Curriculum

What is the best way to handle when students request or bring in other music? I think this might have been a topic a while back! A girl brought in a pop song the other day and asked if she could learn it! I’ve never…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• accompaniment, fragmenting, fragments, Gordon Harvey, outside accompanimnent pieces, outside materials, outside music, outside pieces, outside reading pieces, outside repertoire, outside sheet music, pieces outside the program, playing-based, playing-based strategies, playing-based tools, reading outside Simply Music, rote, songs outside the repertoire, teaching outside music

I’ve just finished teaching honeydew with a group of 10-12 year olds and I would like to offer them some extra songs that they could play at home. I know some of you have a library of extra music and I’m thinking of starting something…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• accompaniment, accompaniment pieces, accompaniment program, accompaniment resources, current hit songs, current music in accompaniment, Get America Singing, hit songs, lead sheets, outside accompanimnent pieces, praise music, Robin Keehn, songs for children, Wee Sing, worship music

Have had a blast in class this week having kids play along to the current hit song Apologize by One Republic. Only four chords (cm, Ab, Eb and Bb) so anybody who is past Scarborough Fair in the Accompaniment book could do it and anyone…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• accompaniment, accompaniment 1, accompaniment pieces, current hit songs, current music in accompaniment, hit songs, outside accompanimnent pieces, scarborough fair

Here’s another getting ready for Reading Rhythm question: Has anyone used hand drums, rhythm sticks, etc. in shared lessons when working on RR? Do you find them helpful and fun, or distracting? Where do you find a good value on quality rhythm instruments? What else…

• Last updated 3 years ago
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My 7-year-old student and her Dad showed up today with these lyrics they wrote for Night Storm with plenty of copies for all, so all day my groups sang it. A little late for Halloween week but if you have students tomorrow have some fun…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• changing lyrics, creating lyrics, Halloween, lyrics, making lyrics, making up lyrics, Night Storm

Question about “Father to Son” in Development Level 16, that is not addressed in the teacher recording. My students and I have a hard time reading the music because it is difficult to see where the staff ends and the leger lines begin. Has anyone…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• dev 16, developing reading, development, Development 16, Development Levels, Development Program, Development songs, Father to Son, Gordon Harvey, identifying notes on staff, intervallic reading, learning strategies, learning tools and strategies, leger lines, memorizing reading pieces, note reading, reading, reading concerns, reading difficulty, reading pieces, reading problems, reading strategies, staff, strategies, tools and strategies

I personally have experienced the power of a casual question, like “Did you write any music this week?” Last week one of my students casually asked me, “Are we going to have any songs for Halloween?” When I started looking for songs, I didn’t come…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• changing lyrics, Chester, chester chills out, creating lyrics, Dog, Dreams in Dm, dreams on d, Dreams variation on d, Halloween, lyrics, making lyrics, making up lyrics, Night Storm, She'll Be Comin, writing lyrics

Here’s a contribution from one of my 67-year-old students (sung to the tune of “Chester Chills Out”): Walking in the forest on a stormy night. Could not see the moon or stars. Oh, what a fright! Everywhere I looked I saw a scary sight. Then…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• changing lyrics, Chester, chester chills out, creating lyrics, Halloween, lyrics

I had a question today from a student beginning “Reading Notes”. He was working with the playlist as intervals. He wanted to know what you would call a sharped or flattened note. I told him that it would be the same interval as the natural…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• billy at the footy, flats, Gordon Harvey, half steps, intervallic, intervallic reading, intervals, major 7, major 7ths, major intervals, major vs. minor, major vs. minor intervals, minor intervals, Playlist as Intervals, question, Questioners, second, sharps, sharps and flats, teaching half and whole steps, teaching half steps, whole steps

I have an adult husband and wife team who are in upper SM levels and reading fairly well. I would love to find a book of duets of pieces that might be familiar to them. They love classical music and are in their early 70’s.…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• classical, classical music, Classical Pieces, Duet Ideas, duets, foundation duets, Foundation Duets and Variations, outside materials, outside music, outside pieces, outside reading pieces, outside repertoire, outside sheet music, pieces outside the program, reading outside Simply Music, songs outside the repertoire, teaching outside music