Paterson Music Project: February 2013

It is hard to believe that we are in our FOURTH week! We had a lovely visit today from Tricia Tunstall who graciously took pictures for us and helped out with bow holds and finding notes on the staff. Students have learned so much in such a short amount of time. It's hard for us (Terrence, Shanna, and I) to always realize the progress the students have made because we see them three times a week and do the hard and detailed work with them. But Tricia pointed out that they have really come so far in less than a month. They are playing their instruments, reading notes on the staff, reading rhythms, creating their own musical patterns, singing solfege, and learning about composers. Having students three times a week (some El Sistema programs meet much more!) and having small class sizes does wonders. We are starting to know the students' personalities and learning modalities. It has been so much fun and such an exciting and rewarding experience for us as teachers. So many stories and many more to come! Take a look at the pictures from today (click on them to expand and watch as a slideshow).

Students learning bow holds- showing their bow "coyotes".

Today the students sang a song for their parents at a parent meeting. We treated it like a formal performance. They worked on a simple song for two classes. They learned the rhythm and solfege of the song. We added buckets & drumsticks and motions. We prepped them for how to behave on stage, how to bow, how to smile, and how to follow a conductor. We told them that only the "best of the best" can go on a stage and perform. They did excellent.

Today marks the end of week two. In the beginning of the program, we- the teachers, had considerable trouble with behavior. Students were excited, enthusiastic, and crazy. Most of them had never had music before. They didn't know what to do with themselves, how to act, or what to expect. Over the past few classes, we have figured out how to channel this excitement into productivity and create a controlled classroom environment. The biggest factor is having a routine and creating motivation. The students begin class with hello song and snack. Two specially appointed "snack ambassadors" (a highly contended position) hand out snack. The students then go on to work on solfege and rhythm. We have also been breaking them into their newly assigned instrument groups. They are full of anticipation for the arrival of all of their instruments (next week!) after having been measured for their proper sizes. Today, it seemed as if we had really begun to hit our stride as a group with expectations, routine, teacher-students roles etc.

I wondered if amidst the chaos and excitement of the first two weeks if the students had learned that much. I found out today that they've learned a lot. I was practically floored when I reviewed the solfege notes they know so far (do, re, mi, sol, la) and found out that they could tell me the order of the notes and the accompanying hand signs. I discovered that they could sing the intervals properly up and down if I gave them a starting pitch. They notated the rhythm of the song "Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Bear" today, with ease. I actually skipped steps in my lesson plan! They just began singing it using our rhythm words without me asking (jello, jello, jello, blue). They figured out the beginning and ending solfege notes to their song "Here Comes a Bluebird"- even though we haven't gone over the solfege for it yet.

And then, when they sang for the parents- however simple, silly and short the song was, they nailed it! After all of the behavior issues, slow transitions, and lectures about being the "best of the best", something clicked. Their parents were proud. They were proud. They stood, they bowed, they smiled. Just like we practiced. I can only imagine what this means for when they get their instruments. This is why I say, these are the days that make it all worth it.