Karen, how did the wikkis work?
I have a mainstreamed (into specials) special needs kid who has been dying!
to play recorder. So .... (dread dread), I gave her one with the wikkis on
it and she can't even figure out how to cover the holes. I think I'm going
to be in deep ear doo doo.............

I have another little guy who swears and so does Mom that he practices. I
doubt that it's very useful practice.... but not to call them liars. So he
gets the wikkis tomorrow on bag. If that works, I'll add E and D. We'll
see.........

I'm wondering if this actually works.

On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 2:42 PM, wrote:

> Today, a couple of my kids said they still had trouble using the corn
> cushions, and I think it was because they had to press harder, so I switched
> to the Wikki sticks. I'm anxious to see how it works. If nothing else, that
> sticky feeling might help. (I had one kid who kept complaining his fingers
> "slid" off). These are some older kids who are new and have developmental
> and learning issues anyway.
> Sue, don't give up! There IS a solution. It might not be perfect, and some
> of these kids might not play up to speed, but it's OK to adapt. With some,
> the sense of accomplishment is worth it. I've been at this current building
> going on 6 years, and have had blind students, deaf students, Down's
> students, and other students of various disabilities and issues, and there
> IS a way:-) There is always a way. It's just not always the obvious way! :-)
> That's why this list and the K-8 list is so awesome.
> Karen Stafford
> ---- Kay Humbert wrote:
> > We use mathematical equations (I forget where I got this idea - it wasn't
> > mine, though) for fingerings:
> > { "Thumb + one = B, Thumb + one + two = A; Thumb + one + two + three+ G,
> > etc." }
> > My fourth grade students love to recite these!
> >
> > Another idea I use is having the students keep their fingers over the
> holes
> > for "G" (or another note we're working on) while I am giving
> instructions.
> > When I am finished talking, we compare "recorder warts" and I let them
> show
> > them off to their neighbors. If they don't have recorder warts, they are
> > not pressing hard enough. I also have them show me their 'warts' when
> they
> > come up for belt tryouts.
> >
> > I try to find holiday or seasonal colors of yarn on Hobby Lobby's
> clearance
> > rack. For about $1.00, I get a whole skein of some funky colors to use
> for
> > special belts. I used black and whtie yarn with an orange thread
> running
> > through it for students who mastered "Skin and Bones" for Halloween last
> > year -- "Skeleton Belt"
> >
> > Our Thanksgiving song is "For Health and Strength" (low D to High D'!)
> and I
> > call the belt our 'Cornucopia belt' because it has many colors like a
> > cornucopia. Goofy, I know.
> >
> > Last year, we had a Palm Sunday - varigated green belt - for students who
> > mastered "Sing Hosanna" by John Angotti. He visited our school and we
> > played it for him! You could call it a spring or frog belt if you're in
> a
> > public school and use a spring song.
> >
> > Kay
> >
> > Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 7:58 PM, Sue Roessel Dura wrote:
> >
> > > Thanks Martha Stanley for asking about this (below). I don't know the
> > > answer to
> > > yours, but it brings up mine ;-) I notice that some kids just cover
> the
> > > holes
> > > and others are a mess. Some give up before they get it; others never
> give
> > > up,
> > > finally get it and can then play everything we've learned so far. So I
> > > never
> > > give up on them.
> > >
> > > My theories:
> > >
> > > Their grip is so tight it causes the leaks.
> > >
> > > They don't feel the holes.
> > >
> > > They think that 'a' means only putting finger 2 down and they can
> forget
> > > about 1
> > >
> > > Their thumb doesn't stay in place.
> > >
> > > Their recorder is not held properly, causing fingers to wiggle away
> from
> > > where
> > > they belong.
> > >
> > > Their hand position is not conducive to keeping holes covered.
> > >
> > > Their other fingers are curled or tense and pulling the 'working'
> fingers
> > > away
> > > from their holes.
> > >
> > > I check for all of these and have devised 'solutions', but can you
> think of
> > > anything else that might be addressed?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Tue, 3 Nov 2009 18:19:53 -0500, you wrote:
> > >
> > > >After reading about putting wikkistix (sp?) or bendaroos around the
> holes
> > > of
> > > >the recorder for kids who are having physical trouble covering them, I
> > > >finally bought some.
> > > >I put the .... well, they're thin twine covered with wax and kids use
> them
> > > >to make sculptural items..... stuff around the top 4 holes of my
> recorder
> > > >to try it out.
> > > >
> > > >Okay - I get the feeling. What I want to know is ... is there
> anything
> > > else
> > > >I should know or should tell the kids who try this?
> > > >Language used, etc.?
> > > >
> > > >I think it's gonna work.
> > > ------------------------------------------------------------
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> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Mrs. Kay Humbert
> > Music Teacher
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > Hosted by Plank Road Publishing: http://www.recorderclassroom.com
> > List Administrator: list_admin@recorderclassroom.com
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> > https://www.recorderclassroom.com/recl/list.php
> >
>
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>


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