Technology & Rehearsals

This past week was a humbling experience I guess you could call it.  I teach HS choir as well as K-5.  My final exam for the HS Choir is a singing exam from our last concert rep. The students will perform a duet and a trio.  Since our concert is over they've been prepping for their singing exam. Since the weather was beautiful last week we went outside, the girls took their smart phones and pulled up my district blog.

Here the girls were able to access the accompaniment tracks from my blog and rehearse with their duets and trios from their smart phones.  This was great to see and hear harmony all around. Not only were the utilizing their time, but there were practicing!  It didn't make sense to me to rehearse them as a large group because I wanted to make sure they are able to sing their own part without having to rely on the person next to them.  During these rehearsals, I was able to walk around (outside) and help individuals and direct them on things to work on for the exam.

Music In Our Schools

This month has been a great celebration! This is the first time I have celebrated MIOSM.  I use to be intimidated by it because I really didn't know what it was, but after this month and starting small, it's nothing! Here are some things that I did over the course of 3 weeks:

1. Teacher Riddles- Teachers gave clues about their past musical experiences as children, teens, adults.  I had 18 riddles displayed outside the cafeteria.  Within the 3 weeks I posted a new bunch each week-that way to keep them coming back and not get bored with them!

2. Bulletin Board- I have a huge bulletin board outside my room and I love it! (Just got it this year!)  I sent home half sheets of paper that say "Share the Music". Students filled them out about ways they share the music outside of class or what they enjoy about class. The younger ones drew pictures where the older kids wrote out what they liked.  These 2 pictures really made my heart smile!

3. Music Spirit Week- I came up with 5 ways to dress. I came up with sayings that could related to how we were dressing. I went back and forth other ideas-but for elementary I found this to be the easiest.

These signs were posted through out the school as reminders

Music adds color to the world! (wear tie dye or bright colors)

Saddle up with a favorite song! (Country Western attire)

**Didn't get one of exercise** :o(

Music takes you away in your dreams (Wear PJs)

Music RED OUT! (or school colors/Panther spirit)

4. Morning Announcements- The principal read my daily fun facts about music, instruments, etc over the live announcements.

5. Staff Did You Know- I emailed fun interesting facts about artists from their generations and advocacy facts (from NAFME) through email. It was cool to get responses from teachers about memories of certain artists

6. Newsletter- I sent a newsletter home to every student in the school explaining MIOSM and what events would be taking place during that month

Seating Chart

Here is my seating chart that I redesigned for this school this year. I wanted to be able to keep my assessment grades on the chart as I walk around the class.

Each student has a spot on the risers. When assessing I put them in their groups. Either in an "X" formation on the floor with them sitting around a color card so I know what group it is or in color rows on the floor.  Lately I've been walking around with a pad of paper and writing down quickly names and scores. Instead of going through and trying to find every single one-it's easier to write down the name of who isn't doing so well. 

I have a cover sheet in front of each grade in my binder that aligns with the grid on the seating chart. The reason for so many squares is because we're on trimesters and I thought I'd take that many grades! 

Paw Paw Patch

I'm covering sixteenth notes with my 5th graders. My sequence is behind due to concerts and recorder units- it's something I'm constantly wishing was better.

So this week I taught the line dance to Paw Paw Patch. I was worried at first because 5th graders are starting to show me that "I'm too cool to sing" attitude which crushes me! (This is one reason I'm trying to revamp my recorder unit-more on that later!) I was just thrilled when some boys volunteered to be in the girl line-didn't mind being called "pretty little Susie!"  During my class today, they were begging me to keep going. Everyone wanted a turn to be in the "Susie" line.  Moments like these show me that, no, they're not too cool for singing and that they are still kids.

Music In Our Schools Month

March is "Music in Our Schools Month" (MIOSM).  The band director convinced me to get on board this year.  I have never participated in it- but with the way school districts are heading with their art/music departments, we're going to give it a try this year.

I have some things planned for the 16 days we're in school (only 16 due to spring break at the end of the month).

1. I'm going to provide a 'fun fact' on the morning announcements (they are broadcasted live by our principal and 2 students each day).

2. A MIOSM bulletin board in the hallway that will display how music is in everyone's life. The students will be able to  draw, write, or send in pictures to put on the board.

3. Riddle Me This:  staff members provide clues about their musical memories or activities they were involved with as a child, student, or adult.  They will be displayed near the cafeteria and students guess which teacher they are reading about!

For example my clues are:
My first solo was at vacation bible school.

I started piano lessons when I was 6 years old and I took voice lessons for 13 years.

I was in all my high school musicals, band and choir.

I was in my church choir for 10 years.

I can play the trumpet, baritone, trombone and piano.

My degree is in Music Education.

Who am I?

I'm really excited to read the teachers' clues!


What have you done for MIOSM in the past or this year?

Music Kits

I don't know about you, but I was getting tired of taking up so much class time in passing out manipulatives! I talking almost 10 mins! That's ridiculous!  So I knew I wanted all my supplies at the finger tips of the students. That's where I decided something had to be done. Music Kits.

Each kit has a number on it that correlates with where the student sits on my colored risers (Wenger Flip Forms). So if they sit in Blue 2-their kit is Blue 2.  I'm in the process of getting the high school woods class to build a cubby for these so it's not dominos when my students go get them!

 

I asked the PTO to pay for the plastic storage bins (6 quart) from Target.  (Between 5 teachers we all have one pot of money to use for the school year from the PTO.)  I printed out the numbers and color coded them, laminated then used clear packing tape to secure them to the bins

Right now in the kit is:

• 2 green felt pieces (JoAnns $.34)
• spray painted popsicle sticks for rhythm dictation (longs and cut in half ones for prep and practice of ta/ti-ti)
• red chips for rhythmic/melodic dictation (short-short or place on the staff)
• Rhythm hearts in a baggie that have ta (red heart), ti-ti (pink heart), and quarter rest (white heart) on them.
• Black string- when I'm prepping so-mi and putting the rhythm hearts high low gets visually confusing so I have the students grid off their "green board" and it's easier to see where the high-low icons go.

These kits have saved me SO much time during my class. The students walk in and all I have to say is get your kits!  I'm working to add more things for the older students (my sequence is all over the place I feel-still working on that!)

Bravo Beads

I found this idea on a blog through pinterest and modified it for my music classroom. I call them Bravo Beads. I was noticing that with some of my classes that I was having more observers than participators. I was getting tired of saying "Johnny please sing!" So now I use Bravo Beads!

I use these 2 ways:

1. If I notice a student doing a "BRAVO" job that day during class I"ll say to them "Bravo Johnny" and they know to go get some beads and join back in the activity.

2. I'll walk around the class with beads in hand and place them around the students neck that I see doing a great job participating.

I discussed with the students what 'Bravo' meant and where might they hear it- so I tied is some audience etiquette standards as well!

I found my beads at the Dollar Store-I bought 8 packages for $1.00! Couldn't go wrong!

I found the tote at the dollar spot at Target (I think it was $3.00)

I made the signs and attached the title with double sided velco and stapled the yellow envelope.

In the envelope is a slip of paper that the student takes when they return the beads at the end of class. Since they can't take the beads home, they take a certificate home that says they earned Bravo Beads during class! Great way to get your students talking about their day in music class!