The cycle day of your student's lesson depends on the school they attend. Additionally, you can find the district cycle day calendar on the school website.
Instrument
Book (String Basics)
Folder (with papers such as music, notes charts, practice calendars)
Chromebook
All student should be practicing at least 5 times between each lesson. Practice time expectations for each of those 5 practice sessions vary by how long the student has been playing.
Beginners, September to January: 5 minutes each time
Beginners, January to May: 10 minutes each time
Concert Orchestra, September to January: 15 minutes each time
Concert Orchestra, January to May: 20 minutes each time
Select Orchestra, September to January: 25 minutes each time
Select Orchestra, January to May: 30 minutes each time
In event of a 2 hour delay, students will still have a lesson, however the time will likely change. Students should check the schedule in the morning to find out their lesson time.
For a Virtual Day, if it falls on their lesson day, students will have an activity to complete for me, and may have a mini-lesson on Google Meet. Information will be posted on Schoology for the students and emailed to both students and parents.
Part of learning to play an instrument is getting the experience of performing in front of other people. It is a way of sharing what students have learned throughout the year.
First and foremost, I want to express that it is completely normal to feel this way about performing. Students may feel nervous, worried, anxious, scared, or all of the above. I have been doing concerts since I was their age and I still get these feelings before a concert! Ask anyone who has ever performed in any musical capacity, and they will tell you that these are normal emotions to have.
That being said, here are some things that I explain to the students to help ease their worries!
They are not on stage alone! They perform in a large group with other students, all playing at the same time.
The only people who will watch them the entire time are their own families. AND, the only way that their families will know if they made a mistake is if they make a face. (cue the silly face, making them giggle a bit and easing the tension!)
We begin working on Concert Music in February. We have most of February, all of March, and all of April to practice it. Nearly 3 months worth of in school and at home practice time to prepare!
Students are on stage for no more than 10 minutes. Every year, at least one student comes off of the stage and says, "That's it?!?!? That wasn't so bad!"
With the bright lights on stage and darkness in the audience, students can stay focused on me the entire time, and pretend that the audience is not even there!