Prelude
There are many ways to experience music, from the traditional to the avant-garde. As a music teacher in the current school and global environment, one should be prepared to adjust to a variety of music classes that address student needs and interests. With this in mind, I have developed a teaching approach that allows for flexible learning, creative thinking, and individualized instruction. To address personalized goals and achievements, each student keeps an Individualized Musicianship Report through the year. Click Here to view them. In addition to these reports, let's work backwards to see how I approach teaching music in the classroom.
KISS: Keep it Short and Simple
The study of music can be as complicated as we want it to be. However, everything we do in music can be traced back to one of the concepts below. This visual guide is used to illustrate an overall music process. Yes, it's a bit silly, but hopefully it will stick in the minds of my students. This is the "big picture" of music that I want every students to understand before exiting my course. There are reactions and connections to the music experience (perhaps an aesthetic moment) that are difficult to describe and put on paper, but hopefully we achieve these throughout the year. Everything that is learned in music class can be traced back to this guide. 
Elements of Music
What is music made of? If you dissect the music that you listen to or perform, you will find that it is composed of six basic elements. They are:
Melody
Harmony
Rhythm
Texture
Form
Expression
While teaching students to compose or directing a rehearsal, music can be simplified by identifying and understanding these six elements.
The Big Three
What does it take for music to even exist?
Composers/Creators
Performers/Computers
Listeners/Audience
The roles of each of these are essential and music students should understand them. 
Beginning with Standards
Music Educators National Conference (MENC) has published U.S. National Music Standards. This is a perfect place to start when devising a teaching approach that will develop a well-rounded musician. The standards fit nicely into the visual guide shown above. A few standards overlap
Standards 1, 2, 3, and 5 address performance
Standards 3, 4, and 5 address composing/creating and the six elements of music
Standards 6 and 7 address listener/audience
Standards 8 and 9 can fit into any category depending on how they are approached