Happy Autumn and Registration Blues

Happy Autumn!

September is here again and suddenly all my classes are full.  For some reason this new music season began slowly and I had begun to wonder if the world had suddenly lost interest in music. Okay, not really, but until a few weeks ago, even after all my advertising, only three new students had enrolled.  This is highly unusual for my programs.

In a moment of weakness, I decided to open up to accepting some private students, something I haven't done in many years.  I had been busy with Solo Time Games and I decided to go back to school this fall and finish my degree. Consequently, I was hoping for only a couple of new classes to fill in last year's time slots so I could make it all work.

When the week of September 13 rolled around I had my schedule set and thought everything was good to go when suddenly, I was inundated with phone calls. All of my classes filled up! Oh my, it has been crazy. I'm still getting phone calls from last-minute students anxious to get in a class! I don't know what the hold up was but it is great to know that people are still excited about being part of MYC.

I'm off to the B.C. MYC conference in Princeton soon. This year the event is being held at a resort in the mountains. In addition to seminars and great speakers, the conference includes activities like zip-lining, hiking, canoeing, and swimming.  I can't wait!

Don't forget to check out the Resources page at www.solotimegames.com  for teaching aids that are brand new this September.

I hope that your fall classes have filled and that you have a great start to a happy and successful musical year.

Musicallyours,

Mrs. Lois Dicknoether (dicknader)  

MYC Certified Teacher
Solo Time Music Games
info@solotimemusicgames.com 

Game of the Month

COMPOSER TIME PUZZLES Check out this great, new teaching aid! Fun Facts and Trivia about Bach   Check out the new teaching aids available for you to print on you own printer for your students.

To Market To Market - Google Plus

Google+ is the next phase in social media. Your friends are now grouped in circles.  On Monday nights I enjoy a feature called "Hangout", where I meet with ten friends for a book study.  We're currently reading a book called, Linchpin, by Seth Godin.  I find Google+ superior to Skype for this type of discussion. It doesn't cost anything and up to ten people can be part of your chat room conversation.  Want to join?  Send me an e-mail and I will sent you an invite! info@solotimegames.com

Fermata- Hold that Note!

The other day I taught the "fermata" sign. I decided that I would review the concept with my other classes but it seemed no one could remember what it was and only a few remember what it did. So what to do?

I explained (again) that the "fermata" is sometimes called the "conductors eye" and that it meant that you couldn't move on to the next note, until the conductor gave you permission to do so.

I, then, drew a huge eye, using the "fermata" and for three weeks in a row, we sang the closing song, with the "fermata". At various parts in the song, I lifted the "fermata" sign up and the children had to hold the note until I put the sign down. Sometimes, I held the "fermata" up for a long time and sometimes just a short time. The children loved it! The "fermata" put the fun in music class and the concept was finally understood (I hope).

It's a "Mat" ter of control

Do you have unruly students in your classes? How do you control those little ones that just want to turn somersaults through out the studio? How do you maintain some kind of control (or discipline) without feeling that you are the big bad bully?

To maintain a sense of order and control in my studio I have a class set of mats - all the same colour for the kids to sit and wiggle on to their hearts content. The mats give the children a boundary and give them the space they need to move until it's time to go the piano or participate in an off mat activity.

In the past I've had different coloured mats and sure enough someone would want the red one and all the red ones would be gone. Then there would be tears. So, I bought a set of yellow bath mats from IKEA for a reasonable amount.

A mat to sit upon gives your students room to wiggle, a boundary and you a feeling of fairness and guidelines for behavior in your classroom.