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Dear Parents,
Welcome to the exciting world of Music for Young Children where your child will enjoy learning the basic skills of music. You, your child and I will all be involved in creating music together. Research indicates that children studying music show marked improvement in other subjects as well. Music is for EVERYONE and with your cooperation we can provide a gift that will last a lifetime, the gift of music! I hope that music will become a "happy habit" for your child. The following studio guidelines are designed to ensure that each student, together with their parent(s), will benefit fully from their weekly MYC class.
1. This is the time for you and your child to focus on music. Therefore, I ask that no siblings be brought to music class unless a special arrangement has been made with me beforehand. (the exception to this rule is mothers who bring an infant who is breastfeeding and not yet crawling)
2. You are welcome to park on the road in front of the house. Please do not park in the church's parking lot next door.
3. Please come to class a few minutes early to copy homework, etc. We start and finish on time whether you are present or not. When you arrive late, your child misses out and it may be disruptive to the class.
4. MYC classes are approximately 60 minutes in length and will run for 36 weeks starting September 7, 2010. The MYC year includes several special events that are counted as a class including: winter recital, music carnival, year-end spring recital. My tuition fees are $56/month. Payment is by nine post-dated cheques dated the first of the month (September 1, 2010 - May 1, 2011). Please bring these cheques by your child’s second lesson. Because I am reserving a spot in my teaching schedule for the full 36 weeks of the program, the first eight lessons are non-refundable, as is the balance of payment for the month in which the student withdraws from the program. Music books are non-refundable, but may possibly be sold second-hand to another of my students. If you require receipts for lesson fees, these will be issued as requested.
5. Please notify me promptly if your child must miss class! There are no lesson fee refunds for missed classes. I will be happy to post the homework on my website or suggest an alternate lesson for you to attend.
6. If a class is cancelled due to bad weather or for some other reason, I will try to rescedule the class at a time convenient to most students or make sure that the required concepts are learned in the subsequent classes.
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Instrument in the home:
A student enrolled in one of the MYC programs requires a piano or touch sensitive keyboard at home. Music Pups and Sunrise students do not require an instrument at home.
Role of the Parent:
A parent or other adult 16 or older attends class with the child. Parents are there to copy homework, assist at the keyboard, and to keep up to date with the material covered in class so that they can assist with practicing. MYC classes give parents who missed the chance to study music as a child the opportunity to learn along with their children. Experiencing the MYC way of presenting the material in class, enables parents to provide consistency between home practice and class time. I would ask you to refrain from visiting in the class. Feel free to make notes, but most of all have FUN with your child!. Please read the MyChild book that comes with your registration.
Commitment:
Regular attendance is very important. With the exception of Christmas and spring breaks, the class will meet weekly, weather permitting, from September to the end of May. In the case of an absence due to illness I do everything I can to help parents keep their child from falling behind the rest of the class. Students are expected to practice at least five days a week. For the younger students practicing may mean colouring a page or two in their book and singing a song that reinforces a music concept. The focus is doing something each day and calling it practicing. For the more advanced students, practicing means 25-30 minutes at the piano, at least five days a week.
Recitals:
There are two recitals each year. Each student plays a solo piano piece and participates in a rhythm ensemble with their class. This is a great opportunity for all the classes to see what the others have learned in the year. The focus of these recitals is to CELEBRATE learning and ENJOY sharing music with others.
Communication:
Communication between student, parent, & teacher is vital to a positive learning environment. Please contact me at any time (237-8020) to discuss your child's progress, or for helpful hints for making at-home practising a positive experience. MYC also offers a free parent newsletter -- sign up at myc.com!
Registration in the program indicates an agreement to these policies.
A copy of all studio policies will be handed out to each parent.
Rebecca Thiessen's Music Studio
Winnipeg, MB