Musings at Musespeak's 100th post

Happy first birthday to Musings. I can't believe that I've made 100 posts since setting up this blog.

Maestro is all set for the students. He's upstairs waiting to see if anyone is going to show up today. However, I'm not quite ready for them. I still have to go shopping for some new music (The Music Tree and My First Piano Adventure to name a few), prizes and supplies. I'm really excited about trying these two books. I've heard wonderful things about The Music Tree series and I think most teachers have been eagerly anticipating Faber & Faber's release of My First Piano Adventure for over a year. The CD accompaniment is very catchy.

Some students have been moving around to different time slots. I have to finish sorting that out. Then, I really need to book a church for the recitals, clean up my office again and my computer. That's not so bad.

As you can tell, it wasn't a complete week off - but I knew that going in. I've been good though - work a bit, play a bit, sleep a lot. It's all good.

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Wacky Wednesday Link #4

I stumbled upon this link while checking out the news. It's CBC's microsite for young kids, called CBC Kids. Try the Doodlephone game, which as some catchy tunes.

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Terrific Thursday Link #7/Gearing up for the Fall

Teachers everywhere are beginning to gear up for the fall, preparing lesson plans, purchasing supplies and running through repertoire.

I always wonder how much students practice over the summer. Hopefully they remember their way around the keyboard.

I did run into two students at a wedding reception (their parents own the restaurant used for the reception). One told me that she's got a "ton" of songs learned and memorized. Her sister sheepishly admitted that she hadn't practiced much but promised to.

To help students around the world, I scouted a few sites that will help jog the memory and fingers:

• Emusictheory.com: This site has oodles of helpful tidbits for teachers and students. Students, I recommend that you run through the Note Names, Paced Note Names, Piano Keys, Rhythm Performance and Interval "games". The computer keeps score and times you!
• Musictheory.net: This is one of my faves which has been mentioned before. Check out the "Trainers" section. For those who are rusty in a particular area, skim through "Lessons".
• SphinxKids: This looks really fun! The Music Match game was a little tricky. I should have started with the easy version (or at least read the info first!). Lots of music games.

Students, you should also start going through the songs your teacher assigned you (if you haven't already).

Happy playing/practicing!

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Summertime Music Musings

The double whammy wedding gig weekend is behind me. The first one went quite well. I had a lot of fun improvising on Canon in D. Everything was timed very well. I like it when that happens.

The "rock music" wedding was interesting. I was shaky in a few spots and kept getting stuck in one part of Another One Bites the Dust. However, I just plowed through. Sometimes, I really "faked it", but it turned out ok. The groom got a little teary eyed saying his vows, which was quite touching.

Today, I returned to the place I temped at last month. I'm filling in for two admin assistants, one week in each department. My primary function will be to keep their seats warm, so I'm bringing my lesson planning binder with me and I anticipate that I will complete the year plans for my 40 students while on my assignment. Granted, it will be done in between answering the odd call, scheduling a handful of meetings and filing, but I'll have time to complete it. Maybe, just maybe, I'll have a chance to score study my intermediate students' repertoire while I'm there too.

During my last temping assignment there, I completed an article on rhythm and flow in music and Iaido for The Iaido Journal. I'm not sure when it will be published, but you could check the link regularly.

I got promoted to First Vice President for the local branch of the Alberta Registered Music Teachers' Association. At first, I was a little leery but now, I'm excited at the idea of completing my time on the Board one year early. I'm trying to wrap up my work on the Governance Committee this month so that come September, I will just focus on the Website Committee and the behemouth project known as the Honours Recital. I have to get caught up on the latter this weekend and call a committee meeting...on my week off.

On a completely different note (but just as exciting), the Calgary Iaido Club, where I train, got the green light to host its first national Open Iaido Tournament. We'll have seminars in other disciplines as well. Our planning meetings have been a welcome change from some of the Board meetings I've attended. Has anyone else ever noticed that when there are mostly men at a meeting, it goes far more quickly than when there's mostly women?

Alas, I've mused long enough. It's time to get back to putting together my music card games for the students.

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Friday Fun Links #30 - 33

Lately, I've been on an ethnic music kick. For those interested in exploring world music, here are some sites that I frequent (although, I haven't lately since I'm trying to cut down on my spending):

• CD Japan: an excellent site for JPop, anime, game and traditional Japanese music
• Divisoria.com: my favourite site when I want to get in touch with my Pinoy roots (or find the perfect gift for my mom)
• Amazon.ca: You'd be amazed at the wide selection on Amazon

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

An Adventure in Piano Lesson Plans

I'm in between temping assignments at the moment. Maestro and I did enjoy some time off but it's now time to start planning ahead for the 2006/07 year. If I can get everything done in the beginning of the month, then I can relax for the second half. At least, that's the plan.

I am always looking for ways to improve how lessons are planned and run. I was at an educational store with a friend/fellow piano teacher the other day and got some ideas for games, lesson plans and materials.

I have also revised the practicing contract, inspired by a goal sheet posted online by another teacher and created a Practice Journal/Assignment sheet (new). I will ask all the parents to copy enough of these sheets to last the school year. The incentive program will be tied more closely to how much and how well they practiced. I did have something like it last year but things did get out of hand with students earning as much as two swanky prizes every lesson because they improvised six songs and memorized one. Progress wasn't as steady for some of them because of this. I guess I was too easy them.

Now, they will have to work a little harder for their prizes, which will be much easier on my wallet. If they complete 90 - 100% of their homework, they will get three stars. If they complete 80 - 89% of their homework, they will get two stars and if they complete 70 - 79% of their homework done, they will get one star. Stars will be given to students who practice more than the recommended guidelines and the parents must initial the homework sheets for kids to cash in on the goodies. My hope is that this will get them to practice more often and strive towards balanced practicing - not just doing what they like to do.

The two things that will elicit gasps from my returning students is that now, they will have to earn 15 stars to get a prize, instead of last year's five and that the prizes will regrettably, be smaller.

Here are some of the sites I scoured to look up teaching materials such as incentive programs and lesson plans:

• Studio Policy Site (see Communication and Teacher Ideas)
  
• Pedagonet.com
• The Music Education Madness Website

Now that the templates are done, it's onto the next step - planning out 40 individualized 10 -month curricula and creating some note value, note name and rhythm supplemental material.

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Wacky Wednesday Fun Link #3

Here's a fun one for kids young and old - a site on how to make Homemade Instruments.

Enjoy!

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.