Music teaching and outcomes in schools

[ardcarp]

Our g-kids hardly have words on their reports, just lists of baffling letters and numbers...something to do with a 'key-stage', I gather. At a parents' evening one is shown these stats on the screens of the teachers' laptops, represented in bar-graphs and pie-charts. You ask, 'Yes, but how is he/she getting on?' You get a baffled stare. And if you persist, you get mumblings about 'engaging in the learning experience' and I really wonder if we are the same species living on the same planet.

[Guest]

Like all professions, they key thing when interacting with the 'customers' is that bulls**** baffles brains. Hence the jargon to hide behind.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Like all professions, they key thing when interacting with the 'customers' is that bulls**** baffles brains. Hence the jargon to hide behind.

Believe me; there are very few teachers who like these idiotic reports in Jargonese. It's a group of Think-tank "experts" who decide what's best and impose it on a disenchanted profession.

[Guest]

For 'disenchanted' read 'alienated and bullied' IMO.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

For 'disenchanted' read 'alienated and bullied' IMO.

[MrGongGong]

August ?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

August ?

That's the month many teachers go into school to assist A-level students who have to make decisions following the publication on their results.

[MrGongGong]

That's the month many teachers go into school to assist A-level students who have to make decisions following the publication on their results.

I know
but it's not such a bad gig is it ..............

[ardcarp]

...until the government decides to re-organise (i.e. cut) the holidyas, get children 'educated' in shifts and lay off half the teachers. You may think I jest, but I'll bet it's been discussed in the 'cost-effetvie' lobby.

[MrGongGong]

...until the government decides to re-organise (i.e. cut) the holidyas, get children 'educated' in shifts and lay off half the teachers. You may think I jest, but I'll bet it's been discussed in the 'cost-effetvie' lobby.

aaah yes "paid holidays"
not that i'm complaining

they announced the "music hubs" today with this priceless gem from Ed Vaisey


“These hubs will mean young people around the country can access high quality music teaching, itself an important and fulfilling part of learning.

“Playing an instrument can enrich students’ lives and perhaps even lead to a career in teaching or performing.

“The Hubs will help ensure that all young people have the chance to become involved in an activity that is both challenging and highly rewarding.”


Yeah right
with a cut of 40% ?

and is ALL music about playing an instrument ? whatever happened to composing ? improvising ? (ooops that's not in the plan at all )

[teamsaint]

aaah yes "paid holidays"
not that i'm complaining

they announced the "music hubs" today with this priceless gem from Ed Vaisey


“These hubs will mean young people around the country can access high quality music teaching, itself an important and fulfilling part of learning.

“Playing an instrument can enrich students’ lives and perhaps even lead to a career in teaching or performing.

“The Hubs will help ensure that all young people have the chance to become involved in an activity that is both challenging and highly rewarding.”


Yeah right
with a cut of 40% ?

and is ALL music about playing an instrument ? whatever happened to composing ? improvising ? (ooops that's not in the plan at all )

I would imagine that the nearest that most government ministers or advisers get to serious music is a freebie seat at the ROH or proms.

Lets face it, after 25 years of ofsted and everything else, they still can't sort literacy(20% leave school functionally illiterate,) so sorting out music isn't going to happen any time soon, I am afraid. Not that they want to sort it out,really, otherwise their friends in the private schools would be under threat..........

[MrGongGong]

I would imagine that the nearest that most government ministers or advisers get to serious music is a freebie seat at the ROH or proms.

Lets face it, after 25 years of ofsted and everything else, they still can't sort literacy(20% leave school functionally illiterate,) so sorting out music isn't going to happen any time soon, I am afraid. Not that they want to sort it out,really, otherwise their friends in the private schools would be under threat..........

what's "serious" music ? (again)
and I don't necessarily think (or rather know) that private schools always do things better at all .........

[teamsaint]

what's "serious" music ? (again)
and I don't necessarily think (or rather know) that private schools always do things better at all .........

I must have missed where the description was finally sorted out !

(as a guide though, anything on Spire FM probably fails to meet my arbitary standards !!)

as for the private schools.........I agree , but they have the resources to generally get the best opportunities for their students, which is what I was referring to.

Much of the best teaching and practice is quite obviously in the state sector.

[ardcarp]

and I don't necessarily think (or rather know) that private schools always do things better at all .........

In some private schools maybe not, but I'm afraid McGG that in the well-know public schools they have fantastic music departments with fine buildings and enormous numbers on the music staff. They offer music scholarships to attract talented pupils and have choirs, orchestras, jazz bands, big bands, need I go on? It's all terribly unfair. I dare say a few state schools with enlightened heads and DoMs with fire in their bellies produce the goods. Certainly none within a 50 mile radius of me.

[Pabmusic]

This is all symptomatic of different trends since the 1970s that deliberately excluded western 'art' music as irrelevant, elitist and something that people should be liberated from. I'm tempted to say it was out of favour because it was genuinely a part of 'western' culture at a time when eastern culture and other improvisatory traditions were in fashion. This coincided with the banishment of 'classical' music from Radio 2 (remember Steve Race and Eric Robinson? Even 'Housewive's Choice' regularly ended with a piece of classical music!) and generally from public life. If (please that such a thing doesn't happen!) there is a tragedy at the Olympics, we will not see an orchestra and famous conductor playing the slow movement of the Eroica, as happened at Munich in 1972; we'll have a pop star (or a Katherine Jenkins wannabe) 'emoting'. The public psyche has changed to exclude any western music that in not based around electronic instruments, is improvisatory and lasts under five minutes.

Given this, few children are now exposed to classical music in any form, ever. It's not surprising that western art music (at least) has a hard time of it in schools. It has, in all senses except the most precious, become the irrelevance it was said to be.