Recorders have returned to West Marshall!

Recorders have returned to West Marshall!

This year I'm starting recorders in the fall instead of waiting until January.  I got a grant last year for 80 recorders, so I will now always have recorders on hand.  I can begin them any time of the school year.  With that being said, however, I do have stock purchased through Excedrin.  

One thing I love about 4th graders is their sense of humor is really starting to develop.  They ask me if I've taken my headache medicine before we get the recorders out.

I'll admit, the first day of recorders is not pretty.  I've tried many different ways of beginning them, and they still don't sound great.  If there's a music teacher out there that has good results on the first day, they should publish their ideas and market them and they could retire for life.

However, by the 2nd or 3rd day they are already making progress.

This year I tried something different.  Our school year Professional Development is focusing on differentiation.  So I tried my own version of it with recorders.  After we learn those first 3 notes, we usually play good ol' "Hot Cross Buns" and the classic beginning songs.  This time I let them become composers with their first 3 notes.

We did a quick review of their first notes, how to play them, then I turned them loose.  Their instructions were the following:

1. Choose a partner

2. Get supplies (1 dice, 1 paper, 1 pencil)

3. Roll dice 8 times and write down the numbers

4. Follow the code on the board for what numbers 1-6 equaled.  Numbers included notes B, A and G combined with 2 different rhythms.

5. Play pattern and partner evaluates.

6. Switch jobs

It was really interesting to hear their comments to each other and how they helped correct fingerings, air flow and sound quality.  Having 1-on-1 it became less intimidating than me going around the room in front of all their classmates, and correcting them.

At the end of the class time, they had composed several pieces for their partner and were very proud of their creations.  When I called them "composers" they argued with me, that it was just an activity.  Then I reminded them that one of the most famous composers of all time, Mozart, had even rolled dice to compose some of his pieces.  He first composed over 300 measures of combinations of notes.  Then he rolled the dice to determine which combination in what order they would be played.  He loved games and thought this was a fun way to compose and that anyone could be a composer.  When my students heard this, they had more pride in their work and realized our time wasn't just another worksheet.

The video included is a short example of what was going on in my room for almost 20 minutes.  You might want to turn the volume down, but there was some great creating happening that I had to share.