Bill Swick Bio PicTake time (days if necessary) to teach classroom procedures, instrument care, classroom expectations, and class goals. How will bathroom breaks be handled? What happens when a guitar string breaks? What are the consequences for not having music or method book? Which guitar does a student use? What is the procedure for taking a guitar out of the case? How will grades be determined?

I had a new teacher who was teaching beginning guitar next door to my classroom tell me on the fourth day of the new school year starting that he had already taught his class the first four strings on the guitar and wanted to know what else he should be teaching. I remarked, “Wow, I just spent the day talking about the parts of the guitar and how to retrieve the guitars from the storage room and how to open and close the case.”

I suggested he explain to his class that he was just doing an overview so they would know what to expect and start all over the following week and at a much slower pace.

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