big picture and the goals of the standards. That made it easy to start to “dig deeper” into their process. The standards are generally “jargon free,” consistent, and appropriate.

VI. Measurability: Colorado has done an exemplary job in ensuring the standards are measurable. Each standard has only two to three (High School Performance has a few more) “Evidence Based Outcomes” that outline specifically what it is that a student needs to do to demonstrate mastery of a grade level expectation.

Consider this Fourth Grade Expectation: 1. Application and demonstration of the use of more advanced dynamics, tempo, me ter and articulation using appropriate music vocabulary. The Evidence Based outcomes are: a. Apply vocabulary for mezzo piano/mezzo-forte, andante, presto, and accelerando/ ritardando in describing musical examples b. Demonstrate mezzo-piano/mezzo forte, andante, presto, and accelerando/ ritardando using movement, voice, and instruments. c. Explain the function of the top and bottom numbers of a time signature in duple and triple meter.

In my opinion the standards are manageable. One of the goals of the Colorado writers was the make sure that there will be fewer, higher, and cleared standards. When you first see the 161 page document it is easy to feel overwhelmed with the amount of material. However, when you break it down you see that they started with the end in mind. As you continue reading the document you see where they came from and their thought process as they move through the different grade levels.

At the beginning of the document there is a one page list of prepared graduate competencies in Music. These are the “concepts and skills that all students who complete the Colorado education system must master to ensure their success in a postsecondary and workforce setting.” (p.11).

All of the Grade Level Expectations are listed under 4 categories, Expression of Music, Creation of Music, Theory of Music, and Aesthetic Valuation of Music. Each category has 2-4 expectations per grade level. Each of the expectations are further broken down into only 2-3 evidence based outcomes (e.g.; perform using correct posture, breathing, and diction (p.40)) and 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies which include Inquiry Questions, Relevance and Application, and Nature of Music. These skills help vested parties to understand the Enduring Understandings and Life-long skills that the arts teach that are separate from the evidence based outcomes that are music related.

Since there are only and average of 3 grade level expectations for each grade level it is very manageable and allows teachers to teach for mastery rather than “covering” benchmarks. These standards are exemplary in manageability providing one simply takes the time to understand how they are put together.

Side note: I truly appreciate that they acknowledge and separated expression and theory as “musicality exists in many forms” and that “theory is not always a prerequisite for expression.” Bravo. I recommend that we all take a closer look at these standards and see what lines up with our Big Ideas and Enduring Understandings.