MAP FAQs FOR PIANO TEACHERS from Sun Gamble: (for specific questions about Strings or Vocal MAPs, please contact Jane Melin or Melanie Harris)
When is the deadline for preliminary registration, and what is required?
The deadline for preliminary registration is Nov. 15. The purpose of preliminary registration is to find out whether we have secured enough visiting artists. It is advisable to fill out your registration worksheet and email me (sungamble69@yahoo.com) the following information:
1) how many students you are registering and 2) approximate time you are planning to purchase including your consultation time and Honors Recital Selection time. It is perfectly ok if you make some nominal changes when you do the registration in December.
When is the deadline for registration and how do we do it?
The deadline is Dec. 15 which means you need to finish your process before Dec. 15. And since the registration is online there is no grace period. There will be an online tutorial and a lot of articles about this, so stay tuned.
Why is the registration so early?
Because the whole time schedule needs to be approved by the state five weeks prior to the MAP date, I need time to gather the information and make the schedule, and the state chair needs the time to go over it. Also we need time for adjusting any errors either made by you, me or the computer system. Both the state chair and I are trying to accomplish the process as we prepare our own students for MAPs at the same time.
How much is the chapter fee and how do I pay for it?
It is $3 per student. Please send me a check made out to KMTA and mail it to me along with the registration printout: Sun Gamble, 5607 Perdemco Ave. SE, Port Orchard, WA 98367
Do I have to buy 5 minutes for Honors Recital Selection?
If you are planning to participate in the Honors Recital, the chapter policy requires that you purchase 5 min. for the selection.
I have a student who registered for MAP, but because of unforeseen circumstances he/she cannot participate. What can I do?
Once you have registered, there is no refund. You can divide the extra time amongst your other students. You should inform your students about this policy before they commit to it.
When will I be informed of my schedule?
As soon as I get the approval by the state.
Can I request a specific time, location or visiting artist?
You may request it and I will try to honor it as best as I can. There are strict guides line to follow after I complete the schedule. So there is no guarantee that you will get what you request. When you make a special request, please email me (no phone calls please). When you send the chapter fee, a little post-it note will be helpful as well.
What am I expected to do as a teacher on the day of MAP?
1. Please plan to attend the whole time that your students are participating. If for some reason you cannot attend the whole time or partial time, please make an arrangement so that someone is there in place of you.
2. Print out the student schedule and evaluation form from the WSMTA site and fill out all the necessary information. Please do not use the old form as it gets updated frequently.
3. Please arrive early and put your students in order.
4. Please ask the visiting artist if he or she needs help keeping the schedule.
5. Please ask permission to either take picture or video of the session.
6. Please remind your students and parents about proper etiquette and attire.
7. Fill out the visiting artist evaluation form and send it back to me. It will be handed out to you at the time of consultation.
Do’s and Don’ts
DO:
1. Inform parents and students ahead of time what to expect and what is expected.
2. Prepare for the worst and be proactive.
3. Visit the WSMTA website and download necessary documents.
4. Fill out the work sheet before you register.
5. Email me if you have any questions. I will try to answer as best as I can. If I cannot answer it, I will ask the state chair and get back to you as soon as possible.
DON’T:
1. Wait until last minute to register. There is always the possibility of things going wrong. Your computer may not work properly, or your internet may be slow or shut down for maintenance.
2. Contact the state chair. She has more than enough work to do and problems to solve in such a cramped time. Also we have to maintain the chain of communication in order to work more efficiently. It is critical that you respect this policy.
3. Assume anything. Please verify with me if you have any doubt.
TEACHER CHECKLIST FOR ADJUDICATIONS DAY
Use this handy checklist from MAP Chair Sun Gamble to get ready for your students’ adjudications session.
1. Visit wsmta.org and go to ‘Programs’, -> ‘Music Artistry Program’ -> then scroll down to WSMTA MAP forms for teachers. You should use the new form every year since there are some updates every year.
2. Prepare the ‘students schedule’ and ‘evaluation form’. You should hand these forms to the visiting artist at the beginning of your session.
3. If you need more forms such as ‘Request for excuse absence’, all are available on the same page on the website.
4. Number the measures.
5. Remind your students about proper attire.
6. Please attend your MAP session. If you have an emergency situation that requires you to be somewhere else, please arrange for someone (another teacher or parents) to take your place.
7. Please arrive in time. Have plenty of breathing room if you are scheduled during commute time or school bus time.
8. Discuss with the visiting artist if they want help from the teacher to keep time, such as a two minute notice.
9. If you purchased the time for Honors Recital Selection, verify the need to choose with the visiting artist before the session.
10. Switch mobile devices to silent mode and remind the parents to do so as well.
11. If a parent desires to video the session, ask the visiting artist first.
12. Have the next student ready by opening the music ahead of time.
13. Mail the visiting artist evaluation form. It will be handed to you from the visiting artist with a ready-to-mail envelope.