Music 314
Foundations & Principles of Music Education

Dr. Peter LaRue, Instructor

Handout - Talking Points #7

Basics II ~ This & That

Basal Series
Basal series books are sequential texts by one publisher. Over the years, basal series texts have been widely used in all strictly academic areas [reading, arithmetic, science] and also in most music instruction. Many of these texts or basal series are state-adopted. Primary publishers include:

Well-Known Publishers
Silver Burdett and Ginn
Holt, Rinehart and Winston
MacMillan
Harcourt, Brace, Jonavich
Prentice-Hall

Pentatonic Scale
a five note scale [do, re, mi, sol, la***no fa, no ti] often used in folk and rote songs. Ideal for use in a general music setting

Pacing
in a classroom setting - how quickly or slowly material is presented

Sequencing
in a classroom setting, the order - in which material is presented

The Mother-Tongue Concept
basis for a great deal of today's pedagogy - two important issues .....
01. what you learn first - you learn best
02. sounds before symbols

Spiral Curriculum
A concept oft-times associated with Jerome Bruner and graphically described by a "spiral". The concept espouses that as new material is introduced - one must always build upon and review previous materials. This helps provide much-needed "connections" and enhances the overall comfort level of students as they have something familiar to hold upon - even as new material is introduced.

De Facto versus De Jure Authority Figures in the School
An understanding of the basic concept of De Facto versus De Jure authority figures in a school will help you become more successful in your teaching. In a school [or any organizational setting actually] there are some people who hold a position of authority by law or title [De Jure]. This would be a principal, a superintendent, a school board member, etc. There are, however, also - and more importantly - people who hold positions of authority - because of their very being - and oft-times these people are more influential than those of the "De Jure" category. It might be the old 4th grade teacher on the second floor - who you do not hear much out of - but you start noticing that everyone defers to them and their opinion on all issues. It might be the school secretary - who has been "on the switch" for fifty years and in the end actually "runs the school". These are naught but a few examples of this important concept - but believe you me - be sensitive and aware of this important dichotomy and you and your teaching will be more successful.