You will need to rent or buy an acoustic guitar for this class. There are very few school owned guitars. They are reserved for students with financial need or a seating issue on an overcrowded school bus. Electric guitars are not acceptable for the purposes of this class. We cannot supply amplifiers and they make too much noise. Obtaining an instrument is the student's responsibility.
You will need to purcase a copy of the Hal Leonard Guitar Method-Book 1 (by Will Schmid). It is available for purchase at Music Mart and at Grandma's Music and Sound. All other music will be supplied by the school.
You should keep a supply of extra strings in your case at all times in case of breakage. If you choose to go for an extended period of time without replacing a broken string, it will affect your grade.
1. Please be in your seat with your supplies (guitar, music book, pencil, agenda book) when the tardy bell rings.
2. Please pay attention while Ms. Reese is talking. Please do not talk while others are playing. Do not play your instrument while others are talking or performing for the class.
3. Remain in your assigned seat and keep hands and posessions to yourself.
4. Please always raise your hand to ask a question.
5. No food or drink are ever allowed in the band room. This includes gum.
6. Please be cooperative with Ms. Reese and with each other.
All school discipline procedures will be followed as detailed in the school handbook. Participation in the TMS guitar program is voluntary as this is an elective class. Each student's behavior and attitude are highly important to the decision to participate. If a student has repeated attitude and/or behavioral problems leading to class room disruptions, that student may be asked to find an elective in which they may be successful without these conflicts.
Please help maintain the band room and equipment. Nothing in the band room is cheap or easy to maintain. Please follow these guidelines:
-No Gum!!
-Pick up after yourself. No paper or trash should be left on the floor.
-Do not abuse the chairs or stands.
-Please clean off your shoes if you use the outside entrance.
-Do not touch any of the percussion equipment, please.
Grades will be weighted 33% daily grades, 33% tests and 34% performances (if a performance occurs during that grading period).
-Daily grade: Student should be in their seat on time with instrument and all supplies needed for class. No instrument=ZERO for the day. Student is expected to be on task working as an individual and as a member of a group throughout the class period. **Student will be required to show parent signature in their agenda book at the beginning of every class to show that all assigned material has been practiced since the last class. Parent signature counts for 30% of the student's daily grade. (New for Fall '08)
-Tests: Announced at the beginning of each week (although there may be unannounced pop quizzes). Worth up to 100 points per test. Posture, hand position, tone production, notes, rhythms, dynamic markings, tempo markings and overall musicality will be taken into consideration.
-Performances: ALL PERFORMANCES ARE REQUIRED. In a nine weeks without a performance, daily and test grades will each be worth 50%. If you miss a performance for an excused reason such as illness or a death in the family, you may make up the grade one of two ways:
-By writing a paper on a musical topic of Ms. Reese's choice. The paper must be a minimum of three pages, typed, single spaced, and no larger than 14 point Times New Roman font. If you cite any written or internet sources, correct bibliographic information must be provided. Plagerisim will not be tolerated. This paper must be turned in no later than one week after the missed performance. The student is responsible for getting the paper topic from Ms. Reese and setting up the due date.
-By performing a solo for the class on music chosen to meet the District Solo & Ensemble music criteria.The solo must be performed within one week after the missed concert.The student is responsible for asking Ms. Reese for music and for setting up a performance time in front of the class.
