You don't have to love chocolate this much to be in band...
To be successful in band, and to experience an incredibly high level of "FF" (FUN FACTOR!), students must master all aspects of band starting on Day One! To be successful, teachers, parents AND students must have extremely high expectations. Band is not "rocket science." It's 99.9% dedicated work! However, if you take it one small step at a time, learning each new
lesson in order, it's really pretty easy to make good music and have tons of fun!
The curriculum we teach is The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Fine Arts, known as the "TEKS." (For a more colorful website on TEKS, click here.)
Students who meet the expectations below WILL be successful:
Practice Reports - signed by parent, will be due each Friday, with
150 minutes of practice per week being the minimum required.
(Many students do much more.)
This is "band homework," and is 20% of the six weeks grade. Practice Reports turned-in late will be minus 10 points per day late, unless the student has an excused absence from school.
An easy practice rule to follow is "practice on days that you eat." Regular practice, even a small amount, is better than a 2-3 hour "cram session" once a week before the test. Much of what we do is "skill" development very similar to athletics. Muscles AND brain must be trained on a daily basis. Just as a person must eat to survive and grow, so must a musician practice each day.
For more ideas on practicing and getting the highest yield on your musical investment, or to access print-out Practice Reports please visit our website:
Weekly tests on scales, technical exercises, musical selections and sight-reading:
These must be "mastered," meaning "performed perfectly." All students can meet this expectation by practicing often and correctly. It is never a matter of "talent" or intelligence. It is ALWAYS a matter of "work." Your band directors have over 50 years of combined band experience, and we can assure you that when the WORK is done as prescribed, SUCCESS will be the result. When the WORK is not done, success will not happen. And it's a funny thing: the greater amount and intensity of work, the higher the FF!!
Metronome MUST be used on every test and assignment.
A right note at the wrong time is a wrong note. ALL practicing at home MUST be done to the beat of the metronome! Perfect time is a necessity for music. And "finding the groove" creates an immediate and extreme "FF" all by itself. Find the beat! You'll love it when you do!
"E" level behavior is expected in every class!
Self-discipline is THE major factor in success. Talking is not allowed during rehearsals. You cannot use your brain and body 100% to learn an instrument if you are constantly thinking about what you are going to say next. Students must turn off ALL verbal outgoing signals from your brain while you are in the band hall. Use 100% of your mind and body to listen, follow instructions and create sound with your instrument.
As a member of the Donna Shepard Intermediate School Band, you are now a representative of this organization 24/7. Behave in manner that will always bring respect and honor to you and your band!
Music and materials must be marked and/or highlighted as instructed.
Visual reminders increase levels and speed of learning. Students should "take notes" on their notes!
Students MUST have all materials at school each day and MUST take all materials home each and every night.
Band is a performance and participation class. Students cannot learn to play if they do not have an instrument in their hands and music learning materials on their stand! (See "Grading Policy.")
Individual responsibility:
Each student must set-up and pack-up equipment and materials quickly and quietly each day. In music performance, each student's part will often be completely different than anyone else's, with the only common factor being metronomic time. Being responsible for an individual part is like being the goalie on the soccer team. If your part is not there, the chances of a successful performance for the team diminishes considerably, and lowers the FF for everyone.
Solo and Ensemble Contest:
Part of our required band curriculum for each student is performance at the MISD Solo and Ensemble Contest each Spring. The date varies from year to year as scheduling allows, but it is always held at one of our MISD Intermediate School campuses.
Students are required to pay a small fee ($6) for participation (this pays for outside judges and for the medal your child will win!), but if there is a financial problem, we can obtain help through "scholarship" donors. Students will be issued a large number of very fun and challenging musical selections from which they may choose, or they may be assigned pieces by their band director or private teacher. (Please see the "Private Teacher" section.)
For information on exactly what to do at Solo and Ensemble Contest, please
This is a VERY strict rule of band classes. If your child has a "whining" problem, we would ask that you address that problem with your child now. Band will be VERY demanding and taxing, both mentally and physically. Whining is an "off-task" behavior and is highly detrimental to the student's success. Whining also cancels out any possible "ff" for everyone!
Instrument Care and Maintenance:
Students will be taught routine maintenance, such as oiling valves, greasing slides, swabbing-out ww's, cleaning , etc., and will then follow these procedures at home. Class time is not to be used for routine maintenance.
School owned instruments:
If your child is renting a school-owned instrument, please understand that these are expensive - from a minimum of $700 up to $3,000 - and are designed to have a functional life of at least 15 years. Students who are renting or otherwise using school-owned instruments are expected to treat these instruments with extreme care. There will some minor wear or signs of use throughout the year. This is normal and expected, and accidents do happen.
However, on the first instance of neglect, abuse or careless treatment, the band director will confiscate the instrument, and the student will not be allowed to use a school instrument until parents have been contacted, any damages are paid for and the band directors are absolutely convinced that the student WILL take extremely good care of the instrument in the future.
STUDENTS: a special note on instrument safety:
Instruments and materials are NEVER to be left overnight in
the band hall, and are NEVER to be left alone anywhere at
school other than the band hall during the day.
Sadly, there sometimes are people who take things that do not belong to them. Do not give them the opportunity to take your things. Keep instruments and materials stored in their proper location and have your name written or tagged on EVERYTHING you own, even if it is a very small item. If you have knowledge of anyone even touching things that do not belong to them, please report it to your band director.
