February Favorites 2018

Another month has flown by! Before I get too caught up in all of my exciting plans for Music In Our Schools Month, it's nice to take some time to look back on the highlights from February- in truth it's easy to think back and only remember the negative, but there were a lot of great things that happened as well that I don't want to lose sight of! I hope you find some inspiration in this post as well- you definitely don't want to miss the many amazing posts from other bloggers on teaching melodic concepts that I'm sharing at the end!

1. Recorders

I love teaching recorders- it's one of my favorite units to teach every year! This month I've been sharing my teaching tips for recorder on the blog, and the response has been amazing. If you haven't already, be sure to catch up on all the latest recorder posts here (and stay tuned- there are more on the way!). 

2. Musical Restaurants

Totally random but equally awesome: I took my daughters to IHOP for a Valentine's Day dinner and was pleasantly surprised at their musical kid's menu! Check out this music puzzle, complete with an accurate description of treble clef letter names! I don't know why but it's always shocking to me when I see musical notation described accurately outside music class 😁 

3. #ArmMeWith

I hesitate to include this as a "highlight", but it is definitely worth reflecting on and important to keep at the forefront of our thoughts and actions. If you haven't heard about the #ArmMeWith movement on Instagram, click here to see all of the thousands of posts shared by teachers advocating for positive change in our schools, particularly in the United States, in the wake of the latest school shooting in Florida. It's a difficult topic but an important one nonetheless, and I hope we can all continue to keep our voices strong without letting issues like these get lost in the shuffle!

4. Melody Teaching Posts

Did you hear about the latest collaboration over on MusicEd Blogs? All month long bloggers from all over the web have been sharing amazing posts on teaching melodic concepts on our Facebook page! Here are a few highlights I shared this month, but be sure to go check out all of the posts over on MusicEd Blogs, and stay tuned to the website for another free ebook with all of these posts compiled (plus more exclusive content) coming soon!

That's it for me this month- I hope you are all looking forward to a wonderful month ahead (and hopefully some spring weather!) as much as I am! What were some of your highlights from February? Let's hear them in the comments :)

Click here to sign up for the Organized Chaos newsletter!

Read more "February Favorites 2018"

Music In Our Schools Month: 2 (more!) easy and engaging ideas

Music In Our Schools Month starts in just two days- can you believe it?!? I have always loved celebrating with special activities and advocacy projects that keep all the wonderful aspects of music education at the forefront of everyone's minds. I've shared lots of ideas for everything from in-class activities to bulletin boards and everything in between in the past- look for those posts at the end of this one- but today I've got a couple more ideas that I'll be using this year that you can easily implement this year too! Happy Music In Our Schools Month!

1. Guess the Musician bulletin board

This is not a new idea- Tracy from Mrs. King's Music Class has shared something similar here, as have several others- but this is my first year trying it out myself! The idea is to promote the idea that music is an important part of our upbringing and education, and that music becomes a part of our lives as adults in many different ways even when we aren't in a music-related career. I created a simple survey and printed out copies to give to every adult who works with our students- everyone from the superintendent to the custodians- and asked them to fill it out and return it to me. I then compiled their answers to create a bulletin board where students can guess which grownup is being described. I'll be adding a new clue each day in March, and the principal will be reading the clue on the morning announcements. At the end of the day, I'll add the answer to the bottom of the sheet! I was thrilled with the response I got- I think keeping the survey short and easy was key- and I can't wait to share these with the school.

If you want to see the super-simple templates I used for the survey and bulletin board, here they are- once my bulletin board is completely put together I'll be sure to share a photo as well!

                                

2. Music suggestion box

I threw this in at the last minute last year and ended up loving it, so I'll be making it an official part of our celebration this year 😉 I got a cardboard box, covered the top in construction paper, cut a slit in the side, and set out some slips of paper and a pencil for people to write down suggestions for songs that they wanted to hear on the morning announcements. Each day in March we played one of the suggestions over the speakers in the morning, and I was amazed at how excited the entire school community- students, teachers, and parents- got over the chance to share their favorite songs from all different genres! It was a great way to make sure we were starting each day with music as well.

Last year's box was thrown together in 15 minutes on a spur of the moment idea, so hopefully this year's suggestion box will look a bit more polished, but here's how I set it up last year:

I'll still be including my in-class activities, like the Rhythm Battle and Disco Duel, as part of our celebrations. Those are really the best part of Music In Our Schools Month for me and for my students! If you haven't already, be sure to check out my previous posts on MIOSM for even more ideas:

No matter how you choose to celebrate, I hope you and your students can take the time to celebrate the wonderful world of music together- it's so important to remind ourselves of the pure joy of music making, especially at this time of year when patience starts to dwindle! What other ways do you recognize Music In Our Schools Month? Let's hear your ideas in the comments below!

Want to get more timely ideas and see overviews of my general music lesson plans sent straight to your inbox? Click here to sign up for the Organized Chaos newsletter!

Read more "Music In Our Schools Month: 2 (more!) easy and engaging ideas"

5 Ways to a More Musical Home

With Music In Our Schools Month fast approaching, I've been thinking more consciously about how integral music is in all of our lives and how important music is for children in particular. As an elementary music teacher, incorporating music into my everyday home life comes naturally, but I've talked to so many parents of young children who wish their home lives were more musical. I think most all of us love to enjoy music in one way or another ourselves, but many adults are less musical as parents than they are as individuals because they feel "their music" is inappropriate for their kids (but they don't like "kid songs"), they are self-conscious about their singing or instrument playing abilities, or they just get caught up in the stress and chaos of parenting and toss music by the wayside. Today I want to remind all of us of 5 simple ways to make home life, especially with young children, more musical. No matter how good or bad of a musician you may think you are, I hope these tips will help all of us feel more comfortable infusing our lives with music!

This post contains affiliate links. This does not affect the purchase price or experience in any way.

1. Sing!

First let's address those parents who think they "can't sing"- science (and my own real life experience) tells us that for most of you, that's not actually true. You just haven't learned how yet. Try taking deeper breaths, use more air, and sing a higher pitch- you may be surprised at what comes out! Or let loose, be totally silly, and belt out some opera singer notes. Yeah, that's how much air it takes to sing! Of course, I can't help everyone learn to sing through the computer, but I've been surprised at how many adults "discover" their singing voice with these simple ideas!

No matter how great you think your singing voice may be, it's good to remember that when you're singing with young children,

• singing slightly higher than you may naturally sing is usually easier for them to hear and sing along with (and encourages you and your child to use your singing voice instead of your speaking voice)
• anything goes: it doesn't have to be a "real song"- you can narrate your day with song and get all the benefits of singing we always hear about! Have you ever watched a toddler play by themselves? How many times do they start making up random songs about nonsense? 
• kids do not mind hearing the same song over and over- in fact they LOVE repetition. Having certain songs that you always sing for specific events can be a great way to build music into your lives- that classic "clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere" song is a perfect example!

2. Dance!

Despite taking dance classes for years as a child I am admittedly, well, not the coolest dancer. But there is something magical about dance! It is such a holistic experience and can totally change our moods in an instant. The next time you're bored, or feel the tension building as you rush around getting homework done and dinner on the table, turn on a song and start moving. I am always amazed at how quickly my daughters join in with the fun no matter how cranky they are, and how much it improves all of our moods when we do!

3. Play an Instrument

Instruments are fun and often overlooked at home! Of course it's wonderful for children to be able to take private lessons and study a more challenging instrument more in-depth, but my advice: wait until they really do know they want to learn the instrument for themselves and have the self-discipline to practice on their own. No matter how great the benefits of instrumental study are, the stress and tears of trying to get a kid to practice when they don't want to will far outweigh the benefits.

I love having a small collection of instruments that my daughters and I can tinker with whenever the mood strikes. When the girls were toddlers, I had a box of small percussion instruments- a glockenspiel, a hand drum, some rhythm sticks and egg shakers. Those still get a good amount of use even now, and you can pick them up pretty cheaply at stores like Walmart/Target, or Costco/Sam's Club. Sets like this one are great for really young kids if you don't have anything already.

Now that my daughters are in elementary school, we love playing on slightly more sophisticated instruments too. We have a piano, a ukulele, a cajon, and a melodica that they love playing around with. All of these instruments are sturdy enough for kids to explore, and they are fairly cost effective as well (unless you're talking about a nice piano- keyboards are cheap though)!

4. Listen to Music

Obviously listening to recorded music is a great way to bring more music into our lives! I find that I often am so busy trying to do all of the tasks on my to-do list that I don't think to turn on any music. But when we do remember, it is such a great way to set a positive mood in the house! It can also be a great way to get everyone to relax and wind down at the end of the day.

Don't forget to try out lots of different genres and find new artists to enjoy! It's easy to get stuck in a rut, and there's nothing wrong with enjoying your favorite music over and over again, but this is the time to expand your children's musical palate, which will in turn translate to an expanded world view if they can hear, understand, and appreciate music from a wide range of cultures and lifestyles. Plus it's always great to learn something new together as a family!

5. Use Songs as Timers

My last point is related to #4 but it's awesome enough to be worth mentioning separately. Instead of nagging the kids to get dressed, brush their teeth, or do their chores, try putting on a song and challenging them to get it done by the end of the song! This is also great for "time out"s- choose a calming, quiet song and tell them to stay in their spot until the end of the song instead of setting a timer. In both cases, not only does it function as a way to mark time but it also is easier for kids to keep track of how far they are through the set amount of time, and it simultaneously changes the mood! Win-win-win for everyone!

I mentioned this tip, along with a few others, in my previous post on using music as a parenting tool. If you missed it, I highly recommend checking it out- you'll find lots more practical ways to use music to improve your parenting life!

How do you infuse music into your life at home? Even if you already do all of these, I'm sure I'm not the only one who could use a reminder of how many wonderful ways we can enjoy music at home in the midst of all the flurry of activities! I'd love to hear your favorite stories of experiencing music with your children in the comments below- Happy Music In Our Schools Month!

Click here to sign up for the Organized Chaos newsletter!

Read more "5 Ways to a More Musical Home"

Teaching Recorder: 4 ways to structure instruction

Teaching recorder, or any instrument for that matter, to a full classroom of students working at different paces and with different levels of motivation can be tricky. Throw in popular curricular resources like Recorder Karate and other methods that encourage differentiation/ leveling in a large group setting, and things can get even more confusing! Today I want to give an overview of some different options for how to structure lessons in a full class setting using leveled resources, and offer my suggestions on when you might want to use each one.

1. Whole Class Instruction

Just because you're using a resource that encourages students to learn at their own pace does NOT mean you have to spend all of your class time having students independently practicing on their own. Particularly in the beginning when you are introducing fundamental playing techniques, whole class instruction allows you to make sure everyone is practicing good habits and staying on task.

I always start off my recorder unit working as a full class, and I will often have the whole class work together on their "belts" as well, especially if I have a group that struggles to work independently. I give students specific targets to work on when we are working above or below their individual playing level- I give students dynamics/ articulation etc to add if we are working on a song they've already "passed", and I point out specific attainable passages in a song for students to work on if we're working ahead of their capability. I regularly point out to the class that it's valuable to review and push ahead sometimes, and most students appreciate the change of pace too.

2. Stations/ Small Groups

Small group work can be a great way to strike a balance between encouraging students to work at their own pace and giving students the accountability of working with others. There are 2 ways to approach small group work with recorders:

1. Have all students working on recorder music but split up into groups by their level
2. Have students working on related skills at different stations and rotate through

I often will split the class up into groups by level when we first start getting into having students earn "belts" for their leveled songs. In this case, everyone is working in the same way- going through the practice steps that I've taught them to learn whatever song they are practicing together with others working on the same song- so everyone is still playing and working in the same way simultaneously but working on different songs. This is a great way to ease into independent practice and also gives students a chance to help each other rather than relying solely on my help.

The second way to structure small groups is especially great if you and/or the students need a break from the cacophony. In this case each group is working on recorders but in different ways: one station could be identifying letter names of notes, another could be silent practice with fingerings (have them remove the mouthpiece or just tell them they're not allowed to blow into their instrument), and another station could be a playing and/or testing station. If you or students are having trouble focusing with so many different songs being practiced simultaneously in one small space, or if everyone is getting burned out from just playing all the time, this is a great way to break down practice time into some specific steps and give everyone a chance to focus more easily. I've used this occasionally when I have a class that has trouble focusing/ staying on task. I'll still group students working on the same song together in most cases, but if I have a small group that is ahead and a small group that is behind the rest of the class, I'll put them together so the advanced students can help the slower learners and I can give some specific attention to both groups.

3. Extension Time

I know this isn't an option in every situation, but it's worth mentioning: another way to structure leveled/ self-paced learning is to set up time outside of class for students to work on "belts" and independent practice. There are several ways to set this up depending on your teaching situation:

1. Set up a recess/ before or after school time that is designated as "open studio" time when any student can come in to test, get help from you, or practice with their friends.
2. Set up a recess/ before or after school time that is designated as a testing time. In this case I have students sign up in advance so that I make sure I have time to listen to those that come prepared to test.
3. Provide students with a way of sending in recordings of themselves to "earn belts" and/or show their independent learning. They could send in audio or visual recordings via email, upload to a school portal/ shared drive, or set up a call with you to play live.

I use this as a primary method of structuring leveled curriculum when I either need to move on with other topics in class or want to work primarily in whole-group instruction in class but also give students at either end of the spectrum a chance to continue working at their own pace as well.

4. Self-Paced, Simultaneous Practice

Of course you can also have all of the students work individually at their own level at the same time in the same room. The drawbacks are obvious- the noise level and general chaos of having so much happening at once- but when used sparingly it can be a useful way to give students the opportunity to work on independent practice skills when you can monitor and guide as needed. A few tips for making this work:

1. Even if they aren't necessarily working together, having students who are working on the same song or skill practice in the same area will make it a little less confusing for you and for the students. I designate certain areas of the room for each "belt"/ level and go around to each group to offer my help to the entire group at once while the others are practicing independently.
2. If you want to give students the chance to practice independently but the noise level is prohibitive, try having half the groups practice without mouthpieces and then swap every few minutes. Not only will this dramatically decrease the noise level, but it will also give students a chance to focus on fingerings, which is generally the most difficult aspect for students anyway.
3. Have resources available, and systems in place for students to use them independently, so that they do not need your help to answer their questions. Fingering charts, note identification reminders, copies of all the music, practice technique reminders, and extra instruments/ alternatives for students who forgot their recorder should all be accessible for students to get on their own as needed. I keep fingering charts and copies of each song students are working on on a wall display- click here to see my post on how I set that up.

I rarely spend an entire class period on simultaneous individual practice, but I do like to incorporate time for this for part of the lesson most days, especially when we first start self-paced practice for their "karate belts"- I find it gives me a chance to see who is able to practice independently and offer guidance to those who don't.

There is no right or wrong way to structure recorder lessons- I try to keep a close eye on student motivation, individual progress, and engagement levels to figure out the most effective way to structure my lessons from day to day, and that changes throughout the unit, from year to year, and from class to class! Different groups will respond differently to each way of learning and that will change over time as well, so having all of these options available and ready is the best way to go.

If you haven't already, be sure to click here and read all of my other posts on recorders. You can also find all of my lesson plans and materials in my 3rd grade curriculum resource here. And you can get timely resources and ideas sent straight to your inbox, including overviews of my K-6 lesson plans each month, by getting on the Organized Chaos mailing list. Click here to sign up!

Read more "Teaching Recorder: 4 ways to structure instruction"

Stress Reducing Strategies

With winter dragging on and on, holidays past, germs spreading everywhere, and daylight still in short supply, this time of year can get stressful. Today I'm sharing some of my favorite ways to manage my stress levels at home and at school and make sure I'm taking care of myself. Most of these are quick and easy things I can do in the middle of the work day, in the middle of making dinner and supervising homework, or any other time I feel stress levels creeping up!

1. Give yourself a break

This time of year I often find myself pushing hard to do #allthethings before spring kicks in and my schedule gets crazy. Planning ahead and pushing myself to do my best are great, but if and when I find myself getting stressed and overwhelmed, it's helpful to take a step back and give myself a break. This can mean a lot of different things, but I try to give myself permission to take the "easy way out" and give myself a chance to relax a little:

• Eat out or order takeout on a weeknight. 
• Stop trying to cram so much into my lesson plans- allow my students to take more time getting settled at the beginning and transitioning at the end of the lesson, and if we have extra time, have a quick dance party.
• Throw on a movie or watch a TV episode instead of trying to push through that to-do list all the time.

The most important (and most difficult for me) part of this is to release any sense of guilt. I'm no good to anyone at home or at work if I'm overwhelmed and stressed. 

2. Drink a tall glass of water

I've seen this advice so many times and I vaguely agreed with it in the past, but I have become a huge believer in the last few months. Any time I feel tired now, the first thing I do is pour myself a big cup of water. I've found I can slurp it down a lot faster when I drink through a straw, so I keep a tumbler handy on my desk at school and on my kitchen counter at home. It really does make a huge difference! 

3. Phone a friend

I know this comes more naturally to some than others. I have a dear friend from college who still seems to know just the right time to text or call or message me, remembers every holiday/ birthday/ event, and follows up on anything I share with her. My youngest sister is a busy law school student but still finds the time to squeeze in "just because" phone calls with friends and family all the time, and even makes visits to her friends and family across the country a priority. When I get busy, communicating with people is one of the first things to go- my response generally is to hunker down and plow through my to-do list rather than take the time to talk about it. 

There's definitely a healthy balance of doing and talking, but for me, I need that reminder to make the time to talk to people. I never realize just how many thoughts I have swirling around in my head until I sit down with someone who wants to hear about me and my life. Just getting it "out there" makes such a big difference in my stress levels.

4. Exercise/ stretch

I'm not someone who exercises for the purpose of exercise. The older I get the more I realize I probably should, but realistically it just isn't something I am motivated to do. Obviously if you can, going for a run, hitting the gym, or going to an exercise class are all great ways to reduce stress. But there are some quick, easy ways to get in some exercise (of sorts) that help me in particularly stressful moments as well:

• Turn on some upbeat music. Sing and dance to it like I'm on Broadway.
• Do the stretch I shared in this previous post a few times.

5. Listen to music

I've developed a list of go-to songs that I can turn on when I feel the tension rising. Sometimes I need a calming song, sometimes it helps to listen to something upbeat and fun, and sometimes I find it helpful to turn on one of those deeply touching songs to get inspired and refocused on my priorities. Here's a previous post with some of the songs that have gotten me through some of my most difficult moments- check out this list if you're looking for some new songs to add to your own stress-busting song list!

These ideas aren't rocket science, but I think we can all use the reminder this time of year to make sure we are taking care of ourselves. What are your favorite stress-busters? Leave your ideas in the comments!

Get timely ideas and resources for home and school sent to your inbox! Click here to sign up for the Organized Chaos newsletter!

Read more "Stress Reducing Strategies"

Teaching Recorder: troubleshooting

One of the biggest struggles of teaching recorder is dealing with all the squeaks and squawks, especially in the beginning. After teaching recorder for over a decade I've learned to spot some of the most common issues beginners deal with, and the most effective ways to address them in the classroom setting. Obviously I won't be covering every problem I've ever encountered, nor will the solutions I suggest work for every student, but hopefully you'll find a few new tricks to add to your arsenal as you battle bad recorder sounds!

1. Overblowing

The best way to address students who blow too hard is to work on low notes before introducing higher notes- read this post on my first recorder lesson to hear more thoughts on this, but starting on G and low E right away forces players to blow more softly to have any hope of producing the correct note. This solves 90% of my overblowers, but if and when I do catch a student blowing too hard, a quick "softer" reminder usually fixes it pretty quickly. 

Other tricks you can try: 

• Have them blow on your hand so you can feel how hard they're actually blowing, then have them blow on their own hand to feel it themselves. If you're both comfortable with it, you can also blow on their hand so they can feel it and compare.
• Tell them to pretend they are blowing bubbles- if they blow too hard they will pop the bubble!
• Tell them to pretend they are blowing on a candle to make the flame flicker but not go out.
• Have them practice blowing softly while you hold the instrument and cover the holes so they can focus on that one skill.

2. Improper (or lack of) Tonguing

I always introduce blowing technique by having students say the number "two", and every time I introduce a new note we practice whispering "two" (off of the mouthpiece) while showing the correct fingering. I also have them practice playing short notes (like sixteenths) from the beginning to force them to have to tongue (I talk about this in my post on the first lesson as well). That frequent practice helps, but there are always still a few students who, I think in an effort to blow softer, start blowing without tonguing, saying "who" instead of "two". I call them my owls 😉 Most of them have tell-tale puffy cheeks so I can spot them right away and have them practice blowing "two" in the air. Every few years though, I've had a student who was sneaky enough to get by blowing "who" (or some other strange variation) without it being obvious from the outside, and those are hard to correct!

A few things that have worked for me in the past:

• Some of them have gotten away with blowing "who" for a while so they don't see any reason to change their technique. In that situation I have them play something with lots of fast notes and then I play it for them afterwards and we compare- you can always tell that my sound is better (if they need more convincing, play something that switches between low and high notes- that will really get them!). Once they're convinced, sometimes all they need is a frequent reminder to say "two" and they're fine.
• Surprisingly, one of the most common problems I've found with these students is posture. I think they compensate for shallow breathing and poor posture by avoiding tonguing because they don't have good breath support/ control. One of the first things I'll try is to be very strict about their posture and really focus on proper breathing- sometimes the problem correct itself once they are breathing deeply and properly supporting their air. 
• Sometimes the reason they aren't tonguing is because of where their tongue is in relation to the mouthpiece. Try having them take more or less of the mouthpiece into their mouth while saying "two" to see if it's easier for them.

3. Slippery Fingers

This is especially difficult if you are introducing recorder to younger students who have smaller fingers (a big reason why I advocate starting in 4th grade- read more in this post)- you get everyone's fingers covering the holes correctly, and then 2 seconds later half of their fingers have slid up away from the holes they're supposed to be covering. To be honest I think this is mostly unavoidable in the beginning- I think the only real "cure" is for students to have the time to get used to the finger positioning. With that said, here are a few things I do to help speed up the process:

• I constantly walk around while students are practicing, echoing me, etc and tap on any fingers that are coming off of the holes. Usually when this happens they've just forgotten about their fingers because they're focused on one of the other million things their brains have to think about!
• Some students struggle with this not because of their reach or the size of their hands but because they are double jointed. I try to spot the double jointed students early on and point it out to them. Any time I see their fingers turning "inside out" or their wrists clenching up, I silently shake my hand in front of them as a cue for them to take their hands off of the recorder and "shake it out" and then reset their hands. 
• One of the most common causes of fingers slipping up is the left thumb. I've never understood this because my hand isn't built this way, but many students naturally point their thumb up towards the mouthpiece when they try to cover the hole on the back, which turns their entire hand in such a position that they can't comfortably cover the holes on the front. I do constant thumb checks, reminding them to point their thumbs towards the side wall, and that helps a lot of students keep their hands in a nice, rounded "C" position.
• Some students, especially ones who either have played or have seen others play piano or bowed string instruments, naturally try to place their fingers over the holes on the very tips of their fingers (this is also a problem for double jointed people who are over-compensating in an attempt to keep their wrists relaxed and rounded). I always do this with the entire class in the first lesson, but I will have students with this problem repeat this exercise to make sure they are using the pads of their fingers rather than the very tips: get their fingers positioned where they think they should be, then press down hard enough to make a mark of where the hole is under each finger. Take their fingers off and look to see where the circles are (and if it shows a complete circle or a partial one). 

There are so many other little things we could cover here, but those are the top 3 most common problems I've encountered with beginning recorder. I know there are lots of other great tricks music teachers have developed for troubleshooting- please share yours in the comments!

If you want to read more about recorder teaching, here are all of my posts on the topic. If you want to see my complete lesson plans for my recorder unit, along with all of the teaching materials, they are included in my 3rd grade curriculum set.

Want to get timely ideas and resources sent straight to your inbox? Click here to sign up for the Organized Chaos newsletter!

Read more "Teaching Recorder: troubleshooting"

Snow Day Activities

We have definitely had more than our fair share of snow days this year, and if my friends' comments are any indication, many people around the U.S. are having similar experiences! Yes, being able to sleep in is nice, but getting cooped up inside, especially with young children, can get old really fast! Today I've got 3 ideas for things to do with elementary-age kids when you're stuck inside on a cold winter snow day- hopefully this will help you mix things up and survive the rest of the winter without losing your mind!

1. Put on a show

A favorite at our house right now is putting on a "show"! Pick out some outrageous costumes, rehearse some choreography, add some music, create set pieces.... the possibilities are endless and we can all let our imaginations run wild. With two 6-year-old's, the stories can get pretty wacky and there's definitely a lot of improvising involved, but it's still a lot of fun! Most of the time the stuffed animals are our "audience", but sometimes I'm permitted to videotape the performance ;)

2. Watch a movie (PJ's and popcorn included)

OK, nothing revolutionary about this idea, but it's nice sometimes to scroll through Amazon video (or Netflix, or whatever else people use these days... technology...) and find a new movie you've never seen before. And of course when one watches a movie on a snow day, one must be sure to wear pajamas and have party popcorn as well (recipe here).

3. Make slime

What is it about slime that makes it so irresistible and endlessly entertaining?? There are several varieties- we like the saline solution slime and fluffy slime the best- and of course you can make them all different colors, or add beads or glitter... Here is a blog post with a great compilation of some different slime recipes to try.

So now it's your turn: what are your family's favorite snow day activities? Leave your ideas in the comments! If you want even more ideas, be sure to check out this post I wrote a few years ago on snow day activities with toddlers- many of these ideas are ones we still love now! :)

Want to get timely ideas and resources sent straight to your inbox? Click here to sign up for the Organized Chaos newsletter!

Read more "Snow Day Activities"

Teaching Recorder: establishing fundamentals

Let's talk some more about teaching recorders! Over the last few weeks, I've written about logistical considerations for getting a recorder unit started, and about what I teach on the first day of recorders. Today I want to talk about how I teach the next few lessons after the first day to make sure students are starting with good habits that will help them be more successful for the rest of the unit.

1. Start with rote

Reading from treble clef notation is definitely an important aspect of learning recorder, but in the beginning it is very hard for young students to focus on the process of note reading when they already have so many new skills they are trying to master on their new instrument! I stay away from notation completely in the first few lessons. As I mentioned in my previous post, I start my students on G first, and then E. Every time I introduce a new note throughout the recorder unit, I always have students go through the same process to practice the new note:

1. Discuss and practice the correct fingering (no playing)
2. With their fingers in the correct position, have students echo me singing 4-beat rhythms on the pitch letter name 
3. With their fingers still in the correct position, have students echo me blowing "two" softly on 4-beat rhythms
4. Echo me playing 4-beat rhythms on the new note
5. Echo me playing 4-beat rhythms using the new note and 1 other note they already know

The last step is an important one- I did not used to consistently take the time to have students echo me with 2-pitch patterns, but I have found it makes a huge difference in students' ability to integrate the new note into melodies. They need the time to practice going to and from the new note. 

2. Improvise

Improvisation is something I include regularly in music class starting in kindergarten (read more about that in this post), so the concept itself is not new. One great way to quickly see how students are doing (and provide some additional challenge for students who are moving ahead of the others) is to have students take turns improvising a 4-beat pattern using 1 or more pitches that they are learning. I establish the beat, then go around the room counting 4 beats for each student in a row with no gaps in between. It's a quick and lower-pressure way for me to do individual assessments so I know who I need to spend more time with.

3. Practice time

One of the concepts I establish early is the idea that there is always room for improvement, so everyone always has something they can practice. Every so often, I will announce a 30-60 second practice session, where I give students a specific skill to work on (practice a new note, practice switching between 2 pitches, practice a specific measure, etc). This gives me a chance to go work with individuals that need some attention, gives students that are feeling a little panicked trying to keep up with the class a chance to stop and find their way, and gives the faster learners a chance to practice that skill at a higher level. 

One thing I tell everyone from the beginning is that they need to use the entire practice time to improve, not just mess around on the instrument or relax and do nothing. If I see anyone who isn't using their practice time to practice, I take that as a challenge to a duel and I make them come up front and do whatever I asked them to practice in front of the class, then I do the same to see if they can do it better than me. I tell them they aren't allowed to stop practicing until they're better than I am. Once I do one or two duels they usually get the idea!

4. The first song

After doing all of that echoing and improvising, it's pretty exciting when they first get to play a *real song*! After working on G and low E for a lesson or two, I make my last 4-beat pattern that they echo using the two pitches be the first line of "Rain, Rain Go Away" (G-E-GG-E). After they echo me, I stop, surprised, and exclaim proudly that they just played a song! I have them stop and listen to the pattern and usually they will recognize the tune. How exciting!! :)

Once they are getting a decent sound on G and E and getting used to switching back and forth between the two, I introduce A (with the same process I described), and then eventually have them learn the 2nd line of "Rain, Rain Go Away" (GG-EA-GG-E). I teach it to them by rote first, taking plenty of time to practice the fingering (it's quite a jump to get them to switch between E and A then back to G!). 

Once they have already learned to play the first 2 lines of the song, I go back and show them the notation for the first time, and we go through the process of learning a song from notation (more on that in a future post 😉), so they can focus on coordinating the thought process of interpreting the musical notation with the physical process of playing their instrument.

Once they have gotten to this point successfully, most students have a solid foundation for the rest of the recorder unit! If you want to see my full lesson plans for beginning recorder, check out my 3rd grade curriculum set here.

Want to get more content like this, see what I'm teaching each month, and get the latest updates sent straight to your inbox? Click here to sign up for the Organized Chaos newsletter!

Read more "Teaching Recorder: establishing fundamentals"

Two Things to Stop Saying to Parents of Elementary-Age Twins

There are a lot of amazing posts that have already been written about annoying things people say to mothers of twin babies and toddlers- that is definitely the toughest stage in terms of stranger comments because you're so much more conspicuous with a double stroller and a giant bag full of enough supplies to keep multiple infants alive long enough to buy some groceries. But as my girls have gotten older, I've found that the comments and questions I get over and over again have changed. Here are the things I hear all the time that I wish people would stop saying.

First of all yes, this is a bit of a rant/vent, but I want to say that do not really fault people for saying these things. We all have things to learn about other people's perspectives, and if you don't know what it's like to raise multiples it's hard to know that these things would be negative in any way. Just take this as a PSA- now you know! 😉

1. Which one is older?

This is by far the most common thing people say to me, and frankly I don't understand the point. I just told you they're twins. That means they're the same age. Are you wanting to hear my birth story? What's worse is when people ask my daughters who is older. Trust me: in no way is it helpful to add any competitive element to the twin dynamic.

2. Who's the ____ one?

This is one that I hear more and more as the girls get older, and I can see what people are getting at. I appreciate that people want to get to know the girls as individuals, but that's not the way to ask it- again, it's never a good idea to compare or add competition to twins. They do enough of that on their own without help from outsiders. Plus at this age, I wouldn't want to label any child as "the athletic one" or "the artsy one"- they're still exploring who they are and what their interests are! A better question that will get you the same information: "What is ____ into right now?"

Have you ever said either of these to parents of multiples? If you're a parent of multiples yourself, what are the things people say to you that bother you the most? I hope this gives everyone a chance to learn more about how to relate to each other!

Click here to sign up for the Organized Chaos newsletter!

Read more "Two Things to Stop Saying to Parents of Elementary-Age Twins"