Music at home 

Thank you so much to all the people who’ve shared work with me. There have been some fantastic pictures coming through from the Foundation to Year Two students showing me what they’ve heard in the music of Tubby the Tuba, Peter and the Wolf and “Spring” by Antonio Vivaldi. It’s been lovely too to have comments from parents about their child’s enjoyment of the work, and comments their children have made about the tasks. 

The next two week’s work has to do with a variety of animals, and I hope children continue to enjoy listening and participating in the learning activities. I’m not saying any more about that because I want it to be a surprise. It might be fun. It might be silly, so do check out the music work for the next two weeks to see what’s there. Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3fvDoTY

It’s just a little scary when a group of Year Three students appear on a screen for their fifteen minute recorder lesson and it feels “normal”!! However this is how it is at the moment and I’m delighted to share my great pride in these students who are exceeding my expectations. Mondays and Fridays are my favourite days as I see and teach students, and it’s very exciting to see them progress so quickly.

Learning to play the recorder online is a new experience for all of us. There are plusses – children can hear themselves play because they’re not part of a group, and if they look at their screens they can see whether their fingers are covering the holes. Of course I don’t know what it’s like at the home end! When you think that they’ve only been learning for a few weeks and are already using correct techniques (left hand at the top, separating the notes with their tongue), confidently using the fingering patterns for four notes as well as making up and playing their own music – what can I say but “Well Done You”.

So who are these recorder stars who’ve appeared for a lesson at least five times?

Isabelle B, Cohen D, Tom H, Max L, Eden L, Michael Mc, Ruby T, Jude M, Liam B, Lincoln D, Toby P, William T, Grace W, Cameron H, Jared R, Olivia M, Elise H, Max H, Lucca L, Mason M, Jessie S, Jake H and Mackenzie T. 

Music that was created by Elise, Jessie and Mackenzie has featured in the “Bits and Pieces and Patterns” video that can be accessed in the Specialist Resources, Year Three Music folder at https://bit.ly/3fvDoTY

To those students who have been unable to participate in these lessons (and there will be many reasons for this) don’t worry. Once we’re back at school you’ll have the opportunity to catch up and we’ll work together on this. It’s really important to remember when learning something new to be kind to yourself and exercise your resilience. 

As I sometimes remember to say, with learning new fingering patterns (i.e. which holes have to be covered to produce a certain note), “It takes between eight and two thousand times making this pattern with your fingers before you’ll be able to do it easily.” I’ve never taught someone who’s taken the two thousand times, but please don’t expect to be able to do it straight away!! It does take time and you can do it.

Many thanks to those adults who are actively encouraging and helping your children because you are making a difference. It’s particularly challenging for some whose internet connection makes life difficult but your resilience and persistence is appreciated very much. There are many and varied issues associated with learning at home and if we can just focus on doing what we can and being kind to ourselves about what can’t be managed we’ll all get through.

Years Four to Six students are working on a complex movement task, which is why it was set over four weeks rather than two weeks. Again, I’ve seen some excellent work, but do check what you have to do to make sure you’ve covered all of it.

The first part of the work was to perform given sound gestures (otherwise known as body percussion) for letters of the alphabet to spell names and other things, and the second was to create your own sound gestures for the numbers one to ten. (The ten should have been a zero, so feel free to change that!)

The next part was to learn how to write the symbols for the eight Laban “efforts” and understand how to perform them. It’s been great fun seeing children do this on Mondays at 2.30 in the Year Four to Six Webex time not only using their hands but feet, noses, elbows etc. Have you ever punched with your knee? Dabbed with a toe? Slashed with an ear? Floated with your back? Glided with your shoulder? Wrung your legs? Pressed with your forearm? Flicked with your eyebrow?

Then a story had to be written that used at least one name, some numbers, and the opportunity to enhance the telling of the story by using all the Laban “efforts”. This story therefore included sound gestures and movements. A performance of the story could be recorded on video, or performed on a video link, and students have also been encouraged to perform for their family, ask for feedback and think about any improvements they can make by changing their work.

Finally I need to see the work for assessment purposes, and there were also a couple of reflection questions to answer, including “What does this have to do with Music?”! 

As always, please don’t hesitate to send me a message through Sentral if you have any questions or need clarification about any aspect of the work.

REMOTE LEARNING HEROES:

Congratulations to Jessie S and Lucca L for their awards last week for excellent recorder playing, and to Max H this week. You three are doing an excellent job with the work and are setting a fine example of how to live out our school values. 

Well done, and keep up the good work.

That’s all for now; enjoy making, playing and listening to music!

Mrs Lynne Burt, Specialist Music Teacher.