Simpedia

Jan G., Western Australia

After reading Simpedia and experiencing answers from my students to my question, “Can I have a look at your Playlist”, I decided only a couple of nights ago to write up the songs of each level on individual small cards and group them into their levels, including accompaniments. At some stage during a break in the student’s lesson, I held up the cards and said “pick a card”. They chose one, and when they turned it over I asked them to play whatever song was written on the card. The first 4 students I asked were able to do it.

I had to laugh when a 7-year-old who had played his choice, grabbed another card out of my hand while I had my attention on his mum, and started playing his next piece.

I was also surprised when a couple of the other children asked if they could choose another one. I then wrote the name of the student on the back of the card.

Vonnie L., Oregon

I have an adorable 7-year-old student whose mom is an Early Childhood Education instructor. She really gets SM and is excited about what it is doing for her son. She makes him a Playlist on the computer with larger squares so John can write in the names of the songs and check the boxes by himself (knowing that he is learning a valuable academic skill in so doing).

Yesterday, John told me about the new method they have developed for reviewing his Playlist. They write the names of all the songs and variations he has mastered on popsicle sticks, and keep them in a jar on the piano. Each day he pulls out four sticks and plays those pieces. The sticks stay out of the jar until it is empty and then they are all put back! I thought that was a great way to review because I think it is important to be able to play the songs in any order. You could also put a stick back in the jar if you had any difficulty with it. He may have to increase the number of sticks he pulls out each day as his Playlist grows.