As guitar instruction increases in popularity in secondary schools, many band, choir, and orchestra teachers are asked to teach guitar. In one helpfully concise volume, Teaching Beginning Guitar Class: A Practical Guide provides all of the practical tools that are necessary to teach guitar in the classroom, especially for music instructors who are not guitar specialists.Formatted to follow the school year from summer planning to opening weeks of the fall semester to a week-to-week timeline for the full school year, Teaching Beginning Guitar Class encompasses all possible needs for a non-guitar playing music instructor navigating the world of guitar instruction in a classroom setting. In twelve expertly organized chapters, author and veteran guitar teacher Bill Swick gives hard and fast guides for instruction, providing reassurance alongside invaluable tips for novice guitar educators. This book addresses questions such as 'I Do Not Play Guitar, Why Do I have to Teach Guitar?'; 'What is the Classroom Lifespan of a Guitar?'; and 'New Students in January?' while also providing practical solutions including basic setup, how to select the correct method book, and equipment maintenance.

Chapter One: Getting StartedI Do Not Play Guitar, Why Do I Have to Teach Guitar?Reasons Why Music Educators May Like Teaching GuitarBand Students Will Leave the Band to Join a Guitar Class, or Will They?Guitar Content for the First QuarterWhat Kind of Equipment is Needed for Guitar Class?Trimming the ListNo Left-Handed GuitarsA Closer Look at Quarter One Class ContentPlaying with a PickPlaying with the ThumbPlaying with Alternating FingersHow to Place Fingers on the Fingerboard to Change PitchesChapter Two: Being Prepared Prior to the Start of the School YearMaking a ListSelecting a Method BookHow to Evaluate the Selected MethodProgrammed Texts and SequencesIt's Time to Do the MathLearn to Model the Content of the Method BookLearn to Model Technique for Both Left & Right HandsLearn to Model PostureLearn to Make a Sound with a Pick, the Thumb and Alternate FingersLearn to Change a StringLearn to Tune a GuitarHave Lesson Plans for the First QuarterHave Handouts Ready for PrintingKnow Exactly What Will Be Covered in the First Week of SchoolWhy Give Pre-tests?Know Exactly What Will Be Covered in the Second Week of SchoolHave a Curriculum Map for the Entire School YearPrepare a Class Handbook and Have it Printed and Ready to DistributeCheck All Equipment is in Place and in Working OrderHave Chairs and Stands in Place to Match Seating ChartChapter Three: Organizational IdeasRetentionPublic School StructureStructuring a Guitar Program for LongevityThe Middle School Model: The Three-Year PlanSemester Versus Yearlong ClassesThe Year-Long ModelThe Semester-Long ModelExplorationsHigh School ModelsIdeal High School ScheduleBlock ScheduleBackwards AssessmentBackwards Assessment Model: Level 1 Beginning GuitarBeginning Guitar - List View - All ObjectivesAssessmentsConsider the Assessment ModelConsider Using Music ProdigyDaily RoutinesChapter Four: A Potpourri of Practical Ideas and Simple ThoughtsSlow Down!Engage Your Students Before the Teaching BeginsAre Your Students Listening?One Ounce of TechniqueBeginners Are Not Ready to Tune a GuitarGet Your Drums OnLearn Their Names!The Shorter, the Better!Collaborative LearningDreaming to be a Rock StarNot All Guitar Students are RockersPractice Makes PermanentNew Students in January?Make Friends with the Custodians and CounselorsJust Heard a Classical Guitar CD and Want to Learn to Play GuitarIncorporate Ensemble Playing Early OnWhat is the Classroom Lifespan of a Guitar?Ten Professional SuggestionsTen Quick Things to Make a Guitar Class Most SuccessfulAdvice for Teaching Beginning Guitar: Ten Things to Make Life EasierChapter Five: Lesson Plans, Curriculum, Objectives and StandardsWhy Lesson Plans?What is Curriculum?Where to Find Guitar Curriculum for Each StateBeginning Guitar Course Scope and GoalsBeginning Guitar Course StructureStandardsNational Standards for Music EducationChapter Six: Philosophy of Classroom Guitar TeachingLearn to Play GuitarDo Not Have Time to Learn to Play the GuitarObservations and ExperienceHow Does a Guitar Class Look?Ten Contributors to Determine How a Guitar Class May AppearVariations of How a Guitar Class May LookWhat Brings on Change?Learning Guitar is Fun!Teaching Guitar as a Harmonized InstrumentCollege Ready?Chapter Seven: Applying the 80/20 RuleWhat is the 80/20 Rule?What Does the 80/20 Rule Have to Do with Teaching Guitar?The Conventional PathWhat to Teach and When to Teach It?24 Hours a DayOrganizing the ListApplying the 80/20 Rule to Self-LearningChapter Eight: Quarter One: The TimelineThe Schoolyear is About to StartWeek OneWhy Give Pre-Tests?Eight Objectives for Beginning Guitar for Month OneBackwards Assessment ModelParts of the Guitar Pre-testCalendar and TimingGuitar Body Parts-AnswersAnswers to History of the Guitar Pre-testHistory of Guitar Pre-testWeek TwoWeek ThreeWeek FourWeek FiveWeek SixCommon Mistake Beginniners Make in This StageObjectives for Month TwoSeven Objectives for Beginning Guitar for Month TwoWeek SevenWeek EightWeek NineChapter Nine: Quarter Two: The TimelineQuarter Two Begins: Week Ten or Quarter 2, Week 1Week Eleven: Quarter 2, Week 2The Right HandSongs Using the Fourth StringWeek Twelve: No Teaching November or Quarter 2, Week 3Combining the Fourth String with Strings One, Two, and ThreeEnsemble MusicWeek Thirteen: Quarter 2, Week 4Eighth NotesWeek Fourteen: Quarter 2, Week 5PicksWeek Fifteen: Quarter 2, Week 6Protruding ThumbsWeek Sixteen: Quarter 2, Week 7Ensemble PlayingSixth StringHoliday MusicWeek Seventeen: Quarter 2, Week 8Prepare for Mid-Term ExamsWeek Eighteen: Quarter 2, Week 9Last Week Before Mid-TermHalfwayChapter Ten: Quarter Three: The TimelineQuarter Three Begins: Week Nineteen or Quarter 3, Week 1Combo SeriesWeek Twenty: Quarter 3, Week 2DuetsWeek Twenty-One: Quarter 3, Week 3Week Twenty-Two: Quarter 3, Week 4Playing in 3/8 and 6/8 TimeWeek Twenty-Three: Quarter 3, Week 5Dotted Quarter/Eighth Note RhythmWeek Twenty-Four: Quarter 3, Week 6ChordsEighth Notes with Alternating PickingDuple and Triple MetersWeek Twenty-Five: Quarter 3, Week 7ScalesBlues FormEighth Notes with Alternating PickingWeek Twenty-Six: Quarter 3, Week 8ABA Song FormAdditional MaterialsWeek Twenty-Seven: Quarter 3, Week 9Basic Strumming PatternsAccidentalsEnd of Quarter ThreeChapter Eleven: Quarter Four: The TimelineQuarter Four Begins: Week Twenty-Eight of Quarter 4, Week 1Last Week of Month SevenCanonKey of GWeek Twenty-Nine: Quarter 4, Week 2P-I-M-AWeek Thirty: Quarter 4, Week 3Exploring the Guitar NeckMoveable Major ScalesWeek Thirty-One: Quarter 4, Week 4TupletsPower ChordsDaily Warm-upWeek Thirty-Two: Quarter 4, Week 5Position PlayingSecond PositionFirst or Open PositionFifth PositionSupplementary MaterialsWeek Thirty-Three: Quarter 4, Week 6The History of the GuitarTuningImprovisationTwo Octave Scales: The First StepP-I-M-AWeek Thirty-Four: Quarter 4, Week 7Final ExamsTwo Octave ScalesMoveable Barre ChordsParticipate in a PerformanceSupplementary MaterialsWeek Thirty-Five: Quarter 4, Week 8Relationship between Music and Other DisciplinesMusical TermsWeek Thirty-Six: Quarter 4, Week 9Last Week of SchoolThe Wrap UpChapter TwelveDailey ProceduresTaking AttendanceTuningStretchingWarm-upsSingle NotesChordsEnsembleFinger-StyleWhat Did We Do Today?Course Scope for the Beginning Guitar ClassCurriculum MapIt's Summertime!