META: 4+5+6+7+
META is short for Music Education through Artistic Actions.
META is another way of capturing the thrust of this philosophy:
music education in and through reflective musicing and listening.
4+5+6+7+ refers to:
4+ The praxial philosophy proposes at least FOUR basic
values of music and music education (self-growth, enjoyment, self-knowledge
and self-esteem) PLUS several other values that teachers and students
should aim to achieve.
5+ Music making and music listening involve at least FIVE
interdependent forms of musical thinking and knowing.
6+ Musical
works involve at least SIX dimensions of musical meaning
that music makers and listeners can (and should) learn to focus on
or listen for.
7+ I
suggest a SEVEN-step process to follow in preparing music-teaching
episodes. This process begins by deciding the musical actions that
students will engage in during the short-term and long-term. There
are seven: performing, improvising, composing, arranging, and
conducting (all of which involve artistic listening) PLUS listening
to recorded music and (possibly) moving or dancing, or participating
in another art that is essential to understanding the musical practices
and pieces being studied (e.g., Irish fiddle music and Irish step-dancing).
