...an everything bagel with cream cheese, and depending on my mood; listening to music through my earphones (closing off the outside world), playing a video game or the piano.
Nurture Yourself
Nurture Your Students
You will receive so much love from your students
They will lift you up
They will inspire you and encourage you
You will love them in return
Everyday is a gift
Each child is a gift
You are a gift
Life is busy. We need to make a conscious effort to take care of our own
During the school day, sometimes I would play the piano in between my classes. My students knew if I was still playing the piano when they arrived, they would enter the room quietly and wait until I was finished.
Sometimes I would play one of my favorite songs through my room sound system while sitting at my desk focusing on my water fountain or making circles in my sand dish to help relieve tension, relax or refocus by giving my brain a quick break.
Sometimes you just need a little brain break in between classes yourself.
Modeling this helps your students see, understand and use the power of music to recharge, relax and refocus.
TAI CHI
Tai Chi uses slow, rhythmic, meditative movements to enhance relaxation, inner calm and peace.
I have taught my students as young as Kindergarten to use music and Tai Chi as a meditative tool.
I had a Kindergarten class who was so unfocused and so undisciplined that I gave this a try and it took! Their classroom teacher asked for a copy of the music I used so she could play it in her room. What happened was when the kids heard the music, their minds and bodies automatically relaxed and refocused on their task at hand without doing the movements!
I used music by David Lanz, Cristofori's Dream (Album)
I taught the following 3 movements to them: Around the Platter, Bass Drum and Carry the Ball Around the Platter.
The key is to adjust the speed of the movements to the natural "feeling" of the music you choose. I find the slow, meditative sounds the best.
In the following instructional videos, the moves are done at a faster speed for instructional purposes only.
For many people, singing is the most natural way to PERFORM music. Sadly, not all people will participate in singing activities for a variety of reasons; shy, self-conscious to name a few. Some children are no different. There are many skills required in learning to sing a new song especially for young children who are just beginning to learn to read words. Not only do they need to remember the words, there is the understanding of the words, pronouncing the words and remembering how the Melody goes. This is a lot for our younger school aged children. Classroom Rhythm Instruments give INSTANT SUCCESS and confidence. The Rhythm Games and Activities are EASY. For me, there is always full participation and the students are CREATING music without really trying!
Here is a Classroom Rhythm Instrument Activity from my "Piggyback Song Activities for Rhythm Band and Boomwhackers Pack 1 PreK-1"
In my October 19, 2015 Post "You Got Rhythm", I talked about some playing techniques for the Cowbell and Claves. Today "Let's EXPLORE the JINGLE BELLS"
SHAKER INSTRUMENT: makes its sound by the rattling of small metal objects inside a larger metal object.
SOUND is Bright and Sharp
STYLES: Bells on Bracelets (plastic or Velcro) {if your bracelets are Velcro let the children have a minute to pull them off and reattach them again, to get it out of their system!},Attached to a Wooden Handle, you can CREATE your own bracelet by weaving a Pipe Cleaner through the Jingle Bells.
WEAR the Jingle Bell bracelets on wrists or ankles
Hold the Bells in your hand
Slide a bracelet around a Plastic Drinking Cup
When first introducing the Jingle Bells, talk to your students about what it is made of and compare it to other Rhythm Instruments they have played.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS:
What are RHYTHM STICKSmade out of? [wood]
What are MARACAS made out of? [wood, beans, plastic, beads, rice]
How do JINGLE BELLS make their sound? [shake them]
How do RHYTHM STICKS make their sound? [tap, scrape]
What else is made out of metal?
♫Pass the bracelet around and allow each student to shake it and look it over♫
DIFFERENT WAYS TO PLAY JINGLE BELLS
SHAKE it Up and Down
SHAKE it from Side to Side
Make aCircle in the air
TAP them Gently in thePalmof the other hand
SHAKE behind Back
RUB them on your Tummy
Easy Listening Game: "BELL or __________ ?"
Choose another Rhythm Instrument to pair with the BELL
Have class sit in a circle
1 by 1 have a student sit with their back to the group and close their eyes
You play either the BELL or the other RHYTHM INSTRUMENT for a few seconds
Ask the student which Instrument they heard
Put on some MUSIC with a Moderately Fast Beat
Have students COPY your Different Playing Motions
BELLS FREEZE DANCE
Have students attach the BELLS around their WRISTS or ANKLES
Play some fun DANCE MUSIC
Everyone DANCES until the music STOPS
When the MUSIC STOPS, the children "FREEZE" like statues
♫The BELLS make it more of a challenge♫
I combined the JINGLE BELLS and PLASTIC DRINKING CUPS to help improve my students RHYTHM skills while CONNECTING the SEASON by CREATING Music with Traditional and Non-Traditional CLASSROOM RHYTHM INSTRUMENTS. I slid a WRIST JINGLE BELL bracelet around the OUTSIDE of a PLASTIC DRINKING CUP(as pictured above) and created new original RHYTHMIC PERCUSSIVE ARRANGEMENTS to "Play Along with" the original artists of "Dominic The Donkey", "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer".
