NMC s In-School Programs Getting Ready
Getting Ready for NMC s Visit Prepare your classroom To ensure the safety of your students and the materials that we bring, we encourage you to make space for the program and the activities in your classroom. Students will be working in small groups on most tasks. We suggest having space for students to move for movement-based activities. The educators bring everything the program needs, but if you can provide a room where the desks can easily be reconfigured and where we can get a little loud and make music, that is ideal. Prepare your students Not only is it important to prepare your students for the topic of study, but also to prepare your students to participate in the program and steward the instruments and artifacts that your NMC Educator will bring. Simply put, stewardship means taking care of things. NMC s in-school programs are comprised of authentic instruments and objects so students should be aware of how to interact with these delicate objects.
During Your Program NMC s education team is all professional musicians many of whom have post-secondary training in education, theatre and early childhood education. They are all police security-checked and have first-aid certification. The National Music Centre works very closely with Calgary-and-area school boards to ensure strict compliance with safety protocol. NMC s education philosophy is to use music as an entry point to explore curricular subjects and to support skill development. We are hands-on, minds-on, ears-on which means you can expect inquirylearning, curriculum connections, lots of activity, questions, discussion, sound and music making. Please refer to our Education Philosophy at nmc.ca/schools for more detailed information on our approach. Booking, Payment and Cancellation All bookings must go through NMC s website at nmc.ca/schools NMC s in-school programs take place in your school. Each program is $225 for one class for one hour. The exception is Superheroes of Sound, which has an option of an all-school performance in the gym for $575. Sound Sandwiches, is an additional 30-minute instrument making activity that can be added to any program for $50 per class. For schools located outside the greater Calgary area, NMC is happy to travel to your school. A travel fee will be charged. Fees start at $25/day and vary depending on your location. Total price will be confirmed by email. Cancellation and changes to school program bookings require two weeks emailed notice, otherwise a cancellation fee of $70 per program will be invoiced. If extreme weather or other unforeseen circumstances keep us from safely travelling to your school, we will do our best to give you immediate notice and to re-schedule at no charge. NMC will invoice your school, shortly after the program is delivered. Payment must be received within 30 days. Cheques can be mailed to NMC or a credit card number given over the phone upon receipt of invoice.
Class Size, Language, and Special Needs Requirements In order to ensure program quality, a maximum of 30 students per program is allowed. Please do not combine classes. If your class has more than 30 students, please contact NMC at the time of booking: education@nmc.ca NMC offers some programs in French and are dependent on the availability of a bilingual educator. Please indicate your language preference on your online booking form. We also make every effort to accommodate the special needs of your students. Please disclose anything we might need to know on your online booking form so we can prepare to offer the best experience for all students. Program Times Your program will start at the time you indicated on your online booking form, however your educator will arrive at minimum 30 minutes prior to set-up. After they check-in at the office, please help them to find the classroom, orientate them to the washrooms, and where to get a glass of water. Each program is one hour, but we are flexible with your schedule and can go over if students are engaged and we aren t running to another school. We love to answer questions! Teacher Responsibility NMC is pleased to be a guest in your classroom and we love to see you actively engaged in the program alongside your students. Student discipline is the responsibility of the teacher; please don t hesitate to intervene to help us do our jobs well. Please also remain in the classroom with us during the program. We need you there in the event of an emergency! NMC provides lost of resources and professional development opportunities to educators. Please visit nmc.ca/teachers.
Classroom Poster NMC has designed a classroom poster about Hearing and Sound in the Animal Kingdom. It is printed on high quality vinyl and provides a great talking point for several science topics. If you would like one for your classroom, please indicate so on your online booking form and $20 per poster will be added to your invoice. Feedback Form and Keeping In Touch You will be emailed a feedback form following your program. Your feedback is very important to us and helps us improve our programs. By filling it out, you can choose to be entered to win $50 off your next in-school program booking. The National Music Centre is growing. In 2016, we will be opening a 160,000 square foot facility in Calgary s East Village and our education offerings will expand. We want to hear from you about what you d like to see and do at NMC. By joining our teacher e-newsletter (sent four-six times per year) you will be the first to know about sneak-a-peek tours for teachers, professional development opportunities, advisory panels and, of course, new programs and education events.
Caring for the instruments The instruments and artifacts that the educator brings with them are a part of NMC s collection. When these instruments are in your classroom, you must be their guardian to ensure they can be enjoyed for years to come. Share these guidelines with students so that they can be stewards of our collection. Before handling the instruments If gloves are required to handle the objects, they will be provided. Otherwise, ensure students wash hands prior to the program s start. Have a clean, safe place prepared before the instrument is moved. Carpet or a soft surface is preferred. Always use two hands when moving the instrument from one place to another. Pick up the instrument by the heaviest part and support the other parts. When gathering a group around an instrument, sit cross-legged and allow for space between you and the instrument. While playing the instruments Play instruments with the appropriate tool. For example, drums are played with drumsticks. Do not play instruments with other objects. Play instruments gently. Do not strike or pluck instruments with too much force or they can be damaged. Do not adjust the tuning on instruments unless instructed. Some instruments have tuning pegs that adjust the string tension and change the pitch. Over-tightened strings may break under pressure causing damage to you and/or the instrument. Only use bellows when playing air instruments. Do not place your mouth on the instruments. The exception to this is Air-Powered where your educator will provide wipes so each student can sanitize their mouthpiece before using it. Keep food and drinks away from instruments. Move slowly and listen carefully. Explore the variety of sounds you can make with the instrument. Always use pencils around instruments. Markers and pens can damage the instrument s surface.