What is your box?

So many times I hear educators say, "I want to get my kids to think outside the box," and yet so many times I have also overheard the same teachers listing the many restrictions that make out-of-the-box thinking impossible. Or so they think!  I recently read a new book by George Couros: The Innovator's Mindset, that has really changed my thinking about innovation and problem solving.

As much as thinking outside the box is regarded as an important learning goal for the 21st century, sometimes it is more important to grow learners that can use the restrictions of their "box" to solve problems or be creative.  In his book, Couros focuses on nurturing "problem finders": students who are able to identify problems in their community, school or classroom and then create and implement a plan to solve those problems.

In other words, as educators, we don't have any excuses!  Innovation can happen anywhere and in any "box."  However, we will never teach our students how to be problem finders or solvers until the adults in their life, primarily educators, model what it means to have an innovator's mindset. 

So what is your "box?" Many educators list time, funding, or lack of support from administrators and parents as the "walls" that are boxing them in.  However, by taking on an innovator's mindset, what educators would realize is that those "walls" may actually be the inspiration for many innovative ways to reach their students.  

I recently presented with the educationcloset.com 2017 Winter Connectivity Conference where George Couros was one of the keynote speakers.  Phil Hansen, another Keynote speaker at the conference shared his view on creating within limitations.  His message was very inspiring and powerful. Take a look:

Creating within limitations requires innovators to recognize opportunities and follow the paths that are created out of opportunity.  I don't know if I can consider myself an innovator yet, but I certainly have been following some opportunities that I never would have imagined.  Each opportunity leads me down a new path and connects me to some very amazing people in the world of education. In The Innovator's Mindset, Couros talks about this concept as the "adjacent possible."

I'm going to keep working on building my "palace."

Thanks @gcouros and the #IMMOOC crew for allowing me to join you down many inspiring pathways!

Up Beat! 2nd Session

I am so happy to be meeting with my Up Beat! preschoolers again!  Our 2nd 10 week session of our preschool music program started on February 14th.  Naturally, many of our activities were Valentine's Day and love themed!

With a few new faces in our group, we started with or regular "Hello" song and then introduced all of the children with the song "Do You Know My Valentine" (sung to the tune of "Muffin Man").  We sang the song "Time for Music" and pointed to 8 valentine hearts to show our steady beat.

The children also love showing their steady beat with movement scarves and I was overjoyed when several of our new friends echoed some of the melodic patterns we were working on!  

The children loved guessing who I loved during the song "Love Somebody".  Let's see if you can guess one:  The one I love is red, with black spots and has 6 legs.... Love my ladybug, yes I do!

We read the books "The Ballad of Valentine" by Alison Jackson and "Skidamarink" by Jacqueline East, all before our "Good Bye" song.

This week the weatherman and I did not coordinate well, but I'm not going to complain!  The preschoolers engaged in many snow related activities including reading "When Winter Comes" by Nancy Van Laan and "Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen.  We danced and froze like snowflakes and even built a snowman out of musical instruments!  After "melting" our snowman, we used the instruments to work on our steady beat to the song "Snowman Drum" (aka "Aiken Drum").

Our favorite part of this week's lesson was using our new stretchy band!  The kids had so much fun showing steady beat motions and pulling back on the reins of our horse.  Woah!!!

Musical Pen Pal 3

Continuing on our Music Pen Pal journey, Mrs. Chroshinski's 2nd grade recently sent Donegal Primary another video!  I loved the creative process of designing this performance with the kids.  The students identified one of their favorite songs so far from this school year: Ghost of Tom.  I then challenged them to add harmony and movement to the song.  The students suggested using scarves to imitate ghostly motions and we turned a simple rhythmic ostinato into chordal harmony.  The pattern the students used for their harmony is known as a i-VII shift (1-7 shift).

The students gave suggestions for movements that were then combined into a choreographed piece.  We initially performed our chordal harmony on the xylophones, but the students suggested using boomwhackers instead and it really worked out well!

After practicing, taping, critiquing and re-taping, Mrs. C's class was ready to share the following video:

The students were very excited to get a video back from a 1st grade at DPS.  In the video, the students from DPS showed their knowledge of Call and Response form through the song "Down By The Bay."  Bainbridge and Mill Road students loved seeing that other schools sing the same songs we do.  Watching the video also reminded the students about the work we have done on Call and Response form.

Shoo Fly!

2nd Graders at Bainbridge and Mill Road recently used the folk song "Shoo Fly" to experience ABA form.  After learning the song, we brainstormed ways to change the B section as a whole class.   The next week the students were put into groups of 3-5 students with the challenge to create a motion and lyrics for a new B section.

During the task the students were given only 2 minutes to work as a team to create their new B section.  After brainstorming and developing their idea, all of the groups performed their B section during a group practice.  We then gave each group a chance to perform their arrangements.  Take a look at some of the fun ideas they came up with!

Tasks such as this help to stretch the students' ability to use 21st century skills such as collaboration, creativity and critical thinking, while also applying their musical knowledge and skills.

Thank you to Dr. Leigh Ann Garner for the inspiration for this activity!

Mill Road Elementary 2016 Carol Sing

On December 22nd, the 3rd graders at Mill Road Elementary helped to lead the school in our annual Carol Sing.  This year Mill Road Elementary has a super hero theme, so for our Carol Sing, I wrote an original script that incorporated the theme.  

"Super Hero Holiday" tells the story of Santa and Mrs. Claus before they became the traditional characters that we think of today.  In the beginning, Santa was 'Super Santa' and Mrs. Claus was 'Captain Claus', super heroes who's mission it was to save the world's toys from destruction! 

Super Santa soon realizes that the two super heroes have been fixing the toys of naughty children who do not take care of their toys and, in fact, there were nice children who did not have any toys at all.  Super Santa and Captain Claus decide to change their mission and deliver toys to the nice children of the world instead.  After changing their focus, they realized that they will not be able to complete the mission alone.  With each obstacle, they add more super heroes to their team (the reindeer and elves) until they are able to complete their mission of delivering toys to the nice children of the world.

39 students volunteered their time during several lunch recesses to practice dramatically reading the script.  Each 3rd grade class learned 2 songs, which were sung throughout the dramatic reading and the whole school participated in our sing-a-long intermission.  This year we had about 100 parents and community members in attendance.

Mrs. Dibble's class opened the program by setting the scene with the song "North Pole, North Pole" by Teresa Jennings.

Mrs. Dibble's class also learned an interlude on the orff instruments (xylophones) that I composed!  The whole class initially learned the melody part on the orff instruments.  Then Boom Whacker harmony, bongos and cabasa were added.  After several sessions of practice, students were selected to play the different parts of the interlude every time a new super hero was introduced in the story.

Mrs. Tuell's class performed "Teamwork" by John Riggio as Captain Claus tried to convince Super Santa to add more team members to complete their mission.

 

After the whole school sing-a-long, Mrs. Tuell's Class performed "Hip Hop Elves" by Teresa Jennings.  Several students were selected to play Boom Whackers during an interlude.

After the super hero team assembles the toys, Mrs. Burkett's class performed "Santa Claus is on His Way" by Teresa Jennings.  Several students were selected to play the Boom Whackers for this song as well.

Mrs. Burkett's Class closed the show with "A Super Celebration" by Teresa Jennings.

The 3rd graders at Mill Road are to be applauded for a wonderful performance!  Hard work and dedication were evident in all aspects of the show!  A big 'Thank You' goes out to Mrs. Irvin's son, Justin,  for being our Videographer!

2016 Bainbridge Carol Sing

This year Bainbridge Elementary has an ocean theme and as in years past, our 3rd graders made use of the school theme to share a holiday message during our annual Carol Sing.  This year I borrowed the text for our play from a picture book, something that I have not done before.

Act 1 of our Carol Sing was based on Deborah Diesen's book The Pout Pout Fish, a story about a glum fish who learns that he has the power inside himself to change how he feels.  Mrs. Stough's 3rd Grade Class opened the first act with the song My Friends in the Sea by Teresa Jennings.

Readers from Mrs. Stough's Class and Mrs. Hartranft's Class read The Pout Pout Fish in reader's theater style.  As the audience was introduced to the main character, Mr. Fish, Mrs. Stough's class performed a song with music written by myself and text taken from the story book.

All students learned the main Pout Pout Fish Song melody on orff instruments (xylophones).  We then added harmony parts on boomwhackers.  Students were selected to play the two different parts and then we rounded out the arrangement with a glockenspiel harmony, rain stick, ocean drum and cabasa.  Some students chose to focus on just singing the text.

Mrs. Stough's Class closed the first act with another Teresa Jenning's song: I'd Rather Be Happy.

Bainbridge students, faculty, staff and about 60 community members participated in a Christmas carol sing-a-long that acted as our intermission, before Mrs. Hartranft's Class took the stage.   Act 2 opened with Teresa Jenning's song Holiday of Music.
 

Next students from Mrs. Stough's class dramtically read  Deborah Diesen's book The Not Very Merry Pout Pout Fish.  In this story, Mr. Fish tries to find the perfect gift for his new found friends.  In the end he is encouraged to make is own gifts.

Much like Mrs. Stough's Class, Mrs. Hartranft's class first learned the melody to the song on orff instruments as an entire class.  We then added a bass metalophone ostinato and boomwhacker harmony and rounded out the arrangement with a glockenspiel harmony and finger cymbals.  The carol sing closed with song by Paul and Teresa Jennings called Reason for the Season.

Congratulations to both 3rd grade classes for the hard work they put in to our successful performance of "A Season with Mr. Fish."  A special 'thank you' goes out to our Carol Sing readers.  All 19 students volunteered their time during several lunch recesses to practice their parts.

Musical Pen Pals 2

The 2nd and 3rd grade students at Mill Road and Bainbridge were very excited to get their first video from our Musical Pen Pals at Donegal Primary School (DPS).  The first graders at DPS shared the song "Bingo" with Boomwhackers®.  My students enjoyed seeing students from another school and learning a new way to perform a familiar song.  The video also gave us a chance to discuss what makes a successful performance.

This week Mrs. Nein's 2nd Grade class at Mill Road finished their first pen pal video.  2nd Graders recently added the half note to their rhythmic knowledge.  The song "Deedle Deedle Dumpling" (Lois Choksy's Kodaly Method 1, pg. 204) was a great song to highlight this rhythm.  

  After learning the song, the students learned two different ostinati with body percussion.  They then transferred the harmonies to rhythm sticks and orff instruments.  After practicing the three parts, the students recorded their performance and discussed ways to improve their singing and instrument playing.  Below is the video we sent to our Musical Pen Pals at DPS.