And sadly, as much as this is the case, I'm guilty of the perpetual moving hamster wheel. What I mean is, I'm always thinking about school. I was beyond thrilled in July when on holidays at the lake, I went into a new dollar store and scored some super cool new classroom decor for a steal. I was really excited when a box arrived on my doorstep from Long & McQuade containing all the music my students will perform this year. This morning I spent a good couple of hours planning and prepping a new fun bulletin board for back to school (I'm thinking a huge painted Mr. Incredible with comic book star bursts saying "Music is Incredible"... got to find ways to appeal to boys particularly- what better way than through a superhero?) This is all proof positive that teaching is not a 10 month of the year, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. job. I challenge anyone who thinks that way to come hang out for a while.
I have to admit, the artistic/creative part of teaching elementary music (make no mistake, I'm a high school teacher by training and find it so much more instinctual for me), is one of the things I love the most. I've discovered how visual smaller children are. They respond so well to bright, beautiful spaces. I've learned they are more likely to take risks in an inviting space. I've learned that they love those things which are tactile and manipulatable. All these tools are not simply a matter of interior design, they really do go a long way to ensure that their learning is play based. The kids tend to forget that they are learning. Actually, when it comes right down to it, I'm sure high school students would respond well to this also, I just never seemed to have time for such things like that between festivals and musicals and concerts and trips and... and... and...
This week I've also devoted at least 10 hours crafting for school purposes. My friend Lisa came over for Stitch n' Bitch night. It had been a stretch of rather hot weather. You know, the kind of weather that is suffocating, and thus zaps you of all reasonable intelligence and energy. I had intended to get cracking on a rather wonderful lunch bucket for the boys. The pattern is a beauty, and seemed simple enough. But when Lisa arrived and I set out to do it, I stood there staring at the instructions with a glazed over look on my face. They may as well have been instructions for assembling Ikea furniture. I could not for the life of me figure out what to do. Sometimes you got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run. I walked away. But, one cannot waste an ever precious stitch n' bitch night, productivity was still required. I pulled out my enormous stash of felt and got working on a craft that is brainless, but time consuming.
One thing I've loved using with my kindergarten and grade 1 students has been felt songs and stories. They love them. I have no idea why more so than anything else, but they all delight in these things. I had my dad make me a large framed board, Ethan painted it for me and I used spray adhesive to cover one side with craft felt (yep, it is a family sweat shop that I run). Periodically I will cut out the pieces for a song or story that I use in class. My collection was small: I had done Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin, Five Green and Speckled Frogs (Raffi's version), Five Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Gate (Raffi again) and Must be Santa (good old Raffi gets a lot of love in my classroom).
Felt stories are super easy to make. Simply cut the shapes out of felt and you're done. And don't get me wrong, everyone knows I'm not artistic. With the world at our fingertips it is easy to find clip art and graphics that are easy to replicate. I like to add the details with fabric paint, and sometimes googly eyes or pom poms. Over the last few days I've added 5 felt sets to my small collection. I like to use felt bits for cumulative songs or stories (you know, ones that have lists in them ie... ho ho ho, cherry nose, cap on head, suit that's red, special night, beard that's white) or counting songs where you sing the same thing several times (ie. Five little... any number of things from pumpkins to frogs, to monkeys).
True to form, my own kids loved the sets I made. If I was a nice mum, I'd make a board for at home and some sets here, they'd love that. But it is time consuming, and I'm nothing if not too lazy to do the same thing twice. But one could very easily make a good at home version. An Ikea poster picture frame without glass would work nicely. Or a travel version on a small cookie sheet (oooh.... and that way one side could be a magnet board too!) would be fun too. If you have small kids, guaranteed this would be a hit. Or what a fun birthday gift- with the pieces in a fun little drawstring bag?! Endless possibilities with this project.
Here's the final tally of my work this week:
1) Chicka chicka Boom Boom (by Bill Martin)
2) Slippery fish (Charlotte Diamond)
3) There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
4) A Hunting We Will Go
5) Nativity set (to be used with Raffi's There Was a Little Baby)One website I've come across which had a bazillion template sets was www.makinglearningfun.com.
And after 10 hours of cutting and painting, suffice it to say I won't be doing any more felt stuff for a while. Albeit satisfying and cute, it is rather mind numbing too.
September is inevitable isn't it. And there is something to be said for routine. But tomorrow, I'm going to read a book.
Happy trails!
PS: My garlic is ready- woohoo! I do so love to garden...
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