Practice Card Guidelines

 

Cards are due at the beginning of each week to receive full credit.  Cards will be accepted on the following remaining days of the week with a reduction of 5 points each day.  (Absences from school are considered)  The card should have time recorded on the chart. 

1) Time should be recorded by the number of minutes practiced and totaled (avoid using 1 hour etc). 

2) Students are issued a practice card at the beginning of the school year.  Lost practice cards must be replaced. Replacement cost is 25 cents and available from the band director.  Students should obtain a new card as soon as possible if the card is lost.  A temporary card (plain paper) may be used one time each six-weeks.

3) Students may be excused from practicing for the reasons listed below.  Parents should write the abbreviation for the reason for not practicing and initial on the day not practiced.  Please note that this should be used with discretion of the parent.  Often students can make up practice time missed during other days during the week.     

OT  =  Out of town

Sick  =  Illness

Shop  =  Instrument in shop for repair

Dis  =  Covers anything the parent feels is a valid reason for not practicing (emergencies etc.)

1) Students may receive credit for the items listed below.  Use the abbreviations on the appropriate day.

2) These are offered as an extra credit and are not meant to substitute for regular practice time at home.  These will be counted only if the weekly minimum practice is recorded as well.

PL  =  Private Lesson

CON  =  Student attends another instrumental concert (elementary band, high-school band, university or professional band or orchestra)

PER/other  =  Students that play their instrument in a non-school related performance (church, youth ensembles)

1) Practice time and recommended schedule

A. Minimum practice time expected each week is 90 minutes.  This generally is 18 minutes each day when spread over 5 days during the week.  Students may also choose to spread the time over 7 days.

B. Practice time is more beneficial when spread through the week.  Practicing only one or two times per week for longer times is discouraged.

C. The grading scale for practice cards is:

60 minutes  =  95

45 minutes  =  85

30 minutes  =  75

D. Bonus points for each 20 minutes above 60.  Maximum points are 100 per week.

E. Five cards will be averaged for the practice card grade.  The five highest will be graded.  Please note

F. Students may miss one practice card each six-weeks without affecting the practice card average for the six-weeks grading period.  Missing more than one will impact the practice card average and thus the final six-weeks grade. 

1) Students may make up missed practice card grades by playing specific items such as scales,

technique, exercises etc.  This will be handled as make-up work.  Only two weekly practice card    grades may be made up each six-weeks.

2) Practice cards will begin during the second six-weeks.

What Students

Should Practice At Home

This is a suggested schedule to develop a practice routine as well as help students use their practice time efficiently.  This will also help parents know if students are benefiting from home practice.  This routine will allow students to cover their playing assignments and will help them to progress in their playing ability.  In addition, by following this routine students will be able to easily meet practice time requirements for their practice card. 

I.  Warm-up                                           1 – 3 minutes

Choose short exercises from each of these categories:

1.  Slow scales                                     

II.  Etude Assignments                                    10  – 15  minutes

1. Review technique lines played in class

2. Practice newly assigned lines

3. Isolate problem areas and work to improve them

III.  Recreational Playing                    ???? minutes

Students should try different types of music.  Music from popular songs or music from

churches would be beneficial.  Students should also experiment with making up their own music.  Recreational playing should not take the place of regular practice time.  This time should be only counted when completion of practice assignments has been completed.

 

Students should strive to Students should strive to play their instrument daily.  Practice time is more beneficial to the student’s progress when it is done as a daily routine.  Playing an instrument is a physical activity and students need to spend time regularly practicing.  Practice time can be effective in shorter sessions each on the same day.  Ten or fifteen minute session, two or three times per day will sufficiently keep students conditioned, keep them ready for class and rehearsals and fulfill time requirements for band class.  Longer practice time sessions are not discouraged. 

If students seem to be bored with or seeming to master practice assignments, different and additional materials and assignments are available. Parents will probably hear some things frequently.  This is normal.  You should hear new things regularly.  If you want to know specifics of materials, you may check the teacher web website or get the information from the band director.               

Ask your child to perform their music for you from time to time.