Welcome
to another vibrant report form the School Music Action Group Victoria. As Term is so busy, and each member of our
team invests so much time into our lobby work, as well as their own daytime
jobs, Term-by-Term news will be collated during the school holidays, and
regular updates can be found on the Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/sMAGVic/
sMAG Instrumental Music Teacher Working
Party (IMT WP)
We
have continued to discuss the VIT PTT draft policy with the VIT and at the
Music Education Expert Reference Group.
Letters to Mr. Merlino have also continued. We received reassurance from the Minister
that he takes our concerns very seriously, and will address many of the matters
personally. We remind everyone to
contact Jo Patterson of the VIT, should any cases of concern be brought to your
attention. The VIT will then engage their compliance measures, commencing an
investigation process and contacting the Principal concerned.
We saw the Government Response to the Bracks Report. Publications can be
found here: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/department/Pages/fundingreview.aspx and specifically http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/department/Bracks%20Government%20Response%202016.pdf This report is pertinent to the SIMP as it
included a minor inclusion of the funding models appropriated for this
area. Within this we see that the
government is putting strategic oversight mechanisms to direct future work with
the School Policy and Funding Advisory Council
(SPFAC). We understand that there is a
focus on providing equity. In other
government publications we see the Community Hubs model published. The sMAG IMT WP advocates that any funding
model for the SIMP be devised around the HUBS or ‘Lighthouse’ concept: http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/making-our-schools-thriving-community-hubs/ With base
schools for both SIMP and classroom music educators, staff can be provided with
some security of employment at a major music center school, and then supply to
local smaller schools for fractions of time as the student numbers permit.
We also understand from the Bracks documents that there is
a Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO). We are researching the implications of this
document.
sMAG Teacher Training Working Party
(TT WP)
We saw the publication “WORKING TOGETHER TO SHAPE TEACHER
EDUCATION IN VICTORIA” discussion
paper released in mid September.
With limited time we were able to submit with recommendations around
undergraduate entrance requirements, and course content.
sMAG Strategy Working
Party
Discussions around the benefits of a DET Music Branch have
commenced. We believe that should DET
take up the concept of a leadership branch for music education situated at
Treasury Place, staffed by music trained professionals with credentials in both
performance and education, mechanisms for visionary aspirations, strategic
oversight, as well as transparency and accountability measures would have
opportunity to be developed and see long term generational change throughout
Victoria. The LOTE branch has had
tremendous success with the same leadership model, and so we believe such a
model would work for Music Education. We
have written to the minister with this suggestion.
VICTORIA – THE EDUCATION STATE – Music Education
As we moved
through Term 3, we saw the development and implementation of many improvement
points against the Victorian Inquiry into the Extent, Benefits and Potential of
Music Education 2013. We now see many
and varied announcements coming through the Andrews’ government portals and
encourage you to get involved and respond.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Schools -
Quote: “Victorian schools will be thriving community
hubs with new libraries, sports facilities, performing arts centres and early learning centres to be shared
with the whole community, under a new Andrews Labor Government initiative.”
Minister
for Education James Merlino launched the $50 million Shared Facilities Fund,
which will help schools and communities build shared facilities on school
grounds. http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/making-our-schools-thriving-community-hubs/
The
opportunity here is for many private music providers. Investment from the music industry into music
education would have tremendous outcomes.
Should music industry look into partnerships where significant
infrastructure is built, with access to the facility by both industry and
education – the potential is enormous.
Individual schools, and music education groups need to start having rich
conversations around proposals and connect with the Victorian Government to see
this happen, so that future generations of Victorians can benefit for decades
to come.
Universities
-
Infrastructure is a
theme, a wonderful theme, coming out of the Andrews’ Labor government. After last term’s announcements around a new
conservatorium for Melbourne University, we also saw announcements around new
music facilities for Monash University. The Monash Alexander Theatre Upgrade: https://alexander-theatre.monash/
Although
sMAG has not been directly involved at all, we welcome the magnificence of this
announcement, and the generational change that will come through in Jazz and
Musical Theatre.
Now I shall sing ‘Fly
me to the moon….’
Further
news from Gary around the University of Melbourne Upgrade –
“The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music’s (MCM) new Conservatorium building will offer state-of-the-art teaching facilities on the University of Melbourne’s Southbank campus.
Conceived by
award-winning John Wardle Architects, and funded by the University of
Melbourne, the Victorian Government, and generous philanthropic support, the
$104.5 million building will help consolidate existing MCM staff and students
on the Southbank campus, further strengthening the relationships between the
Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of
Music (VCA&MCM) and its neighbour and partner arts organisations, creating
a dynamic new environment for music education and collaboration.
The project
plans include an (approximate) 443-seat auditorium, two very large spaces for
orchestral and large ensemble rehearsals, teaching studios and lecture halls,
as well as a public square that will contribute to the community space plan for
the Melbourne Arts Precinct Blueprint. Construction is slated to begin in 2017,
with first classes to commence in the building in 2019. The existing
Conservatorium infrastructure, including the renowned Melba Hall, will be
retained on the University’s Parkville campus.
The new
Conservatorium building forms part of the ongoing redevelopment of the
Southbank campus, which also includes a refurbishment and repurposing of the
former Police Stables in Dodds Street, as well as the establishment of the
Buxton Contemporary. The Faculty of VCA&MCM teaches more than 7,000
students and attracts more than 31,000 visitors a year.
Further
details on the new MCM Conservatorium building and Southbank redevelopment can
be found at http://mcm.unimelb.edu.au/southbank-redevelopment”
Professor Gary McPherson
Ormond Chair of Music and Director
Melbourne Conservatorium of Music
The University of Melbourne
FRAMEWORK
The Arts Education Colloquium Series Presented: Developing a framework for music education and defining quality: Associate Professor Neryl Jeanneret
The Arts Education Colloquium Series Presented: Developing a framework for music education and defining quality: Associate Professor Neryl Jeanneret
sMAG’s Fiona Phillips went along and provided the following
report.
“Reflections on the
F-12 Quality Music Framework
Neryl
explained that the journey towards the framework had begun in August 2015, when the Melbourne Graduate School of
Education was given the mission to
develop a F-12 Quality Music Education Framework. She mentioned the
importance of professional groups such as sMAG, that had continued to apply
pressure at the political level resulting in the Victorian Parliamentary
Inquiry into the Extent, Benefits and potential of Music Education in Victorian
Schools. It is therefore imperative that we continue to pull together and write
to politicians.
The
challenge for Neryl’s team was to pull together research, policy, and
stakeholder interests into a single framework that defined “quality music
education” for Victorian schools and that covered a spectrum of schools and
teachers. Neryl highlighted that there is still such inequity when it comes to
the provision of music education in Victoria and that the ‘spectrum’ included
either/or schools and teachers with little or no music education in place to
those with well-established and robust music education programs. Neryl highlighted
that the task to define “quality music education” in a way that also provides a
‘framework for accountability’ had been a complicated exercise.
The
people, places, pedagogies and repertoire of music education in Victorian
schools are so diverse and it was pleasing to hear of the recognition that
music education can and does exist outside of metropolitan Melbourne. This
diversity however, creates its own set of issues. Neryl and her team recognized
that policy documents relating to classroom music have to be “necessarily broad
to accommodate the needs and contexts of students across a broad range of
demographic, cultural and geographical backgrounds. This need for flexibility
must be balanced with a specificity that is actually useful for teachers in guiding
their practice in a wide range of music education contexts.” This underpinning
statement brought up the necessity for the M.E.G. (Music Education Guide) to be
completed and made available to support the implementation of the framework.
Post
presentation questions from teachers who are required to also implement the Victorian
Curriculum whilst employed as “Performing Arts Teachers” highlighted another
level of complexity and this continues to bring to the surface the importance
of arguing for musical learning and development as intrinsically
important. It also brings up the question of what the skill level and musical
background is of those implementing music education from this position.
The
presentation indicated that the work done by the team had drawn from a
meta-synthesis of the music education research and policy literature. A
bibliography would be made available – something that will assist sMAG in the
preparation of documentation going forward. There is still a gap in the
literature in relation to research of practice and what music education ‘looks
like’ in the real life classrooms outside Metropolitan Melbourne. There was
mention of Lucy Green’s work in the UK in lower secondary classrooms and the
informal musical learning model that is the backbone of Musical Futures
Approach.
Of
particular interest to me, was a graphic suggesting the use of a range of
pedagogical models across the learning spectrum. The idea that knowledge of
more than one pedagogical approach is necessary when teaching and learning in
music is not new, but the suggestion in the framework that particular
approaches are more useful at particular stages of development was interesting.
This was highlighted in comments to me made by a colleague from the host
organization. He indicated that in his area of learning this was an aspect of
their practice that was not considered. In his area instead, a particular
approach and set of strategies was suggested with levels of complexity the area
of differentiation applied. I believe that this idea of a range of
developmentally appropriate pedagogical models in the framework
provides the grounds for applying some level of pressure to ITE providers to
have this as more of a focus in their courses and in order to accomplish such
will require more effective use of time and dedication to the learning area. I
also believe that it highlights the need for strong partnerships to exist
between the various professional organizations and ITE providers. Giving time
to perfecting skills and knowledge and expertise in the implementation of a
range of pedagogical approaches and strategies will also require the relevant
professional organisations to step up their level of provision to in-service
professionals.
Brian
Loane once said, “Use music itself to explain to young people what you mean.
This isn’t an art lesson or an English lesson.” It was great to have a sample
of recent VCE work from a young person to help highlight what this type of
framework may be able to achieve for more students across the state. At the
forefront of my mind was one main phrase – it rang like an ostinato in my mind
– “continuous experiences”. This will be a challenge but it is and should be
the baseline or foundation of what we aim for.”
Fiona
Phillps
STEAM
Keep up the pressure, and make it
STEAM! Science without creativity –
would mean no invention, but simply analysis and data. To be the clever country, all scientists need
creativity.
WHAT YOU CAN DO….
1. Celebrate:
Do you have a success
story to tell? Share it with us – we
love to share the results of progress with the wider community.
Has your school
received funding through the Musical Instruments Grant program? http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/helping-victorian-kids-to-embrace-music/ Share photos, celebrations and
feedback here on the sMAG FB page, via the Music Education NING and
music.eduation@edumail.vic.gov.au. We want to celebrate with you as the
improvement implementations roll out!
2. Integrity in Partnerships:
Whenever
a school requires a partnership with an outside music/arts provider - check the
credentials. It is crucial that the outside provider has a qualification and
can a) read music, b) sing in tune c) interact in a professional way with
students d) are consistent so that students are not confused e) provide
original works. If the provider does not pass the 'fair dinkum' test, find
someone who does. There are plenty of private providers who can match the score
to the performance, the rehearsal to the product at a high level - seek those
providers out and reward them for their professionalism.
3. Promotion
Wouldn’t
it be great to see Australian Music greats immortalized in bronze like our
sports legends are around the MCG? It
can happen!! The Victorian government has released funding to do just
that! More laneways named after music
legends, tourist walks, and even sculptured art installations. http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/rockin-the-laneways-to-celebrate-vic-music-heritage/ You could write a submission
encouraging your local council to seek funding that puts a sculpture of Molly
Meldrum in a prominent place in St. Kilda, bronze statues of Christmas Carols
singers outside the Sydney Myer Music Bowl, and Richard Gill outside the Vic
Opera building! Let's write in and celebrate our music in the streets with art,
sculptures, laneway names and history walks everywhere!
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