Music Vision at St Teresa’s Catholic College
The over-arching vision guiding the Music department at St Teresa’s Catholic College has a symbiotic approach, a common vision to nurture effective teaching and learning practice that meets the needs of all students.
In the initial stages of the Arts department’s development at St Teresa's Catholic College, the aim was to gradually lay a cultural foundation that would inspire students to connect and immerse themselves in their own creative discovery process whilst supporting, encouraging and enhancing individual, classroom and community involvement in the Arts. The aim was to nourish the creative interest that is present in every child through the development of an awareness and response to the creative experience and expression. Through this initial vision, we have achieved outcomes, which are not only reactive to identified needs, but also pro-active to perceived future directions with negotiated timeframes.
The growth and development of Music and Instrumental Music has taken many years to establish and now supports strong student involvement with highly experienced and reputable staff. Curriculum Music and instrumental Music have developed symbiotically into areas of great interest and reputation within the college and wider community. There is now a need to prioritize future directions and focus on learning and teaching development in these areas. We aim to provide the opportunity to continue building upon the plethora of experiences that are available to our students of Music, ensuring that it continues to offer highly significant and engaging creative experiences within a positive, varied and supportive environment.
Leadership
At STCC Music we believe that shared ownership leads to quality outcomes. Communication, negotiation and the maintenance of motivation, interest and active engagement are the key to successful professional relationships, with staff, students and the wider community. Leading and inspiring each other and our students is simply the foundation of what is the success of our Music department at St Teresa’s Catholic College – which is the result of this collaborative model where communication and negotiation are constantly in motion.
Personal Commitment to the College Ethos and Catholic Mission
The 7 foundation values of the college are intrinsic to every day life at St Teresa’s Catholic College, playing an important role in relationship building and creating a sense of community within Music, which then reflects and ripples to other areas within the college and wider community. Participation and involvement through music with the prayer life of the college, and inspiring others to share their gifts as well harnesses a web of connectivity with spiritual formation and reflection in the eyes of God.
Leading Learning and Teaching in Music
As Music Educators we create significant and engaging musical experiences for all students that raise levels of awareness, understanding, inspiration and appreciation.
It is vital to value and nurture an understanding of the important role of Music and Creativity in 21st Century society through raising awareness of employment and study opportunities. By broadening real-life experiences for students, staff and parents, levels of awareness, understanding, inspiration and appreciation for Music will continue to grow. Professional and community-based involvement in the ever-changing Music industry maintains an awareness of current events and provides vital links for Music staff and students, which in turn influences and shapes both teaching and learning, on a daily basis.
The Music Curricular and Co Curricular program at St Teresa’s Catholic College forms an integral part of College life. Every minute of Music and Creativity is of vital importance to the future of our students and the entrepreneurial expectations of creativity in the 21st Century workplace. There is a great deal of research supporting the benefits of a quality music education, and the nature of learning in this area provoking ways of thinking and knowing that extends across each school subject, as well as assisting students to effectively negotiate their post-schooling lives. It is our responsibility to provide the opportunity for students to move informed into life outside of school – be it musical life, or life in general.
As Music Educators – like our students – we are learners. We are continually investigating ways to improve our practice. We are practitioners, teachers and mentors; maintaining awareness of 21st century teaching practices as well as being role models who nurture each student's gifts and talents through individual music lessons and performance opportunities.
It is vital to maintain professional and community-based involvement in the ever-changing Music industry both as performers, teachers and mentors. This maintains an awareness of current events and provides vital links for Music students, which in turn influences and shapes both teaching and learning on a daily basis.
One of the most challenging aspects of teaching is maintaining student motivation, interest and active engagement. Therefore it is vital to shape teaching skills and music development in a way that integrates participation, creates opportunities, values and experiences the full range of social and cultural groups, and guide students to rise to their own personal and academic challenges in a positive and supportive learning environment. As teachers, applying inclusive teaching and learning techniques founded on the principles of equity and responsiveness to social and cultural diversity, and accepting the beliefs of others in addition to your own is integral to rising to this challenge. Integral to teaching is maintaining an awareness of continually changing community issues and events as these influence and shape both teaching and learning on a daily basis. Aspire to develop instrumental music programs in alignment with this ideology, maximising opportunities for learners to engage with innovative thinking and learning as well as experiencing Music both as audience members and as artists. Such an education is vital to student’s success as individuals and as members of society, emphasising not only creativity and imagination, but also the values of cultural understanding and social harmony that Music can engender (National Education and the Arts Statement, 2007).
