minimum.
Please
maintain focus and avoid talking between class activities. This is
a time
to listen for musical responses from your child.
Talking will only distract your child from the musical
experience we are so carefully creating.
-- A positive joyful attitude is far more important
than formal music training. Dispositions, or attitudes,
can only be learned from parents or significant
caregivers. Attitudes are important because they
motivate children to learn. When caregivers
genuinely enjoy an activity, the children, who want to
be like adults, will too.-- Be
enthusiastic, but do not force your child to play or sing if he doesn’t
want to at that
moment.Remember,
a child who observes is participating mentally, and will probably
sing
many of the songs during the ride home from music class!
-- Please resist the urge to constantly give your
child verbal instruction. Children have the amazing ability to teach
themselves through play, and even the most well-meaning adult can disrupt
that process by giving too much direction. Allow your child to experience
the class in his or her own way - whether by constant movement, sitting
and staring, tasting instruments rather than playing them, etc. We
know from working with hundreds of children over the years that each child
is busy processing the musical information, even if that's not apparent
during class activities. Trust this process, relax and let your child
be, and you will begin to see new musical behaviors emerging as the session
progresses.
--
Maintain a nonjudgmental positive attitude toward your child as well as
others in the
class.Each
child will react differently, so avoid comparing your child with others.
-- If your child cries excessively during class,
I encourage you to take a break just outside
the
classroom door (where you can still observe the class), but do come back!
--
Have fun with your child!
FOOD, DRINK, TOYS
--
Please feel free to nurse and bottle-feed in class. Otherwise, please
do any eating or drinking outside the classroom (or downstairs at
NBMC). Non-spill sippy cups can be used in the classroom, but please
use them away from the activities, to avoid inspiring other children to
take sips from your child's cup.Please
be considerate
and
clean up after your child.
-- Please do not bring toys into the activity area.
We prefer to keep our 45 minutes together as musical as possible.
SAFETY:
--
No running
in the classroom during the class.Encourage
dancing instead. It's
safer! You do not have to force your child
to sit.
--
Please do not allow your child to throw instruments.
-- We strive to create the safest environment possible
that will allow for some freedom of expression given the types of materials
and amount of activity. It is important that parents be responsible
for the safety of their child as well as monitor their child to see that
he/she does not harm others.
TIMELINESS:
--
Please arrive on time!If most of
the class is late, I might have to cut some activities or
concepts,
because a lot is packed into each class.Also,
being rushed is hard on
children,
and they may have difficulty participating in a class which has begun without
them.Please
establish the habit of arriving 5 minutes early to be ready for the start
of
class.
GUESTS:
Additional
adults are welcome.
To
keep class size within bounds, please let me know in advance if you
plan to bring an unenrolled child.I
will let you know if there is space.Guests
with children are encouraged to donate $12.50/child per class. This money
is used to provide financial assistance o families who could not otherwise
participate.Non-enrolled older
siblings may visit once or twice free of charge due to school professional
days, etc., but I need to know in advance.
MAKING
UP MISSED CLASSES:
Missed
classes will not be refunded. TWO make-up classes will be allowed,
if space is available, scheduled during the current semester. Music Together
is an educationally based program and consistency is especially important,
so please make every effort to attend the class for which you are registered.
Makeup classes must be scheduled in advance via the Online Makeup
Scheduler.Here
is how it works:
Step 1: Go to http://makeups.musictogether.com.
Or go to musictogethercharmcity.com & click on the "Schedule a Makeup
Class" link.
Step 2: Log in with the password given to
you on your hard copy of the Policy Sheet (passwords are changed each trimester).
Step 3: Choose makeups by location, teacher,
or availability.
Step 4: Choose a class and click "Schedule
makeup." If you don't see a particular class listed, that means someone
else has already filled the makeup spot.
Step 5: Enter your email address, phone #,
name, and child's name.
Step 6: Click the "schedule" button.
You and your teacher will receive an email confirmation.
If you do not have internet access, call Miriam
at (410) 825-3881, and she will go online for you. Try to sign up
for makeup classes early in the session, as slots for makeups often fill
by the 7th or 8th week of class.Since
spaces are limited, please make every effort to attend the class for which
you signed up.If you are absent
for your makeup class & did not cancel, you may not reschedule that
makeup class. Cancel your scheduled makeup class online.
IfI
must cancel class due to illness or similar reasons, I will call to notify
you. Semester dates may extend due to the cancellation of classes and/
or inclement weather.I do not schedule
extra makeup classes unless I cancel the class.
ILLNESS
