A Musical Christmas Season

Solo time Music Games Christmas Letter
Wondering how to deal with students who don't celebrate Christmas?
Here is a suggestion

Wishing you a

Merry Musical Christmas Season

Candy Canes, Christmas Carols and warm woollen mittens! December arrived as it ususally does - with no less busyness than can be expected. Christmas songs have been practiced and are almost ready for the recital on Saturday. I know many of you are just experiencing your first bout with snow but here a green Christmas is the ususal so a little more effort is required needed to get into the mood of the season. This coming Saturday I will be hosting a Christmas recital at a local coffee house. It is always a great success because it makes the spirit of the Christmas season a little more real and helps everyone feel a little more like Christmas when there is no snow. Christmas solo's, duets, ensembles and carols make up this mini-recital. Since I am not requiring students to memorize their songs, we all feel less pressured. This event will be a time to play, perform and enjoy the season. Some students will even bring their red activity books for everyone to sign so they can fill up their "I'm a Star" pages. In the resource section of Solo Time Music Games I have posted some seasonal note review flashcards for you to use with your students. Print, laminate, cut out and have fun! In other news, my grandson, Jakob, is coming for Christmas! I am so excited! I've have purchased way more baby gear for him than I ever did for my own children. I just love being a grandma. Merry Christmas and many wonderful teaching days ahead in 2011. Warmly, Mrs. Lois MYC games made in BC info@solotimegames.com www.solotimemusicgames.com

Celebrate Christmas or not? A question asked of me lately was "What do I do with students who don't celebrate Christmas? This situation is one that I try to address when parents first register their child. I inform parents that I do hold a Christmas recital and party and during this season their child is welcome to practice a secular song. The choice to participate is left up to the parent's. It is a parents responsibility to instruct their child in their faith, traditions and how to say "no thank you's" to something that is not part of their beliefs. Families who don't celebrate Christmas generally do another activity with their child on the day of our Christmas party and recital. I never penalize a whole class for the sake of another's beliefs. This situation and any other of your concerns can be addressed and written into the policy statement that parents are required to read and sign at the beginning of the teaching year, to prevent misunderstandings as any seasonal or cultural events approaches.

Give Yourself a Rest!

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Take the struggle out of learning the correct placement of rests with your students.

These two games are a fun and easy way to teach rest placement.

Students are required to complete each measure with one rest.

Weak and Strong beats (easy)

Strike Out (hard)

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Take learning rest placement to a whole new level with Give it a Rest!

Students must find one or more rests to complete each measure.

These teaching aids take a little more time in class but are worth the value to

reinforce the strong and weak beat placement of one or more rests.

Give it a Rest! - Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3

Lots of fun and easy to use!

Give it a Rest teaching aids are un-laminated

and may be laminated at an extra cost of $10.00 per set.

Please order directly from Solo Time Games info@solotimegames.com
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/To-Celebrate-Christmas-or-not-.html?soid=1102844303762&aid=ERY783_QT2c

Polygamy hurts the innocent.

Polygamy not only needs to be abolished and criminalized but spousal and child support for all the innocent victims of this life style should be mandatory.

How is it possible that a polygamist's can claim God gives them the right to have as many wives as they wish but not offer support when they divorce them? The current law also discriminates against these women as they are not considered true wives in the eyes of the law.

Also, the men in this choice of belief system should not be able to get away claiming all their wives are single mothers so they can get welfare from the government. I thought they were the wives? So how is it that they can break the law and claim they are single mothers with children? Doesn't their belief tell them they need to uphold the law of the land? No, only when it benefits them.

Nor should the leaders in this life style be allowed to excommunicate young boys and girls when they become problems (young men needing a wife) or desire their own life partners (young women desiring a young husband.)

The law should be changed so it favors these innocent children, not discriminate against them for having the unfortunate demise of being born into this selfish lifestyle based on a sexual predators needs and greed.

These men will never change their belief system as it brings them much power over those with no voice or education. Change the law so it protects the innocent one's Charter of Rights not men whose hearts will never change under the guise of religion.

What kind of relationships are you building?

It's always easy for me to build a relationship with my students. But, it is the parents who pay the monthly fee and it's with them, that I really need to build a relationship with, for them to consider staying on in lessons from year to year.
Here are some things to consider?
1) Am I trustworthy? Do they feel like they are getting their money's worth? To gain that trust I must be prepared, planned and ready to teach when they come into class.
2) What's my image? Dressed to teach or dressed to work on the garden? Impressions go a long way whether its first time or week 28.

3) Keeping in touch? How often do you contact your parents to ask how things are going? Once a month? Twice a year? Never? If you think, that if they don't call you with a problem, that means everything is all right, you may be right but how about taking care of that question with a quick phone call? Phoning and touching base means you care and caring builds relationship, and relationship brings your students back next year.

4) Thank you? Thank your parents for giving of their time to commit to you. Thank them for coming to you with a concern regarding their child, thank them for reminding you that you forgot to hand out stickers. If they come to you are are really ticked off about something, you said or did, listen to their concerns and thank them. It cools things down really quickly and it shows your value their concerns.
5) Benefits? They are tremendous. You will have returning students for the fall, enrollment of siblings and referrals to their friends, family and acquaintances.

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).

What Recession?

Over the past few months I have been reading about the recession. The recession has been in the headlines and causing concern among business' and talked about among teachers. But we need to realize that "not everyone was hit by the recession!" There were and are people making money during and after the recession. If you are experiencing recession woes among potential and future clients, (complaining about your prices, etc) it means you need to find people who were NOT hit by the recession." I have spoken about this before in previous newsletters and I encourage you to once again to not to undersell yourself.

"No one forces us to change our price to fit the market," Colleen Francis stated in her MYC webnair a few weeks ago. She also stated that we "Don't have to take the mindset of lower price to get students!" Why recruit people with no money? It might sound a little harsh but there is some truth to her statements. Search out new markets. Find out from your returning parents which communities (sports, church, etc) they are involved in and find out how you can get involved with them or get your flyer into that community. It takes a bit of work but it will pay off in September.

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.

Shaking Hands

Even though summer is a time for kicking back and enjoying the well deserved rest that comes from a busy teaching year, in the back of our minds registration for the fall is always lurking around.

Keep in mind that every one you come in contact with is:

1) a potential person who may become a client
2) someone who may possibly refer you to one of their friends.

So when you shake their hand you are "shaking hands with their entire community." Always be aware of who you come in contact with, they could be your next great lead.