Hello once again String Jaguars and Families,
As we wrap up the 3rd week out of school, I hope everyone is doing well! (Stay safe and healthy!) I have had the fortune experience of seeing close to half our Orchestra Family through the Zoom meetings, so I know at least half of us are doing well. I hope those whom I have not seen are also surviving well – and I hope to see you in an online meeting soon!
I – along with all of the teachers and administrators – appreciate everyone’s patience as we work through this unprecedented situation. I cannot imagine how different families are handling this with lives and jobs and relationships being held in the balance. I am sure there are various levels of fear, panic, excitement, and confusion among all of us – so please know that you are not alone with your feelings of uncertainty. We are in this together and we will pull through together.
Luckily, we musicians have an emotional outlet: our instruments! So I hope that everyone is using your talents to ease your psyche and soothe the souls of those around you. (Maybe “Curse of the Rosin Eating Zombies” is not the right piece to play at the moment…)
By now, I think everyone should have received word from the District that we are in the Online Schooling mode for the foreseeable future. I know we are out of the building until at least April 27, and our return largely depends on when the St. Charles County Department of Public Health deems it safe to return.
For the last two weeks, most classes have just been doing “review” material. Moving forward – starting April 7 – teachers are allowed to continue teaching through their curriculum (“new material”).
We in orchestra have been “reviewing” the idea of intervals and chords. Both of these topics we discussed for about a week each earlier in the year. Videos and worksheets have been assigned in addition to a long-term composition project that is “due” Sunday night.
Admittedly, this walks the line of “review” material, as there were a few bits of information that we added onto the concept from earlier in the year. But in all honesty, it seems everyone who has turned in the worksheets is fine with the 4 extra bits we added to intervals and with how to make chords.
That should bring us up to date with Orchestra Class.
As we look ahead to the remainder of the shelter-in-home order, the district has laid out more clear guidelines for what the online school day looks like. As all of the different classes now realign to these guidelines, I hope it brings some more consistency to everyone’s schedule and routine.
(I know for some, this schedule/routine will be a welcome relief from the constant news barrage and for others, adding anything extra to their full plate will be a burden. Do your best but stay sane and healthy!)
For us in orchestra, some of what we do will be the same and some will be different; some will be similar; and overall, it actually might feel like we have to scale back what we have been doing!
I will quickly outline a few aspects of “Orchestra Class” and in each of the following sections, I will make note of “Same”, “Slightly Different”, and “New” policies.
Here is what our future holds:
ORCHESTRA INFORMATION
SAME: The orchestra information and assignments will continue to be posted on Google Classroom; big updates and assignments through email; links available on our Wakelet; and some material will be linked to/from our usual website.
SAME: We will continue to have live class meetings and the occasional video to watch.
CLASS MEETINGS
SAME: We will continue to have class meetings as we have been. They will be on Monday and on your block schedule day; always around your normal class time.
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT/NEW: The district would like us to use WebEx instead of Zoom. I will send a separate email and Google Classroom post with that log-in information.
NEW: The district would like us to keep specific “office hours”. I will do this.
Expect meetings on Monday around our regular class time:
4th hour at 10am
5th hour at 11am
6th hour at 1pm
7th hour at 2pm
A second meeting will take place on Wednesday or Thursday – whenever your block day is:
4th hour – Wednesday – 10am
6th hour – Wednesday – 1pm (I know this is *after* a normal block day, but it has worked so far)
5th hour – Thursday – 11am
7th hour – Thursday – 1pm
Mieloch Office Hours
9am – 10am Every Day
2pm – 3pm Every Day
I will have “office hours” from 9-10 every morning and 2-3 every afternoon – this should give time before and after our “classes” if anyone has any specific questions or concerns. I will be responding to email the fastest at this time.
If you have questions at any time, please feel free to email or text. My “school day” will generally be at the computer, making lessons and trying to get the online materials in order.
WHAT CLASS WILL BE LIKE
SAME: The meetings on Monday will be extremely helpful as I lay out the plan for the week and show any examples of assignments, websites/resources to use, and handle any questions.
The meetings on the “block day” will help students with questions about the week’s assignments and for us to touch base with general goings-on.
SAME: Assignments might be anything from a video, a worksheet, a video and a worksheet; a playing assignment on Smart Music or Sight Reading Factory; a listening assignment; or simply practicing… and/or anything else that is both enriching and appropriate for what we can accomplish via virtual/online/not-in-person rehearsals.
ATTENDANCE AT CLASS MEETINGS
Please attend any/all meetings you would like. I will try to keep the information basically the same at each meeting, so if you oversleep or have a conflicting meeting, jump in on another. If there will be specific class-related material, I will let you know so you can plan accordingly.
EXPECTATIONS
To be honest and transparent – the district is expecting you to spend about 20 minutes per day on Orchestra.
This means: if I assign a 20-minute video, technically that is the only thing to do/watch that day for orchestra class. If there is a 10-minute video, there then should also be an accompanying worksheet/assignment that will take 10 minutes. If there is a 5-minute video of “how to play your part” to watch, then you should plan on practicing for 15 minutes after the video.
SAME: The “big assignments” will come out on Monday/Wednesday/Friday like they have been.
SAME: On Tuesday/Thursday, there will be “lighter” fare assignments that will be easier to mentally digest.
NEW: I can technically no longer assign a 25-minute video and 2 10-question worksheets on the same day. Anything in this format will include a shorter video. (Even though the previous videos have been about 35-45% review, it still takes up time!)
NEW: Therefore, I will be teaching classes in 20 minute bursts via WebEx; or assigning performance practices on SmartMusic or Sight Reading Factory; or assigning a video to watch about music history; or assigning a video to watch of a piece that you should be practicing – and you can practice along or listen to how it goes.
**THE WAY IT WILL LIKELY WORK**
I will most likely post a list on Monday of everything that is due for the week, and you can work on it at your leisure. I will give daily updates of what is due and when, but I hope that knowing what you need to get done for the entire week will help you plan your week.
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT: Long-term project. I had announced previously in meetings that there was going to be another long-term assignment. This, technically, would be very difficult to do with the 20-minute limitation on “required orchestra class time” by the district. I am trying to figure out the best way to make this option available to people for those who were looking forward to performing their composition or playing a duet. We will make it happen somehow.
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT: While I cannot officially “assign” it, please practice more as your schedule allows!
GRADING
NEW: I am allowed to put grades in the grade book – so expect to see some grades pop up. As you may have heard, they are not going to negatively impact your overall grade, so use this opportunity to dare greatly, go big, and push yourself to the limit as you play.
As you perform, remember: You will literally have nothing to lose! Be bold.
NEW: We will not be having a final.
But I personally think you should still be responsible for all of the material that is on the orchestra final, as it is all terminology that you need in order to play your music. Do you know what “Allegro” means? What does piano mean? How do you play a crescendo? Do not turn off your brain just because there is not big test at the end of the year.
PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS
So far, we have had at least 50% of each class do the assignments. I am going to keep those assignments posted on our Wakelet page.
NEW/SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT: If someone has not done those assignments yet, they will become required, eventually.
If you have done them already – great! Thanks, you are done. (If you want to re-do them to get a higher grade, you may re-submit them.)
If you have not done them, they will be mixed in throughout the week. There are only 4 days’ worth to catch up, but each video is about 20 minutes. Luckily, it builds on the previous knowledge (there is a lot of review in each video). If you take the time to understand it at the start (video 1), the rest of the videos become mostly review, as I do extra explanations to reinforce the same idea over and over.
The accompanying “worksheets” take no more than 5 minutes each (they are actually timed, so the most you can spend on each worksheet is 10 minutes), so you can probably do those online worksheets as the video is playing. (After the video is done with the review section, of course!)
TELL YOUR FRIENDS
As we navigate these confusing and stressful times, check in on your friends and classmates. Some people might be trying to avoid everything because they are scared…or because they think there are no more responsibilities…or maybe they are busy trying to keep their home life together.
Reach out, be kind, and please let me know if you or anyone else needs some help. Now that we are gearing things up, everyone needs to be on the ball to know what this new reality is.
WRAPPING UP
Thanks for all of you who have been attending the Zoom meetings so far. I look forward to seeing you again – although now on WebEx – and I especially look forward to seeing those I haven’t seen or have only seen once!
Despite the uncertainty, we are going to get through this, and if I can inject some fun in along the way, I certainly will. (Have you noticed my friends attending the Zoom meetings over my left shoulder?!)
It is rather daunting to think that we are living through what will eventually be a unit in a history class…
Stay strong, stay healthy, and we will be able to create a happy ending to that future class.
Stay in touch, keep practicing, keep washing your hands, and I will see you again soon!
All the best,