Maestro's Dog Arthritis Update & Pet Insurance Musings

Maestro enjoys his water therapy sessions at Canine Aquafitness. Photo by R-M Arca.

Where has the year gone? It’s been so long since I’ve had the time to blog. But we’re back with a little update on Maestro’s treatments for canine arthritis and Inter-vertebral Disc Disease.

Maestro’s condition has certainly stabilized with the combination of acupuncture, water and laser therapy. Take a look at this early video I took of his gait around the time he first started water therapy:

Now, look at this video I took of Maestro a couple of weeks ago after his acupuncture treatment. He was zipping along in his Bat Dog Halloween costume:

There is definitely a noticeable improvement in his arthritic gait, especially in his front.

Maestro has stabilized as far as the water therapy for dogs go. He averages around .30 miles per session. Tolerates the water treadmill and relishes in the swimming portion. He’s also quite vocal if the water temperature is a little too cold.

Now, this would not be possible for me without pet care insurance. There are several companies available in North America, including:

• CAA Pets

• Pet Care (24 Hour Pet Watch)

• Pet Secure

• Trupanion

Like health care insurance for us, the “trick” is to get coverage before your pet is diagnosed with a condition. Pre-existing conditions aren’t covered. Long story short, Maestro can never switch to another company, we can only change plans with the same company at this point.

What I did was take out a small plan for him as a pup and then upgraded as he got older. I switched him to the higher coverage plans before he was diagnosed with dog arthritis and intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).

If you decide to go with Pet Care, please contact me and pass my name as having referred you. One word of advice: even if you see an option to fill out one claim form for ongoing treatments (you know, fill it out once and just submit receipts) - don't use it. You and your vet can save a lot of time and headache by filling out a fresh claim form for each and every appointment. That form was more trouble than it was worth.

Seeing how Maestro is shuffling along at a good pace, remains engaged in daily activities, I’d say that this is a good treatment plan for him. He even asks students and studio parents to give him a massage when they are sitting in the studio waiting area. What a cheeky guy!

Music Teacher Freebies

Hello everyone! After taking the summer off (and then some) from blogging, I am refreshed and ready to start posting more regularly. One of the wonderful things about the Internet is that I have been able to learn and use free music teaching resources developed by fellow music teachers all over the world. Now, it's my turn to start sharing some music teacher freebies. 

Active Listening Handout

When I'm really organized, I have a set of audio and/or video clips lined up for students to listen to. I used to aim for a weekly "Clip of the Week" but we just go too busy. When my students and I do the Clip of the Week exercise, I normally bring out this Active Listening handout to help guide my students in the art of active listening.

These sheets, like all materials I will be sharing here, are free to download and print for teaching and private study only.

 Ways to Describe Music

My younger brother attended Piano Camp for several years in a row. I attended once as an adult. We both had the pleasure of working with Ingrid Clarfield of Westminster Choir College. She had a sheet with some adjectives to help students play more expressively.

Inspired, I found more adjectives and used my basic desktop layout skills to create this handout. One side lists various expressive adjectives while the other has what is the beginning of Maestro's Music Tricks with a bit of a music practice guide, entitled, "Am I Done Yet?"

Visual Music Practice Planners (AKA "Assignment Sheets")

This summer, I researched teaching strategies for autistic students. I don't have any students with autism (that I know of), but there is a person in one of my volunteer groups that might be.

When I looked at various planners and To Do Lists, I realized that this concept would work well for my highly visual-kinesthetic learners (see Teaching Music Using VARK Learning Preferences). I came up with these assignment sheets:

Visual Planner #1: Ideal for younger students, highly visual-kinesthetic learners, and autistic students. I laminated the sheet. Cutting up the practice squares and trying to position them carefully on a laminator sheet was quite the challenge.

Visual Planner #2: For older visual learners. Probably can work with some students on the autism spectrum.

Visual Assignment Sheet #3:Good for multi-modal students with a high score in visual learning.

Lesson Assignment Sheet and Practice Diary for Read/

Write Learners, Teens and Above

I have some students who will be distracted by all the colours. This plain Jane assignment sheet is perfect for them.

Next week, I will share my student incentive program.

Screen Cleaner Coolness at My Studio

I bought it because it looked small and cute. Then, I read the sign on the point-of-sale display at Staples. It stated that most cell phones are dirtier than a toilet seat in a public bathroom.

Let that sink in a moment. Eww!

Sold! I picked up one AM Mist Screen Cleaning Block. Even though my smartphone is waterproof (and gets regular washings), my other mobile gadgets, as well as my students’, aren’t.

Once you slide the canister out from the case, you wind up with one cute block containing a gentle cleaning solution. The outside of the cannister is made of microfiber to kill all the germs on any cell phone, tablet or iPod. The sticker on the case indicates that the spray bottle is refillable.

My students notice this small screen cleaner for cell phones, tablets and iPods right away because it’s colourful and cute. Then, I explain what it is to them and they promptly ask to clean their mobile device. It’s an undisputed hit at my studio this week.

For $12.99 CAD at Staples, it’s a pretty cheap way for us to keep the germs away. Other sizes are available on the AM website. If you want to check out a product review of the AM Mist + Spray, check out the one by Gadget Mac.

5 Popular Co-Op Tabletop Games

Tabletop games have come a long way since Monopoly, Risk, and Sorry. These days, it’s not uncommon to hear about a tabletop games meetup or convention, featuring games like Settlers of Catan, Small World, and King of Tokyo. Earlier this month, gamers all around the world celebrated International Tabletop Day in cafes, pubs and homes.

“Tabletop game” refers to any type of game that is played on a table. This includes board games, card games, dice games, pen and paper RPG games and so on.

“Co-operative tabletop games” requires players to work together towards a common goal (as opposed to “semi co-op games, which usually has a traitor). I scoured Amazon and Boardgamegeek.com, and watched Wil Wheaton’s immensely popular show on the Geek & Sundry Channel, Tabletop.

These award-winning co-op games listed have a 4.0+ star user rating or higher on Amazon. They have also been ranked in the Top 500 out of the nearly 70,000 games in Boardgamegeek.com’s database. These fully co-op games have either earned a nomination or won a Golden Geek Award, presented by Boardgamegeek.

I am proud to say that I have played and/or own six of the games on this list, thanks to friends, conventions I have attended, and Wil Wheaton. Will I try out the remaining four? Most likely. Care to join me?

1 Castle Panic

The monsters are coming! They emerge from the forest and make their way towards the castle in droves. If you can successfully fend off the monsters without losing all of your castle towers, victory is yours.

The board is divided into five rings and four colored quadrants in Castle Panic. Archers, Knights and Swordsman can only attack from their designated rings, while the Barbarian and the Hero have more flexibility.

Together, you plan your turns based on what card in your hand would be useful for an upcoming player and what card combination is most effective for your turn. Sounds simple enough, until a plague or giant boulder rolls into the castle or you pull out, “Draw 4 more monster tokens.”

Castle Panic was designed by Justin De Witt and published by Fireside Games. It is for 1 - 4 players, ages 10 and up. Although the lists gameplay at 60 minutes, it truly depends upon how long it takes players take to strategize and play their cards.

The game won 2011 GeekDad Best Board Game of 2011 for “Most Monsters” and earned two Golden Geek nominations in 2010. Most recently, Castle Panic’s Wizard Tower expansion earned a nomination at the 39th Annual Origins Awards, presented by the Game Manufacturers Association. It currently sits at #523 on Boardgamegeek.

Castle Panic on Amazon

2 Forbidden Island

Forbidden Island is the predecessor to Forbidden Desert. Your team of adventurers will explore the island in the hopes of unearthing four sacred treasures. However, as Wil Wheaton says in Tabletop, the island is out to get you.

Utilizing each player’s special abilities, you must find the treasures, while trying to prevent the island from sinking completely. There are seven roles to choose from, including Pilot, Diver, Explorer, and Messenger.

Forbidden Island was created by Matt Leacock and published by Gamewright. It’s for 2 - 4 players, ages 10 and above. Gameplay is 30+ minutes.

 This co-op game won the 2010 Golden Geek Award for Best Children’s Board Game, 2010 Mensa Select, 2013 UK Games Expo Best Family/Children’s Game, the 2011 Juego del Año, and 2011 Vuoden Peli Family Game of the Year. It is currently ranked #333 on Boardgamegeek.

Forbidden Island Game on Amazon

3 Defenders of the Realm

This is an RPG hybrid. If pen and paper RPG games aren’t your thing, if you don’t like the idea of being a Game Master, yet you want to take a break from RPG video games, give Defenders a try.

You and your companions are the King’s Champions. You can choose from eight roles, including Wizard, Paladin, Dwarf and Ranger. Each player has different special abilities and weapons.  Every game is different, depending on what role you play and which quests you take on.

Four enemy generals and their growing army of minions are marching towards Monarch City. Even the best of your party’s plans can go awry by way of a poor card draw or dice roll. Victory is pretty sweet if you do manage to slay all of the generals.

Defenders of the Realm is a co-operative fantasy game for 1 - 4 players, ages 13 and up.  It was designed by Richard Launius and published by Eagle Games. Gameplay is 90+ minutes.

Defenders of the Realm was nominated for the 2010 Golden Geek Best Thematic Board Game, and Origins Awards Best Board Game Awards. It is ranked #185 on Boardgamegeek.

Defenders of the Realm Game on Amazon

4 Hanabi

Listed as the best board game of 2013 by Paste Magazine, Hanabi is a co-op card game with a twist. The object of Hanabi is to work together and build fireworks by building colored number sequences from 1 to 5.

However, players hold their hand facing the others so that they cannot see their cards. This game tests your short-term memory: Can you remember the hints your friends gave you two turns ago to decide which card to play next? Is there someone at the table who unknowingly has the next card that should be played and could use a hint?

There are a limited number of hint tokens. You must balance the hint tokens with the cards played, or you will wind up playing your hand.

Hanabi was designed by Antoine Bauza and published by RnR Games. It’s a game for 2 - 5 players, ages 10 and up. Gameplay varies depending upon the number of players and how long a player’s turn takes.

This game currently sits at #120 on Boardgamegeek. It won the 2013 Fairplay À la carte Award and the 2013 Spiel des Jahres.

Hanabi Card Game on Amazon

5 Forbidden Desert

In Forbidden Desert, you and your colleagues are on an archeological expedition to recover the parts of a legendary flying machine. From the Climber and Explorer, to the Navigator and the Water Carrier, each member’s special skills play a critical role in the expedition’s success.

The storm picks up and moves the the artifacts. If you take too long to find the parts, the desert will get you. If your team is too slow at clearing the growing piles of sand, you will be buried.

It is extremely satisfying when you successfully find and assemble all the parts. There’s just enough room on the airship to place a couple of game pieces on it for a victory photo.

Forbidden Desert is a co-op game for 2 - 5 players, ages 10 and above. Gameplay varies depending on the size of the team, but averages 45 minutes.

Designed by Matt Leacock and published by Gamewright, Forbidden Desert currently ranks #168 on Boardgamegeek. It has won the 2013 Golden Geek Award for Best Children’s Game, the 2013 Mensa Select Award and the 2013 UK Games Expo Best Family/Children’s Game Award.

Forbidden Desert Game on Amazon

Stay tuned for my next list of 5 Popular Co-Op Tabletop Games.

Music Teaching Idea: Alternatives to Counting the Beats

One of the hardest paradigm shifts my students face is learning that rhythm is more important than note accuracy. In fact, the first thing they bring up when I ask them, “How do you think you did?” is “wrong notes”.

“Rhythm,” I tell them, “is harder to fix than notes.” Like many of my students, I am a multi-modal kinesthetic learner, so I use analogy to help drive my point. home: “Ppppp….lease….ppp..aaaass...mmmmeeee a Kleee..ex.”

Our brain tends to fill in the blanks and correct things like typos on a page, so we can read and listen to misspelled or even misused words and generally, suss out the meaning. However, in the case of the Kleenex question above, it’s a bit more difficult to figure out what the speaker is trying to say. This was illustrated beautifully at a Pattern Play workshop I attended in 2010 with Forrest Kinney.

When They Can’t Count the Beats in Music

We try hard to teach and encourage our students to count the beats: “1 & 2 &...” For the younger ones, we often use “ta’s” and “ti-ti’s”. Once in a while, however, I’ve had a student who has a mind block to either.

One year, I taught two boys who were huge Pokémon fans. To subdivide the beats, we used variations on Pikachu’s name: “Pi - Pi - Pi-ka-chu.” You can read about it here. For some students, we use food: “blue-ber-ry, huck-le-ber-ry, a-pple, pie”. It tends to make us extremely hungry during lessons, though.

This week, one of my beginners, a sweet introspective lad, was struggling with the timing on “Starry, Starry Night” from the Faber & Faber Piano Adventures series. His family is doing some travelling this summer and, he’s a bit of a history and geography buff, so we used country names to “count” the beats. We even invited the Grade 12 student after him to contribute, a process they both enjoyed.

Here’s our handiwork:

When I asked him to clap a small passage and later play it, my student performed marvelously.

Further Reading on Other Ways to Teach Counting the Beats in Music

A Strategy to Teach Ta Ti-Ti

Four Ways to Prepare Ti-Ti and Ta

Freebie Friday - Beat, Rhythm, Ta, & Ti-Ti