Making and Receiving: Possibilities for Middle School General Music

Abstract

For many music teachers faced with developing a middle school general music class, the possibili- ties for both musical content and pedagogical implementation may seem endless. The experiences and preparation of teachers who teach this class and the students who enroll necessarily impact the teaching and learning that occurs; yet, many teachers have complete autonomy when develop- ing this learning experience. Through lived and told narratives of experience, this article explores the perspectives and teaching practices of two music teachers who conceptualize musical learning in middle school general music differently. Utilizing a dialectic perspective, the views of these two teachers are placed in dialogue each other and with the practices of the researcher in order to examine an important issue in music education: making and receiving or developing artistic performance skills and aesthetic perception abilities. The discussion of these two teachers’ practices demonstrates the need for continued and ongoing discussion between music educators with differ- ing views, a dialogue with potential to strengthen the purposes and content of general music for middle school students.