Need to improve your grade in Orchestra? Here are some ideas:
1. Practice More
Practice Records account for 25% of a Junior High Orchestra student's grade. For full credit, students are asked to practice 120 minutes per week (and this doesn't have to be on just orchestra class music.) Practice minutes are recorded using a total point system, so more minutes always equals more points toward the final marking period grade, regardless of when those minutes are accumulated. It's pretty easy to quickly bring up a grade by adding an extra hour or two of practicing to a few practice records.
2. Check out your Daily Points
Daily participation points are worth 30% of your final grade in Orchestra. Check PowerSchool to see if you are losing your three daily points too often, and figure out how to fix this in the future... Are you often late getting to your seat at the beginning of class? Do you forget your instrument or music often? Do you disrupt rehearsal with talking or excessive playing? Do you chew gum during class?
3. Check for a missing Playing Test or Concert Make-Up
- If a student scores lower than 30 out of 50 on a playing test, they are asked to replay the test to earn a better score. If a student fails to set up a time to replay the test, the playing test category can really bring down an overall grade.
- If a student has an excused absence from a concert, they need to set-up a time to make up their concert points. This involves playing the concert music for Mrs. Johnson after school, before school, or during lunch. The student's concert grade will remain a zero until the points are made up.
4. Do some Extra Credit
- Students are given extra credit for attending concerts with live musicians (that they are not already being graded on). They just need to bring in a signed program from the concert. (Each concert is worth one percent increase of the final marking period grade, up to three percent.)
- Mrs. Johnson offers extra credit periodically throughout the year for help with concert set-ups, clerical tasks, extra performances, March Showcase, etc.
- Special circumstances can warrant a special project to help make up missing points. This can include a special performance, project, or paper, based on the individual student situation and needs. Ask Mrs. Johnson if you are interested in this.
Practice Records account for 25% of a Junior High Orchestra student's grade. For full credit, students are asked to practice 120 minutes per week (and this doesn't have to be on just orchestra class music.) Practice minutes are recorded using a total point system, so more minutes always equals more points toward the final marking period grade, regardless of when those minutes are accumulated. It's pretty easy to quickly bring up a grade by adding an extra hour or two of practicing to a few practice records.
2. Check out your Daily Points
Daily participation points are worth 30% of your final grade in Orchestra. Check PowerSchool to see if you are losing your three daily points too often, and figure out how to fix this in the future... Are you often late getting to your seat at the beginning of class? Do you forget your instrument or music often? Do you disrupt rehearsal with talking or excessive playing? Do you chew gum during class?
3. Check for a missing Playing Test or Concert Make-Up
- If a student scores lower than 30 out of 50 on a playing test, they are asked to replay the test to earn a better score. If a student fails to set up a time to replay the test, the playing test category can really bring down an overall grade.
- If a student has an excused absence from a concert, they need to set-up a time to make up their concert points. This involves playing the concert music for Mrs. Johnson after school, before school, or during lunch. The student's concert grade will remain a zero until the points are made up.
4. Do some Extra Credit
- Students are given extra credit for attending concerts with live musicians (that they are not already being graded on). They just need to bring in a signed program from the concert. (Each concert is worth one percent increase of the final marking period grade, up to three percent.)
- Mrs. Johnson offers extra credit periodically throughout the year for help with concert set-ups, clerical tasks, extra performances, March Showcase, etc.
- Special circumstances can warrant a special project to help make up missing points. This can include a special performance, project, or paper, based on the individual student situation and needs. Ask Mrs. Johnson if you are interested in this.
