Everyone's situation is different. What works well for one will be
problematic for another. =20

I have found third graders to be squeak-prone, uncoordinated, and =
generally
confused. G is a real challenge for some of them. HOWEVER, the =
motivation
of Recorder Karate gets them to rise above. In a 10-12 week unit (we =
have a
7-day rotation) I am able to get most 3rd grade classes through the =
Orange
Belt and about 1/4 to 1/3 of them get a Green Belt (if I'm very =
generous).
This sets them up for the following year when their fingers have grown =
and
their coordination is better. I let them pick up where they left off =
for
belts, but I spend lots of time reviewing.

Now for integrating RECORDER CLASSROOM. First of all, I've found this to =
be
a terrific addition to my toolkit. "B Cool" can be played by the =
slowest
3rd grade class, and they are very proud of themselves when they do it. =
I
duplicated the songs I wanted to use and laminated a set so they don't =
get
mangled during the 42 classes I teach in a rotation :-(. I make copies
available for interested students who want to practice them.

I hope it's not sacriligious to mention that I use some material from =
Jim
Tinter in the same way. Kids love "Hot Cross/Merrily Mambo" and "Desert
Rider" is an all-time favorite. I use these tunes with older (4th/5th)
students and at the end of the unit with 3rd grade.

This is pretty sketchy, but I think it gives the general idea. RECORDER
KARATE is a powerful tool and is the basis for everything I do with
recorders. I supplement with Recorder Classroom and other materials
(including Artie Almeida's "Recorder Express", "Do It! Play Recorder", =
and
"Recorder Excellence". I think my parents and administration feel I am =
very
successful both in motivating kids and teaching them about music through
recorders.

James W Estes
8952 SE Retreat Drive=20
Hobe Sound, FL 33455
772-419-8704
jameswestes@comcast.net

-----Original Message-----
From: list@recorderclassroom.com [mailto:list@recorderclassroom.com] On
Behalf Of tusing4us@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2009 11:34 PM
To: list@recorderclassroom.com
Subject: Re: [RECL]All Recorder Classroom downloads available for V1/4!

Okay all you fancy smancy people with overhead projectors, document =
readers
and white boards --- I am still working with the chalk board and no =
overhead
projector. =A0Tsk, tsk on the monster principal who ordered a lot of =
white
boards with our music monies and left me the old chalkboard. She used my
position to get her those white boards for her teachers and left me out. =
=A0So
I have to kick the can to the road and get over it.I've already told the
music department of her shinanigans. But that's one school and I have 4
others. Every day I go to a different school which usually puts me in
auditoriums. =A0



How I teach recorder is the way i've been doing it for years. =A0Knock, =
knock
on my head. =A0Let's open the brain up for these new magazines. =A0Let's =
even
move myself into Recorder Karate. I've had RK for many years but am now
about to use it. =A0Not only do I move my things into a new room but I =
also
have to leave with all my stuff packed into my car at the end of the =
day. =A0I
do not teach recorders all day but these classes are couched into my
non-recorder general music classes plus a 4/5 choir. There is a 5 minute
break between classes....and folks my brain at this point can only =
handle
what I've always been doing...most of which comes from Denise Gagne's
recorder books. =A0




So how am I adding Recorder Classroom into my whirly world? =A0What can =
I do
to get started? =A0This past week I have a very slow 3rd grade =
class.=3D2 0=A0Try
as I might I only have one person who can play BAG for Hot Crosss Buns. =
=A0So
I've tried to introduce MK8's BA Cowboy. =A0How did I do this? =A0I =
played the
cd several times for them to guess what the music was going to be about.
=A0Then I worked on the pattern rhythms. =A0That's all I could get to in =
30
minutes. =A0I can't do Recorder Karate with these children because after =
4
half hour lessons their fingers aren't coordinated to hit a G. =A0




I did the rhythms on the board because I didn't think them ready for a =
xerox
copy. =A0Okay if I could depend on having an overhead projector I would =
use a
transparency but I often can't count on it. =A0The issue with the =
transparency
is I have to go find the overhead projector and push it into the =
auditorium.
=A0Nothing is easy except for what comes out of my mouth with my hands =
and a
recorder. =A0




I think I should be doing Artie's Recorder Hike but I'm not reallly =
clear. =A0




Thanks for reading this far. =A0

Ellie=A0













-----Original Message-----
From: M Stanley
To: Recorder_Classroom
Sent: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:53 am
Subject: Re: [RECL]All Recorder Classroom downloads available for V1/4!








I found my doc camera very helpful. I also made a ppt of Dolphin =
Dreams.
That way the kids are reading a score. I used this to (re)introduce 1st =
and
2nd endings.

I also found it useful to hand
out scores, have them decode the notes, and then just work through it a
little a time AFTER studying the score for repeats, patterns, etc.

Martha Stanley, NBCT
www.marthabeesmusic.com
The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas first!


> >Now I need hand holding to even begin working with my students with=20
> >this
> magazine series.
> >
>
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=20




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