Editor’s Note: This post is reposted in its entirety from the 204 E-News, the official e-mail newsletter for Indian Prairie School District 204.
On Monday, District 204’s music coordinator and fine arts department chairs presented the Board of Education with a redesign to the way students will receive instrumental education. The music teachers are moving the current 5th grade beginning band and orchestra program to 6th grade. This plan is based on a study of the district’s music program over the past two years and best practices nationwide. There will be no changes to chorus for 4th and 5th graders and general music education, which begins in kindergarten.
The shift to 6th grade will allow students to receive daily instrument instruction from a team of music educators from the start of the school year. The daily class time allows for more consistent delivery of instruction and enhances the ability for a teacher to evaluate a student’s progress toward mastering essential skills to best meet the needs of the individual student. According to the music leaders, this increase in daily instrument instruction will sustain the district’s high quality music program and also retain more students.
Currently, 5th-grade students are pulled out of core classes to receive instrument instruction one time per week. The change eliminates students missing core classroom instruction time, and removes the obstacle some students face in arriving to school early for full band/orchestra practice. In addition, 6th-grade students will have access to a broader range of school-owned instruments for families who can’t afford to rent or buy their own.
Music teachers will implement this change with the 2014-15 school year. In addition, they also are enhancing the way students are first introduced to instruments during 5th grade. Beginning in January 2016, 5th-grade students will have a longer period of hands-on time with instruments before selecting one that may be of interest to learn. The redesign also includes music teachers providing more in-depth feedback to 5th-grade parents based on observing students with instruments. These enhancements are designed to help students and parents make the best instrument selection for students as they begin 6th grade.
District 204’s music program receives both state and national accolades. Most notable, the district’s high schools have previously won multiple Grammy awards, including Neuqua Valley being recognized as the top music program the country in 2005 and 2013. Both Metea Valley and Waubonsie Valley were named semifinalists in this year’s Grammy competition. Winners will be announced in March.
You can read the music teachers’ presentation material online and watch a video of the presentation at www.204tv.org.
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