Klarinet Archive - Posting 000285.txt from 2003/07

From: "Christy Erickson" <perickso@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Teaching problem
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2003 16:03:36 -0400

Stan, In order for most kids to understand rhythms, they first need to =
be
able to physically feel a beat. You might try having them do some =
rhythm
activities with large muscle groups first. Marching to a beat is one
example. I have a small drum in my studio that the kids LOVE to tap out =
a
beat on (REAL drum sticks too-ooh, ah!) I also have maracas, a triangle =
and
a few other odd assorted percussion instruments lying around. Someday I
want a drum set in my music studio. =20
If the kids are comfortable having you touch them (always ask for
permission and go ahead if they say no problem. Its even better if the
parents come to the lesson). Sometimes I tap a beat out on their =
shoulder
and with tiny ones, I clasp hands with them and do some arm swinging to =
a
beat to give them the physical feel of that movement. As a child, many
musicians had parents who sang to them, bounced them on their knee to a
musical beat or song, or danced with them. Those activities don't =
happen in
all homes and so sometimes we have to make up for "lost time."
Another suggestion is to apply words to the beat and the rhythm =
patterns.
In Kodaly theory, a "ta" is a quarter note and a "ti-ti" is 2 eighth =
notes.
Most kids can say, "ta, ta, ti-ti, ta," to a beat set on the metronome =
for 2
quarters, two eighths and another quarter note. One can make up other =
words
also. I have already spent an entire lesson helping a student make up =
silly
words with syllables that matched the rhythms of their piece.
For the dotted quarter eighth note pattern, sometimes I can get away
with singing "My country Tis of Thee," or some other piece that contains
that rhythm and they catch on. It doesn't sound like that would be =
enough
for these two. Have the student tap and count eighth notes saying, 1 =
and, 2
and, 3 and and so forth while tapping on a drum and you play the
piece.(Those boys will love being the percussionist for a bit) Have them
feel how the arm goes down on the main beats and up on the eighths. The
arms will go "down, up, down, on the first three eighth notes and the =
fourth
eighth note of course will be on the upswing. =20
Have them write their own rhythm compositions and play them-you can =
use
voice syllables if you don't have any percussion instruments. =20
Now, if you think any of this sounds weird, I'm sure you would get =
some
even stranger answers from my piano teachers group. We have danced with =
our
students and once I demonstrated the can-can for a student who just =
wasn't
"getting it." His sisters were they and they howled at the sight. =20
Some kids, unfortunately, just never "get it" but your students are =
at a
critical age, I believe, for learning these rhythm concepts. Their
neurological systems are rapidly maturing and its important that they do
some rhythmic movement activities to understand the concept. =20

Christy=20

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