I love my little people. I love teaching them a new song or new dance move.
I despise class party days. Mostly because my music classes tend to be in the afternoon. Post party. Post massive sugar overdose. Just before the bus.
I'm not sure who sent the first cupcake to school, but I'd like to have strong words with them.
When it's class party time, I have come to understand the best way to deal with sugared up children: Embrace the chaos.
Rather than trying to get my kiddos to sit perfectly and follow all of the quiet rules, I approach the class with the attitude of damage control. I am going to get some small goal accomplished with them, so that the whole class isn't a loss; I plan my higher energy, more exciting games for that day.
I just saw a great idea over at Teach Mama for a fun, get them moving game called Musical Hearts. I took her ideas and made it work for my classroom. Her game is about reading and moving, and I thought, I can make that work! I switched out some of the movement ideas for pattern reading.
I've also started incorporating a lot more literature into my music lessons. Reading a story is such a great way to cool down a class before they line up. Even if we've just been bouncing of the walls, a good story, told well (voices and sound effects included) is like water on a fire.
I didn't have any foam core hearts so I used what I had on hand - heart shaped doilies! I wrote the movement idea or the rhythm pattern on each doily and taped them to the back of chairs. I played some great tunes from my Keeping the Beat album. I explained ahead of time that if they fought over the chairs they would be not allowed to play for the rest of the game. The kids ran / walked around the chairs and when the music stopped, they found a chair. I made sure to have more than enough chairs. Regular musical chairs causes way too many collisions so the extra chairs are like insurance for the kids who don't move quickly enough, or the indecisive. When the music stops, the kids sit and then read the pattern or activity on the back of their chair. Many giggles ensued, especially with the "do a hula dance" and "wave to the person across from you."
General consensus: Huge hit. Next time I will include more movement / silly things to do. I'll also make sure that the patterns are familiar but challenging.
And now it's time for February break. I'm going to try posting some things over break but mostly I'll be set designing for our upcoming drama production.
I despise class party days. Mostly because my music classes tend to be in the afternoon. Post party. Post massive sugar overdose. Just before the bus.
I'm not sure who sent the first cupcake to school, but I'd like to have strong words with them.
When it's class party time, I have come to understand the best way to deal with sugared up children: Embrace the chaos.
Rather than trying to get my kiddos to sit perfectly and follow all of the quiet rules, I approach the class with the attitude of damage control. I am going to get some small goal accomplished with them, so that the whole class isn't a loss; I plan my higher energy, more exciting games for that day.
I just saw a great idea over at Teach Mama for a fun, get them moving game called Musical Hearts. I took her ideas and made it work for my classroom. Her game is about reading and moving, and I thought, I can make that work! I switched out some of the movement ideas for pattern reading.
I've also started incorporating a lot more literature into my music lessons. Reading a story is such a great way to cool down a class before they line up. Even if we've just been bouncing of the walls, a good story, told well (voices and sound effects included) is like water on a fire.
I didn't have any foam core hearts so I used what I had on hand - heart shaped doilies! I wrote the movement idea or the rhythm pattern on each doily and taped them to the back of chairs. I played some great tunes from my Keeping the Beat album. I explained ahead of time that if they fought over the chairs they would be not allowed to play for the rest of the game. The kids ran / walked around the chairs and when the music stopped, they found a chair. I made sure to have more than enough chairs. Regular musical chairs causes way too many collisions so the extra chairs are like insurance for the kids who don't move quickly enough, or the indecisive. When the music stops, the kids sit and then read the pattern or activity on the back of their chair. Many giggles ensued, especially with the "do a hula dance" and "wave to the person across from you."
General consensus: Huge hit. Next time I will include more movement / silly things to do. I'll also make sure that the patterns are familiar but challenging.
And now it's time for February break. I'm going to try posting some things over break but mostly I'll be set designing for our upcoming drama production.