| Neuqua Valley High School Choral Department
Philosophy & Goals
People have a unique ability. It is the ability to share the meanings of emotions, the ability to share that which makes us who we are. No other life form can do such a thing. We not only have such an ability, we have a need to share that which makes us who we are. This has given rise to a uniquely human form of transport; we call it art. The art of music affects our emotions in a most direct, powerful, and untranslatable fashion. Music transcends language; it goes beyond the limits of words and can affect us in ways that nothing else in the world can. It allows us to grow.
There exist countless non-musical benefits through membership in choir as well. Attention to discipline, stage presence, manners, self confidence, work-ethic, cooperation, responsibility, and fostering a desire to improve are but a few.
Goals
- To develop each student's aesthetic potential;
- To develop knowledge, understanding, and habits concerning the basic elements of music;
- To promote musical literacy by developing skills necessary for music performance;
- To promote understanding of the value of choral music as an art;
- To satisfy each student's need for self expression;
- To develop and foster the desire and the potential to extend and continue music experiences in social and cultural life beyond high school;
- To refine each student's discriminative abilities; and
-
To develop independence and initiative in areas such as solo and small ensemble performance.
National Learning Standards
The Neuqua Valley High School Choral Department is dedicated to empowering students to achieve the following National Standards for Music Education:
- Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
- Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
- Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
- Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
- Reading and notating music.
- Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
- Evaluating music and music performances.
- Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
- Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
- What Students Should Know and Be Able to Do in the Arts
There are many routes to competence in the arts disciplines. Students may work in different arts at different times. Their study may take a variety of approaches. Their abilities may develop at different rates. Competence means the ability to use an array of knowledge and skills. Terms often used to describe these include creation, performance, production, history, culture, perception, analysis, criticism, aesthetics, technology, and appreciation. Competence means capabilities with these elements themselves and an understanding of their interdependence; it also means the ability to combine the content, perspectives, and techniques associated with the various elements to achieve specific artistic and analytical goals. Students work toward comprehensive competence from the very beginning, preparing in the lower grades for deeper and more rigorous work each succeeding year. As a result, the joy of experiencing the arts is enriched and matured by the discipline of learning and the pride of accomplishment. Essentially, the Standards ask that students should know and be able to do the following by the time they have completed secondary school:
They should be able to communicate at a basic level in the four arts disciplines: dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts. This includes knowledge and skills in the use of the basic vocabularies, materials, tools, techniques, and intellectual methods of each arts discipline.
- They should be able to communicate proficiently in at least one art form, including the ability to define and solve artistic problems with insight, reason, and technical proficiency.
- They should be able to develop and present basic analyses of works of art from structural, historical, and cultural perspectives, and from combinations of those perspectives. This includes the ability to understand and evaluate work in the various arts disciplines.
- They should have an informed acquaintance with exemplary works of art from a variety of cultures and historical periods, and a basic understanding of historical development in the arts disciplines, across the arts as a whole, and within cultures.
-
They should be able to relate various types of arts knowledge and skills within and across the arts disciplines. This includes mixing and matching competencies and understandings in art-making, history and culture, and analysis in any arts-related project.
As a result of developing these capabilities, students can arrive at their own knowledge, beliefs, and values for making personal and artistic decisions. In other terms, they can arrive at a broad-based, well-grounded understanding of the nature, value, and meaning of the arts as a part of their own humanity.
Click here for more information regarding the National Standards for Music Education
Illinois State Learning Standards
The Neuqua Valley High School Choral Department is dedicated to empowering students to achieve the following Illinois Learning Standards for Fine Arts:
STATE GOAL 25: Know the language of the arts.
STATE GOAL 26: Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced.
STATE GOAL 27: Understand the role of the arts in civilizations, past and present.
Click here for more information regarding the Illinois State Learning Standards
Teaching Standards
The Neuqua Valley High School Choral Department staff is collection of devoted music educators. In addition to a committed focus to the National and Illinois State Learning Standards above, they also set high professional, teaching standards for themselves.
Based upon the National Board Professional Teaching Standards, the NVHS choral music staff are committed to the rich amalgam of knowledge, skills, dispositions and beliefs that characterize any outstanding educator:
1: Teachers are Committed to Students and Their Learning
- They are dedicated to making knowledge accessible to all students. They believe all students can learn.
- They treat students equitably. They recognize the individual differences that distinguish their students from one another and they take account for these differences in their practice.
- They understand how students develop and learn.
- They respect the cultural and family differences students bring to their classroom.
- They are concerned with their students' self-concept, their motivation and the effects of learning on peer relationships.
- They are also concerned with the development of character and civic responsibility.
2: Teachers Know the Subjects They Teach and How to Teach Those Subjects to Students.
- They have mastery over the subject(s) they teach. They have a deep understanding of the history, structure and real-world applications of the subject.
- They have skill and experience in teaching it, and they are very familiar with the skills gaps and preconceptions students may bring to the subject.
- They are able to use diverse instructional strategies to teach for understanding.
3: Teachers are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring Student Learning.
- They deliver effective instruction. They move fluently through a range of instructional techniques, keeping students motivated, engaged and focused.
- They know how to engage students to ensure a disciplined learning environment, and how to organize instruction to meet instructional goals.
- They know how to assess the progress of individual students as well as the class as a whole.
- They use multiple methods for measuring student growth and understanding, and they can clearly explain student performance to parents.
4: Teachers Think Systematically about Their Practice and Learn from Experience.
- They model what it means to be an educated person – they read, they question, they create and they are willing to try new things.
- They are familiar with learning theories and instructional strategies and stay abreast of current issues in American education.
- They critically examine their practice on a regular basis to deepen knowledge, expand their repertoire of skills, and incorporate new findings into their practice.
5: Teachers are Members of Learning Communities.
- They collaborate with others to improve student learning.
- They are leaders and actively know how to seek and build partnerships with community groups and businesses.
- They work with other professionals on instructional policy, curriculum development and staff development.
- They can evaluate school progress and the allocation of resources in order to meet state and local education objectives.
- They know how to work collaboratively with parents to engage them productively in the work of the school.
Further, the NVHS Choral Staff are committed to the ways in which the teaching standards above are specifically manifested in a music educator, as described by the National Board Professional Teacher Standards:
1: Knowledge of Students:
Accomplished music teachers understand the cognitive, physical, and social development of students and know their musical background; they use this knowledge to foster productive relationships with students and to provide music instruction that meets their needs.
2: Knowledge of and Skills in Music
Accomplished music teachers consistently demonstrate outstanding performance and musicianship skills; comprehensive knowledge of music theory and history; and highly specialized knowledge in general, choral, or instrumental music as they provide students with high-quality, sequential instruction in music.
3: Planning and Implementing Assessment
Accomplished music teachers plan and implement assessments, use assessment data in planning subsequent instruction, and employ a variety of methods to evaluate and report student progress.
4: Facilitating Music Learning
Accomplished music teachers employ materials, methods, and strategies that engage students' interest and facilitate music learning. They have highly specialized knowledge in choral, instrumental, or general music as they provide students with high-quality, sequential instruction in music.
5. Learning Environments
Accomplished music teachers create and foster dynamic learning environments that are characterized by trust, risk taking, independence, collaboration, and high expectations for all students.
6. Valuing Diversity
Accomplished music teachers value the diverse backgrounds, abilities, and perspectives of their students and provide a music curriculum that is inclusive of all students and rich in musical diversity.
7. Collaboration
Accomplished music teachers understand and value the distinctive role of families, colleagues, the community, and others in the music education process and continually seek opportunities to build partnerships with them.
8. Reflection, Professional Growth, and Professional Contribution
Accomplished music teachers reflect on their teaching, students' performances, and developments in their field to extend their knowledge steadily, improve their teaching, and refine their philosophy of music education; they contribute to the growth of their colleagues, their schools, and their field.
Click here for more information regarding the National Board Certified Teaching Standards
|
