Greetings Orchestra Parents!
It has been several months since 5th grade Orchestra has begun, but I wanted to introduce myself since I left on maternity leave much early than planned. My name is Caitlin Mihalko and I teach Orchestra at East Middle School, as well as the 5th grade Orchestras at Lanigan and Beechview. I am a cellist, although I also play violin, viola, and bass. I teach a blend of both traditional methods, using the book that your child got with their instrument, and the Suzuki method. I had a baby girl named Elizabeth this September and she is now 4 months old.
We have been developing the left and right hands separately and are working on putting both together to play with the bow. We have also been working on developing our ear and memory skills. Students have made good progress with Ms. Jones and we have been taking some time to refresh, get some students caught up, and move forward with developing our skills.
Attendance: Because we only meet twice a week before school, progress can be slow. When we have students who regularly arrive to class late or miss class frequently, that really slows down the progress of the whole class. There are some students who have fallen behind significantly due to tardiness and absences. It is important to make sure that your child arrives no later than 7:25 and that they attend class regularly. Each time we have class we are learning new skills. If your child misses one class for the week, they have missed out on 50% of the instruction for that week. If your child misses both classes in a week they will have missed a significant amount of instruction. If you need help with transportation perhaps we can get a class carpool going. If you are interested in this let me know and I will send an email out to get a group together.
Materials: This is a reminder that students should be bringing all of their materials with them to class.
Website: I have a website that I use to post updates and resources. Visit www.eastorchestras.weebly.com for more information. Under the tab “About Orchestra” there is a “5th Grade” option as well as “5th Grade Updates”. Any time I post something on “5th Grade Updates” I will also send an email.
Practicing: Students should be practicing at home regularly to review what is learned in class and further develop their skills. Because we are training their hands, muscles, and brains to learn new gross and fine motor skills, as well as music reading skills, coordination, etc., regular practice is required for students to be successful. At this point, students should be spending 20-30 minutes practicing 4-5 days a week. Students will be receiving a weekly practice sheet that will guide them through the materials that need to be practiced. They should use this to keep track of their practice and it is due the following week with a parent signature.
To help encourage your child to practice, take time to listen to them (if they will let you). A great time to ask them to practice is when dinner is being prepared. You could ask them to show you how to play something on their instrument. The more your child practices, the more successful they will be and the better they will feel about playing their instrument. For more information about how to help your child develop good practicing habits you can visit www.eastorchestras.weebly.com/helpful-things.html
Email Communication: If you ever have any questions or concerns regarding orchestra, your child’s instrument, etc. please email me. When emailing me, please include your child’s name as well as the building they are from (Lanigan or Beechview). My email address is [email protected]
Remind App for Emergencies: I will be using the Remind app to contact parents in case of an emergency (bath weather, I am out sick, etc.). With this app, I will be able to send a group text without sharing your information with others directly to your cell phone. You can respond to me if needed through the messaging system as well. Please take a moment to sign up to join the list:
Lanigan: open a new text window and enter 81010
Text this message @lanigano
Beechview: open a new text window and enter 81010
Text this message @beechvie
Private Lessons: Private lessons are a great way to build momentum with your child’s learning on their instrument. Ms. Jones, the teacher who subbed for me while I was on leave, lives in Farmington and teaches violin and viola students. For more information about private lessons with her visit https://eastorchestras.weebly.com/updates/private-lessons-with-ms-jones-violin-viola
If you have any questions please let me know. Thank you for your time and have a great day!
Sincerely,
Caitlin Mihalko
It has been several months since 5th grade Orchestra has begun, but I wanted to introduce myself since I left on maternity leave much early than planned. My name is Caitlin Mihalko and I teach Orchestra at East Middle School, as well as the 5th grade Orchestras at Lanigan and Beechview. I am a cellist, although I also play violin, viola, and bass. I teach a blend of both traditional methods, using the book that your child got with their instrument, and the Suzuki method. I had a baby girl named Elizabeth this September and she is now 4 months old.
We have been developing the left and right hands separately and are working on putting both together to play with the bow. We have also been working on developing our ear and memory skills. Students have made good progress with Ms. Jones and we have been taking some time to refresh, get some students caught up, and move forward with developing our skills.
Attendance: Because we only meet twice a week before school, progress can be slow. When we have students who regularly arrive to class late or miss class frequently, that really slows down the progress of the whole class. There are some students who have fallen behind significantly due to tardiness and absences. It is important to make sure that your child arrives no later than 7:25 and that they attend class regularly. Each time we have class we are learning new skills. If your child misses one class for the week, they have missed out on 50% of the instruction for that week. If your child misses both classes in a week they will have missed a significant amount of instruction. If you need help with transportation perhaps we can get a class carpool going. If you are interested in this let me know and I will send an email out to get a group together.
Materials: This is a reminder that students should be bringing all of their materials with them to class.
- Folder or Binder
- Essential Elements Book
- Pencil
- Rosin
- Shoulder rest for violins/violas – required (I recommend Everest)
- Instrument
Website: I have a website that I use to post updates and resources. Visit www.eastorchestras.weebly.com for more information. Under the tab “About Orchestra” there is a “5th Grade” option as well as “5th Grade Updates”. Any time I post something on “5th Grade Updates” I will also send an email.
Practicing: Students should be practicing at home regularly to review what is learned in class and further develop their skills. Because we are training their hands, muscles, and brains to learn new gross and fine motor skills, as well as music reading skills, coordination, etc., regular practice is required for students to be successful. At this point, students should be spending 20-30 minutes practicing 4-5 days a week. Students will be receiving a weekly practice sheet that will guide them through the materials that need to be practiced. They should use this to keep track of their practice and it is due the following week with a parent signature.
To help encourage your child to practice, take time to listen to them (if they will let you). A great time to ask them to practice is when dinner is being prepared. You could ask them to show you how to play something on their instrument. The more your child practices, the more successful they will be and the better they will feel about playing their instrument. For more information about how to help your child develop good practicing habits you can visit www.eastorchestras.weebly.com/helpful-things.html
Email Communication: If you ever have any questions or concerns regarding orchestra, your child’s instrument, etc. please email me. When emailing me, please include your child’s name as well as the building they are from (Lanigan or Beechview). My email address is [email protected]
Remind App for Emergencies: I will be using the Remind app to contact parents in case of an emergency (bath weather, I am out sick, etc.). With this app, I will be able to send a group text without sharing your information with others directly to your cell phone. You can respond to me if needed through the messaging system as well. Please take a moment to sign up to join the list:
Lanigan: open a new text window and enter 81010
Text this message @lanigano
Beechview: open a new text window and enter 81010
Text this message @beechvie
Private Lessons: Private lessons are a great way to build momentum with your child’s learning on their instrument. Ms. Jones, the teacher who subbed for me while I was on leave, lives in Farmington and teaches violin and viola students. For more information about private lessons with her visit https://eastorchestras.weebly.com/updates/private-lessons-with-ms-jones-violin-viola
If you have any questions please let me know. Thank you for your time and have a great day!
Sincerely,
Caitlin Mihalko