Monday, April 18, 2011

Mrs. Lois' Blog: Spring Flower Greetings

Mrs. Lois' Blog: Spring Flower Greetings: "Spring Flower Greetings! March went out like a lamb and April came in depending on where you lived either wet or snowy. To make the b..."

Spring Flower Greetings

Spring Flower Greetings!

March went out like a lamb and April came in depending on where you lived either wet or snowy.  To make the best of the weather I chose to go to the mountains for a bit of skiing and was grateful for fresh powder and spring skiing conditions. I know many of you are tired of the snow and the last snowfall just tipped your patience on the snow bank metre but  to perk up your spring check out these resources for some spring time review with your students.

Do you ever wonder when your students will accomplish that perfect hand position?   I've shared a few ideas in the teaching tip section on how I accomplished (or tried to accomplish)  this basic  technique over the last few weeks.  

Also, Amiee Rau from The Music Box Studio in Ontario, blogged a wonderful article to parents called "Loosening the Apron Strings."     An upside and encouraging letter on how to make music lessons and practicing a positive experience.

Jakob is coming for a few days at the end of April.  I'm so excited. Grandmother "hood" has been an unexpected pleasure and joy.   I recommend it! 

Jakob and Nana

Have a wonderful Easter! 

Musicallyours,
Mrs. Lois
MYC Certified Teacher
Solo Time Music Games


  

  
Teaching Tip  - Balls of Fun!
Trying to get my students to understand correct hand postion when playing the piano has been somewhat of a frustrating journey. 

What to do?  All the little tricks that I've done (like taping rubber snakes to the underside of the piano to remind them to keep their thumbs out of the snake pit) have just fallen on deaf ears.  

Recently, I ran across this video on YouTube and thought I would try once again to have parents and students understand this important technique.  

I sent the video to all my parents to watch and share their children.  It shows a young student who plays with almost perfect phrases, slurs, staccatos and finally ends the song with hands placed nicely in his lap.  I realized that hand position can be taught to young children and it can be done well!   

First of all, perhaps I hadn't demonstrated it well enough, I had certainly talked about it but had I really shown them with a visual and hands on lesson. My first step was to send  the video out for everyone to view.

At the next lesson, I spent time with each student working with the two balls bought from Dollarama. The balls I had always used for hand, finger and arm exercises but now I used them to help each child form a great hand position.  Students gently grasped the balls and then still retaining the hand position,  let go and placed their hands at the piano in the same position.  

Students often lost their hand position by the time they put their hands at the piano which was a matter of a few seconds.  But we just went back to working with the balls.  For the technique lesson that week I only required one simple exercise using perfect hand position and for most students it was a hands separate exercise.

The results have been wonderful!  Not every student has complied with my  instructions in regards to hand position but most have.  But what was accomplished  was that everyone understood the procedure and the reasons  for practicing good hand position.   
hand position
Hand Position
Hand Position - 2
Right Hand Position

Game of the Month
 This Basket Ball themed game helps older students understand the value of the dot.

Games other teachers have used this month
and sent wonderful comments back to me!
Young musicians determine the patterns and place the card with the correct monster

Determine the correct rests in each measure

Students collect note values in 6/8 time to build two measures
The winner is the one who can clap and count his measure correctly.
To Market To Market - Value Added 
What do you say to potential parents?  
What do you say to draw parents into a conversation about the wonderful music program you teach or that you are an awesome teacher?

My opening line is: "I bring the happy habit of music to children and families." 
That almost never fails to bring a parent or grandparent
into conversation about music.
 
If they don't want to hear more music and the program that I teach that's okay.

 But  what's important is have your one line introduction 
ready to say at anytime anywhere.

What if they don't want to hear more?
  
Then ask about them or their children, show interest in what ever topic comes up next.
Show you care even if they are NOT going to be potential clients. 
It doesn't have to be a long conversation  but...

Give them a bit of your time so they know you value them in the smallest of ways.

This small effort to show you care and value what's important in their world will be
remembered for a long time to come.

This one conversation, this one moment of interest that you gave and took the time to  place some value on  them has a long term effect that could quite possibly
have them remember you and recommend you to other people they come in contact with.
It's only a few minutes of your time. 

Value the relationship (short term and long term)
 for what future possiblities there might be.