November's Unexpected Surprises

Good morning! I wish you all the best as we enter this season of winter and Christmas.

Do you invite guests to come into your class to watch? I hold a "bring a friend day" once a year and occasionally an auntie might come to watch a lesson. Grandmas and grandpas are also always welcome to visit, especially if they are from out of town.

This past week, Sydney, age 5,  brought both her grandma and grandpa along to sit in on her lesson. I brought out stools for them to sit on and watch our class. I had heard that the grandmother could play piano quite well but didn't think much about it. While she was visiting, I asked if she would like to play after we had finished with her granddaughter's lesson and she readily agreed. I hoped she was able to play reasonably well and would play something with which the children could identify.

When I asked her what she intended to play, she replied, "Chopin's Winter Wind Etude."

Really? I thought, but I actually meant, oh, my goodness! Either this is going to be really good or it's going to be really long and  my five little five year-olds will be squirming around.

To  my surprise and delight, we were taken on a wonderful winter trip through Chopin's beautiful piece with its whirls and twirls musically depicting a stormy winter day. The entire performance was amazing and no one wiggled or peeped during the whole time. 

After we applauded in appreciation and admiration, I asked Sydney's grandma about herself (though forgot to ask her name). She replied that said she regularly tours around the world performing  and playing with symphonies. What a great honour it was to have her in our class! 

This incident reminded me that you never know who will come and bless you and your students when you open the door to visitors.

Have you ever thought it would be fun to join a virtual choir?
Check out this one http://www.liquidchurch.com/virtual-choir/

  Keep warm and keep singing merrily along.
       Musically yours,
 
         Mrs. Lois

MYC Certified Teacher
Solo Time Music Games
info@solotimemusicgames.com     

Game of the Month

Bee - For, Bee - After and Bee in the Middle Bee- For, Bee- After and Bee in the Middle Use this fun game to help your students understand the Musical Alphabet! There are  seven pockets on this game in which the students place the flashcards in. Quick and easy to set up to play with up to 6 students. This game takes only 3-5 minutes to complete. If you are a new teacher contact Lois for special pricing on an order of 10 games which includes FREE shipping.

To Market To Market -  Metronome Apps

I am having such fun with apps on the iPad and iPhone.   I loaded several metronome apps to try but the greatest one I've tried put the fun in counting. It features a dog barking or a duck quacking on the first beat. The students had lots of fun in class and several reported going home and having their parents download the metronome, too and then actually use it! Now, you if own the Midi Roland, it also has a metronome and if you can find it, it also has the dog and duck sounds for the first beats. My problem has been how to find them for quick use.  Using the iPhone or iPad is a lot quicker.

Resources

Go Ahead, Make Me!
A new multi - level teaching aid to help your level 2 and level 3 students write their intervals.
Starting off with Intervals of 2nd and 3rd's
Moving on to Perfect intervals , then major and minor 6th and 7th's.
 Easy to print off and place in a clear envelope or laminate
Hand out the white board markers and students can practice and erase
until they understand the concepts.    

        October 2011This fall season has been a busy one for me. I have been preparing for lessons and traveling; getting orders ready to ship out and attending a wonderful MYC conference. On top of all that, I decided to go back to school and finish my degree.If it seems like a lot, it is, but I have found that when I arrange all my tasks in order of priority I do a pretty good job of getting everything accomplished.

My husband very generously gave me an iPad for my birthday (which helps!) and I have been using it in my classes and with my private students.  (See below for ideas from teachers who have created apps for it.)

Now that fall schedules are in full swing, I trust that your routine has fallen into place and life is as normal and calm for you as it can be!

In other news, my little grandson, Jakob, has been in our family for one year now and has brought us all much joy and pleasure. I am delighted to report that I plan to spending Christmas with him in Alberta this year. Oh, and with his parents, too.                                            

Musicallyours,

  

Mrs. Lois

MYC Certified Teacher

Solo Time Music Games

info@solotimemusicgames.com 

Game of the month - Pyramid Triads

Pyramid Triads   Intervals are an important part of music and are used in sight reading, composing and playing. Using this featured game, children familiarize themselves with theory concepts like intervals, inversions, and root positions  through a fun, hands-on experience. Once they have grasped the concepts they can then apply them directly to analyzing a piece of music and playing it with confidence. Check out the new teaching aids available for you to print  for your students.

To  Market To Market - iPad

The iPad is a great resource and the more I use it the more comfortable I become with it. I am finding that I use it most with private students working through the Christopher-Norton American Popular Piano Series.  Many of my students have not listened to a lot of jazz, blues, swing or Latin music and consequently have no concept of the musical style. So out comes the iPad and off to YouTube we go. After a quick search we find music in the style we are studying and the student has the opportunity to quickly get a feel for that musical genre.   In my MYC classes last month I allowed students to play major and minor thirds on the iPad app called Virtuoso. Not only is it fun for today's techno-savvy students, but they can hear and see the change from a major 3rd to a minor 3rd.  Of course, they can also play it on the piano but when you can play it on the iPad, why not use the technology? I have uploaded and used Wendy Chan's and Anne Crosby's creations to put more fun into teaching musical concepts on the iPad. Take a look at their websites for more ideas you may be able to use with your own students.