Little Kids...

[Richardrichard9]

So for my community service, I am teaching elementary school kids music, general music and maybe a little instrumental.

Are there any teachers out there (or people who have experieces with teaching little ones) that would be able to tell me what to expect and prepare for?

I need to write a "plan of action" and I need to include challenges I intend on facing.

[Chadtuba]

The best advice I can pass along is what was passed along to me when I went into my first year teaching, the younger they are the more you need to keep them active and moving. With their short attention spans have about 3-4 different activities planned for a 30 minute class for K-2nd grades and 2-3 for 3rd and 4th graders. Also, play your tuba and make a big deal about it with the little ones. My younger students absolutely love it when I bring out "Big Daddy" to sing with them. Works pretty well, especially considering that I don't play piano very well.

I teach K-12 general, band, & choir but would so much rather be in a high school band room full time. I love little kids but I don't enjoy teaching little kids.

My advice for what it's worth.

[MartyNeilan]

50 minute periods when you are the only on in the classroom with 20 little ones are even more fun

[Chadtuba]

50 minute periods when you are the only on in the classroom with 20 little ones are even more fun

[Art Hovey]

Bring a baritone horn with you, and several mouthpieces for it.
Little kids often get a big kick out of honking on them, but you have to see that the mouthpieces are washed with soap and water between users. I caught a nasty case of strep throat from my son's first grade class because I just wiped off the mouthpiece with a clean hanky. -Not good enough!

[SplatterTone]

For the active involvement part, the use of tone chimes seems to work well for an introduction. It is an introduction to rhthym and counting, and the kid learns one or two notes for their chime(s). The thing is: You must have a set of tone chimes.

There is a wide variety of opinions about the recorder. It does present the student with a instrument capable of a bit more than two chromatic octaves without the requirement of learning an embouchure. So children can start on one with less pain and suffering (to both the player and the listener) sooner than they could start on a saxophone (for example). However, breath control and musicianship are still required to get good results. And there lies the rub. Teachers who know how to teach this get good results. Teachers who don't get bad results. And thus the wide variety of opinions.

I was reading recently about the ukulele gaining popularity in UK and pushing out the recorder. One has to wonder if the gain is substantial or just a news reporter scrounging for a story.

[tubatooter1940]

Bring a baritone horn with you, and several mouthpieces for it.
Little kids often get a big kick out of honking on them, but you have to see that the mouthpieces are washed with soap and water between users. I caught a nasty case of strep throat from my son's first grade class because I just wiped off the mouthpiece with a clean hanky. -Not good enough!

Reminds me of a Christmas gig we played at the local Montessori school. Right after we finished, a kid who was solid boogers from his nose to his tummy from a big ole sneeze, asked to blow my tuba. I asked him what he really wanted for Christmas. By the time he finished telling me, it was time for him to go.

[MartyNeilan]

Didn't you know? Any convict that can turn on a radio can teach music...

Nah, that would be overqualified. My son spends more time coloring in his music class than doing music.

[The Big Ben]

Community Service for what? In my old neighborhood that usually came as part of a conviction in court!!!!

Didn't you know? Any convict that can turn on a radio can teach music... What the hell, they've already been fingerprinted...

I will stand up for RichardRichard:

Many high schools (including the one I teach in) require a certain amount of community service in order to graduate. Some of it can be things like organizing food drives and visiting the old farts at a rest home but some of it needs to be in the student's future field.

Of course, he could be a criminal, too. Wouldn't be the first tubaman behind bars...

[bearphonium]

Richard,
You might consider some of the exercises in "The Breathing Gym", especially when the little ones loose their attention. Almost any exercise where you exercise concious control of your breathing will calm you down.

My nephew did much the same thing for his community service as a component for his graduation, and determined that he did NOT want to be a teacher.

Ally

[Richardrichard9]

Yes, mine is one of the highschools that do require 20 hours of community service, and an oral presentation to graduate.

I also found out It is going to be 3rd graders.