USC Thornton School of Music Graduates First Cohort for the Master of Music in K-12 Contemporary Teaching Practice

LOS ANGELES, June 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The USC Thornton School of Music graduated its inaugural class of teachers from an innovative new master's program that re-envisions music education for the 21st-century landscape.

Graduates of the K-12 Contemporary Teaching Practice program leave uniquely attuned to the needs of today's students. They are equipped with a diverse set of educational skills, a Master of Music degree, a teaching credential, and a clear vision of what music education should look like in contemporary American society.

USC Thornton created the K-12 Contemporary Teaching Practice program after recognizing that the traditional model of music education was out of touch with the needs of today's students.

"We are looking to transform the landscape of music teaching and learning to a more contemporary place that celebrates the musical world students inhabit today," said Peter Webster, Scholar-in-Residence of Thornton's Research and Scholarly Studies division.

Students move as a cohort through the 12-month curriculum, including a semester of student teaching and certification training. Our goal is to graduate teachers who feel equally confident coaching a small jazz ensemble and facilitating a digital music production class or after-school rock band.

Cutting-edge coursework explores the sociocultural reality of music in the lives of today's children and youth. Students are immersed in popular and culturally relevant musical styles, digital composition and songwriting, and alternative models for teaching that highlight student agency, creativity, and community and entrepreneurial engagement beyond the classroom.

"What's unique about the program is that it builds on the personal experiences of our students," said Judy Lewis, director of the program. "Most traditional music education programs ignore the indigenous literacies that come with growing up in a contemporary music environment, and instead corral students into the traditional mold for a music educator."

While most music teaching degrees include four months of student teaching near graduation, Thornton's K-12 Contemporary Teaching Practice program has graduate students start teaching a few weeks into the program.

"We're trying to create stronger connections with teachers in the field who have been doing wonderful work, and integrate their expertise into our program by having them give workshops to our cohort and work with graduate students on individual topics," said Lewis.

The graduate application for the 2020 K-12 Contemporary Teaching Practice program opens on September 1st, and the priority application deadline is December 1st.

SOURCE USC Thornton School of Music

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https://music.usc.edu