November 2015

Whats new in Solfege?

I love creating little rhymes and solfege tunes to use in group and pre-school classes.  This fall my students just loved posing as a Jack-o-lantern when we sang "Pumpkin Pumpkin" for the month of October.  New this month is "Winter" and  "Never Make a Sound". Never make a Sound is about a Snowman melting quietly away.  Both tunes help children in understanding piano and pianissimo as dynamics. I believe in supporting musicians who compose music and stores that sell it.  At the beginning of each teaching  year I have students purchase their books from local music stores. But I do have quite an extensive library of music that I loan out to students.  Some books have been given to me by parents whose child has gone on the to the next level, finished music, a Value Village find or I've purchased it myself so I'm able to loan out books as students need them. But the problem is, although I keep a list of students who borrow music some how that list disappears or I forget about it or parents say they cannot find the book.  My books have my name written on them in BOLD and should be easy to find.  In August I decided to send out a note out to parents regarding books that needed to be returned.  One parent after having four children with me over 12 years returned 14 books, I just had to laugh.  So I've been mulling over on how do I keep track of all the books? I've decided  that  taking a picture of the student who borrows a book with the book they borrow.  This way I will have a record of the student with the book and will also have a record of the title, colour of the book and composer all on my phone. Simple and easy.  I'm a fan of composers who have studio licenses for their music.  A studio license gives me permission to print off as many copies as I need and I don't have to worry about whether the music is returned or not. Tonight I'm off to see Natalie MacMaster. So excited to hear east coast music again and Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends. Musicallyours, Lois Solo Time Music Games

What does Solo Time Music Games have for you?

There is the Santa Claus practice incentive to encourage practicing during the upcoming busy Christmas season. 

Use this tune at recital and divide the audience in half
or thirds to sing this lovely song called
Sing Sing Together.

Composing with Music for Young Children is here.  Check out the composing aids that have been created to help students complete their compositions.

Caterpillar Composing, Composer Tricks,
Composing Snowman, Composing Spinner.

Pumpkin Pumpkin - October 2015

October Greetings,

It's been a busy fall as I'm sure you have been also.  Not much time to even think about sending out a note although I did find time to fix up a couple of Halloween themed solfege tunes that I had laying around. 

Halloween and Pumpkin Pumpkin are not my original tunes. I just put them down on paper so I could easily read them (I need glasses now to read) and each tune includes a few little activities to do with each song.  They are free for the month of October.  They were first put up about a week ago on Solo Time Facebook page so if you haven't liked it yet please do so to take advantage of early listings.

My students are loving Wendy Stevens Halloween  

pieces of ComposeCreate. For some of my students the songs are fairly simple but what I appreciate is that the pieces introduce new concepts; like first and second endings, codas (etc.) and my students love the tone clusters and the use of the very last key on the piano! Loads of fun, easy success with lots learning.  

Before I give a Halloween piece to students I make sure it's okay with the parents to play the piece as some families do not participate in Halloween.  Every parent I shared the pieces with said they were okay with them. Until the next week. One family decided that they were not going to play the piece.  I was a little surprised and I said that was fine but then they left the studio when the other students started playing the piece! 

What to do?   I decided that the rest of the class would still carry on with the Halloween piece as I had gained permission from all the other parents but next year I'll be more conscientious about this family. The reason I choose Wendy Stevens' pieces as they are well written word wise and not offensive. 

My friend, Claudia is ahead of me on the technical side of things (I just am a little competitive.) Our recent Music for Young Children meeting was her home  and afterwards we had a tour of her studio and in it was a TV. That was fine but then she took out her iPad and showed us how it was hooked up wirelessly to her TV and now she had no need of a white board! She just writes everything on the iPad and it shows up on her TV.

What a great idea! Her iPad is programmed with a few different templates with whiteboard, keyboard and grand staff and she writes on it and teaches her lesson and theory concepts from there.

Now I'm on the hunt for a TV  to replace my white board.  Claudia uses Apple TV and an app called Delori but if any of you are already using your iPad this way let me know what you do or use.  I would like to hook up to the TV without having to purchase the Apple TV package.

Thank you for your recent purchases large and small. I'm so glad they help you make a difference in teaching music and its concepts to your students.

Have safe and colourful October!
Musicallyours,

Lois Dicknoether 

Solo Time Music Games

info@solotimemusicgames.com 

September 2015

September 2015

Sight Reading Glasses, Feathers and Posters

Good Morning, It's been a little bit busy, a little bit stressful while being a lot of fun getting ready to teach this week.  Cleaning the studio - spiders where do they come from? And not just the fake kind and how did they get so big? Sorting out games and teaching aids and making new ones. Starting today at the Teachers Notebook Store the Metronome teaching aid will be free to all who are members of Solo Time Games Teachers Notebook. If you are not a member "join" and you too can get it for free.  Print one off for yourself and one for all your students and use it as a game.  I play different tempos and students have to guess what the tempo is or put on the metronome at different tempos or a recording.  It's a great listening and learning activity. I bought a ukulele in August to use with my preschool classes and it's turned out to be a lot more fun and useful than I thought.   I bought it firstly for support for my singing voice as it feels like my voice is not as strong as it used to be. I haven't started the preschool classes yet but I started using the ukulele in the Music for Young Children classes and it's turned out to be a real hit especially when we sing the  "Yelling Song."   I can play the ukulele louder and save my voice.   That's all for now. Have a colourful September with music! Musicallyours, Lois

Give it a Rest Quite some time ago my amazing printer made a mistake and printed off the "Give it a Rest" teaching aids in 8 1/2 x 11 format instead of the usual 11 by 17in. I wasn't sure if they would sell and sure enough they did.     It was a mistake with great possibilities.    One of the reasons for the interest in this different size is that the game is easier to store   and doesn't take up so much space.  So I'm offering this month all three levels in 8 1/2 by 11 for $30.00 with shipping included. (regular size would be $20.00 per game)   Email me if you want this amazing offer   info@solotimegames.com     You can take a look at them thought this link

Just Some Ideas to Share  Sight Reading Glasses - I'm sure I heard about using old sunglasses for sight reading at some seminar in the past but didn't get around to having them in my studio.  Recently  a teacher posted a cute picture of her son wearing sight reading glasses from her studio. Immediately, I went to my toy box and took out all the 3D glasses I was keeping for my grand kids to play with.  Sure enough, I had a set of 6, so I punched out the lenses and made a class set.  What a great idea! Thank Heavens for Feathers (picture at this link) - Thanksgiving here in Canada always seems to come so much quicker that I want it to arrive, this year its on October 12.  This game is a great group activity and term review. It is in the resource page called Thank Heaven's for Feathers. Hang Your Games! This idea came from Michelle Miller from  Edmonton Alberta.  She posted some pictures of her studio on Facebook and on her wall were games from Solo Time!  I was delighted to learn that she uses them not only as decoration for her studio but if you take a look at the picture below shows how she creates easy access. Thanks Michelle

August 2015

Happy Tuesday! Registration and Try it classes are here for new and experienced teachers we are all hoping to fill up our classes for the fall.  I find this sometimes a stressful time; giving a try-it class expends time and energy and even if they leave with a registration form in hands does it mean they will come back with it filled in and with a cheque to register? One mom came today and she would love for her daughter to take lessons but time and money are thin. I assured her she would make the best decision whether it was this year or next year.  She was relived that I gave her permission to just take her time and make the right decision for her family. But on the flip side I'm wondering if I'm going to enough students! Recently in an email from our BC coordinator, Wendy Guimont, gave some encouraging tips on marketing through Facebook. Check out the Facebook tips for some new ideas.  Have a wonderful last few weeks of August resting and gearing up for a new teaching year.  Keep an eye out for my new solfege songs and activities coming out in September.  Musicallyours, Lois Dicknoether Solo Time Music Games info@solotimemusicgames.com  Solo Time Music Games are designed to instill a life long passion  and understanding of music and its concepts  through a fun hands on experience.     Teachers Notebook

This year I have students making steps towards understanding  Intermediate Rudiments; as a result I've started (why should I be surprised) working on teaching aids for this level.  "Super Scale Degrees" is a fun teaching aid with a super hero theme. There are 108 Key Signature flashcards  from C major (a minor) to 7 sharps and 7 flats. Once students have comprehended major key signatures up to 7 sharps and flats then switch this teaching aid up and have them determine  the scale degrees in the minor scales.   It's a dual purpose teaching aid! Included in this printable are a few other ideas to help your students solidify their knowledge of scale degrees. This is available at the Teachers Notebook Store for only $3.49. BONUS! You can receive this PDF file for FREE!  When you order"FIVE" Solo Time Music Games "Flashcard" Games from the Solo Time Games website. To Market To Market Have you created your studio Facebook page yet?  I've noticed many of you have but what are the  next steps in getting your page noticed? 1) First of all get your friends and family to like your page. This step is like referrals and easy marketing. Send out "invites" to everyone on your regular Facebook page to like your page. 2) Create an "Event" like a Try-It class or a studio visit. Ask your friends and family to "Share" your event on their page. Even if they live in another city they might know someone in your city who might see the "Share." 3) You can also pay Facebook to "Boost It" for   you. The "boost" is posted to your specific area and age group but I have found that when my friends who shared the event  with their friends it gets about the same return. 4) Don't forget to:  Create a "Call to Action Button" on your studio Facebook page where parents can get in touch with you via your website.  Another great idea from a couple of teachers was to join on Facebook a few different groups like:  "Children's Trade and Share" "Free to give a way" "Women in Business"  "Buy, Sell and Swap" etc. There are many forums under different names that you can join and you can post a comment about your studio with pictures  and comment about what you do. Post there about once a month (don't spam it or they will kick you off).  There are rules about what you can post for every group  but most are open to the little bit of self-marketing. I managed to have three families  come to a try-it class by posting in these forums. These are just a few ideas that take little time to help you  in your marketing efforts.

July 2015

Happy Hot Summer Days to you all! What a great time the Music for Young Children conference was in Halifax. It was wonderful to reconnect with many of you and meet new teachers from all over Canada and Asia. I had not been to eastern Canada for many years and I spent another ten days after the conference traveling Nova Scotia, Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island with my husband, John.   The music in eastern Canada is different than this side of the continent.  We do have fiddle music and fiddlers out here but it's just not the same as attending a Ceilidh (kitchen music) in a small hall that is jam packed with people foot tapping and singing along. I was honoured to be entertained by such amazing musicians.   Soh, mi, re, doh, Soh, mi re, doh, Soh mi, re, doh! I'm positive that was the crosswalk tune as we crossed the streets of Halifax. If you heard it differently let me know, it became a little annoying afterwhile but in the realm of solfege I've written some new tunes please read about them below.  Thank you to those who placed orders for games while at conference they are all in the mail. Jakob and Declan are coming out this week and I'm looking forward to enjoying the hot BC weather with them. Stay tuned for the newsletter in August about advertising and some new  music games for Intermediate Rudiments. Musicallyours, Lois Dicknoether Solo Time Music Games info@solotimemusicgames.com  Solo Time Music Games are designed to instill a life long passion  and understanding of music and its concepts  through a fun hands on experience.

MYC Solfege I was honoured when Olivia Riddell, President and International director of Music for Young Children choose to print a couple of solfege tunes that I arranged in the new Sunshine One teacher manual. If you bought the manual you will only see the song but there are many more activities that go with each of the two songs. MYC head office has sent out the link to all the teachers that links you to the extra activities that go with each song via "Sharefile." Please check out the extra musical fun with the new songs "Dino D" and "Fireman Fred." My Sunbeam students loved doing the actions and adding ostinato's and rhythm instruments over a period of four to six weeks to each song. But that's not all! Stay tuned for a new collection of songs called "Solfege is not a Chore" coming out in September. Songs about chores, critters and pickup beats.

May 2015

Dear Teaching Friends, May is here and recital is also coming up quickly.  After so many years of teaching I still get stressed out about students being "recital ready." I have to remind myself that every other year they are ready for recital by the time recital comes.  But I think more than anything I'm worried for them so that they can come away and be proud of what they have accomplished and performed at recital.  I wish all of you the best for your year ends as they come to completion. Speaking of studio year ends now's the time to think of the fall:  -  Updating your website with new information about upcoming classes for the fall. - Giving try-it classes - Flyers in new housing divisions - Summer camps - flyers and newspaper ads - offering incentives to parents who come back to talk about you and your studio and what you have to offer with their friends.  What kind of incentives?  A month's free lessons if a friend of theirs registers, or a gift card.  - impromtu music class at playgrounds and out door water parks. Advertising starts now for the fall. Last year in BC we had a teachers strike at the beginning of September I went around my area offering a music camp during the strike. Although I didn't have any camps there were a few students who registered for the lessons. So all in all it was a success. And back to talking about websites:  Berva Warkenton in Langley BC has a new great website up. It's pretty impressive.  Also check out her registration forms as they are really clear and informative.  I'm taking some of her ideas into my forms. Have a great recital!  Musicallyours, Lois Dicknoether Solo Time Music Games info@solotimemusicgames.com  Solo Time Music Games are designed to instill a life long passion  and understanding of music and its concepts  through a fun hands on experience.     Teachers Notebook

There is a free new product for the next little while called "Kite Words. " Check it out! New this month! MYC critter note review Year end also means going through your studio and cleaning up.  I go through my games  and replace (or give to new teachers just starting out) my pdf files and flashcards and print up new ones if there is a need. If you have any Solo Time Flash Card Games and the flash cards need to be refreshed let me know as they are available to purchase separately  from the games for $2.00 a page.   Many have been updated over the years and are newer and more colourful. Finally, I have gotten around to completing this project and testing it with my students. This note review game has fourteen pages designed for beginning students in the Sunshine 1 and 2 and Sunbeam 1 and 2 levels. There are seven colourful Critter Game Boards with seven pages of notes. Students name the notes and place the correct note on the game board. The  Edyth the Elk game has been such a favorite with my girl students that I had to print a second one so there wasn't any conflict in class! Take a look at it - Critters for MYC

Spiderman and Pedagogy

Spiderman and Pedagogy

Master Class with Mr. James Agnoson

What do Spiderman and a master class with Mr. James Anagnoson have in common?  Inspiration to help my students become better listeners to their music.
I hope your teaching year is going well.  Sometimes when you start new classes you wonder about the dynamics between students, parents and myself.   This year has turned out to be a delight.  Smart kids, excited parents, (they come on time) and for the most part students come ready to play and learn.  But hand position and tone is always an issue I repeat week after week.
I was shopping at Hallmark and saw this cute little Spiderman stuffy, his head is just the right size to have a young student place their hand over his head to show how their hand should be in "spider finger position" when they play piano.  Spidey is a great success, the boys love him, but by the time they move from Spidey to the piano and start playing all hope of a good hand position is gone.  
Then I sat in on a master class with Dr. James Anagnoson, Dean of the Glen Gould School of Music in Toronto.  Not only did I come home to the studio inspired but ready to approach my teaching a little differently.  Slow Practice, Slow Practice; I knew that but sometimes you just need to hear it again.  He stressed body position while sitting on the bench some of my students seem to grow 2 inches every week, I need to help them be aware of how they sit by moving the bench back.  Their feet can now be flat on the floor instead of swinging or cross legged (horrors).  Helping the student to listen to the tone and quality of a note or passage when played in a hand position that produces it, hence Spiderman's job is sitting at the piano to remind them. Fixing fingering  to get a better tone and quality sound out of the piano and playing a passage for them then placing their hand on mine while I play the same passage, helping them to hear and feel their piece.  I like to  choose a varied group of pieces from easy to hard that will help them accomplish all these things. 
And then a little practice incentive to encourage all these things.
 
In comes Wendy of Compose Create to create the incentive that was perfect for this season.  She posted a free resource that has four thermometers on it, each thermometer represents a different goal for the students to accomplish.  I'm using it this Christmas season to help students with their Christmas song.  Under each thermometer a different aspect of the song that is to be accomplished: articulation, technique, dynamics, artistry, memory etc.  You can write whatever is appropriate for a particular child.  My advanced students received all four thermometers and the younger ones got one or two.  We colour the thermometer each week to show their progress as we prepare for Christmas recital.
I love it when I'm encouraged by attending a seminar and great ideas from other teachers come together to help me be a better teacher.

Have a wonderful teaching season leading up to Christmas and I hope you are inspired by these few ideas.

Have a wonderful weekend
Lois Dicknoether
Solo Time Music Games