Thursday, September 18, 2008

Recorder lessons...

Too bad there aren't any pictures to go with this one! I was just talking with the music teacher I am subbing for, and I mentioned that I'd never played the recorder before, and I was hoping to get the knack of it before I began that teaching unit in October. I still squeek quite a bit. Well, she told me the FUNNIEST THING!!! She said she shows the kids that you don't need to blow with much force at all by playing "Mary had a Little Lamb" with her NOSE!!! I actually just tried it and ... IT WORKS! This could make an interesting party trick... Just DON'T try it with a cold! (EEEEEWWWWW, GROSS!)
Well, I'll leave you with that pleasant thought!
Gramma Jamma!

Friday, September 12, 2008

Gramma Goes To School

I have officially finished my first week of school. I tried to take a picture of myself before I left for my first day of classes, but the flash kept going off in the mirror and it didn't take a good picture. Just believe Steve when he says I look pretty funny biking down the road with my red helmet on and a guitar on my back!
But this is really fun and will surely make me a more interesting gramma! I'm learning all kinds of kid songs and rhymes - not to mention that I can now play "G", "D" and "A" chords and switch pretty well on my guitar- and I'm working on "C" and "E" now. I hear that will make me able to play just about any kid song ever written! And to think I've only had my guitar for one week! It's really fun to learn new stuff, though.
I met with Barb Windisch (the retired music teacher) and Julie Johnson (the sick music teacher) this afternoon, and they were being SO NICE, but pretty much FLOODED this old head with new information! I'm taking on Special Chorus (we've already gotten the request to sing at Festival of the Trees - a bit of a scary thought!) and I've learned about how to get the 4th graders started on playing their recorders and stuff! YIKES! Anyway, like I said, it's a great learning experience for me and I'm having a blast with the kids.
Anybody know how to play the piano? I need an accompanist for Special chorus....
We drummed today!