Band Binder Rubric

Binders, binders, binders. It is the year of binders. Because of our school being an AVID school, all students are required to have a 3" binder with dividers for each class period that they are to keep and carry around. Now all the kids in the school will learn how to be organized.

This forcing the kids to keep an organized binder is not new to most band directors. We've been having our band kids keep an organized band binder for years. I am having my kids keep a black 1" 3-ring binder for band with 7 dividers (labeled: Info, Daily Drills, Scales, Listening Journal, Rhythm/Theory, Dictionary, & Music). They are also to keep their band book in the back pocket of their binder; and they must have a pencil pouch with 3 mechanical pencils (and a hi-liter is optional). The students were given a table of contents page so they would know how to organize their band binders. They were also assigned a shelf in one of the folio cabinets. I put labels on the shelves with the kids' names and band locker numbers. The kids are required to put their band binders on the folio cabinet shelves prior to going to first period. I will then grade the binders during second period (my conference period). They then will get their binders out of the cabinet at the start of their band class, put them back after class, and then pick them up again after school. I am really pushing for the kids to get SmartMusic - this could alleviate the kids from having to take their band binders home every day (since they can access their music to practice on their home computers if they have SmartMusic). 

At any rate, I will start grading the band binders tomorrow. Here is the rubric I will use:

The students will receive this rubric with their grade (and a clear list of what was correct and/or incorrect about how they had their binder assembled) on their folio shelf.