An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta

 

Department of Education and Science

 

Subject Inspection of Music

REPORT

 

Presentation Secondary School

Clonmel, County Tipperary

Roll number: 65340P

 

 

 

Date of inspection: 11 October 2007

Date of issue of report: 22 May 2008

Subject inspection report

Subject provision and whole school support

Planning and preparation

Teaching and learning

Assessment

Summary of main findings and recommendations

 

 

Report on the Quality of Learning and Teaching in Music

 

Subject inspection report

 

This report has been written following a subject inspection in Presentation Secondary School. It presents the findings of an evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning in Music and makes recommendations for the further development of the teaching of this subject in the school. The evaluation was conducted over one day during which the inspector visited classrooms and observed teaching and learning. The inspector interacted with students and teachers, examined students’ work, and had discussions with the teachers. The inspector reviewed school planning documentation and the teachers’ written preparation. Following the evaluation visit, the inspector provided oral feedback on the outcomes of the evaluation to the principal and subject teachers.  The board of management was given an opportunity to comment in writing on the findings and recommendations of the report; a response was not received from the board.

 

Subject provision and whole school support

 

Music enjoys a good profile in Presentation Secondary School, and is available as an optional subject to all students in all years. A taster system operates in first year, wherein all students study Music for the entire year. The students then choose four subjects from Art, Home Economics, Science, French, German, Business and Music for the Junior Certificate. The optional Transition Year (TY) programme includes music and drama modules which run back to back in four-week blocks. An open-choice system operates at senior cycle, where students prioritise their preferred subject options. The school is pleased to report that there is 98% satisfaction, with all students getting their first and second choices. Choir is also available for first-year and senior students and all groups participate in the Department of Education and Science’s Choir, Orchestra and Military Bands (COMB) examinations. In general a healthy proportion of students opt for Music throughout the school, with occasional dips at senior cycle. It is recommended that uptake be monitored in order to avoid a situation of numbers being too small to sustain the subject. Timetable provision for Music is in line with Departmental guidelines with an appropriate spread of contact time throughout the week along with a sufficient number of double periods in all year groups to facilitate practical work.

 

In addition to the curricular aspects of the subject and examination preparation, a variety of musical activities takes place during the school year. Through these activities and the lunchtime choirs for both junior and senior groups, all students have access to some form of music-making, which is commendable. The school produces a musical every February, which involves students from TY and fifth year and is produced in conjunction with the local boys’ school. This long standing tradition has been in existence for over thirty years, the rewards of which are outlined in the school musical policy. This policy mentions such benefits as ‘the interaction with another school and the formation of friendships’, ‘the development of existing talents and learning new skills’, ‘a positive teacher-student rapport’ and ‘acclamation from peers, parents and the wider town community’. The school is often involved in fundraising through musical events, a notable example last year being Self-help Africa, a quasi ‘Battle of the Bands’ event. Various liturgical services, Christmas concerts, St. Patrick’s Day Pageant, and end-of-year concerts ensure that students in Presentation Secondary School experience a wide range of music-making activities. The students’ musical experiences are continually enriched also by trips to concerts and visits to the school from outside musicians and performers. Rock and Irish traditional groups are facilitated as the need arises. This range of activities is commendable and does much to raise the profile of Music in the school. The music teachers’ commitment to these events and the school’s support in facilitating such activities are deserving of the highest praise.

 

Presentation Secondary School has a dedicated music room but at the time of the inspection the school was undertaking a major building project. During this refurbishment the music room has had to be relocated as a temporary arrangement. The school and music staff have ensured the relocation of appropriate resources in order to minimise the disruption. Thus the room is adequately equipped with choir steps, piano, a new stereo system, a range of classroom instruments including boom whackers and a range of attractive posters and notices on the walls, leaving no doubt that this space is, for the time being, a specialist music area.

 

The school is a recipient of the Music Disadvantage Project grant which provides funds to afford schools the opportunity to purchase or replace musical instruments. In this light, the school hopes to set up a type of keyboard laboratory, a proposal which is commendable as it will contribute to a ‘hands on’ music-making experience for the students, and will be a very effective means of putting music theory into practice. It is recommended that further thought be given to the effective teaching methodologies that could be utilised in this setting and that the more logistical and pragmatic implications could also be addressed. These include such things as a permanent versus flexible set-up, maintenance and availability of technical back-up services, the hygienic implications of headphones and multiple users, and health and safety issues with regard to the type of seating needed, among other matters. 

 

Planning and preparation

 

There exists a good level of planning for the development of Music in Presentation Secondary School. Despite it being a time of transition, both with the building project and one teacher on leave, clear plans outlining the running of this department were presented. A range of cross-curricular planning was highlighted, along with long-term curriculum planning scheduling the topics to be covered. These were relevant to the syllabus and the requirements of the examinations, and took into account the level and the ability of the students in question.

 

The music teachers work as a team, planning programmes of work for the year and organising the other musical activities which take place in the school. From discussion with the teachers it was found that some thought has been given to the accurate and effective delivery of all music courses in the school. It is recommended that future planning includes consideration of student learning strategies and of ways of encouraging students to reflect on their learning. Planning to include some broader aspects of musical development is also recommended with a focus on precise medium-term and short-term targets and the inclusion of more active learning methodologies. Planning could also be developed to facilitate more integration of the core activities of performing, composing and listening within the classroom context, while differentiated teaching strategies could also be developed in light of any changing circumstances. As mentioned above, it is recommended that planning for the move back to the music room be instigated. This should take cognisance of both the logistical needs and the educational implications of the new resources.

 

Subject planning outlined the broad plan for each class group, included references to the various syllabuses, appropriate methodologies and a stock of support material suitable for all levels. In all lessons observed, clear objectives were evident, there was continuity from previous lessons and appropriate resources and stimuli were utilised. In general, a good level of planning for performing was evident in the prior preparation of relevant materials such as sheet music, accompaniments, worksheets, and audio resources. This indicates that short-term planning is at a satisfactory level.

 

The music teachers have availed of some opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD) and are members of the Post-Primary Music Teachers’ Association (PPMTA). The teachers are encouraged to avail of any opportunities which will allow them to keep abreast of all information pertaining to music education at second level, to keep up to date with ongoing curricular innovation and to network with other music teachers. This would be particularly important in light of the development of resources and methodologies with the newly acquired keyboards and other resources. In addition, it is hoped that management will continue to support and facilitate any opportunities for CPD in music education that arise in the future.

 

Teaching and learning

 

In all lessons visited, a comfortable and warm atmosphere was maintained. High expectations of attainment and behaviour were set. There was a good rapport between the students and the teachers in a secure, enthusiastic and work-orientated atmosphere. The music teachers created a positive learning environment through effective organisation and management of learning activities.  Students responded very well to this positive climate for learning and participated with enthusiasm wherever challenging opportunities were presented.

 

Materials were well prepared and the teaching was supportive to all students. Good teaching was characterised by engaging and motivating the wide range of abilities of the students through well-structured and varied activities. Good learning was seen through listening and analysis, skill development, trial and error, and progressive refinement in all activities. The repertoire chosen for performance was suitable for the age levels while the approaches chosen contributed to the quality of learning and are to be commended.

 

The teaching observed employed many strategies to engage the students and include them in all aspects of the learning process. A collaborative learning environment allowing constructive and productive peer-peer interaction was observed, where the teachers guided students through various stages and, in the main, facilitated a stimulating and challenging music-learning environment. This was exemplified through activities such as rhythm-pattern recognition where students clapped and stamped patterns and clapped back if the teacher played a pattern they had been given on individual slips as part of a rhythm game.

 

All lessons observed had some elements of performing. Activities included learning repertoire for the choir exams, singing and instrumental playing, and performing composing exercises worked on in class. Performances of varied pieces such as Castle On A Cloud, Frère Jacques, Black Velvet Band, and Bridge Over Troubled Water extend the range of musical experience of the students and are commended. A range of classroom instruments is available, such as guitars and boom whackers, which allow students the opportunity to experience group playing. Whole-class performances of the music provided convincing evidence that most students are capable of maintaining their own part in group music-making. Observation of students’ practical work  showed that, whilst some were challenged, few students were unable to cope with the musical demands. This focus on building the role of Music as a living subject and giving students the opportunity to take part in and enjoy practical music-making are entirely appropriate and commendable. It is recommended that this type of approach be extended to all lessons to ensure effective musical learning through engagement with musical activities. This would also help to minimise passive learning.

 

Strategies linking aspects of the curriculum were also utilised to very good effect, sometimes through appropriate practical elements. Cross-referencing with other parameters of Music was evident and contributed to an integration of the three curricular areas of performing, composing and listening. Thus the patterns used in the rhythm game were linked to similar patterns in a song which the students sung, while major chords played on boom whackers were linked to the opening of the Blue Danube and so on. This linking of activities and active participation by the students is commendable and does much to ensure a broad musical development rather than a narrow focus on examination material, extends the range of musical experience of the students and is highly effective in developing critical listening skills.

 

The resources available in the temporary music room are used to very good effect and contribute to an effective learning environment. It is recommended however, that ways in which an overhead projector (OHP) could be used effectively in a music-teaching setting be explored, as it would greatly enhance the learning situation. Not only would it minimise the writing up of complicated questions on the board, but it could also be used to produce more student-friendly resources and visually attractive handouts. This could enhance student engagement and allow for more appropriate posture when performing on instruments or singing, for example, as the required visual stimuli could be displayed in a more effective way. Moreover, as the plan is to develop information and communication technology (ICT), some consideration should be given to looking at ways in which suitable software could be utilised within the classroom setting. The effective use of these resources would greatly enhance student learning and would allow for a more efficient use of teacher time in the long term.

 

Assessment

 

In all lessons observed, students were generally confident and capable, and performed to a good standard. Students’ folders, copybooks and manuscripts showed evidence of good organisation, were generally neat in appearance and contained coursework, words of songs, sheet music and worksheets.

 

In addition to regular assessments at Christmas and summer, and the mock examinations for Junior and Leaving Certificate students in the spring, formative assessment takes place in a variety of ways. Homework, which includes written, aural and practical work, is given on a regular basis. Other examples include questioning in class, completion of worksheets and projects, and practical assessments. It is good to note that students frequently receive comments and words of encouragement on their assessments. Practical elements are continually assessed and students also experience practical assessments similar to those encountered in the state examinations. These methods allow for careful monitoring of a student’s progress, provide sound guidelines for performance in the state examinations, and are indicative of the commitment of the teachers to helping all students achieve their potential in Music. In this light, and in keeping with the recommendations in planning and preparation above, it would be timely to establish and maintain student progress reports and build up profiles of students’ musical competencies.

 

The school has an open communication policy for parents and, in addition to reports issued after formal examinations at Christmas, spring and summer, regular parent-teacher meetings take place for all class groups. These meetings also provide a forum for parents to discuss any concerns or difficulties students may be having. There is also a willingness on the part of staff to meet parents at any stage if they have concerns about their daughter’s progress.

 

Summary of main findings and recommendations

 

The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:

 

As a means of building on these strengths and to address areas for development, the following key recommendations are made:

 

Post-evaluation meetings were held with the teachers of Music and with the principal at the conclusion of the evaluation when the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.