Monthly Archives: April 2013

Issue 85: Welcome to the Jungle

Posted on April 30, 2013 by

Welcome! It’s Tuesday already, and to think that I used to try and post on Fridays! I’m sorry if you’ve been looking every day for four days to see what “pearls of wisdom” I would be sharing this week – but … Continue reading →

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Issue 85: The Perils of The Dotted Crotchet

Posted on April 30, 2013 by

Today I managed to teach someone to play the rhythm for dotted crotchets and quavers with one-hundred-percent accuracy and understanding in less that three minutes! How wonderful is that! I started with clapping a basic rhythm, counting one-and-two-and-one-and-two-and as we … Continue reading →

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Issue 85: What am I to do with them?

Posted on April 30, 2013 by

Having posted lots of ideas on how to get the attention of a class full of children, I found myself facing a small horde who were just so, so NOT ready to learn. They argued, they were calling out, they complained about … Continue reading →

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Issue 85: The Day I Went to Sea – 2 chord song

Posted on April 30, 2013 by

Last week I ended up teaching a class ukulele lesson in an outdoor classroom in a corner of the playground. No whiteboard, no computer, no backing tracks… that’s what music-making is all about! This little song popped into my head, … Continue reading →

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Issue 84: Welcome to The Jungle

Posted on April 21, 2013 by

This week: some thoughts on left-handedness regarding ukuleles and pianos, and also stamping tubes from the Solomon Islands. Have a good week!

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Issue 84: Left handed Ukuleles (or recorders, for that matter)

Posted on April 21, 2013 by

The short answer is NO! I’ve just started teaching a short course of a wider opportunities year 4 class ukulele programme. Once again, the old “my daughter is left-handed, so can she play her ukulele the other way round?” question … Continue reading →

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Issue 84: Eat my words – the left-handed piano

Posted on April 21, 2013 by

http://www.lefthandedpiano.com/   Oh. Ah. Read all about it here! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/178608.stm I’m still not going to let them play their ukuleles or recorders with the “wrong” hands!    

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Issue 84: Stamping Tubes from the Solomon Islands

Posted on April 21, 2013 by

I am teaching cyclic patterns this term with a Year 5 and 6 class. We have got the Music Express books at this school, and they have a music clip of stamping tubes played in the Solomon islands (link to Geography … Continue reading →

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