Curriculum
The Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum contains specific expectations for all students in Grades 9-12 with regards to career-oriented learning in and through music occupations. The Music Pathways Project resource serves as a means of supporting teachers, students, and parents in exploring this important, and often overlooked, topic of career and engagement pathways in and through music.
“[T]raditional occupations and state- supported institutions no longer provide a stable and permanent point of reference in terms of future work, principles and values, and professional identities. Institutional structures such as concert halls, theatres, or music schools, having usually been established by nation-states as distinguishing cultural features, also need to adapt quickly to local changes in order to survive and serve” (Gaunt & Westerlund, 2021, p. xviii)
Ontario Ministry of Education
Curriculum for the Arts Connections
The Ministry of Education currently focuses on the following Transferable Skills: These include:
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Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
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Innovation, Creativity, & Entrepreneurship
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Self-Directed Learning
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Collaboration
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Communication
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Global Citizenship and Sustainability
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Digital Literacy
Career Education: Grade 9 & 10 Documents
Expectations in the arts program include many opportunities for students to apply their skills to work-related situations, to explore educational and career options, and to become self-directed learners. Arts education can provide students with knowledge and a range of communication skills that are valued in various kinds of employment both in the arts themselves and in marketing and public relations, tourism and hospitality, teaching, and law. Teachers can help students to identify ways in which their involvement in the arts enhances their suitability for a wide range of occupations.
– Grade 9/10 Curriculum for the Arts
“The knowledge and skills developed in the study of the arts can be applied in many other endeavours and in a variety of careers”
– The Arts, Grades 9/10, pp. 4-5.
“Teachers can also encourage a positive attitude towards the arts by helping students learn about careers in various areas of the arts industry. By studying art in a variety of forms, learning about artists within and outside the community, and participating in a variety of artistic activities, students will become better informed about the possibilities for active participation in the arts later in life.”
– The Arts, Grades 9/10, p. 8
Music, Grade 9 (Open)
From the Course Overview: “Students will find in music a source of enjoyment and personal satisfaction and will gain creative problem-solving skills, individual and cooperative work habits, knowledge of themselves and others, a sense of personal responsibility, and connections to their communities and future careers” (p. 99).
Curricular Expectations
B4. Connections Beyond the Classroom: identify and describe various opportunities for continued engagement in music.
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B4.1 identify and describe a variety of work or career possibilities related to music study
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B4.2 identify and describe possible opportunities for continued musical study both in and out of school
Career Education: Grade 11 & 12 Documents
Cultural industries are among the largest sectors of the economy, and educational and career opportunities related to the arts are consequently many and varied. In fact, the workforce in the culture sector has increased over a recent twenty-year period at a much faster rate than the total workforce in Canada. Students can be encouraged to explore careers as artists, technicians, or arts administrators. To prepare students for the varied demands of a wide array of postsecondary educational programs and careers, arts courses require students to develop skills and strategies in research, planning, and presentation. Making oral presentations and working in small groups with classmates help students express themselves confidently and work cooperatively with others.
– Grade 11/12 Curriculum for the Arts, page 45
Teachers can “encourage a positive attitude towards the arts by helping students learn about careers in various areas of the arts industry. By studying art in a variety of forms, learning about artists within and outside the community, and participating in a variety of artistic activities, students will become better informed about the possibilities for active participation in the arts later in life”
– The Arts, Grades 11/12, p. 7
“An important aim of the Grade 11 and 12 courses is to help students understand the world in which they live and to help them make choices that will both enrich their lives and prepare them for a variety of careers. To this end, course content is designed to encourage students to understand the connections between what they are doing at the Grade 11 and 12 levels and what is required in a broad range of university and college programs and the world of work”
– The Arts, Grades 11/12, p. 9
Music, Grade 11 (University/College)
From the Course Overview: “Students will consider the function of music in society and the impact of music on individuals and communities. They will explore how to apply skills developed in music to their life and careers” (p. 157).
Curricular Expectations
B4. Connections Beyond the Classroom: analyse opportunities and requirements for continued engagement in music.
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B4.1 assess their interests, skills, and knowledge in relation to a variety of music-related careers
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B4.2 analyse the requirements for postsecondary study of music with respect to education and musical proficiency, and assess what they need to do to meet those requirements
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B4.3 analyse opportunities for, and explain the benefits of, continuing involvement in music and other arts, including opportunities associated with private or public arts organizations