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Relationships, Chocolate and SEM!

February can be a month of dark and dreary skies but it doesn't mean classes have to be. If you haven't already, download and use the Valentine Resource to play with your students. Use valentine treats as game pieces for fun! February is also about relationships, not only with your loved ones but with your student's families and contacts, business or casual, outside of music. Trust is paramount! I recently had an agreement with a business contact who didn't tell me about the hidden cost of a product. An assumption was made that I would want it and was promised a phone call and I never heard from the person. Lack of integrity and not fulfilling a promise lost this business associate income and a long term customer. Follow through and honouring your word, go a long ways in the success of your business. Do you ever wonder when you are going to find the time to do all you need to do for your website? Read about a company called Odesk that can help you find more time for the things you love to do and take on those projects you are just having trouble getting around too. Have a Happy February! Enjoy chocolate (it makes you smarter),nurture relationships, build trust and keep in touch with those in your life and community. They will remember you because you have touched their lives. Musicallyours, Mrs. Lois MYC Certified Teacher Solo Time Music Games info@solotimemusicgames.com Teaching Tip - Oh Boy! Have you ever used the "Easy!" button from Staples in your classes? I've used mine with great success. Students get to press the "Easy" button when: They can write their rhythm story without any help from me (or their parent) or they need encouragment to get books put away and up to the piano a little quicker. It's a great incentive! Recently a family went to Disneyland and brought back an "Oh, Boy!" button for me to use. Now Mickey is putting the fun in class. Game of the Month Three's a Triad Three's a Triad has many cards with several different levels. All cards help young musicians determine the notes of a triad in root position. Bonus this game comes with cards cut for you! To Market To Market - Odesk Do you have a hard time trying to get everything done on your new website? Are you stuck on what Google analytic's just might have to offer you? What about posting links to get your web site to appear first in your community? Or getting SEO and SEM done and what in the world does that all mean? Odesk is a site where you can hire someone who can help your accomplish your web marketing for you and do it for a reasonable price. It is a unique way to hire someone and know that you are getting value for your money and you actually know how long they have worked on your site. Check out Odesk to hire someone to do all the above for a price most music teachers can afford.

Solo Time Music Games February is a sweet month! Post a picture of your students playing any Solo Time Music Game on Facebook and I will send you a FREE Articulation resource to play with your students. info@solotimegames.com

My Deck a Refuge

The snow came, school was canceled, the rain came, schools opened and then it was slush and sleet for three days. Welcome to the west coast of BC! But, if one looks they can find little joys in everything and with the drenching rain came the sparrows and the odd squirrel who came to sit on the covered balcony to get out of the miserable weather. It was wonderful to watch sometimes up to 50 birds sitting the deck trying to keep dry.

I trust your compositions are coming along well. Here are a few words that I wrote last year about composing, encouraging you in your efforts to cover everything in the lesson.

"Lesson time is precious and we often feel pressured to get through everything but during this season we have to choose which element of the lesson will have to wait until composing is over. Never regret giving a child the tools to compose. They will always be grateful to have learned how to compose and we can always catch up on other essential activities in class when composing is over."

I love bringing the joy of teaching music and it's concepts to young children in a fun and easy to understand way. Valentine's Day is coming, so I've posted a new and an "updated" Valentine teaching aid. Print, laminate and use Valentine candy for game chips! www.solotimegames.com/resources

Enjoy the rest of January and may this years compositions be filled with wonderful and interesting ideas and tunes!