Journal 12

This week, we didn't learn any new material, and won't be anything too difficult for the next few weeks. We finished the CLP, and watched the other groups present theirs. The groups all did a really good job, and incorporated music into the projects in an interesting way. On Friday, we played our recorders, and danced with them. It was an african childrens song, about something stealing the children. We had to walk around the room, following the leaders, and play our recorder along with music that was playing. I think it was interesting to be able to play a song along with a professional recording. I also joined "the band". I think that it will be a fun and exciting experience to play a song along with others, in a less casual setting.

Journal 11

I think that finding that book was very difficult. The university library is such a mess and unorganized, it's quite impossible to find anything. Any book that I already knew of, the library didn't have it. I think that the group worked great together. We all divided up the work, each took a piece, and then complete it on time. I myself had to find a song, and make words to go along with the story. I think the most exciting part is seeing everything come together, completely. We each only had our one part, but when everyone's is put together, it sounds really cool. This is a great way to work together as a group, and I think that children can learn through this activity not only different instruments and sounds, but also different animals, and how to be a good friend.

Week 11

This week was alot of fun. We started off the week learning different stories, and playing sounds to go along with them. During the song of Chicken Little, several students got the oppertunity to play new instruments. The song was very interesting, and creative. It was a catchy tune. In addition to raise creativity, using music for stories can help students remember them better. Anything that students need, or want, to remember is always better retained if it's put to music. Singing a song will stick better than repetition.
Binary form is a music piece that has to distinct parts. This is very common in modern day pop songs. The songs will have a verse, which the music will be the same, but the words different, then the chorus, which both the words and music are the same. Usually the part that listeners remember is the chorus. A good example of this is the mariposa song that we danced to earlier this week. I had no idea what the verses were, but I knew when the chorus was playing. It was also easier to remember which is these was the verse because the dance was correlated to what the music was saying.

Journal 10

Music can help students be creative during a story time by coming up with different sounds for different parts within the story. If a student is just sitting there, listening, there's a good chance he's zoning out. But, give him a part in the story, and he'll be thinking about what sounds the specific part makes. Every student loves story time, and hearing stories. Having a part in these stories, and engaging with the reader can make story time all the more rewarding and fun. This is a shining example of student centered learning. The students play a direct role in learning. For an activity such as this, the roles are actually reversed, in a sense. The students themselves become each others teacher. Some students might not know what sounds a truck makes, but another does. The students begin teaching themselves, with the teacher as the moderator.

Journal week 8

On Monday, in class, we discussed our test, and looked over what we answered wrong. On Wednesday, we did some in-class activities, and read a story with sound effects. And on Friday (today) we got in groups and "wrote" our own stories, and made sound effects to go along with them. At the very end of class, we got our recorders out, and learend a new note.
I think that learning cretivity early in life in very important for a child. Creativity in life helps with school work, and social life as well. With school work, there will be more ideas, and help make projects more interesting rather than just usual. With social life, other children will more likly play with the child if they are more fun, and can play "imagination" along with them. From music, students can learn to be creative by putting different notes together, and listening to different styles of music helps the child to be more open minded, and think about things differently. It can also helps to build important skills in the childs life, such as concentration, and dedication.

For the culture that I'm going to present, I chose England, and specifically old England.

Journal 6

This week we had presentations ALL week. We watched our different classmates take turns, and "teach" us a new song, and what musical concepts, and skills we would be using during the lesson. Most of them were really great, and we had fun pretending to me young again. Everyone left feeling happier, and laughing.
I taught "Old McDonald" as my song. Unfortunally, I didn't do as well as I had hoped, since I had a head injury. One of the things I found difficult, while planning for the presentation, was motions, and a dance to accompany the song. While old McDonald as many different animals in it, most don't do much than just stand there. After thinking for a few days, I finally had a dance, using different hand, and leg movement. It also involved using a partner. However, since I had hit my head so hard, I had forgotten what my dance was! I even forgot the name of the song. I think that overall, everything went poorly. Something that did go well was the class itself. Everyone participated, and went along with what I was trying to teach. They answered all my questions, and helped out to make it more comofrtable. I think that if I got to go again (and I think I might be) I would do so much better. I would have my dance down, I would speak clearly, and I wouldn't have an awful headache!
I think that some things I could change were my preparations, and explaining better what concepts, and skills were going to be used, and why they are important, not only to music, but also in everyday life. Old McDonald has alot of coordination, and repetition of vowels in it. It also helps with memory, and learning the names of animals, and which animals go with which sounds.

Blog Week 4

This week, we learned how to create a lesson plan that is universal for all teachers to read, and understand in case the primary isn't present. I found this activity very helpful, as one day, I will also have to create a lesson plan for my classroom. On Friday, we also learned the "C" note on the recorder, and attempted to play a new song. It was moving too quickly, and I soon got lost in all the notes. However, I practiced the new note, and can almost play perfectly. Since I was absent on Monday, I don't know what was taught/learned, but on Wednesday, we did review a song that was taught. It was fun, getting up and dancing with my other classmates. Everyone was laughing by the end, and in a better mood.
We also learned new musical concepts, and about how to notice silent notes, and what they "sound" like. We practiced drawing these rests, and singing songs that involve rests.