theme: rhythm in the body

Entrance
While students come in, playing marimba duo videos.
Tune all violins, check in with students

The more we get together
Sing together once
Name each student who teacher floats hand over

Name chain
Students call on each other. When called, student stands. Keep going until all people are standing

Copy me! Quarter note taps all over the body
Students move to line
Teacher sits in front of class and quietly taps all over body in steady rhythm. Students copy on beat.

Orchestral Clap
Everyone prepares hands, watches teacher, teacher counts 1, 2, 3! And clap together. Attempt to sound like one person.

MTYT Rhythms (define all)
Clapping. Teacher says “My turn ready go,” claps, then “your turn ready go.” Work through all rhythms. Talk about potential names for everything.

VIDEOs
Still in line… Lights dimmed.
Marimba duos
Stomp Brooms
Body percussion performance

Group Rhythm Choreographed Performance
Split into two groups. Each group picks out where MSHD will be on body. Then rehearse each group playing one side then the other. Side A MSHD then Side B MSHD. Do a string of 4 (A, B, A, B).

Bow and parent claps.

Violin play position, rhythm tap
Students back in circle. Go to play position with help of parents as necessary. Stay in play position until teacher taps rhythm on violin where student can’t see students guess the names of rhythms. Parent plays game again with student while teacher goes to all students.

Scale game
Students sit in circle.
Teacher gives one note card with musical alphabet letters on each. Students put in order A-A. Each student has opportunity to be part of the whole. Say the alphabet.

Build another one starting on D. Say the alphabet together starting on D.

Build another A-A. Say the alphabet backwards.

Take cards away so students have to remember letters in order without being able to see them.

Stir the Soup
Stand up. Students build bow hold, with parent help as necessary. Once set land on launch pad.

Put an imaginary fruit loop or cheerio on top of bow. Don’t let it fall off!

Stir the soup. Each student contributes one food to the soup. We stir it in. Change the direction of stirring if you like.

Drink at the end. Eat the fruit loop. Yay.

Up Like a Rocket (parents clap beat)
Build another bow hold. Sing/do once without the beat.

Teacher established steady beat which parents keep. Teacher leads up like a rocket to the steady beat (feeling the song’s rhythm against the backdrop of the beat).

Rest position song.
to the tune of Twinkle
“Rest position, feet in line
Scroll out front, that’s mighty fine
Take a look, your bridge should be
Peaking out at you and me.
Now it’s time to take a bow.
1 and 2 and 3, that’s how.”

I love teaching pre-twinklers! The classes, especially group teaching, require planning, carefully attention to the energy of the group, and equal parts fun and instruction. There isn’t slack for lazy teaching — if you are unprepared or non-dynamic the class will make it obvious.

Here are a few critical pre-twinkle group class principles I’ve picked up in one and a half years of teaching pre-twinkle group classes at Ithaca Talent Education.

1) The activity is the teacher, you are merely the facilitator of the activity.

The class isn’t about you. The class is about the learning happening in your students. We are allowing their sub-conscious mind to teach itself by overwhelming it with a positive and richly musical learning environment. Attempting to access intellect is a waste of time. Instead structure FUN, INFORMATIVE, and INCLUSIVE games. Facilitate the effortless flowing from one game to the next. That is your role in class.

2) Attend to the natural energetic waves of the group.

The goal of a group class is not to entertain 4 year olds for an hour, but rather to pack as much learning as possible within their natural energy cycles. Games are either ‘downers’ or ‘uppers.’ Chain together the downs and ups so they are gradual waves with memorable climatic peaks and troughs. You don’t need more than one peak in a class. Define the climatic moments (high and low) before class, and use them as landmarks while teaching. Knowing whether the activity is building or releasing energy will change the way you introduce, lead, and close the game. In this way teaching can be very similar to performing a musical piece.

3) Set very clear containers.

I’ve discussed before that students want to be held in a safe, very clearly defined container. It is within this container that they will be comfortable to self-express. In the pre-twinkle classroom I go to great lengths to set up the room exactly the same way every time. I also use foot charts and tapes with names on them so students feel they have their ‘spot.’ The group class starts and ends with a bow. There are expectations which hold every week all through the class which we don’t have to discuss but just exist: musical cues for standing/sitting, etc.

4) Move.

Both through the space and within their ‘spot.’

5) Speak as little as possible.

Don’t explain. Don’t repeat yourself. Take advantage of a white-board to communicate logistical information to parents (what to unpack, change of time/location for future classes). Use aural cues for sitting/standing and picking up the instrument/bow. Use visual cues for bathroom/water breaks or in a follow-the-leader situation.

6) Don’t be afraid to change lyrics/words/metaphors so they feel true to you.

We really have a rich repertoire of Suzuki pre-twinkle games and songs which have been passed down to us from the method’s pioneers. Don’t be afraid to modify these games and words to suit your unique values and the values of the students in the room with you. I was struggling for weeks because I couldn’t pull in many of our standard games and songs into class because I thought their messages were problematic. I finally realized I could modify the language to be inclusive of different pronouns, different family structures, and body/emotion positive responses. These games/songs are both deeply impactful and living, so curate and modify them to suit what is important to you.

My Pre-Twinkle class has a tendency to start late. When we were routinely delaying class start by fifteen minutes I knew something needed to change. Not only was the late start limiting our total class time together, those first 15 minutes of class were wasted for the students who did come on time. People were rushing in late and the energy was too scattered to get a clear start to class.

I made the following five shifts to class to make sure we were back on a timely track. If this is an challenge for you I hope you find some ideas below.

1) Class Email

Dear Twinkle class,
The goal in music isn’t to be the fastest or play the loudest, but rather to play in beautiful harmony with each other. Just as we stand together, play together and bow together, we must arrive for class together.

Arriving even one minute late does change the energy of our class and sends a subtle message to your children that they don’t need to harmonize with the rest of the group.

Please help us hone this macro and micro skill of musicianship by prioritizing timely arrival. Our goal is to be unpacked and tuned, ready to take our bow, at 9:05.

I know parking, weather, and room changes slows us all down. I’ll do my best to email you in advance with room change reminders and heads up on tricky parking days.

Many thanks,
drake

2) Routinized the room set up and start
The room is set up the same way every time: door open, tapes on the floor, instructions on the board, my violin unpacked in the front, my shoes next to my case.

I write instructions on the board for where students should go and what they need. No matter when the parents/students walk in, they will see the instructions on the board. If we’ve already started, this makes for a smooth(er) entry into the class.

We start with watching a video (explained below) while I tune all of the instruments. We take a big bow together. Once the first domino has started falling, students know the whole class has started. If families arrive after that domino cascade they know they are late.

3) Non-negotiable start
Don’t wait for everyone to arrive– your start time will be pushed back later and later every week. Instead plan to start when you plan to start. I’ve set the time 9:05 as my official start to class, so I get going at 9:05 even if only one student is sitting in front of me.

4) Video Overture
For ten minutes before the first bow (from 8:55-9:05) I project a video onto the screen at the front of the classroom. I am fortunate enough to have a Mac with internet access, a great projector, and recording technology in the classroom I teach in. I take full advantage!

Projecting a video at the beginning of class allows the students who come in early to have an ‘audience’ experience every Saturday. I also use this opportunity to show a diversity of musical styles and performers of various ethnicities, genders, and backgrounds.

Channeling the attention of the entire group onto one focal point at the beginning of class allows us to all start on the same page.

5) Be on time
I make sure I am always on time. I take the start of group class as seriously as I would a commitment to play a solo recital at Carnegie Hall. If you are ever late it will be difficult for your class to cultivate a sense of punctuality and harmony. Lead by example.