Hello and welcome to music class!
My name is Steve Smith, and I am incredibly excited to be starting my fifth year of teaching!! I'm so excited and glad to be back in person with everyone! I will be learning just as much as your children will be every single day. I attended Seton Hall University, and graduated with a B.S.E. in Music Education. I have been playing guitar for 12 years, and learning any instrument I could get my hands on along the way. I love music and hope to help others find, nurture, or grow their love for music.
We will be studying music in great depth, and from many different angles. I want my classroom to be as open and welcoming as possible, and most of all, FUN! Throughout all the grades we will be looking into rhythm, melody, harmony, history, as well as creating and performing.
On my website there are free online tools including a metronome, a tuner, and a great resource for practicing music theory! You will also find virtual classroom rules and expectations, as well as information about Schoology. Stay tuned for lesson schedules and what we will be tackling next!
Students in General Music classes will need no more than themselves, a pencil, a notebook to keep everything in one place would be great! (If you don't have a notebook, lined paper and a folder works well!)
Students in grades 4-8 who are interested in playing an instrument this year, stay tuned for a demo from Elefante, and sign ups soon after! Always feel free to come talk to me if you have any questions about playing an instrument!
Music Class Rules and Expectations:
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Be Polite While Others are Speaking/Performing
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If You are Not Speaking, You are Listening!!
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No Snacks Please
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Come Prepared - Pencil + Paper to take notes
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Keep all notes together (Notebook or Folder)
The Grading Policy is:
Participation - 70%
Tests - 15%
Quizzes - 10%
District Assessment - 5%
Each class, students will be given a participation score, to be averaged at the end of the marking period.
On Time - 1 Point
Pencil/Paper - 1 Point
Participation - 1 Point
Etiquette - 1 Point /4 Total Points
If there are ever any questions, concerns, or anything I can do to help your children succeed, please feel free to reach out!
Let’s have a WONDERFUL year!
Musically Yours,
Steve Smith