Re: Tough 3rd and 4th crowd...

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Hi there!

I completely understand the tough crowd scenario! :) I work at a
Title I school where about 70% of our kids are on free-reduced
lunch. Now, I don't have the ESL challenge that you have, but, I
worked in a school where that was true. So, I completely get it. :)

I have used the Making Music books as well, and I really love the
songs, but I'll be honest, I don't love the lesson plans. In my
opinion, the kids it too long, and I don't know about you, but my
kids need to get up and move!

So, I use the Gameplan curriculum because it is an Orff-based
curriculum, and Orff is about movement! For my class, I've found
that when I get them up to experience a concept first, sometimes
to my drum, sometimes to recordings, sometimes with partners,
sometimes without. It really doesn't matter as long as they are
engaged. Someone once told me when the bum is numb, so it the
mind. So, if you haven't -- get your kids up moving.

Another resource you might look into getting is the Music Express
Magazine. This is a great publication by John Jacobson, and he
has great lessons, videos, and choreography to help move along
songs and concepts. Right now, my kids are learning and dancing
to "Light up the World" -- and they LOVE it! Seriously, they
can't get enough of it, and they ask "Can we do that again?" The
song has a great message to it about leaving your attitudes behind
you and using your inner "light". :) Plus, it's just a feel-good
song. Now, I'm not necessarily teaching one certain concept with
this song -- although, my reading it, we've learned how to go back
to the sign, and skip to the Coda. But, it puts them in a good
mood before we start some of the other stuff, and that opens them
up to all kinds of learning. :)

One more thing, I have both my Orff certificate and my Kodaly
certificate. In your situation, I HIGHLY recommend taking the
Orff I class first, before you take the Kodaly class. Here is
why. Orff completely changed how I teach concepts -- and my kids
really understand them because we explore them in so many
different ways. I LOVE Kodaly and using folk songs -- and Kodaly
gave me the curriculum and pacing that I needed to make my lessons
complete. But honestly, I teach most concepts using the Orff
process first, because all of my students are engaged and learning.

Hope that helps!! Good luck! Tough crowds are tough! :) But,
you can do it!

kitmusic/OK

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