With slightly
warmer weather in Victoria as Spring commences, sMAG extends good wishes to
everyone, and the hope of a well-earned September break.
Federal Delegation
Music
Australia recently organised a Federal trip to advocate for Music Education on
a National level. While sMAG representatives were invited, sMAG committee
members were not available. We would like to support the Music Australia
Federal efforts by asking sMAG Victoria members to write a letter of support.
Please write to your local Federal member and the Hon. Simon Birmingham -
Education MP. https://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/contact/
Letters need to highlight your support of the recent delegation, the challenges faced in delivery, and the strategic outcomes required to reach every child in every State in Music around the goals as outlined in the TEMAG report Recommendation 18; https://www.education.gov.au/news/teacher-education-ministerial-advisory-group-report-released While Music is not listed as a specialism, it is not excluded from the conversation. Federal legislation covers Initial Teacher Education (Undergraduate teacher training). We need tertiary institutions to provide specialism training in Music so that a high quality sequential, continuous and developmental music education can be delivered to all Australian children, by an expertly trained teacher. It is only the Federal government that can make music a compulsory subject, allocate a minimum time allotment to the subject, and can implement requirements for Primary Teachers to graduate as specialists. It is simply not feasible to expect a generalist classroom teacher to deliver expert training in music education on top of the Literacy and Numeracy requirements. Whenever a delegation takes place, a letter writing campaign needs to happen to demonstrate to politicians how important the issue is to the community. As other lobby groups are currently dominating the political landscape, it is VITAL that as many people as possible write letters now as a follow up to this delegation. I have published a video outlining how necessary it is to write to MPs on the sMAG Victoria Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sMAGVic/.
Letters need to highlight your support of the recent delegation, the challenges faced in delivery, and the strategic outcomes required to reach every child in every State in Music around the goals as outlined in the TEMAG report Recommendation 18; https://www.education.gov.au/news/teacher-education-ministerial-advisory-group-report-released While Music is not listed as a specialism, it is not excluded from the conversation. Federal legislation covers Initial Teacher Education (Undergraduate teacher training). We need tertiary institutions to provide specialism training in Music so that a high quality sequential, continuous and developmental music education can be delivered to all Australian children, by an expertly trained teacher. It is only the Federal government that can make music a compulsory subject, allocate a minimum time allotment to the subject, and can implement requirements for Primary Teachers to graduate as specialists. It is simply not feasible to expect a generalist classroom teacher to deliver expert training in music education on top of the Literacy and Numeracy requirements. Whenever a delegation takes place, a letter writing campaign needs to happen to demonstrate to politicians how important the issue is to the community. As other lobby groups are currently dominating the political landscape, it is VITAL that as many people as possible write letters now as a follow up to this delegation. I have published a video outlining how necessary it is to write to MPs on the sMAG Victoria Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sMAGVic/.
Please
look at the Music Australia pdf and phrase your thoughts around the key points:
http://musicaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Australian-Music-Education-Status-Priorities.pdf
sMAG
Victoria also runs a Facebook group where you can develop conversations and
relationships with other Music Teachers across the State: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1101931139911842/
SIMP
As
mentioned in our Autumn and Winter ENews, sMAG Vic has focused all attention
towards the Secondary Instrumental Music Program (SIMP). Work has been quite intensive and time
consuming, so we are pleased the new Permission To Teach (PTT) policy will come
into effect on October 1, 2017. The
policy is publicly available on the VIT website: http://www.vit.vic.edu.au/news/news/2017/permission-to-teach-policy-changes
We
welcome the clarity the document brings around the definition of a teacher
according to the Act of 2006:
“Central
to the 2017 PTT policy is the principle that whenever a person is undertaking
the duties of a teacher - such as delivering the curriculum, assessing student
outcomes in an educational program and being responsible for a class - then
that individual must hold teacher registration or permission to teach.”
The
AEU will hold meetings with the Hon. Mr. Merlino, and DET regarding to the new
PTT policy as well as the new EBA and implications around workplace employment
conditions. Should anyone have concerns
with any SIMP position employment conditions, we advise you bring the
conversation to the attention of Sarah Parr at the AEU: Sarah.Parr@aeuvic.asn.au.
What you can do (Repeated
from Winter)
All Music teachers, and particularly IMTs, are acutely aware of
how intrinsic classroom, Instrumental lessons and ensemble pedagogy all
intertwine and are essential to delivering the Victorian Curriculum, VCE or IB
outcomes. As a community we need to be
able to articulate this clearly in every local school setting.
A few key phrases to embed in professional lives and
documentation may be;
· Instrumental
lessons and ensemble delivery are intrinsic in delivering outcomes against the
school’s approved curriculum (VicCurr, IB, VCE etc).
· Instrumental
teachers and ensemble directors report against the standards stated in the
approved curriculum, keeping accurate records of evidence and data.
· Instrumental
teachers and ensemble directors document curriculum across The ARTs domain as
required by the approved curriculum.
· Instrumental
teachers and ensemble directors meet with their Head of Music or upline
managers to provide evidence of their documentation and student progress.
· IMTs and
ensemble directors set aside time for professional meetings with their faculty
to ensure curriculum delivery is meeting the requirements of the approved
curriculum.
MEERG (Repeated from Winter)
Consultation around the sMAG
discussion paper for strategic leadership architecture over the SIMP program
has been ongoing. With adequate
structures around the SIMP, accountability and support processes can be implemented
across the state, to see the program thrive.
The Music community highly values the SIMP, and understands the
intrinsic value in developing high achieving music professionals, able to enter
tertiary courses and perform on the global stage. Prof. Gary McPherson is particularly
advocating for the growth of the SIMP to ensure high quality delivery into the
future.
VICTORIAN JOBS
With
the roll out of Victorian government targets for improvement in Music outcomes,
we see jobs. Let a friends know about the listings at Recruitment Online, and
let's get some music happening!
GREATER SHEPPARTON
Great things happening
in Greater Shepparton! See the blog posted by Nicole Thorne: https://www.musicmovingmountains.com.au/blog. School Music programs are gaining access to
much needed funds through the Fairley Foundation http://www.fairleyfoundation.org/ and The Pratt Foundation. Fiona Phillips from Deakin in Geelong is
currently researching and working with these music programs. Any spare/old instruments can be donated. Please email smag.schoolmusicactiongroup@gmail.com if you can help out.
THE VICTORIAN MUSIC LIBRARY
The
Victorian Music Library is urgently looking for a space to call home.
Do you know of a disused church, or converted warehouse? We are seeking your creative help and imagination!
Our wish-list is:
* Approximately 400 square metres of floor space for the total collection
* A location close to a shopping precinct and public transport
* Kitchenette and bathroom facilities
* Administration area with temperature control and space for
cataloguing and processing music
* Adequate amount of car parking spaces for members and volunteers
* A ramped entrance for disabled, pram and trolley access
* Our target area is from the Melbourne CBD in an easterly direction towards Camberwell and then down in a southerly direction towards Sandringham
Background information:
* The VML is a not-for-profit independent incorporated organisation
* We offer a niche market service which is different from universities
* We are open to the general public
* Originally established in 1974 as a string music library
* An ever-increasing collection, currently listing more than 20,000 items of catalogued sheet music
The sheet music collection currently includes:
* Chamber music
* Orchestral music
* String Orchestra music
* Choral and Vocal music - both secular and religious
* Band music
* Solo Instrumental music - including works for AMEB and VCE exams
* Percussion music - a large collection rarely available elsewhere
* Piano music
Remember!!! Finding a suitable place for the VML is only a few steps away.
Please pass this information around to as many people as you can to help the
entire music community.
Contact the VML at vicmusiclib@gmail.com
Do you know of a disused church, or converted warehouse? We are seeking your creative help and imagination!
Our wish-list is:
* Approximately 400 square metres of floor space for the total collection
* A location close to a shopping precinct and public transport
* Kitchenette and bathroom facilities
* Administration area with temperature control and space for
cataloguing and processing music
* Adequate amount of car parking spaces for members and volunteers
* A ramped entrance for disabled, pram and trolley access
* Our target area is from the Melbourne CBD in an easterly direction towards Camberwell and then down in a southerly direction towards Sandringham
Background information:
* The VML is a not-for-profit independent incorporated organisation
* We offer a niche market service which is different from universities
* We are open to the general public
* Originally established in 1974 as a string music library
* An ever-increasing collection, currently listing more than 20,000 items of catalogued sheet music
The sheet music collection currently includes:
* Chamber music
* Orchestral music
* String Orchestra music
* Choral and Vocal music - both secular and religious
* Band music
* Solo Instrumental music - including works for AMEB and VCE exams
* Percussion music - a large collection rarely available elsewhere
* Piano music
Remember!!! Finding a suitable place for the VML is only a few steps away.
Please pass this information around to as many people as you can to help the
entire music community.
Contact the VML at
FREE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
aMuse
and Musical Futures are offering primary and early childhood teachers the
opportunity to take part in a FREE Singing Classroom workshop during October
and November.
The Singing Classroom is a
Professional Learning program for generalist primary classroom teachers
offering them support, confidence, skills and resources to sing more regularly
with their students. The approach is designed in such a way so that singing is
not an add-on or an extra activity, but integrated into the existing your
daily program.
The Singing Classroom workshops:
Provide skills and resources for generalist teachers to enable more singing in the classroom
Build confidence in generalist primary teachers to sing with their students
Provide techniques to lift the profile of singing in schools and classrooms
Demonstrate ways of integrating singing into dedicated music sessions as well as into the general curriculum
Supporting the development of self-confidence in teachers and students
Workshop activities include:
Introduction to the purpose of singing in the classroom and why singing is important
How to teach a song including chants, rounds, part-songs, action songs
Ideas for integrating singing into the curriculum especially links to literacy, numeracy and more
Extension ideas for integrating composition and percussion including body percussion, songwriting composition and creating a rap
Materials and resources including sample songs, rounds, tools for creating a group composition activities, writing a rap and more
All teachers will be provided with a certificate of attendance recognising the professional learning hours
Dates and Locations:
Ballarat - Wednesday October 25th at Phoenix P-12 Community College, Sebastopol
Bendigo – Thursday October 26th at Crusoe P-7 College, Kangaroo Flat
Geelong – Wednesday November 8th at Northern Bay College, Corio
Melbourne – Wednesday November 15th at Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Queensberry St, Parkville
Each workshop starts at 4.30pm and ends at 6.30pm
Register now:
Registrations for each of our FREE Victorian regional workshops are now open: http://www.musicalfuturesaustralia.org/singing-classroom-rego.html
The Singing Classroom workshops:
Provide skills and resources for generalist teachers to enable more singing in the classroom
Build confidence in generalist primary teachers to sing with their students
Provide techniques to lift the profile of singing in schools and classrooms
Demonstrate ways of integrating singing into dedicated music sessions as well as into the general curriculum
Supporting the development of self-confidence in teachers and students
Workshop activities include:
Introduction to the purpose of singing in the classroom and why singing is important
How to teach a song including chants, rounds, part-songs, action songs
Ideas for integrating singing into the curriculum especially links to literacy, numeracy and more
Extension ideas for integrating composition and percussion including body percussion, songwriting composition and creating a rap
Materials and resources including sample songs, rounds, tools for creating a group composition activities, writing a rap and more
All teachers will be provided with a certificate of attendance recognising the professional learning hours
Dates and Locations:
Ballarat - Wednesday October 25th at Phoenix P-12 Community College, Sebastopol
Bendigo – Thursday October 26th at Crusoe P-7 College, Kangaroo Flat
Geelong – Wednesday November 8th at Northern Bay College, Corio
Melbourne – Wednesday November 15th at Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Queensberry St, Parkville
Each workshop starts at 4.30pm and ends at 6.30pm
Register now:
Registrations for each of our FREE Victorian regional workshops are now open: http://www.musicalfuturesaustralia.org/singing-classroom-rego.html
Twitter: @sMAG_Vic https://twitter.com/sMAG_Vic
