Mood:  lucky

Wow. Oh wow. My class went SO well tonight. This is the group of grade 4/5 boys that I've been struggling with... I don't want to drag things along, but I don't want to miss anything, either. I asked Marilyn for some advice, and, among other things, she reminded me to keep the pace quick. This 'forces' the kids to keep thinking about the music.

Guess what? It worked!!! They had a blast! For the first time, they willingly participated in the movement activities (and were actually quite creative when I gave them creative control of their movements!) They played SO well tonight!!

These boys have now completed Unit 4, but haven't yet done all of the duets from the previous levels. They did do the duet for Hide and Seek today, and did a fantastic job. I also taught them 'The Ghost' from Keyboard Games B, seeing as we're getting ready for the annual Halloween Piano Party, and I thought it would be fun if they had a 'spooky' piece to play.

In tonight's Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation, we used the suggestions for making a 'sound description' of an animal. I was expecting a typical 'boy' animal (cheetah, jaguar etc) from these boys. Instead, I was suprised by a burst of creativity! One boy selected a mythical creature from Star Wars (and promptly made a very accurate sound with his voice!)  and the other invented his own imaginary animal. It was SO cool!!! They were SO into making sound descriptions tonight, I really could have spent the entire lesson on that activity alone!

I have to admit, up until tonight, I had been feeling a bit unsure if Music Moves was the right decision for these older boys. While I'm having wonderful success with the little kids, I really didn't know how well it was working with these older boys (10 year old boys are strange creatures!) After tonight, I am now feeling much more positive about my decision.

A side note about my own personal 'audiation' skills (full disclosure: I love to sight read. I sight read Bach Fugues for fun!). Tonight, while one boy was experimenting with a RP on one key, I wasn't sitting right at the piano, so I couldn't see what key he was playing. For some reason, I just knew he was playing an F. I've never had 'perfect pitch' before, and, quite frankly, really sucked big time with my ear training exams on my RCM tests (I actually failed grade 8 ear training!). But, I just knew it was an F. Weird. :)

Posted by creativekeys at 5:06 PM

Updated: Thursday, 12 October 2006 5:23 PM

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Mood:  incredulous

Today, I had a group of grade 1 students, and, at the end of lessons there was a bit of extra time. SO, I invited the students to share anything they wanted at the piano (suggesting that they play a favourite piece, or create something at the keys).

One little boy sat down at the keys, and promtly played a 4-macrobeat melody on the black keys, which he then repeated, thus creating a lovely little 8-macrobeat composition. His rhythm was perfect :)

Now, this boy doesn't have the best home life (from what I can gather), and his Aunt (a friend of mine) is the one who put him in lessons. She's a wonderful woman, and does all she can to give this little boy some stability and normalcy in his life. To see him sit down and improvise such a wonderful piece (much more complex than the pieces we've been learning), and do it with confidence was wonderful! To know that I'm able to help this little boy find something he can feel good about is such an honour!!

Posted by creativekeys at 8:52 AM

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Mood:  bright

Tonight was my 'older boy' class. Three boys, ages 9, 10 and 10. They were visibly getting bored by the pieces in units 1-3, so we skipped all the unit 3 pieces (but did do the audiation activities and the improvisation stuff). Moved on to Hide and Seek.

I came across some FUN activities to work on rhythm: Boomwhackers! We chanted our RPs using Boomwackers tonight, and the boys LOVED it!! The nice thing about the Boomwackers is that it uses large motor movements.

I've been really having a hard to get these boys to do a lot of the movement activities... they think they're too 'cool' to do them. I'm guessing that with the addition of Boomwhackers, these boys will more readily do movement activites.

One of the resources I purchased recently is a book/CD of activities to do with the Boomwhackers. Tonight, the boys and I did this one activity where there was a 4-part movement pattern that they did with the tubes.

Basically, we sat in a circle, each with a tube at our right knee. The pattern went like this:

1. Right (pick up the tube with your right hand)
2. Left (whack the tube into your LH)
3. Rest
4. Down (whack the tube on the ground on your left side)

The pattern continued like that, always starting with a new tube (the one that the person next to you just put down on his left side)

Then, we turned on the CD, which had a catchy little tune in triple meter. It was great! The kids were having to remember a pattern, keep the rhythm going (continuity), they were moving to a rhythm (a 4-macro beat pattern in triple meter), and they were experiencing triple meter.

Plus...they had FUN! Which, really, is way more important then them actually learning anything LOL

Posted by creativekeys at 5:49 PM

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Mood:  cool

This whole 'audiation' thing is really cool. It's only been a month, but I'm already beginning to see the benefits in my students. They are playing with such a strong rhythmic sense!

My latest achievement was teaching "The Green Caterpillar", which I was a bit hesitant about. But, thanks to the wonderful advice Marilyn gave me, my students not only learned it, but played it SO successfully. They really grasped the whole triple meter thing so well.

One thing I had my Prep book kids doing this week was playing all the groups of three black keys, chanting Du-da-di Du-da-di as they played. They did this going up and down the keyboard (or "this way" then "The other way"). I had to make sure that they weren't going to fast, otherwise it began to turn over into duple meter (that " one two threeeeee type playing that a lot of my traditional students have done in the past). That really helped them get the feel for triple meter (as did all the movement activities I did with them!!)

 The other "new" concept that I introduced this week to my Book 1 kids was articulation (separated and connected touch). In the past, this is something that was left at least until the second book of a method, when the child could already play some pretty nifty pieces.

But, I think Marilyn is really on to something here. Teaching articulation right from the second lesson makes sense. Playing one or two keys separated or connected instead of trying to play a whole song that way. The students were able to experience how the two different articulations feel in a way that was easy and simple (thus allowing the student to feel successful right off the bat).

I'll give you an idea of how it happened in my studio tonight...

I talked to my students about the 'different touches' on the piano, and then performed two pieces (in my repertoire) with different articulation. (Note: I believe that it's really important for a teacher to play for her students on a regular basis... and not just easy stuff!! That 'meat and potatoes' repertoire that you worked on in college!!)

So, first they heard a couple of good examples. Then, we did the activites in the student book, especially the one where they say "Go Go" with different articulation. Then, they practiced playing octaves in both of the touches.

After that, we left behind the whole articulation thing, and moved on to learning their performance pieces. They both played "Indian Dance". After they played, I asked them, "Was that connected or separated?" One girl said, "I don't know", so I suggested that she play it again, and this time listen to herself. After she played, I asked her again, and she was better able to answer. Then, I asked her if she could play it the opposite way, and she did. She was SO excited that we were able to check off both styles of touch on the check list!

Now, I bet that will be a student who goes home and tries out her new pieces right away!

But, look what happened here: a student learned how different articulations sound, how they feel, and how to LISTEN for them in her own playing. She's making choices as she plays ("Should I play this separated or connected?") and taking these skills into her improvisations.

I'm beginning to see that audiation isn't only about thinking skills... it's about being aware of the sound you make.

Posted by creativekeys at 5:55 PM

Updated: Monday, 2 October 2006 6:53 PM

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Mood:  lyrical

I'm finding it quite easy to assign kids homework in MMP... I made a homework sheet that has the different things they're to do each week down the side, and a column for each day so that the students can check off their work as they do it. This is a generic sheet that I can use from week to week, and it's just a reminder for the students to practice their assignment, listen to the CDs and create at the keys. Then, I simply use a date stamp to indicate which pages in the lesson book are to be worked on.

In the Preparatory and Keyboard Games books, where the contents are only the pieces to be played, I'm making weekly assignment sheets that have more specific details on them. Here's an example from my Friday 3:30 class (Preparatory Book):

1. Keyboard Technique: play all the groups of 3 blacks keys, one note at a time, using your middle finger. Rememer not to use 'pokey fingers'!! Chant "Du-da-di Du-da-di" as you play.
2. Listening Assignment: Listen daily to tracks 1,2,3 and 4 on the CD.
3. Review Pieces: Keep playing "The Woodpeckers" and "The Apple and the Worm", chanting the rhythm pattern as you play.
4. The Green Caterpillar: Listen to the CD (#3). Chant "Du-da-di Du-da-di Read-y Play" before you start. Play with a relaxed arm drop, keeping your fingers together
5. Creativity: Play the "Du-da-di Du-da-di" rhythm pattern on groups of 3 black keys, all over the piano. Try playing the rhythm pattern fast, then slow.

Posted by creativekeys at 11:00 AM

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Mood:  a-ok

I have one class that's a bit of a mixed age class. Three boys, ages 5,6 and 7 (grades k, 1 and 2). Upon Marilyn's advice, I have started these boys in the Preparatory Book.

Two of the boys are brothers and the third a friend, so they have a tendancy to get a bit silly. But, I'm firm with them, and don't put up with any nonesense.

I was quite worried about working with such a mixed age class. Traditionally, I have only taught group classes that were rather homogenous in age groups. But, this class is working just fine. I think it's the fact that I'm using MMP!!

I noticed this the other day with my 10 year old class, too. There aren't any cutesy pictures, that scream "Hey! This piano course is for little kids only!!" Guess what? The kids don't seem to mind that there aren't any teddy bears or dancing music notes or kitty cats on the page. There are no distractions, and the utter lack of (annoying, cutesy) illustrations means that I can use these materials with each and every age group.

I asked a colleague if he had ever used MMP, and he responded, "No. I've looked at it, but as I don't teach very young kids, I don't use it." I'm discovering that these materials work with just about any age group!

 Oh, those 3 boys? By the end of their lesson this week, they had learned the first two pieces in the Prep. book. And, rather surprisingly, it was the youngest one who caught on the quickest!

Posted by creativekeys at 7:38 PM

Updated: Sunday, 24 September 2006 5:17 PM

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Mood:  lucky

Ok, I'll have to admit... I was a bit (just a teeny bit!) skeptical about using MMP with 10 year old boys. I can now lay all those fears aside.

I've got one class with 2 ten-year old boys (one is my son). They had their first 'real' lesson today. (Didn't have books for them last week, so we played games). WOW!!

By the end of the lesson today, not only had they played 'Popcorn' really well, but they were both able to play the student duet. They each took a turn playing the student duet while the other played the melody. I'm quite impressed.

And the other thing that struck me as wonderful: so many times in the past, my beginners played SO slow. Everything was at a snail's pace. I can see, now, that slow pace was due to the fact that they were trying to process way too much information.

Today, these two boys played Popcorn with such a lovely tempo, and with confidence! Can't wait to see what happens next week. As they both have the Pattern CD to listen to at home, they're getting a really good head start at more complex rhythm patterns.

Posted by creativekeys at 1:54 PM

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Mood:  special

Finally, after 3 weeks of waiting, the MMP books arrived. I was SO glad that I wouldn't have to teach without books anymore. I was especially excited to finally see the Keyboard Games A & B book.

Marilyn (Lowe, creator of MMP) has done a fantastic job with these two new books. She's added a lot more of (what I call) traditional kids songs (Old MacDonald, Row Row Your Boat... that type of stuff) where kids play an ostinato rhythm pattern, and the teacher plays the melody.

 I had my kindergarten class this afternoon. All of the kids did a great job. Last week, they had a bit of a hard time listening and paying attention, but they were much better today.

Something really surprised me, though, today. One of the students was having a slightly harder time paying attention and doing what was asked of him. I didn't think he had learned anything I had taught that day, until near the end of class, when it came time to play "The Woodpecker". He played it perfectly! Even though it appeared that he wasn't paying attention, I guess he really was.

Posted by creativekeys at 10:42 AM

Updated: Friday, 22 September 2006 10:48 AM

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