Tag Archives: wider opportunities

My Small Group Beginner Recorders

I’ve a couple of small groups of recorder pupils – two or three in each group – young children aged around seven or eight years old. After talking to other woodwind and recorder teachers and looking through various books, including … Continue reading

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138: Four weeks of Ukulele Planning

This is what I have sketched out for myself for the first four weeks of Wider Opportunities Ukulele lessons. I’ll be teaching several keystage 2 (age 7-11) classes in two different schools. SESSION 1 Intro – expectations, ground rules etc … Continue reading

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Issue 137: Skeleton Wider Opportunities Planning

This is my skeleton plan for the first four weeks of a Wider Opportunities Programme. My objectives are to establish the ground rules, and get the children playing their instruments as quickly as possible. I think it is too, too … Continue reading

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Issue 42: Olympic Activity; Synchronised Swimming

This is a bit of a golden oldie, but none the worse for that. Working in pairs, the children mirror each other’s movements; child 1 is the leader, and child 2 is the “mirror”. So, whatever child 1 does, child … Continue reading

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Issue 34: The secret weapon – Wider Opportunities Classes

It very much depends on the instrument, and the age of the class, but I have found that the rate of progress in Wider Opportunities classes often seems to peak in the Spring Term, and then diminish in the Summer Term. … Continue reading

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Issue 28: The Game of Four – Warm up and Compostition

This has proved to be a useful warm up for any session involving keeping a steady pulse, and learning to internalise the pulse. As a preparation, do the “counting to eight game” first, to establish a pulse. Now, explain that you … Continue reading

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Issue 22: The Great Wall of China

A lesson I taught last year…. If I was an organised, thinking-ahead sort of person, I would have planned suitable lessons for Chinese New Year well in advance, and have a selection of suitable resources all ready. However, I am … Continue reading

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Issue 21: Pulse Game; Counting to 8

This is a really simple activity and it can be played without any equipment. All you need is a clear signal for “stop” and “go”. When I joined the County Music Services, I was issued with a resource pack including a large, … Continue reading

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