Hi, Jennifer,
I'm going through my spiel this week for kids who just got their recorders. You may choose to do this in a different order...Is this helpful?
1) LEFT HAND - I really go over this. There is always someone who thinks they play better with their right hand on top. It's because they practice that way! Stories of the boy who said he couldn't play with his right hand on top until he started playing the saxophone - then he had to! No belts or beads if they play with right hand on top! I ned to find Recorder Classroom's picture of the Renaissance era man using his left hand on top! It's in one of those folders...

2) WARM AIR - try blowing onto your hand - is it cold? Now open your mouth and gently pretend you're fogging up a mirror. What temperature? For recorders we want warm air. Can you blow like this, but still get warm air? Oops, mine was too cold, I'll try again...
3) OK, show me your Left Hand. Put the thumb on the back. Do you see the B? That's for Baroque. This is a Baroque recorder, not German. It's been around since the time of kings and queens.
4) Now, place your LEFT index finger on the first hole. FAT, FLAT, FLABBY fingers. (Got that from the MK8 list, I think.) No piano fingers. Really cover the holes?

5) Blow gently.
Demo blowing a bit too hard and then lighter and ask them to blow more gently. Go CRAZY if they sound good already.

6) Listen and see if you can tell what I'm doing differently.
First I blow "hoo hoo hoo" and then "too too too" Can anyone hear the difference? What did I do differently. (Get variety of answers.) I "toohed".
Practice TRAIN GAME. DEMO: hold recorder vertically in front of self, say t-t-t-t- and move recorder around in a circle and when it's back in front of your mouth blow "Too too".

CLOSET SPEECH: Put your recorder on your knees. Tell your mama that you just got your recorder and you're a beginner, but you're going to be great. (Demo "Amazing Grace" or "Hot Cross Buns". Ask her where she wants you to practice. She might say "Go to your bedroom, close the door, go in the closet, close the door and play quietly!") Or she might say,"Oh, honey you can play right here for me." Then she might say, "Go into your room, close the door..." Or outside? Your neighbor might say "Go to your room..." Or is your garage safe? NOT IN CAR, BUS, HALLWAY. Teachers can take these away for as long as they want.

CLEAN SPEECH: If someone borrows your recorder or asks to borrow it, you have permission to scold them! Germs, etc. How to clean at home.

Practice playing "B, A" at home. It took me a whole month to get a good "G" - it helps me now to put my right hand at the bottom and push up a bit.

Next time I will listen to the ones who want to demo "B, A, G" and put B, A, or whatever they sound great on in their gradebook when they master it. They need to "tooh", articulate, use LH, blow gently and have good tone. I won't test anyone on "Hot Cross Buns until January. We'll spend the next couple months reviewing reading lines and spaces, reading BA exercises and songs, and each third grade class will learn a holiday piece... I know 4 good ones - I need 3 more...

That's skipping the whole "how to get them to buy a recorder and which one to get, etc." part of it...

Linda Z from Florida

----- Original Message -----
From: JENNIFER RODDY
To: list@recorderclassroom.com
Sent: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:53:52 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [RECL]Hi Everyone!

Hi Martha,
Nope I'm note related to an Ardie. sorry!
Thanks for the welcome!

Jennifer Roddy
Music Teacher and Choir Director

St. Andrew's School of Math and Science
30 Chadwick Drive
Charleston, SC 29407
(843)763-1503
Fax # (843)769-2594
www.ccsdschools.com

Excellence is our Standard

>>> M Stanley 10/24/09 12:47 PM >>>
Are you by any chance related to Ardie?

And welcome!!

On Sat, Oct 24, 2009 at 11:20 AM, JENNIFER RODDY <
jennifer_roddy@charleston.k12.sc.us> wrote:

> Hello!
> I'm new to the list. My name is Jennifer and I teach in Charleston, SC.
> I plan on teaching recorders for the first time this school year.
>
> Have a great day!
> Jennifer
>

--
Martha Stanley, NBCT
www.marthabeesmusic.com
The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas first!
------------------------------------------------------------
Hosted by Plank Road Publishing: http://www.recorderclassroom.com
List Administrator: list_admin@recorderclassroom.com
To send a message to the list: send it to list@recorderclassroom.com
To subscribe/unsubscribe, visit:
https://www.recorderclassroom.com/recl/list.php


------------------------------------------------------------
Hosted by Plank Road Publishing: http://www.recorderclassroom.com
List Administrator: list_admin@recorderclassroom.com
To send a message to the list: send it to list@recorderclassroom.com
To subscribe/unsubscribe, visit:
https://www.recorderclassroom.com/recl/list.php