MUS 185 (ECE 120) Music in Early Childhood Winter 2012 Monday and Wednesday 11:00-12:15 Exam Time: Monday, April 23, 10:30 AM -1:00 PM Instructor -- Dr. Karen Salvador Contact Information Email: ksalvado@umflint.edu Office: 126 French Hall Office Phone: 810 762-0950 Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 1-3:00 PM Or by appointment. Email is the easiest way to reach me. Course Goals Students will be able to: 1. Define the elements of music and identify them in aural examples. 2. Define the elements of movement (according to Laban) and design movement activities based on them. 3. Describe the stages of general and musical development in early childhood and apply this information to teaching in (and lesson planning for) early childhood settings. 4. Participate in and lead musical play with small children. Required Text Beth Bolton, Alison Reynolds, Cindy Taggart, Wendy Valerio, and Edwin Gordon. Music Play: The Early Childhood Music Curriculum. Chicago: GIA Publications, 1998. MUST include CD. General Guidelines: Unless otherwise specified in the syllabus, readings and assignments are due in Monday’s class each week. For each reading, students must submit 2 multiple-choice questions. Excellent questions will be included on the midterm exam. These questions are how I will track attendance. Assignments must be typed (12 pt font, double-spaced) and free of errors in grammar and spelling. Assignments may be submitted via email as .doc or .docx, and must be received before class to be considered “on time.” Journal entries and blogs must be submitted through BlackBoard, where you will also find information such as assignment descriptions, rubrics, and additional readings. This course uses BlackBoard rather than a coursepack, so expect to do readings in addition to the readings listed in the syllabus. I may also assign additional blogs. Students are required to check email regularly and promptly respond to email communications.
MUS 185 Syllabus Salvador, p. 2
MUS 185 Syllabus Salvador, p. 3 Week 1 – January 4: Course Orientation, Introductions, Goals of EC music instruction, Music Play For next week: • Read Music Play pp. 1-15 (Multiple-choice questions.) • Journal Entry: How comfortable are you with singing, moving, and being playful in front of others? Do you consider yourself a musician? Why or why not? Remember, journals are private between you and Dr. Salvador. • Blog (Please post your blog by Friday 1/6, so we can read up on everyone before Monday): What experiences do you have with young children? What are your prior musical experiences (in school, with children, etc.)? What is your major and where are you in your progress toward degree completion? Read up on all your classmates so we can accelerate getting to know each other. (Quiz Monday….) Week 2 – January 9: Elements of music. Music listening in EC. January 11: General Development in Early Childhood ***Before class on Wednesday 1/11*** Research (online is fine) the developmental theories of your assigned researcher (Jean Piaget, Albert Bandura, Lev Vygotsky, BF Skinner, or Erik Erikson). Take notes and be prepared to informally present for 10 minutes. For next week: • Read Music Play pp. 16-20, review pp. 1-15 (Multiple-choice questions.) • Blog (two parts): (1) find two pieces of music that would be appropriate to use as listening examples in an early childhood setting. Provide links to the examples and (in 2-3 sentences) justify each of your choices. What is it about this particular piece of music that makes it appropriate as a listening example for young children? What would you have them do while they listen? (For the activity portion, please specify an age group: infants, toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary.) (2) Comment on at least two other entries—do you agree these are suitable pieces, and why or why not? This activity is graded as a homework assignment, and grading includes not only your original post but also the quality of your responses to the posts of others. Week 3—January 16 No Class, MLK Day January 18: Musical Development in Early Childhood. Movement. For next week: • Based on your notes from this week, write 1 multiple-choice question regarding the developmental theories of Vygotsky, Skinner, Bandura, Piaget, Erickson, and Gordon (Music Learning Theory)—total of 6 questions. • Create a movement activity for each of the following elements: flow (bound/free), weight (heavy/light), space (shared/self or
MUS 185 Syllabus Salvador, p. 4 stationary/locomotor), and time (fast/slow). Describe each activity in a paragraph (or two) that clearly describes what the teacher and students are doing. Please be specific and include any songs/chants or recordings, if necessary. Your activities should have vivid imagery that will capture the imagination of the age group you are targeting. Please specify toddler, preschool, or early elementary for each activity. You may not choose infants for this assignment. Be prepared to teach all of your movement activities in class. Week 4: January 23 – Movement peer teaching, prepare for first practicum. January 25: Practicum 1 For next week: • Read Music Play pp. 22-31 (Multiple-choice questions.) • Journal Entry: Reflect on your practicum experience. How did it go? What did you notice about the musical developmental level of the children? What activities seemed to work best? Which ones didn’t go as well? Why do you think some went better than others? Week 5 – January 30 - Acculturation in detail February 1: Practicum 2 For next week: • Read Music Play pp. 30-40 (Multiple-choice questions.) • Journal Entry: prompt on BlackBoard Week 6 – February 6 - Imitation in detail February 8: Practicum 3 For next week: • Read Music Play pp. 41-43 (Multiple-choice questions.) • Journal Entry: prompt on BlackBoard Week 7– February 13 Assimilation in detail February 15: Practicum 4 For next week: • Review Music Play pp. 30-40 (Multiple-choice questions.) • Journal Entry: prompt on BlackBoard Week 8 –February 20 Singing voice development in early childhood, beat competence. Benefits of EC music instruction. February 22: Practicum 5 For week 9 (March 5):
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Journal Entry: prompt on BlackBoard Blog: Go over your notes. Post questions about any SPECIFIC topics you are still confused about for our midterm review session. Read over the posts of others. If you think you can clear up someone’s confusion, please comment on their post. Sometimes you all understand one another’s questions better than I do, and also can offer explanations that are more helpful than mine. ;-)
NO CLASS FEBRUARY 27 AND 29, SPRING BREAK!!!!!!!!! Week 9 –March 5 Review: elements of music, general and musical development in early childhood, movement, singing voice development, listening pieces. March 7: Practicum 6: PROBABLY IN FRENCH HALL!!! For next week: • Journal Entry: prompt on BlackBoard • Study for Midterm. Week 10 – March 12 Midterm, covers all readings and lecture so far March 14: Practicum 7: PROBABLY IN FRENCH HALL!!! For next week: • Journal Entry: prompt on BlackBoard Week 11 – March 19 Early childhood music instruction and special populations March 21: Practicum 8 For next week: • Journal Entry: prompt on BlackBoard Week 12 –March 26 Early childhood music instruction in elementary settings March 28: Practicum 9 For next week: • Journal Entry: prompt on BlackBoard Week 13 – April 2: Emergent topics. (classroom management? Advocating for music in various settings? Integration of music in classroom instruction?) April 4: Practicum 10 For next week: • Final project (described below) is due April 9. Half of you will peer teach on the 9th, and the other half will peer teach the 16th. • Journal Entry: prompt on BlackBoard
MUS 185 Syllabus Salvador, p. 6 Week 14 – April 9: Final project peer teaching April 11: Practicum (last one). For next week: • Journal Entry: prompt on BlackBoard • Prepare journal meta-reflections. Remember, they will not be accepted late. Week 15 – April 16: Final project peer teaching. Meta-Reflections due today. Late Meta-Reflections will NOT be accepted. No exceptions. Final: Monday, April 23, 10:30 AM -1:00 PM We will have a 10 minute one-on-one meeting to discuss your performance in the class and will also go over your dispositions inventory. Evaluation: 40% Assignments (including blogs, written work, and practicum teaching) 400 Listening examples blog/comments (50); Movement activities (50); January MC Questions (25); February MC Questions (25); Practicum teaching (movement) 75, Practicum teaching (chant) 75, practicum teaching (song) 75 20% Midterm Exam 200 15% Final Teaching Project 150 15% Journal (each entry is credit-no credit) 150 10% Journal Meta-Reflection 100 Grades will adhere to the following scale in accordance with the College of Arts and Sciences: 95-100A 73-76 C 90-94 A70-72 C87-89 B+ 67-69 D+ 83-86 B 63-66 D 80-82 B60-62 D0-59 E Practicum: Every Wednesday from January 25 until April 11 we will meet in the Tuscola Room of the White building for a practicum experience observing and teaching music to children who attend the UM-Flint Early Childhood Development Center. Specific assignments for practicum will be shared on BlackBoard. It is critical that you are on time (please arrive at 10:50) and dress in a way that you can move and sit on the floor comfortably and… um… tastefully. ;-) March 7 and 14 I was not able to reserve the Tuscola Room, so we will probably meet in French Hall. As soon
MUS 185 Syllabus Salvador, p. 7 as I see students who are ready, I will integrate student leaders into the practicum. My goal by the end of the semester is that each student would lead one chant, one movement activity, and one song (with or without words). You will have advance notice, and some student leadership may begin as early as Practicum 3. Practicum is only 50 minutes long. After the first and second practica, all students will stay for a discussion of what occurred. After we begin having individual students lead portions of the lesson, the students who taught will stay to discuss their experience with Dr. Salvador. Other students are encouraged to use the remainder of class time to write notes for their journal entry while the memories are fresh. Journal entries must be detailed and show depth of analytical thought with regard to the development of the children we are working with. Give evidence for your assertions! Final Project: Create and annotate a lesson plan “menu� for a 50-minute early childhood music lesson. Prepare to peer-teach 10 minutes of your lesson in class (April 9th or 16th). After spring break, I will post a detailed assignment description and grading rubric on BlackBoard. Journal: Each student will be required to write weekly entries in a journal on BlackBoard. These journals will be private communication between the student and the professor. Most journal entries will be reflections on practicum experiences (observations, analysis of teaching, etc) and are due within 24 hours of the practicum experience. I will reply to most (if not all) journal entries with comments, things to think about, and perhaps even questions. Although I will never specifically reference a person in class, I may use general ideas from journal entries in class for discussion or illustration. These journals are credit/no credit, and credit will be granted to entries that demonstrate richness of description and depth in reflection. Save each journal entry, you will need it for your Meta-Reflection. Journal Meta-Reflection: Read over your journal entries in order from the beginning of the semester. Look for evidence of how you have grown or what you have learned over the semester. Reflect on your progress in a 4-5 page paper (12 pt. font such as Times New Roman, double-spaced). Questions you might consider include (but are not limited to): Are you developing the competencies that are the objectives of this course? What will you take away from the combination of this class and practicum? How can you communicate your expertise to a potential employer? What questions or concerns do you still have (or do you now have as a result of your experiences)? Attendance: Just as you will expect your students to attend classes and be on time, I expect the same. You will be learning from each other, so tardiness and absences not only affect your learning, but also the education of your classmates. You are allowed three absences for any reason (including work, illness, emergencies, religious observance, etc.). If you have more than three absences this semester, your final grade will be lowered by .5 for each absence. In addition, two tardies will count as one absence.
MUS 185 Syllabus Salvador, p. 8 Late Assignments: If you do not turn in an assignment by the end of the class during which it is due, it is considered late, even if you are absent from class that day. The assignment may be turned in at the next class, but the assignment grade will automatically be lowered 10%. Assignments will not be accepted more than one week late. I will happily accept emailed assignments. Journal entries are due within 24 hours of the practicum, and will not be accepted more than a week late. Writing Center: The Writing Center can help you with any writing or speaking project, from starting an assignment to the finished paper or speech. You can get help with papers or speeches for any course on campus, graduate or undergraduate. Take a draft of your paper or speech to the Writing Center and the tutors will help you complete it. If you have an assignment sheet, bring that too. For more information about the Writing Center or to schedule an appointment, go to the Writing Center website at http://www.umflint.edu/writingcenter/ or call (810) 766-6602. The Writing Center is located in 559 French Hall. Academic Integrity: All violations of academic integrity will be reported to the College of Arts and Sciences immediately and will result in a lowered grade or failure for the course. Additionally, violations of academic integrity could result in expulsion from the University of Michigan-Flint. Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, aiding and abetting dishonesty, falsification of records and documents, identity theft, misrepresentation, or the attempt to commit any of these acts. For further information, consult the latest UM-Flint Course Catalog. Americans with Disabilities Act: Anyone requiring special adaptations or accommodations should inform the instructor as soon as possible. In accordance with University procedure, if you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access to this course, please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Disability Services at the beginning of the semester or when given an assignment for which an accommodation is required. Final Caveat: I realize that, for some of you, music may not be your “thing,� or maybe you have not really done music since elementary school--or ever! Even if you are not the most confident musician, your use of music and movement with early childhood populations is crucial to their development. If you have concerns or questions about your musical abilities, please talk to me. I would be happy to help you in any way I can. Please turn off your phone and put it away before you come in to class and ESPECIALLY before you come into practicum. Laptops/tablets are acceptable when used appropriately.