Chorus Syllabus

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Dear Students and Parents -- Welcome to another tremendous year for the Windsor Middle School Chorus and thank you for being part of our musical community!  I am looking forward to once again achieving our primary goal:   to have as much fun as possible, and to reap the many benefits of music education by creating outstanding performing ensembles!  This document should provide all of the information that you will need to have a rewarding and fantastic year!

Attitude

Attitude is the most important thing in life, and certainly the most important thing in our chorus.   Attitudes are contagious:  bad attitudes tend to spread to others and can ruin a group and the experience for every member.  Similarly, good attitudes can sweep through a group creating a feeling of connectedness and loyalty that can make good groups great.  As Charles Swindoll said, “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company...a church (a chorus)... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.”  Your attitude and your behavior account for 1/2 of your grade in this course.  Please be here because you want to be here and participate in all of the fun things that we will do this year.  Students who develop an unacceptable attitudes or behaviors will be removed.                                                          

Community

Chorus classes are different from other classes.  In Chorus, we learn by working together to create something that none of us could create on our own.  Every person in the group affects every other person to a much greater extent than in other types of classes.  Each person’s behavior and performance directly influences both the quality of the music that we produce together, and the amount that we can learn.  Because we perform in public and represent Windsor Middle School, the quality of our work reflects the quality of our WMS community.  Each person in the group has a responsibility to every other person, and to the school at large,  to do their best, in class and in performance.   It is critical that we work together to create the best possible experience for ourselves, and an outstanding impression on the community.  You are a member of our team, and every other member of the team is relying on you to be there and to do your best every time we are together.

Behavior

Behavior in music classes presents a unique challenge for both students and teachers.  Think of it this way: the goal of our class is to create sound - beautiful, artistic sound hopefully.  We have large classes full of students who can make a great deal of noise.  Because our classes are “electives”, students are more likely to be in groups with their friends.   (This is good, because we are creating a community, as noted above.)  The challenge is to enjoy the company of our friends and to create an environment that allows everyone to learn.  It is imperative that students have outstanding behavior in the classroom and in public performances. Please see the “Rules” sheet for specific rules and consequences. Parents can help by supporting our efforts to maintain high standards for behavior and performance.

Calendar

Here are the important dates for 2013/2014:

TOW Tree Lighting             12/5/13

Winter Concert                  12/10/13

Spring Concert                   5/22/14*

May be changed to align with the WHS Chorus Concert

It is my hope that with this advance notice you will be able to keep these dates in mind as you plan your other activities.  The Winter and Spring Concerts and the Fall Festival are curricular events and are considered part of the student’s grade.  Unexcused absences to the Concerts will cause a student’s final grade to be reduced by one letter grade.  Bonus points will be awarded for attendance at our important cocurricular events that take place outside of school hours.  It is important to remember that our ensembles are communities in which every person contributes to the work that we produce together.

Performance Attire

We ask that students wear black long pants, or skirt a white long sleeve button down shirt or blouse that will be tucked in,  and black shoes.

Grading

Fifty percent of a student’s grade is based on behavior, attitude and participation in class.  These will be listed as “Behavior” points.  Fifty percent of their grade is based on work they do outside of class, or on demonstrated service to the group.   These points will be listed as “Academic” points.   Options for earning “Academic” points include documented practice time, written reports on composers and performers, written music theory assignments, musical or concert reviews, directed composition projects, music careers research projects,  solo and small ensemble performance projects, extra or cocurricular performance or fundraising opportunities.  There are points available for  serving as a Chorus Officer or other service to the “musical community”.  There are 900 points per term available for behavior and participation in class and 900 “Academic” points available for work that is done outside of class, or for extra service to the group.  The final grade is calculated as an average of the two scores described above.  Students who earn less than 540 points in the “Academic” category, can still get a “C” if they have outstanding classroom behavior and participation.  Students who earn more than 900 points in the “Academic” category will not be able to subsidize poor scores in the “behavior and participation” category.  Student scores are posted by “code name” in the room, so students will know how they are doing at all times.  The Academic portion of the course is “self-directed” in the sense that students choose which assignments they would like to do and when they would like to turn them in.  This gives students the freedom

to plan their homework around their individual schedules, but adds the responsibility of making sure that they have the points that they need for the grade that they want to earn by the time the term ends.  The grading rubric is as follows:

Grading for Windsor Middle School Chorus

Behavior Points available per quarter:         900

Behavior points available per day:         20

Academic points available per quarter:         900

Your grade will be based on the “Average” of your “Behavior” and your “Academic Points”

       810 - 900              = A          

       720 - 809              = B

       630 - 719              = C

       540 - 629              = D

       below 540 - does not     earn a passing grade

Ways to earn points:

• Singing Tests (in small groups) - 200 points per song.
• Music Theory worksheets - 100 points per sheet (4 available per term)
• Practice – 200 points per hour.  Practice accompaniments will be available. 
• Research papers on Composers or Performers – 50 – 250 points depending on quality
• Performance Review – 50 – 250 points depending on quality
• Composition projects – 50 – 500 points depending on quality
• Music Careers research projects -50 – 250 points depending on quality
• Chorus Officer – 500 points (President, Librarian, Treasurer, Sound Tech)
• Numerous other incentives that make it easy for you to get the "A" such as "signing bonuses", "character bonuses", bonus questions offered. 

If you have less than “540 points” in the “Total Academic” Category on the last day when the grading period is over, points are added to your “Academic” score so that it equals 539.  This will bring your average up.  If you have more than “900 points” in the “Total Academic” Category, your “average” is calculated based on 900 points and not your actual total.  This keeps well-behaved students who have not done enough work outside of class from failing, and poorly behaved students who get a large number of “Academic” points from automatically earning a good grade.

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Thank you very much for being part of the Windsor Middle School Chorus!  By participating in our group your are demonstrating that you are a person of character and depth who cares about your education and your future.  Every year, the WMS performing groups draw the finest individuals in the school and this year is no exception.  Thank you.