Music Matters

Edutopia: Opening Minds Through the Arts

2012-01-04T15:28:00.002-05:00

If only this were true everywhere.

Until next time...

Multi-Cultural Day 2011

2011-12-16T15:44:00.002-05:00

Each year at the conclusion of the Holiday Musical, the second-graders at Chets Creek spend a day digging deeper into the actual celebrations that were discussed while preparing for their musical. The Resource Team runs various centers throughout the day, each one covering one of the holiday traditions.

Yesterday, I spent the day in Israel teaching about Hanukkah. Yes...the Arab in Israel, speaking Hebrew and sharing the story of the Maccabees and their miraculous victory in battle over King Antiochus and his Syrian army over 2000 years ago. The people of Judah were outnumbered 100 to 1. (Not a great ratio, unless your god is the God of Israel.) Long story short, God worked several miracles on their behalf, one of which was multiplying the oil in their lamps when they returned home from the war. They had enough oil for one night, but God miraculously re-filled the oil for the next eight days. Hence, the "Festival of Lights" celebration we know as Hanukkah was born.

Take a peek into my center and see what transpired....

"Eight Days of Hanukkah" was playing while they entered the room. They couldn't see my laptop screen, but could hear the story of the Maccabees re-told through the song. Senator Orrin Hatch (Utah) wrote the song and had it recorded.

The story of Hanukkah

Dreidels

Playing the dreidel game

We concluded our time together with a

story entitled, "Light the Lights"

The other centers included the celebration of Kwanzaa, Parranda and the Christian Christmas story.

Until next time...

Once on a Housetop 2011

2011-12-13T15:36:00.003-05:00

'Tis the Season for Holiday Musicals and Performances!!

Tonight at 6:00 p.m., we conclude our holiday programming with "Once on a Housetop" performed by the classes of Mrs. Walag, Mrs. VanAlstyne, Mrs. Morgan, Mrs. Tsengas and Miss Evanko. They have worked very hard to provide you with a performance that is sure to delight!

This multi-cultural holiday musical written by Roger Emerson and John Jacobson takes place on several different housetops. Various holiday traditions are being celebrated and viewed through the eyes of a group of chimney-sweeps who are up on the rooftops cleaning chimneys. While they are taking care of business, they discover that not everyone celebrates the holidays in the same manner and it is an eye-popping experience for each of them.

"Once on a Housetop" 2011 on PhotoPeach

Last Thursday, the same musical was presented by the classes of Mrs. Metzger, Mrs. Morris, Miss Thomson and Mrs. McLeod. This Thursday, the entire grade level will celebrate "Multi-Cultural Day" as a culminating event for this unit of study.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for all of the hard work that went into this production. You guys never cease to amaze me!!

Mr. Brooks, it was absolutely fantastic having you back in the house!! Thank you, Ms. Bailey for allowing him to come!!

Until next time...

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

2011-11-24T19:54:00.000-05:00

I'm sure there was music performed somewhere along the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route in New York City today, but I thought it quite fitting that my sister took a picture of Spiderman and e-mailed it to me from the bleachers. How thematic of her!!

Happy Thanksgiving, Superheroes!!

Until next time...

McKenzie's Run 2011

2011-11-21T20:04:00.000-05:00

Let's see....this year, I've done the Wolfson Children's Hospital 5-miler, the Winter Beach Run (4-miler), I was a Running Buddy in the "Girls on the Run 5K" last spring, I ran to support the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra in April, I did the GREEN (Eco-Friendly Builders) Run in June at the request of my cousin, the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Cancer Care run over Labor Day weekend, the Komen Race for the Cure in October and this past weekend, McKenzie's Run 2011. As I was flipping through my calendar to chronicle the above, I realized that I had invested time, money and energy to support a cause at least ten times this year. That's almost once a month! I had no idea!!

The McKenzie Noelle Wilson Foundation raises money to help children succeed in life, whether it is the orphanage they built in Africa or the McKenzie Academic Resource Center (MARC) at Portside in Jacksonville, Florida. It is such a blessing to take part in something that ultimately blesses others.

Chets Creek had a team of walkers and runners who participated in the event on Saturday. My sister and I were proud to be a part of it. If you would like to contribute to the ongoing work of this young lady's foundation, visit http://www.caregivegrow.org/. Her life was cut short, but her family turned tragedy into triumph and their efforts are making a difference.

Paulette and Dee Dee

Everbank Field

November 19, 2011

Until next time...

WVU Armed Forces Salute 2011

2011-11-18T19:08:00.002-05:00

The West Virginia University's Marching Band out-did themselves with their tribute to Veterans past and present. Check out their half-time show honoring each branch of the Armed Forces. If you can figure out what the formation is for the US Coast Guard, please leave me a comment at the end of the post. It looks like an upside down ship to me. I assume they were playing to the other side of the stands.

This is what I saw as I watched the program:

Army (a moving tank)
Coast Guard (an upside down ship)
Marines (an eagle)
Air Force (a fighter jet)
Navy (a submarine)
USA (Great Seal of the United States with flag)

What a great show!! I cannot begin to comprehend how many hours of rehearsal went into that program. It was phenomenal!!

Until next time...

Syncopation Lesson

2011-11-08T19:55:00.001-05:00

Teaching the concept of syncopation is not an easy task. One must start with the basics of steady beat and progress through the process with the students. If you can help them understand that syncopation is nothing more than shifting the beat from the strong beat to a weak beat, they'll get it. They may feel it in their bodies long before their brain figures out what's going on with the beat.

Today, I used a rhythmic piece by Bob DeFrece called, "Mouth Sound Piece." I taught it by rote (on the syllable "choo") and we determined that lines 1, 2 and 4 were exactly the same. Line 3 was complimentary, but was unlike the other three lines. After labeling the syncopated portion with the syllables "syn-co-pa," I asked the students to work in groups to try to lay out the rhythmic pattern of the piece. They never saw it written down. They had to use their memory, auditory skills and rhythmic reading abilities to accomplish the task.

working in groups

tah, tah, ti-ti tah, syn-co-pa-tah (rest)

syn-co-pa, syn-co-pa, syn-co-pa tah tah

tah, tah, ti-ti tah, syn-co-pa-tah (rest)

So proud of their finished product!!

Until next time...

Duct Tape Diva

2011-11-08T19:13:00.001-05:00

This post has absolutely nothing to do with music and everything to do with my principal who will go to great lengths to get her students to read. Last year, during our 25 Million Word Campaign, Mrs. Phillips agreed to be duct-taped to the wall while reading books. She was unable to fulfill her obligation due to her being "in the family way." Today, she made good on her promise.

For two hours, Mrs. Phillips was duct-taped to the wall in the lobby. Scores of children paraded by her while she read books. It was quite the sight. Matter of fact, I've never seen anything like it. I admire this woman greatly. Her two hours on the wall had to be squeezed in between three different awards ceremonies celebrating our honor students and outstanding citizens from the first quarter. I'm still not sure when she ate lunch (or if she even got to eat lunch today).

She is such a good sport - all in the name of literacy. I tried to capture her in photos, but they just don't do her justice. I didn't realize duct tape came in so many different colors. Our PE coach strapped her in with several strands of University of Florida-colored duct tape. The problem is that she's a Clemson fan and I'm afraid our Coach is going to pay dearly for that decision. Ah well....

Mrs. Phillips - The Duct Tape Diva

How will she ever top this one?

Until next time...

All-State Elementary Chorus 2012

2011-11-05T20:06:00.002-04:00

The results are in...

Veteran Katie G. was selected to participate in the 2012 All-State Elementary Chorus for the second year in a row!!

Katie represented Chets Creek Elementary last year and will be heading to Tampa, Florida to perform with the top elementary singers from across the state in a joint concert at the Tampa Convention Center on Friday, January 13, 2012. Two-hundred fourteen students were chosen from six-hundred sixty-eight auditioned entries. We are so proud of her!!

Katie has matured into quite the young singer over the past year. She is currently performing with the Jacksonville Children's Chorus and loving the experience. You may have seen her concert today with Grammy Award-winning performer, David Holt. She's a great kid with a great talent. I can't wait for her music to arrive so I can begin preparing her for the concert in January. Congratulations, Katie!!

Until next time...

"Chart of Awesomeness"

2011-11-05T17:35:00.003-04:00

You may think this is simply a pocket chart with twenty rhythmic reading flash cards hanging on it. Maybe in another music teacher's classroom it is. However, in Mrs. Tamburrino's general music classroom, it has affectionately been dubbed "The Chart of Awesomeness."

Mrs. Tamburrino's "Chart of Awesomeness"

A former fifth grader decided that's what the rhythmic reading chart should be called and the name stuck. It is nothing more than a pocket chart hanging on a garment rack with wheels, but my students think it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Maybe it's the way I present the material...

I introduce rhythmic reading in third grade. I re-introduce it in fifth grade to help review and solidify information that was previously taught because my fifth-graders are given an end-of-course exam by the district in art, music and PE. The level of difficulty changes from the pre-reading cards (white ones) to the yellow ones. I teach them to perform the cards in three ways - a) using speech syllables ("tah" for quarter notes and "ti-ti" for two eighth notes) b) "say and play" which is an aural, visual and kinesthetic experience and c) counting on the numbers (which is the way real musicians do it).

I recently had a class successfully perform all twenty cards without error and the enthusiasm in the room was off-the-charts! They were the first third grade class to successfully complete the task this year. They were jumping up and down, screaming and hollering with glee, asking me if they could do it again (so we did it in reverse just for the challenge) and I gave each of them a stamp on the back of their hand as a token of my appreciation for their hard work. It was a day of rejoicing in the music room! Matter of fact, their excitement over their success brought me to tears. It's moments like these that make me show up for work every day.

Congratulations to the third grade class of Mrs. Smith and Ms. Tillis!!

You were truly a bright spot in my day!!

You Rock!!!

Until next time...

Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra 2011

2011-11-02T22:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, we loaded TEN school buses with 440 fourth/fifth graders, teachers and chaperones and headed downtown to the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts where we experienced a "live" orchestral concert by our very own Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. The concert was underwritten by Target and Duval County Public Schools provided bus transportation for our students. This concert is a gift; it costs us absolutely nothing. This "live performance" experience aligns with their curriculum and addresses several of the elementary music standards I am required to teach.

The program was entitled, "American Salute" and included patriotic favorites as well as music written by American composers including Bernstein, Joplin, Sousa, Copland, Gould, Grofe and John Williams. We celebrated our flag by singing "The Star Spangled Banner," joined the orchestra in a patriotic sing-along and ended the concert by listening to John Williams' "March from Superman." It was an exciting, engaging and interactive concert for my students and the teachers enjoyed it too!!

To adequately prepare the students for the performance, I taught a lesson which included a guided listening experience, a review of appropriate audience behaviors, a discussion related to the jobs of the concertmaster, the conductor, the performer, etc. and a writing assignment that required each student to fill-in the correct instruments on the orchestra's seating diagram. I delivered this instruction nineteen times in preparation for our field study.

Away we go...

On the bus...

Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

I am very grateful for this opportunity each time it rolls around. It isn't every day that kids get to dress up, drive downtown and listen to quality music in an acoustic setting performed by outstanding professional musicians. It is truly a gift.

Until next time...

Komen "Race for the Cure" 2011

2011-10-22T14:31:00.000-04:00

As promised, I ran the Komen "Race for the Cure" 5K in honor of my friend Jayne today. In August, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She's been in the hospital all week; her last chemo treatment was the worst yet. She has three more to go and then radiation treatments will begin. Today, I ran for Jayne.

My sister, Paulette, ran the race with me in honor of our mutual friend Ann. Ann recently finished her chemo and is moving on to the next step in her course of treatment.

I've run this race 4 or 5 times, but I have never plastered someone's photo on my back and carried them with me during the race - until today. This time, it hit much closer to home. Five thousand people united for a cause. It was pretty cool!!

My race bib

My timing chip

Soul Sisters - Dee Dee and Paulette

We love you Jayne and Ann!!!!

Until next time...

Fifty Nifty United States

2011-10-14T17:42:00.003-04:00

Today was flag-raising at Chets Creek Elementary. This is the only time we can get the entire student body and our faculty all in the same place at the same time. The ceremony usually includes our safety patrols, my principal and me. I am in charge of running the sound and playing the pre-show and exit music. Today, however, I thought it would be fun to include one of my classes performing a song.

At the beginning of the year, Mrs. Rossignol asked me to teach "Fifty Nifty United States" to all third grade students hoping that it would support their curriculum, help them learn the names of our 50 states and also provide us with a performance piece for their third grade musical in the spring. Miss Lipsky's class embraced this song and ran with it!

Mrs. Tamburrino with Miss Lipsky's class

The song is listed in the fifth grade "Music Connection" textbook, but they didn't seem to mind that it was two grade levels ahead of them. I divided the song into three sections because it's wordy and the tempo is rather upbeat. Sometimes it takes four rehearsals to master it, but this class did it in three. I saw no reason not to showcase their efforts, so I cleared the performance today with my principal and let them do their thing. Enjoy!!

Ms. Lipsky's 3rd graders sing at Flag Raising from Chet the Eagle on Vimeo.

I heartily congratulate them on their efforts!! My sister, Denise, would be very proud!!

Until next time...

MENC is now NAfME

2011-10-09T15:39:00.000-04:00

I always get a little nervous when organizations change their branding. I don't like it when companies change their products' packaging any more than I like it when grocery stores move things around on the shelves so that it creates a new traffic pattern for their shoppers in the hopes that they will buy more than planned on this particular shopping trip. It frustrates me; REALLY frustrates me.

As of this year, Music Educators National Conference has a new name. We are now the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Our organization has been around for 104 years. It seems that only recently, our former name has become a problem. The association's original name, "Music Supervisors National Conference," became "Music Educators National Conference" (MENC) in 1998. Since that time, as music educators have had to address policy-makers, they were "spend[ing] too much precious time explaining why our initials did not match our name." Hence the reason for our organization's re-branding.

Michael Butera, NAfME executive director, said, "National Association for Music Education says exactly what the Association stands for -- an organization for music education for everyone, an association that supports music teachers and the profession of music education, a group that isn't inward-looking and static but outward-reaching and forward-thinking." (Teaching Music: October 2011, Volume 19, Number 2; Page 13).

Because of the name change, the executive board felt it was necessary to lay out a Long-Term Strategic Plan that encompassed four overarching strategic directions: 1. Advocacy 2. Serving the profession and the music educator 3. Research 4. Organizational vitality.

"Music is a universal expression of the human spirit, a basic human need," the Preamble states. "It allows us to communicate our deepest ideas and feelings, to explore and preserve our cultural heritages, and to celebrate the realms of emotion, imagination, and creativity that result in new knowledge, skills, and understanding. Every individual should be guaranteed the opportunity to learn music and to share in musical experiences." (Teaching Music: October 2011, Volume 19, Number 2; Page 12).

With that position statement, I heartily agree. No one should be denied the opportunity to make music, to listen to music, to enjoy music and to experience that 'stirring of the soul' that music provides for us. It is part of our humanity.

Until next time...

Preparing for the Komen

2011-10-01T22:02:00.000-04:00

4-mile training run completed

Saturday, October 1, 2011

It's that time of year again. The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For the past several years, my sister has asked me to run the Susan G. Komen "Race for the Cure" with her. This is a 5K run that takes place in downtown Jacksonville. This year, the race will be held on Saturday, October 22nd at 9:00 a.m. at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds.

I've never run for anyone in particular. However, this year, I will don my pink wig and run in honor of one of my dearest friends on the planet. Jayne was diagnosed with breast cancer back in August. She just completed her 4th round of chemo last week. I made her a promise and I intend to keep my word to her.

Today I completed a 4-mile training run. The weather was brisk and I ran my best personal time yet. I am hoping for cool weather on the 22nd. (It's much easier to take the Acosta Bridge when the humidity levels are lower.)

Stay tuned for race photos...

Exit Tickets

2011-10-01T21:40:00.001-04:00

The Exit Ticket

The Exit Ticket (sometimes called an exit slip) is being used in the music room this year to ensure that the students in my classroom are leaving with an understanding of the concept that was presented during the lesson. I am currently implementing the Exit Ticket in grades 1-5. My Exit Ticket was designed to accommodate answers to ten "Essential Questions" that will be asked throughout the course of the year in each of these grade levels. The questions are content-specific for each grade level and are proving to be a very useful tracking tool as my students work towards mastery of the content.

Essential Question #1: The photo above shows the seating diagram for the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. My 4th and 5th graders are preparing for a field study to attend a "live" performance in November and will be well-acquainted with the seating plan for the orchestra by that time. On the back of the yellow sheet, there is a blank seating diagram.

Their first assignment was to fill out the blank side by using the pictures of the instrument families on the front side of the paper. I allotted 15 minutes for this "Essential Question" and most of them were able to complete the task in that amount of time. They were allowed to use the "Instrument Family" posters in my classroom as a resource. Some were able to complete the assigment from their chairs; others needed to use the posters on the wall to complete the assignment. It was a good indicator of who knew their "instrument families" and was an excellent opportunity for review.

If all goes as planned, I will have a portfolio of student work for 1200 students at the conclusion of this school year. Unprecedented? I'm not sure, but I will do my best to see that this method of accountability is met with perseverence and due diligence on my part. I am hoping for 80% mastery across the board. Please stay tuned.

Until next time...

Spirit of America

2011-09-25T16:53:00.004-04:00

Last night, I witnessed one of THE most spectacular patriotic presentations I have ever seen in my life!!

My family attended the U.S. Army's "Spirit of America" program and we were blown away by the extravagant sets, costumes, live animals, extraordinary musicians and singers, drill teams, soldiers, multi-media presentations, etc. I am at a loss for words to describe what we saw, heard and felt last night.

The tickets were free. The place was packed. Our country's history was presented in living color. The Department of the Army completely outdid themselves. It was so moving it is still hard to describe.

In the first hour, we were taken back to the days of the Continental Congress and brought right up to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There were hundreds of veterans in the audience and I hope they felt honored by what they saw and heard last night. We sang patriotic songs that brought all of us to our feet. We were moved to tears. We cheered and cheered. We celebrated America and what it means to be an American in a grand way. It was awesome!!

SPIRIT OF AMERICA Cast

The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps

Official Escort to the President

U.S Army Drill Team

The U.S. Army Orchestra

The orchestra opened the show and in the second hour of the presentation, we enjoyed outstanding music from The U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own), The U.S. Army Band Downrange (contemporary group) and The U.S. Army Concert Band. I wonder if the Navy and the Air Force have a show like this? I'd love to get a glimpse of America's history through their eyes.

Kudos to all the parents and teachers who brought their children to this program. It was truly outstanding!

Until next time...

The Making of a Memory

2011-09-16T12:00:00.031-04:00

My PE coach sent me an e-mail asking if she could "borrow" my 5th grade classes for several days last week. I was told "it's a secret" and then she asked if she could use the music room for rehearsals.

It seems that she was putting together a Flash Mob dance that was going to take place during our school-wide flag raising ceremony on September 16th and our principal was not to know about it. She had asked two former students to choreograph the dance to "I've Got the Power!" All fifth grade students that wanted to participate learned the dance via video presentation in my classroom. They were told to bring a pair of sunglasses to flag-raising on Friday. The sunglasses were to enhance the "cool factor" for the dance.

We are a collegial bunch of educators and wholly supported this effort. The Art teacher and I helped with crowd control and technology support. Coach Bailey told the kids, "Hey - it's either this or ballroom dancing! Take your pick!!" They opted for the Flash Mob.

Coach Bailey giving instructions

Learning the dance

It was a Mob, alright!

Free Dance!!

They may not remember their FCAT scores a decade from now, but they will certainly remember the making of this memory. Bravo, Coach Bailey for thinking outside the box!!

Until next time...

Laundau Eugene Murphy, Jr.

2011-09-15T15:34:00.002-04:00

Over the last several months, children all over America have discovered a new music vocabulary word - CROONER. A crooner is hard to define, unless you've actually heard one. They are so "old school." The likes of Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Tony Bennett and Andy Williams have basically disappeared from the music scene. It is a rare thing to hear a current singer "croon." The only guy that comes to mind is Harry Connick, Jr. - and he doesn't get much airplay these days.

And then...there was Landau.

Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr., to be exact. He stole the competition on "America's Got Talent" this season. He was a humble man of humble means who is now a millionaire and will headline a show in Las Vegas next month. What an incredible journey....

Until next time...

All-State Auditions 2012

2011-09-11T08:59:00.001-04:00

In order for any of my students to audition for the All-State Elementary Chorus, I must pay my dues. They must be paid on time and I must attach myself to the elementary component of my professional organization. Only then can the audition process begin.

The parent organization is the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). The Florida Music Educators' Association along with its component affiliations (Florida Vocal Association, Florida Bandmasters Association, Florida Orchestra Association and the Florida Elementary Music Educators' Association) is the hosting organization that provides the All-State experience for our students.

Each January, thousands of music teachers from across the state of Florida converge in Tampa for professional development. Development opportunities are targeted towards your area of expertise. There are classes for string teachers, band teachers, chorus teachers and general music teachers. While we are taking classes, our students are working with clinicians in large ensemble settings preparing for a performance with several hundred other students. The performances occur at the conclusion of the conference. The All-State experience is a life-changing experience for its many participants, myself included.

Thirty-five years ago, I auditioned for one of those coveted spots in the chorus. I auditioned every year beginning in 8th grade and was selected to participate every year through my senior year in high school. It was a distinction no other kid had in Duval County. I truly believe I am doing what I do today because my music teachers believed in me and were willing to "pay their dues" and work with me. I owe them a huge debt of gratitude.

Last year, I decided it was time to honor my former music teachers. I selected one student. I had heard her sing during third-grade musical rehearsals. She had a bell-like quality to her voice and a good sense of pitch. My gut told me she would make it. I contacted her parents and they were very supportive. We put together an audition CD for her and mailed it by the deadline and then waited six weeks for a response. She was one of three Duval County Public School students selected for the chorus last year. She is now singing with the Jacksonville Children's Chorus and is planning to audition for La Villa School of the Arts next year.

Last week, I auditioned three young ladies for the All-State Elementary Chorus. I put their audition packet in the mail on Thursday. Now we wait.

Until next time...

Intentional Teaching

2011-09-01T06:47:00.007-04:00

We would all like to call ourselves "intentional teachers." What I mean by that is that we teach with a certain outcome in mind. Sometimes our students get it; sometimes they don't. It is our job to figure out why they didn't get it and what I could have done differently to reach my intended outcome with my students.

In fifth grade, I am currently working on an Orff piece entitled, "Tideo." The name doesn't ring any bells with me because it is a folk song from Texas (I grew up in Florida). The lyric is a lovely rhymed text, but it doesn't make much sense. The melody is quite catchy and singable for 11-12 year olds, but it won't win a Grammy. Let's take a closer look...

Pass one window Tideo;

Pass two windows Tideo;

Pass three windows Tideo;

Jingle at the window, Tideo.

Tideo, Tideo

Jingle at the window, Tideo;

Tideo, Tideo

Jingle at the window, Tideo.

My intent in teaching this piece is to re-acquaint my students with several elements of music including Time Signature, AB Form, Mi-Re-Do in the A-section, Mi-Sol-Do in the B-section, a rhythmic motive on the words, "jingle at the window, Tideo" (tika tika ti-ti ti-ti tah) and finally the transferrance of that information to body percussion and then to the Orff instruments in the back of my classroom.

You might ask, "How did you pull all of that out of 8 lines of text and a half-dozen pitches? " It is not easy, but this year in particular, I am having to teach the same content with much less student contact time. I am learning to make every minute count. There is no time to waste. The expectation has not changed; only the amount of time I have been given to move my students forward.

This year, I will intentionally choose material that will present several concepts at the same time. This year, I will stick to the elements of music because that is what they are tested on in second and fifth grade by the district. This year, I will use an "exit ticket" on which my students must respond to an "essential question" at the conclusion of their unit of study. This year, I will produce two musicals in half the rehearsal time. This year, I will teach recorder using a classroom set of instruments and teach three pitches instead of six. This year, I will do everything in my power to help singers make it to the All-State Elementary Chorus. This year, my students will learn because I will teach with the end in mind.

Until next time...

Empowering the Future

2011-08-14T06:52:00.001-04:00

Chets Creek Elementary – Empowering the Future! from Melanie Holtsman on Vimeo.

When I was a kid, my teachers were my heroes. Now I've been given the opportunity to empower the future with an extremely dedicated group of educators.

Join me as we begin our 2011-12 school year turning the ordinary, ho-hum of everyday school life into extraordinary opportunities to impart knowledge, teach new skills, create, participate, encourage, lift up and be there for kids. What an incredible gift! Our "Halls of Learning" are buzzing with excitement as teachers are due to report on Monday, August 15th.

With great anticipation...

KIPP School Jacksonville

2011-06-26T09:09:00.003-04:00

This morning, I was cruising through the Florida Times-Union with my morning cup of coffee and opened the opinion page to find a rather interesting article on one of Jacksonville's newest charter schools...the KIPP school on Jacksonville's northside. If you've lived in Duval County for any length of time, you are aware of the numerous disparities among its citizens. There are sections of town that are under-served in many areas; education, notwithstanding.

KIPP stands for "Knowledge is Power Program." If you "google" KIPP, you will find information regarding the program, its tenets, its structure, its mission, etc. KIPP is a college preparatory school. A normal school day for "KIPPers" begins at 7:20 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. Arts instruction is mandatory for every student. The article states that "these students have about 700 more hours of instruction during the school year than their public school peers. It's a hothouse of academic expectations." This is a public school. Neighborhood kids were recruited to attend this school.

My eye was drawn to the photograph that was included with the article. It showed a group of students sitting upright in their chairs with music stands in front of them, an open score on each stand and an instrument in every student's hand. Band is required at this KIPP school. "Every student is expected to participate. Principal Robert Hawke said it not only establishes a common theme for the students, but the process of learning a musical instrument produces the character traits of discipline, hard work and a beautiful outcome in the end." Thank you, Mr. Hawke, for affirming the importance of Arts education in your students' lives. You are to be commended.

With so much uncertainty swirling around those of us who have dedicated our lives to Arts education, it is most gratifying to see the value placed on this particular area of study in this particular learning environment. Kudos to the folks at KIPP!!

If you would like to enjoy the article for yourself, it can be found at www.jacksonville.com/opinion. The title of the article is "KIPP School Offers Hope in Northwest." Sunday, June 26, 2011.

Until next time...

Waterlogged

2011-06-24T14:45:00.002-04:00

As a kid, I spent three summers of my life swimming on the Ponte Vedra Swim Team. I rode my bike to the pool every day (3 miles roundtrip), swam laps for 1.5 hours and then pedaled back home. Practice started at 7:00 a.m. and this was a daily occurance throughout the course of the summer. I learned to swim all four competitive strokes (front crawl, back crawl, breast stroke and butterfly) plus two recovery strokes (sidestroke and elementary backstroke) and I won numerous ribbons, medals and trophies along the way.

Fast-forward 38 years.....

I am now a certified Red Cross Water Safety Instructor and am spending my days in the pool teaching swimming lessons. I currently have students ranging from 3 years of age to adult.

Working on the "flutter kick"

Learning the "back float"

Swimming through a hula-hoop

The sound of water splashing and the smell of chlorine excite me. I'm sporting my new summer "do" (short and sassy) and enjoying the privilege of working with kids in a completely different way.

Living the dream...

Korea's Got Talent 2011

2011-06-11T06:01:00.000-04:00

Meet Choi Sung-bong and listen with your heart.

"Beauty from ashes..." Isaiah 61:3

Until next time...

Field Days 2011

2011-06-09T14:40:00.002-04:00

You know it's getting close to the end of the year when folks start talking about "field days." When you've got six grade levels to cover and 1352 students, it truly takes "days" to git-r-done!

This year's field day experience was by far, one of the best ever! Coach Estrella Bailey and her team did a fantastic job of planning, organizing and delivering one of the most fun-filled events of the year. We are extremely grateful for the folks from the Mayport Naval Base who came out every day to assist. They were a huge help to us and we wouldn't have survived the experience without them.

On a personal note, I headed up the line-dancing station under the pavillion. Over a three-day period in 98-degree weather, we did the "Cha Cha Slide," the "Limbo," the "Macarena," the "Chicken Dance" and the "Hokey Pokey" forty-nine times!

Until next time...

Flag Retirement 2011

2011-06-08T08:18:00.004-04:00

Memorial Day is a day we honor those who have fallen in battle while protecting our freedom. It is a day of sadness for many and a day of hope for many others. I will never again be able to listen to the "Navy Hymn" without tearing up. My father was a Navy veteran who served in WWII. He passed away 11 years ago and his memory lives on in my mind and heart, especially while standing at attention and honoring our country's flag.

At Chets Creek, we retire the flags that have flown over our school in a ceremony prior to Memorial Day. With 200 patrols, honored guests, our entire learning community and parents lining the bus loop, it is a sight to behold. It is heart-warming and educational for our students. It is handled with dignity and honor by my principal. It provides us with a "moment of silence" in our hurried lives to reflect on the flag and the people it represents.

This year, I invited a trumpet player from the Fletcher High School Band to perform "TAPS" and one of my fourth graders to sing the "Star Spangled Banner." Both students performed exceptionally well and it was an honor to have them take part in the ceremony.

Jacob playing "TAPS"

"TAPS" is a bugle call that beckons us to remember patriots who served our country with honor and valor. Most people do not know that there is an actual lyric to this song, because it is always played by a brass player.

The lyrics are as follows:

"Day is done, gone the sun

From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;

All is well, safely rest

God is nigh"

Katie sang the "Star Spangled Banner"

Katie represented Chets Creek Elementary at the Florida Elementary Music Educators' Association conference in Tampa last January. She was part of a 114-voice choir that performed during our clinic and it was a pleasure to welcome her back to the podium to perform for us.

May they never be forgotten...

Until next time...

Year of Discovery

2011-05-19T08:39:00.002-04:00

In February, I turned fifty. Something happens to you when you turn fifty. You realize you've lived a half-century on the planet and you thank God for every breath He has allowed up to this point. You also realize that there are things on your "bucket list" that need your attention. This year, I decided to reinvent myself and do things I've wanted to do for many years but could never find the time, the money nor the energy to do.

In March, I took a trip to Holland to see a friend I hadn't seen in 14 years. She and I were missionaries in 1988 and 1989. We traveled the globe together singing and sharing our faith. Even though we currently live on separate continents, our hearts are and always will be knit together. We are kindred spirits in the truest sense of the word. My heart was to have my photo taken in a field of blooming tulips, but I was a little early this year. She had a back-up plan and made certain I had my "tulip experience" while there.

Eleonora and I in Amsterdam

Holland - Land of Windmills and Wooden Shoes

Keukenhoff Flower Park

My "Field of Tulips" at the Keukenhoff Flower Park

In April, I bit the bullet and completed a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor's course at UNF. This is something I have wanted to do for many years. It was a nine-day intensive course that worked me both physically and mentally. I am happy to report that I am now coaching six-year-olds and helping them get ready for their first swim meet on June 4th. I will also be teaching swim lessons this summer at the Aquatics Center at the University of North Florida.

In May, my neice invited me to share her birthday celebration with her in Orlando. She said she was going to "swim with the dolphins" and wanted me to join her. Last weekend, I had the experience of a lifetime at Discovery Cove in Orlando. As a kid, I wanted to be a marine scientist but I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to pass organic chemistry, I gave up the dream in high school. (Mathematics and Mrs. Tamburrino don't get along very well!) The dolphin experience at Discovery Cove was the next best thing.

Wetsuit Babes

"Paradise Found" in Orlando

February....March....April....May....Can't wait for June!!

Until next time...

My Little Buddy, Kevin

2011-05-18T09:19:00.003-04:00

Today was a first! My little buddy, Kevin, won the privilege of spending the morning with me. His mom bid on me during our Relay-For-Life fundraiser last month and today was the day he came to collect his reward. Kevin is a second-grader and I thought it would be fun for him to experience music class with my intermediate students.

Our day began with Kevin serving as scorekeeper in a game called "Daffy Duck Passes the Buck." I use this game to review for the MAP test (a district-mandated diagnostic which is given to all second and fifth graders to measure learning gains over the course of the year in Music, Art and PE). Kevin was a great help to me during this session of our morning together.

"Daffy Duck Passes the Buck" - Scorekeeper

After fifth grade exited the classroom, third grade filed in and we spent the next 50 minutes rehearsing for their upcoming musical entitled, "A Better You, A Better Me." Kevin was the official sound tech for our rehearsal. He was in charge of operating the CD player while I played the piano and conducted the musical rehearsal.

Sound Technician

Third Grade Rehearsal

Once third grade left, my fourth grade recorder class came in for their final class of the year. Again, Kevin assisted me with the CD player and passed out "karate belts" when the students successfully tested out of the blue belt song.

Recorder Testing

At the conclusion of our morning together, his Mom appeared with lunch for both of us and we had a picnic in the back of my classroom.

Picnic with Mrs. Tamburrino

Kevin shared a joke with me that I will pass along to you. "What kind of insects do secret agents like best?" "Spy-ders." And thus ended my time with my little buddy, Kevin.

Until next time...

Cultural Arts Week 2011

2011-05-13T13:00:00.004-04:00

Cultural Arts Week is one of the ways we celebrate the Arts and Arts Education here at Chets Creek Elementary! Our theme this year was "Home Grown," in keeping with our school's theme of "Cultivating a Community of Excellence."

We brought back former Chets Creek students who are now playing in performing ensembles at the secondary level. We showcased student art work, enjoyed "live" performances and culminated the week with Arts Extravaganza - our family night where folks can come and "do art" together.

The Fletcher Middle Band and the Sandalwood Chorus shared their talents with us. The Duval Recorder Ensemble performed Renaissance music and the students were fascinated by the sound of the instruments. Miss Kristy "grew" a garden of sunflowers created in the style of Dale Chahuly (a world-reknowned glass blower whose work hangs in the lobby at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville). These beautiful flowers were made from recycled water bottles. Our community piece was a mosaic of a farm nestled among rolling hills that was completed during the evening on Friday. A Panamanian dance ensemble delighted us with their colorful costumes and footwork. It was absolutely spectacular!

Until next time...

To Teachers - Past and Present

2011-05-08T16:42:00.001-04:00

A Profound Answer

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...)

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the Order of Canada.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an
iPod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table)

I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn't everything.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math. They use their God-given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life. (Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)

Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want to know what I make? I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make Mr. CEO?

His jaw dropped, he went silent.

A truly profound answer!!!

Teaching is...the profession that makes all other professions possible!

Until next time...

Crying Shame

2011-05-03T09:00:00.001-04:00

I'm a positive person most of the time, except when things are completely out of my control.

With a $91 million dollar budget shortfall predicted this year, my school district has had to make some very difficult choices. The School Board along with our Superintendent have had to prioritize cuts that will be made based upon projected cuts to educational funding by the Florida Legislature. They've tossed around several ideas this year...cutting elementary art, music and PE, furloughs for teachers, a four-day work week, cutting after school sports in middle and high school, delaying the purchase of new textbooks (although by law, they are to be purchased every 5 years), making administrative cuts, demoting full-fledged teachers to "associate teachers" and paying them less, asking employees to contribute both to the pension plan and health insurance - the list goes on and on...

Every year it's the same story. I hope that one day, our leaders will wake up and realize that cuts to education are robbing our children of something that is critical to their success as an adult - the right to a quality education. Our students are currently being funded at the same level I was funded in 1976 as a 10th grader here in Duval County. It is now 2011. We are doing a great disservice to the very ones who will be the decision-makers, the lawmakers, the caregivers and those in authority over us in our elder years. Will they be equipped to handle the job?

Elementary Music Class - First Grade

Until next time...

Back to My Roots

2011-03-22T20:56:00.004-04:00

I am the daughter of an immigrant's son. My father's people came from Syria; my mother's from Lebanon.

As a child, my family attended the annual convention of the "Southern Federation of Syrian Lebanese American Clubs" that was held in various cities across the southern United States over the 4th of July. Part of the experience that is forever embedded in my mind and heart is participating in a Middle Eastern dance called the "dabke."

This dance is one of several "community dances" that is unique to that part of the world. To this day when I hear that unmistakable drumbeat and Middle Eastern tonality, I can hardly contain myself. My feet start to move and my body just follows.

This video clip was sent to me by my uncle. I just had to post it here on my blog. It was taken in the duty-free shop in the airport in Beirut, Lebanon. Let's hear it for "flash-mob" dancing, Arab style. Enjoy!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/14/beirut-duty-free-flash-mo_n_835368.html

Until next time...

Expressive Qualities in Music

2011-03-22T20:37:00.001-04:00

When writing a musical composition, a composer has lots of options to keep the listener engaged in the listening process. He can vary the dynamics (loud/soft); he can change the tempo (fast/slow); he can raise or lower the pitch (high/low); he can start out in a minor key and modulate to a major key; he can add instruments; change the voicings; write a descant above the melody - the possibilities are endless! A trained ear is required to be able to hear vertically instead of horizontally (the way most of us listen to a song).

My students have been working on honing their listening skills over the past few weeks as we have listened to and thoroughly analyzed a patriotic piece of music. We listened to several different recordings of "America the Beautiful" to try to determine what the composer did to make each version sound unique. Here is what we discovered...

Example 1 was a recording from the "Music Connection" CDs we have in our classroom library
Example 2 was a recording by Lee Greenwood (country music artist)
Example 3 was a recording from "Celebrate America" by Twin Sisters Music
Example 4 was a gospel version from the "Music Connection" CDs

Each arrangement was uniquely different. The piece was set in various genres (hymn-like, country, jazz and gospel). The instrumentation was chosen specifically to give the piece a certain sound or feel. The vocalists were chosen for the same reason (some were children; some adults; one singing a solo; others in a choir or ensemble). This lesson made for interesting listening, vigorous discussion and prompted a spontaneous movement presentation by a small ensemble of students...

Until next time...

Budget Time in Tallahassee

2011-03-16T06:47:00.001-04:00

Each Spring, I am called upon to contact my legislators in Tallahassee, to fight for the rights of students in the State of Florida and to extol the virtures of Arts Education in the lives of my students.

I believe it is very important that those who have been elected by the people should also be the true voice of the people and speak on behalf of the people that voted them into office in the first place. Over the past several years, I have written letters, waved signs and attended the "Rally in Tally" - so that my voice could be heard.

Below is a letter I sent to my representative in Tallahassee today. SB 736 is being debated and voted upon today. It is yet another unfunded mandate by the State of Florida that I am certain will pass in the House and then make its way to Governor Scott for signature.

Athby Tamburrino

Jacksonville, -

03/16/11 6:11 AM
To the Honorable Lake Ray;

Dear Mr. Ray:

As you spend your day today discussing the attributes of SB 736, I would appreciate it if you would consider the following:

If you are going to vote in favor of this unfunded mandate, somewhere in this legislation it should state that all teachers (art, music, physical education, special education) should have equal access to every student they teach, especially if our pay is going to be tied to their test scores. The core curriculum teachers see them every day, five days a week (at the elementary level). I simply do not have that luxury.

In my school, there are nine 5th grade classes. I see each class 12 times per school year. Out of 180 days of potential contact time with my students, I see them approximately 1.5 days. On the other grade levels there are 7-8 classes which means I will see them up to 14 times per school year (40 to 50 minutes per class, depending on the grade level - approximately 2 days worth of instruction).

What I am being called upon to do is impossible to achieve with the amount of contact time I have with my students. As you debate this bill today, kindly consider a provision that will level the playing field for all teachers across the board. As a music educator, I have benchmarks and standards that I am required to teach. This is rarely factored into the amount of contact time I have with my students and this needs to be addressed as you debate the pros and cons of this bill today. I thank you for being my voice in Tallahassee.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Athby M. Tamburrino
National Board Certified Teacher
Early/Middle Childhood Music
Duval County, Florida

My hope is that our collective voices will be heard in the hallowed halls of Tallahassee during this legislative session and that the children of Florida will be blessed with the high-quality education they deserve.

Until next time...

Form in Music

2011-03-09T19:57:00.000-05:00

A well-circulated definition of music is "organized sound." When you organize sound into something recognizable (such as a song), it follows a formal structure. If it doesn't, it is not music. It is noise.

Some songs are "through-composed" and don't divide nicely into recognizable sections. Most, however, are easily broken down into recognizable sections where certain sections are repeated and contrasting material is juxtaposed or layered in between. A whole song is made up of the sum of its parts. Smaller sections make up the whole piece and tend to follow a pattern. If you can teach your students to unlock the pattern, the song is much easier to learn.

Patterning begins in kindergarten and I often refer to "the pattern" when teaching a song. I am always asking my students, "Is it the same or different?" "Have we heard this before or is this new material?" This requires higher level thinking because they must be able to recall the melodic and rhythmic structure of the previous phrase or section of a piece of music and then compare/contrast what we just learned with what was previously learned.

Notice the boat/bucket icon under the 2-part form. This is a visual representation of the song "Yankee Doodle." "Yankee Doodle" is a song that is written in "AB Form."

Consider the lyrics:
A:   Yankee Doodle went to town a-riding on a pony; stuck a feather in his cap and called it "Maccaroni"
B:   Yankee Doodle keep it up, Yankee Doodle dandy; mind the music and the step and with the girls be handy.

A song that is written in AB Form simply repeats the pattern AB AB AB, etc.

Now notice the icon for the 3-part form. You see a yellow cowgirl, a blue cowboy and a yellow cowgirl. A song that follows this pattern is written in what we call ABA Form. A perfect example would be "Shoo-Fly."

Consider the lyrics:
A:   Shoo-fly, don't bother me; Shoo-fly, don't bother me; Shoo-fly, don't bother me for I belong to somebody.
B: I feel, I feel, I feel; I feel like a morningstar; I feel, I feel, I feel; I feel like a morningstar, oh [contrasting]
A: Shoo-fly, don't bother me; Shoo-fly, don't bother me; Shoo-fly, don't bother me for I belong to somebody.

ABA Form is a song wherein the opening and closing sections are exactly the same (words/music) and the section in the middle is contrasting material (different words/music).

Verse/Refrain is another formal structure that many songs follow

The column on the left is the structural outline of "It's a Small World" by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The verse tells the story; the refrain is the repeated part.

Consider the lyrics:
v. 1 It's a world of laughter, a world of tears
        It's a world of hope and a world of fears
        There's so much that we share, that it's time we're aware
        It's a small world after all

Refrain
It's a small world after all,
It's a small world after all,
It's a small world after all
It's a small, small world

v.2 There is just one moon and one golden sun
       And a smile means friendship to everyone
      Though the mountains divide and the oceans are wide
      It's a small world after all

We mapped the formal structure of "It's a Small World" together as a class and then I turned them loose to discover the formal structure of a spiritual entitled, "Every Time I Feel the Spirit." This activity provided an opportunity for application and concluded our lesson on Form in Music.

When we study form in music, we cross curricular lines in several subject areas. Math - patterning and sequencing; Language Arts - verse/stanza, poetry, lyrical speech, rhyming words; Social Studies - the Revolutionary War (Yankee Doodle) and the origin of the "spiritual" from the days of slavery and why it was culturally significant. When music education is taught properly, it encompasses all of our core curricula and enhances learning that is taking place in other content areas.

Until next time...

Ode to an Elementary Music Teacher

2011-02-26T17:16:00.004-05:00

There once was a teacher who loved what she taught
Music, her forte, was not taught for naught;
Her students were learning and growing, you see,
Until Spring arrived in Tallahassee...

Our Senate and Reps think they know what it's like
To work in a classroom, both day and night;
I think they should try it, just for a week,
They'd then understand what we mean when we speak
Of our jobs and our homes and our families too;
"Let's cut the Arts and P.E., that should do;"
"Those subjects are frill, they're just fun in the sun;"
"Our kids just don't need it; they need 1 + 1."

Agreed. They need math and the sciences too;
Reading and writing and spelling, Ya-hoo!
But what about beauty and things of the heart?
What about fitness? Where does that start?

Why is my job always "Line Item One?;"
It's the first on the table when all's said and done.
I wish, for a moment, the "powers that be"
Would visit my classroom so they could see
That my students are learning and hoping to be
The most well-rounded students in Duval County.

Until next time...

Happy 50th Birthday, Mrs. Tamburrino!

2011-02-18T15:20:00.000-05:00

Yes...I realize it's very hard to believe (even for me!), but Mrs. Tamburrino reached the half-century mark today. I have been showered with phone calls, hugs, gifts, a cake, balloons, white-board greetings and marquis greetings too!! I am "feeling the love" and the day is still young!

Thank you to everyone who made my day so very special. The list of names is too long to mention here, but you know who you are and each of you are a blessing in my life today. I tried hard to capture the day in pictures so enjoy...

The other side lists my classroom expectations :)

She even scored the opening notes of "The Birthday Song" correctly!

Not sure who left this one, but I appreciate it!

The Resource Team celebrated with cake at lunch today

A second grade class JUST HAD TO make me a birthday card!

My sister popped in at some point, although I never saw her.

I loved the balloon that says, "YOU'RE HOW OLD????"

PTA Fundraiser

It just doesn't get any better than this!!

Until next time...

Big Orange Barbershop Quartet

2011-02-15T08:31:00.003-05:00

Would you like to know how to stop a class of 37 kindergarteners dead in their tracks??? Have a barbershop quartet open your classroom door and burst into song!! That'll do it everytime!!

The students were absolutely mesmerized...

I had the most unique Valentine's Day gift from my husband yesterday - A barbershop quartet from the Big Orange Chorus (Orange Park, Florida) delivered a "Singing Valentine" to me during my kindergarten class. They sang "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" and showered me with a rose, a cupcake, a card from my husband and took my photo with the group. It was an experience unlike any other.

The Big Orange Chorus Barbershop Quartet

Have a listen...

I was told by my eldest son who attends Stanton College Prep that they had visited his principal as well and it was the talk of the campus. They also visited Twin Lakes Elementary just before coming to see me and knew exactly where to find me. (Our schools share the same architectural design).

What a great fundraising idea for their organization. They delivered singing Valentines all over Jacksonville from Saturday through Monday. It was fabulous!! Thank you, Steve, for a unique and musically exciting Valentine's Day gift. I absolutely loved it!!

Until next time...

Singin' the C-Major Scale

2011-02-14T09:06:00.005-05:00

Did you know there are several different ways to sing a C-major scale?? Just as you can "speak, clap and count" rhythmic patterns, you can sing up and down the scale using three different methods - on the letters, on the numbers and using solfege syllables.

Each step of the scale is called a "scale degree" and each one has its own resonating capacity in the ears and in the body as you sing it. The ear must be able to differentiate between half-steps (white key to neighboring black key on the piano) and whole steps (the equivalent of two half-steps on the piano).

Singin' the C-major Scale is one of my favorite 5th grade lessons. It's an extension of a previous lesson on melody. This presentation involves visual processes, audiation and kinesthetic movement using Curwen Hand Signs while singing Latin syllables. It is a multi-sensory process that builds ear-training skills.

As I share with my students, someone made millions of dollars effectively combining scale degrees 1-4 (plus an added 7th for effect). The melody of the song "Lean on Me" is a perfect representation of this.

1...1-2-3-4...4-3-2-1...1-2-3, 3-2....

1...1-2-3-4...4-3-2-1...1-2-3, 7-1

Can you hear the melody inside your head? That is audiation.

Good singers depend on good audiation skills for sight-singing and ear-training.

Our lesson is closed out by viewing a video clip from "The Sound of Music" where Maria attempts to teach the children how to sing using "Do-Re-Mi" syllables. Anytime you can get 5th graders to sing in class, it is a good day in the music room.

"The Sound of Music" starring Julie Andrews (1965).
Words and Music by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II

Until next time...

To Compose or Not to Compose

2011-02-08T16:45:00.000-05:00

MU.A.3.2 states "The student reads and notates music." That's a rather broad music standard for upper elementary students. The art of musical composition is filled with all sorts of intricacies that must be understood before this task can be attempted, much less, accomplished.

To begin, one must have an understanding of how music is put together. One must have a working knowledge of music notation (how to read the symbols and what the symbols mean), how to lay it out on a piece of staff paper, voicings, range, meter, key signatures....the list goes on and on. One can be easily overwhelmed when your teacher says, "O.K. class, now you are going to compose a piece of music. Here is the rubric. You have 20 minutes. I will perform your piece on the piano at the end of class." Some students are paralyzed by this assignment; others take it and run with it. The ones that take it and run are those students who have had private music study outside the classroom. I have found that piano students make the best composers, especially when these compositional skills are just emerging.

On a whim, I decided to challenge my 5th graders with a compositional assignment at the conclusion of a unit of study on melody. I created a rubric that set up the parameters for their composition:

Your composition must be four measures long.
Your key signature is C-major (no sharps/no flats)
Your time signature is Common Time (4/4)
You will need to set up your paper before you begin (bar lines, time signature, double-bar lines at the end of the fourth measure; save space for a title on the top staff)
Your composition must begin on C, move to G in measure 2; begin on G in measure 3 and end on C in measure 4
You may use whole, half, quarter and eighth notes and their respective rests
Your piece must have a title

I thought this task was simple enough (I wrote a sample piece for them in 60-seconds). I had no idea whether or not they could accomplish this task, but I was determined to let them try.

We began the process by reviewing the notes on the staff and playing a spelling game using the seven letters of the music alphabet (A-G).

composition set-up on the left; spelling words on the right

This is the word "baggage" spelled using the music alphabet.

After 15 minutes of review, I turned them loose in the back of the classroom to work in small groups for 20 minutes. I moved from group to group to offer any suggestions and scribe for those who needed my assistance putting the notation down on the staff paper.

At the end of class, I performed each group's piece of music on the piano.

Several groups followed the rubric perfectly; others used "artistic license" to create that which sounded good to them. Some were paralyzed and required much oversight; others were happy trying to do the assignment on their own with little input from me. It was definitely an enriching and multi-level creative experience for all.

"Beach Breeze" by Terrell, Aaron and James

Titles by other students: "A Night on the Caribbean," "Jamaican Cruise," "Element," "Swaying of the Palms," "Smooth Melody," "Rain Drops," and "Ocean Waves"

Until next time...

Follow the Drinking Gourd

2011-01-31T15:11:00.011-05:00

January is "Black History Month" - the month wherein we celebrate the movers and shakers of our African-American communities.

In first grade, I always share a story with our students entitled, "Follow the Drinking Gourd" during the month of January. This story is about a slave named James and his family's flight to freedom. It also acquaints us with a character by the name of Peg Leg Joe - a former sailor who did his best to help the slaves get across the Ohio River into the northern states and eventually up into Canada.

The following is excerpted from the preface of the book authored and illustrated by Jeanette Winter.

"By the 1840's, a loosely organized group of free blacks, slaves and white sympathizers formed a secret network of people and places that hid escaped slaves on their dangerous journey to freedom - a network that came to be known as the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman, a runaway slave herself, was one of the most famous conductors who led hundreds of her people to freedom. Among other conductors, there was a one-legged sailor named Peg Leg Joe. He hired himself out to plantation owners as a handyman. Then he made friends with the slaves and taught them what seemed a harmless folk song - 'Follow the Drinking Gourd.' Hidden in the lyrics of the song were directions on how to find the Underground Railroad."

Peg Leg Joe would personally ferry them across the Ohio River in his rowboat. He would carve his left footprint and a circle for his peg leg on dead trees along the riverbank so that the slaves would know they were on the right track.

"Follow the drinking gourd, follow the drinking gourd,

for the old man is a-waitin' for to carry you to freedom

if you follow the drinking gourd." (refrain)

"When the sun comes back and the first quail calls,

follow the drinking gourd,

for the old man is a-waitin' for to carry you to freedom

if you follow the drinking gourd." (verse 1)

"The riverbank makes a very good road,

dead trees will show you the way,

left foot, peg foot, traveling on,

follow the drinking gourd." (verse 2)

"The river ends between two hills,

follow the drinking gourd,

there's another river on the other side,

follow the drinking gourd." (verse 3)

"When the great big river meets the little river,

follow the drinking gourd,

For the old man is a-waitin' for to carry you to freedom,

if you follow the drinking gourd." (verse 4)

The "drinking gourd" was the Big Dipper which pointed to the North Star. The first verse suggests that they make their escape in the Spring (when the sun returns and the call of the quail can be heard in the trees). They were to follow the riverbank to the river that "ends between two hills" (the Tombigbee River). The second river was the Tennessee River and the "great big river" was the Ohio River. If the slaves could make it this far, there were others who would guide them from one hiding place to the next until they could cross the border into Canada.

Pointing to the North Star as we sing "Follow the Drinking Gourd"

The students created their own motions to the song and we performed it for their teacher at the conclusion of the lesson.

Until next time...

Wolfson Run 5 to Save Lives

2011-01-30T14:05:00.003-05:00

Wolfson Run 5 to Save Lives

January 29, 2011

Jacksonville, Florida

Yes...that's me in the middle, decked out in purple and white (my high school colors). The crazy lady with her arms in the air is my little sister. You may know her as "The Grocery Fairy."

She talked me into running a 5-mile race to benefit Wolfson Children's Hospital yesterday. It was a gorgeous day and much of the run was along the St. Johns River. I did two bridges during the course of the run and rolled across the finish line in less time than I ever imagined possible. Officer Morningstar assured me that if I passed out on the Acosta Bridge, he would pick me up off the pavement. Fortunately, I made it up one side and down the other without issue.

I've run several 5-kilometer races (3.1 miles) but yesterday was my very first five-mile run. Before we got started, I stood at the starting line to cheer for Mrs. Alvarado and her daughter. They were running the 1-mile fun run together. They were kind enough to return the favor when we blew out of the starting block 30-minutes later. Thanks, Haley!! Your words of encouragement saw me through to the end.

If you ever want to have a fun-filled time pounding the pavement, do it with my sister. She engages people in conversation up and down the course while she's waiting on me to catch up with her. She enlists people along the sidelines to cheer for me. She even created me an identical playlist on her daughter's iPod and syncronized our music before beginning the race. She sings, she cheers, she high-fives policemen along the way - it's a blast. Even the policemen got in on the fun - one of them hit his siren and played "whoop whoop" on my behalf as I trotted by. It was such a hoot!

Matter of fact, if the weather's nice next weekend, you may find the two of us running in the 5-mile Winter Beach Run. I'd really like to know what it's like to run 5 miles on a semi-flat surface.

Until next time...

DEMT Inservice - January, 2011

2011-01-27T15:29:00.001-05:00

When most public school teachers are scrambling to get grades done during a planning day that has been specifically set aside for this purpose, Resource Teachers (Art, Music and PE) are off-campus participating in what is commonly called an "inservice." An inservice is a day of training in your specific content area. Because training at the school level does not always cover our content areas, we must seek out other opportunities for professional development that specifically address the content areas that we teach.

Dale Choate, the DCPS Music Supervisor for Vocal and Elementary Music teachers, is responsible for organizing and recruiting music educators and presenters from various arts organizations to come and share their expertise with us. As President of Duval Elementary Music Teachers, I am called upon to facilitate the day for our teachers from across the district. Our quarterly inservice was held on Friday, January 21st. We met at Hendricks Avenue Elementary School in San Marco.

Our day began with a presentation by two National Board Certified Elementary Music Teachers who spoke to us about "GamePlan." It has been approximately 10 years since Duval County has adopted a new music curriculum for its teachers and our current materials are outdated. This presentation was like a breath of fresh air for all of us.

GamePlan is authored by Jeff Kriske and Randy DeLelles. Their materials are user-friendly and are sequenced on a month-to-month basis throughout the school year. GamePlan covers National Music Standards in grades 1-5. The kindergarten curriculum is currently being written and field-tested. The writers of this curriculum will be presenting at the State Orff-Schulwerk conference on February 5th in Melbourne, Florida. I am now hoping to secure a funding source for next year to purchase a starter kit for my classroom.

Another session was taught by several music educators who are trained in the Kodaly method.

Zoltan Kodaly was a 20th century Hungarian composer that worked with pre-school aged children. He felt that the human voice was the most beautiful of all instruments and was easily accesible for young children. Along with vocal training came ear-training. The use of Hungarian folk songs to teach young children was paramount to his teaching methodology. We sang, clapped, played and moved to the music during this session.

We also heard from Mr. Lindsey Dank of "Didgeridoo DownUnder." He brought his didgeridoos with him and played a sampling of pieces from his program. Our teachers were also able to give it a try on a didgeridoo made out of PVC pipe. His program integrates music and social studies curriculum and is appropriate for elementary grades K-5.

Lindsey Dank of Didgeridoo DownUnder

Teachers trying out the PVC didgeridoos

And finally, one of our own elementary music teachers brought in "Books of the Month" that had been used at his school over the last several years. He had written songs to go along with each of the books and created electronic accompaniment on Garage Band to accompany the songs. He then gave us an opportunity to choose a book and create our own song to go along with it. We celebrated the conclusion of our day together with various renderings of the books in a performance group setting.

Richard Spruill sharing his BOTM Music

Preparing for BOTM performance

Tim DeBorde and Steve Gonzales presenting their BOTM

Thanks, Dale for planning a fabulous day for us!! It was truly one of the best ever!!

Until next time...

First Grade Sleepover 2011

2011-01-20T15:41:00.001-05:00

Today we celebrated Chets Creek's 13th Birthday and our very own First Grade Sleepover. It's not really a sleepover; we just show up to work in our pajamas and parade around in darkened hallways with flashlights and pillows. I lead the way with my guitar while singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At the conclusion of the parade, we make our way to the cafeteria for an astronaut's breakfast and pajama party. Then it's off to the planetarium, the asteroid hunt, the picture frame studio or the Space Worm Camp.

In the music room, we slithered and crawled around on the floor like space worms, orbited the sun while singing "Rap of the Solar System" and watched a special video entitled "Blue Beauty" (photos taken of Earth from the space center). The day ended with a Constellation Ball and popcorn party in the Media Center.

What a great way to spend the day celebrating life on Planet Earth!

Mr. Tamburrino as Dr. Spock

Space Worm Camp

Space Worms slithering across the floor

Planets readying themselves for orbit around the sun

"Solar System, all the planets and the comets, all the man-made objects too;

It's our Solar System, every object held by gravity making up our cosmic stew"

"Rap of the Solar System" by John Riggio

Plank Road Publishing

Until next time...

Florida Music Educators' Conference/Clinic 2011

2011-01-18T07:00:00.041-05:00

Last week, I made my annual trek down to Tampa for the FMEA conference/clinic. For the past five years, I have traveled alone, eaten alone, piggy-backed on other teachers' room reservations and paid hundreds of dollars "out-of-pocket" for registration fees, travel expenses, hotel rooms, parking and food. It is a costly endeavor, but a much-needed mid-year shot in the arm.

This year, however, I did things a little differently. I took a rookie teacher with me and we shared the experience with a veteran choral director. It was perfect! I also had a student in the All-State Elementary Chorus which brought a brand new perspective to my professional development while there.

If you're wondering why our conference is also labeled a clinic, let me explain. Those who conduct All-State choirs, bands and orchestras are called "clinicians." They are master teachers and highly skilled musicians. They work with the top students from across the State while we teachers pursue professional development opportunities for our own personal growth. At the end of the week, the ensembles perform in a concert setting and the performance is professionally recorded. Parents attending the concerts can then purchase a recording of their child's performance as a keepsake.

Parents can also purchase a plaque with their child's name on it

Katie and Mrs. Tamburrino before her performance

Katie and her family

Final Performance at the Tampa Convention Center

Katie was one of 211 students from across the State of Florida to participate in the Elementary Chorus this year. Katie will be the first to tell you that she greatly enjoyed the experience and wants to do it again next year! Bravo Little Miss!!

Until next time...

Planting Daffodils

2010-12-21T17:04:00.003-05:00

As the academic calendar relaxes and my adrenaline pump slows down, my thoughts turn to Spring (even though it is December 21st - Winter Solstice and the shortest day of the year). I am a sun-bunny at heart and do not tolerate cold temperatures well. Because my life is extremely hectic during the month of December, I make it a point to rest, read and get out in nature while I am not required to be at school. The temperature is supposed to be in the low 70s on Thursday and I feel a fishing day coming on...

Today, however, I planted daffodils.

There was something peaceful about preparing the soil and planting bulbs that were specially cultivated for warmer climates. It will be months before they peek out from beneath the earth and greet the morning dawn with their bright, yellow flowers - but I am ready.

As I reflect on the previous four months of cultivating creativity in my classroom, I have been tilling the soil, fertilizing it regularly and encouraging growth in the area of musicianship where my students are concerned. It is hard to believe we are already nearing the mid-point of the school year. As I look ahead to the new year and realize what must still be accomplished, I fully expect to see "tender shoots of knowledge" and "quality musical experiences" springing forth from my "garden" in the months to come.

We plant, expecting a harvest. We teach, expecting learning gains to be realized and a deeper understanding of the content to take hold in each student entrusted to us. Growing life-long learners is every teachers' expected outcome.

Until next time...

'Tis the Season for Holiday Musicals and More

2010-12-09T08:24:00.003-05:00

My life as a music teacher is cram-jammed and filled to capacity during the month of December. It always has been. The days are long and the nights are longer. I walk around in a fog for weeks, waving at myself coming and going. I've come to understand that my body will be pushed to its limits and my brain extended beyond its capacities in December. It is simply an occupational hazard with which I must contend.

Before I began teaching seven years ago, I was a church musician. Need I say more? Christmas Eve and Easter are the two biggest "high feast and holy days" on the church calendar. We began preparing for Christmas Eve service in September and Easter services in January. And so it goes with the second and third grade musicals. Before I am finished with one, I am already "prepping the other." It's just part of my reality.

This week, my work with 200+ second graders culminated in a grade-level production entitled, "Once on a Housetop." I have been rehearsing the songs in this musical since August. It is now mid-December. Yesterday, I conducted 2 dress rehearsals, 2 musical programs and 2 Recorder Club performances - all in one day! Best part is, I get to do it again tomorrow for the other half of the grade level!

My after-school arts enrichment program also comes to life in December. The Chets Creek Recorder Club has been rehearsing since September and performed at the Jacksonville International Airport last week as part of their Holiday Fest. As a service project to our second graders, they perform pre-show music before all four musical productions. They will also play at the Bennie Furlong Senior Center in Jacksonville Beach on December 15th and at the St. Johns TownCenter Mall (in the courtyard near Cantina Laredo and the Capital Grille) on December 16th.

Chets Creek Recorder Club Pre-Show Performance

As I ease into the Christmas holidays, I am grateful for the opportunity to create lasting memories for these children. They may not recall what they made on the FCAT twenty years from now, but they will remember being part of a large musical production or a performance group that allowed them to bloom where they were planted. Cultivating Creativity. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Until next time...

Food Court "Hallelujah Chorus"

2010-12-02T16:48:00.000-05:00

Last year, it was the "Silent Monks sing the "Hallelujah Chorus." This year, it's even better. Enjoy!!

Click here: YouTube - Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

Merry Christmas, Ya'll

Until next time...

Holiday Fest at the Airport

2010-12-02T11:58:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, the Chets Creek Recorder Club made its annual trek to Jacksonville International Airport to perform for their Holiday Fest. Schools, both public and private, are invited to participate in this event each year and this was our third trip with the Chets Creek Recorder Club.

Half of my students had never been to the airport, so it was an educational experience for them as well. We performed upstairs in the atrium near the food court where it is acoustically "live" and the sound resonates like you're in a cathedral. It's a completely different musical experience from rehearsing in the music room.

The sound man is the Master Electrician for the facility, but attended the University of Florida on a full music scholarship. His music studies began on the recorder. He then moved from the recorder to the saxophone and finally settled on the bassoon. He is so animated when he runs sound for me each year, it cracks me up.

The students played extremely well and I was so proud of them! There were more parents and grandparents in our audience than holiday travelers (it's still a little early), but they were a great crowd nonetheless.

Many thanks to the parents who transported children in their vehicles yesterday and a special salute to Mrs. Willingham for taking a gazillion photos of our group for the yearbook page. A big "thank you" to Delta Airlines for providing a wheelchair for one of my students who had recently broken her leg. I greatly appreciate everyone's support!!

Chets Creek Recorder Club - 2010

Performing Holiday Favorites

Robert getting his shoes shined

With this trip to the airport, our performance season has officially begun. The group will play pre-show music at school on Tuesday, December 7th and Thursday, December 9th for our second grade musical entitled "Once on a Housetop." Pre-show begins at 5:30 and 7:00 with musical performances at 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. each night.

On Wednesday, December 15th, they will perform at the Bennie Furlong Senior Center in Jacksonville Beach and again at the TownCenter Mall on Thursday, December 16th in the courtyard near Cantina Laredo. I hope you can join us!!

Until next time...

Five Fat Turkeys

2010-11-22T14:41:00.006-05:00

'Tis the week of Thanksgiving and all through the school, the turkeys are hiding from cooks trying to rule (the roost, that is).

In Kindergarten, we've been dramatizing a song entitled, "Five Fat Turkeys" using a Chef's hat, a plate and a spoon for props. We learned the song by rote, we talked about the main idea and we figured out the main characters in the story. The lyrics are as follows:

"Five fat turkeys are we, we slept all night in a tree;

When the cook came around we couldn't be found

So that's why we're here, you see."

Music Connection, Grade 1, p. 217

My five fat "little turkeys" decided to hide under the piano so that the cook was unable to find them. Too cute!

Happy Thanksgiving, Ya'll!

Until next time...

All-State Elementary Chorus

2010-11-17T15:06:00.008-05:00

On November 29, 2007, I put the final touches on my first-ever "Five Year Plan" and submitted it to my principal. Our theme that year was "Dreams Begin Here" and I was dreaming big-time.

One of my long-term goals was to send a student from Chets Creek Elementary to Tampa, Florida to participate in the All-State Elementary Chorus. That was three years ago. I had no idea what was involved in the audition process, but was willing to give it my best. I am very happy to say that my dream finally came true this fall for a very sweet young lady named Katie.

Katie and Mrs. Tamburrino

Katie is a fourth grader at CCE. She is currently learning to play the recorder and she has a lovely singing voice too. Last year as I was rehearsing the 3rd grade musical, Katie always sat in the same seat, right in front of the piano. I could tell that she was able to maintain pitch and was very quick to learn the material. She kept coming to mind over and over again as I thought about who I might audition for All-State this year.

I approached her parents over the summer and asked for permission to audition Katie. I had never attempted anything like this before, but they were willing and I was excited to try. Students must be able to sing "America" a cappella and as a solo, sing "Are You Sleeping?" in a round with the teacher and maintain their part and must also be fairly proficient with tonal memory (teacher plays an example on the piano; student sings it back correctly).

Over the summer, I asked my media specialist if she would assist me by downloading a free software program (Audacity) onto my laptop so I could use it to make an audition CD for Katie. I purchased an external microphone and recorded a rehearsal CD for Katie to use to learn the required audition pieces. Once the official "2010 tonal memories" were uploaded to the FMEA website, I arranged for an audition with Katie. This was back in September. We had to wait six weeks before we knew whether or not she had been selected to participate.

Katie was one of three public school students from Duval County selected to participate in the 2011 All-State Elementary Chorus. Her family is so proud of her and we are all extremely excited about this musical opportunity for Katie!

Her concert music arrived in my box today and I can't wait to get started on it! She will be part of a 200-voice choir that performs on January 14th and I will be sitting in the audience cheering her on. Katie is one of those kids that makes an entire learning community extremely proud to call her one of their own!

Until next time...

Teaching the Tough Stuff

2010-11-08T21:21:00.004-05:00

I recently had a "Purple Cow" moment when my principal came in to do my annual observation a few weeks ago. I preconferenced with her on Monday to show her my lesson plan and explain the concept I would be teaching (syncopation). On Thursday, she quietly entered the room, sat down in the back and made notations in triplicate while I taught. When she finished writing down everything she could think of, she quietly slipped out. The following day, I debriefed with her.

In my debrief this year, she made a profound statement to me that has been mulling over in my mind for several weeks. She said, "I have nothing more to say to you. Your lesson was flawlessly delivered and perfectly scaffolded. There is nothing I can say to you that would make it any better." I thanked her for her extraordinary compliment, but then she continued. "Mrs. Tamburrino, you teach the most difficult concepts in your lessons. 99% of your students don't have the proper schema or background knowledge when they walk into your classroom to be successful. Somehow, you manage to present the material in such a way that they get it. It is an amazing thing to watch. I learn something new every time I visit your classroom." She then went on to compare what I do everyday with a classroom teacher who has struggling readers they are trying to teach.

Struggling readers have difficulty decoding. They don't often have certain life experiences or background knowledge to understand the text they are trying to decode. They struggle with fluency. Their working vocabulary is limited. Often, they can't comprehend what it is they are trying to read. It is the teacher's job to fill in some of the blanks by scaffolding lessons that build their schema.

Unless my students have had private music lessons, my students come in with nothing. They are a blank slate on which I must write the music language code. There are certain music symbols they must learn to decode in order to perform the music placed before them (quarter note, half note, treble clef, notes on the staff, etc). They must learn to speak Italian (pianissimo, forte, largo, fermata, crescendo, etc.) so they can perform the music in a musical fashion. They must be able to decode song lyrics and understand the history behind the lyrics (regional folk songs like "Alabama Gal," the "Star Spangled Banner," etc.). They must be able to internalize the steady beat. They must learn to feel it, count it, move to it, clap to it, dance to it AND read it.

I would like to invite you into my classroom to view the lesson I taught the day my principal did her observation. I used a regional folk song entitled "Alabama Gal" to teach the concept of syncopation. Syncopation happens when you shift the strong beat in a measure of music to the weak beat. The syllable used to perform rhythmic reading of straight quarter notes is "tah." The syllables used to perform syncopated rhythms are "synco-pa."

My class periods are 50 minutes long. The edited video you are about to see is 10 minutes long. Much of the scaffolding I presented in the actual teaching of the lesson had to be cut. You will notice that I laid the foundation for teaching syncopation during the "Introduction to Rhythmic Reading" segment at the beginning and closed out the lesson with a melodic rendering of the song at the end. I used a map to show where Alabama was located, I gave students the opportunity to choose body percussion to write a rhythmic composition, we enjoyed lengthy discussion on several topics as the lesson progressed - most of which was edited out. You'll have to use your own schema to fill in the blanks. Enjoy!

Alabama Gal from athby tamburrino on Vimeo.

Until next time...

The Making of a Musician

2010-11-04T20:50:00.001-04:00

Each Thursday, a group of Duval County music educators comes to Chets Creek at the conclusion of their work day. They've been "in the trenches" all day long and they are here for a rehearsal. They come from across the district, their educational backgrounds are varied, but the one thing they all have in common is their love affair with music.

DUVAL RECORDER QUARTET

From left to right: Amanda Loos, Lisa Weindorf, Steve Gonzalez and Lorraine Roettges

This ensemble is playing recorders of all shapes and sizes. From the sopranino (think piccolo) to the bass (think tuba), they are filling the music room with beautiful music. It is not everyday that I am privileged to enjoy my own personal concert by a consortium of highly educated and musically talented adults. It's like being transported back to Elizabethan England (c. 1600).

I asked each teacher to provide a brief bio for you to see what goes into the making of a lifelong musician.

Their music careers began at about the same age as the students they currently teach. Many years later, they are still extremely dedicated to their art form.

Amanda Loos is an elementary music teacher in Duval County. She first started playing piano in 3rd grade and by the end of elementary school had joined the string program playing violin, handbell choir, and choir. She started playing her principal instrument, the clarinet in 7th grade. In high school she played in the All-State and All-County bands and joined the Brevard Symphony Youth Orchestra. Amanda went to Stetson University to study Music Education and graduated in May 2009. At Stetson she played in various ensembles including Band, Clarinet Choir, Quintets, Quartets and Trios. Since her graduation she has played with Southern Winds and joined a recorder quartet.

Lorraine Roettges has been teaching in Duval County Public schools for four years. She is a classically trained flutist/piccoloist and has performed with numerous groups throughout her career such as the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, the Savannah Symphony, the Sarasota Opera Company, New York Gilbert and Sullivan, and the Eastern Music Festival Orchestra. She has promoted arts in education through numerous initiatives including the founding of Project Listen for Riverside Fine Arts Association. She was nominated for the Jacksonville Cultural Council's Individual Art Award for her work while maintaining the position of Director for Riverside Fine Arts Assoc. She has also held administrative posts as Associate Director of Development for the JSO, Symphony Guild Coordinator, Young People's Concert Coordinator, and Coordinator for Guest Artist Relations - all with the Jacksonville Symphony Association. Adjunct teaching positions have included Jacksonville University, the Bolles School, and First Baptist School of Music. She has been an adjudicator for competitions in the State of Florida: solo and ensemble contests, flute and piano contests; and as an adjudicator for the prestigious Canadian Young Artist's Competition. She recently won Teacher of the Year for Atlantic Beach Elementary School.

My name is Lisa Weindorf. I was born in Toms River, New Jersey. I attended college at Jacksonville University on an instrumental (flute) and vocal scholarship. I was involved in many musical ensembles including orchestra, band, Chamber Singers and Concert choir. I was also a member of the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus and Masterworks Chorale for many years. I received a BME and Master’s in teaching K-6 from JU, magna cum laude. I am currently certified in Music Education K-12 and Elementary Ed K-6, as well as Orff levels I and II. My teaching experience includes 18 years as music teacher (pre-K-8th grade) at Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary School in Jacksonville. My performing groups included a recorder ensemble, Orff Ensemble and a huge choir. During that time I was also the Director of music for the church. I am currently the music teacher at Englewood Elementary School. This is my second year teaching at this school and in Duval County. I love teaching and I love my job. I teach with an integrated approach, always trying to make as many connections to other subjects as possible. I believe in using a “hands on” approach and that children should experience and create music themselves (Orff instruction). I am currently a member of the Duval County Recorder group, MENC, NFOC, FEMEA, NPM, Mu Phi Epsilon and Kappa Phi Kappa.

My name is Steven Gonzalez, I was born in Jacksonville, FL, but spent most of my life in Naples, FL. My father played trombone in the U.S. Navy and studied voice at Jacksonville University. With much exposure to brass instruments, I picked up the tuba in high school after becoming proficient on trumpet and baritone. Since High school, I've performed with the Florida Allstate Musicians on Mission (1998-2000), Center Stage Theatre Company in Naples, FL (1998-2002) The Florida Baptist Singing Men (1999), Jacksonville University Orchestra (2000-2005), Jacksonville University Wind Ensemble (2000-2005), Jacksonville University Concert Choir (2002), Jacksonville University Jazz Band (2004), Jacksonville University Brass Quintet (2002-2004), and the First Coast Wind Ensemble (2000-2003). I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Tuba Performance from Jacksonville University in 2005. I am currently in my sixth year of teaching at Beauclerc Elementary School and Central Riverside Elementary School. I love my job, I love music, and I love playing the Bass Recorder, Tenor Recorder, Soprano Recorder, and Sopranino Recorder.

I often wonder what will become of the students I am currently teaching. Being privy to this ensemble's hard work and dedication gives me hope that the seeds I am now planting will one day take root and grow into something more wonderful than I could ever have imagined.
Until next time...

Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake"

2010-10-30T16:01:00.001-04:00

Ballet. Something I never did as a child. Something I don't fully understand. Something I've never seen done this way before. Absolutely incredible!!

http://www.nzwide.com/swanlake.htm

Until next time...

Teaching Future Teachers

2010-10-25T15:49:00.000-04:00

Twice a year, I am called upon to provide supplemental music instruction to elementary education majors at the University of North Florida. These students are taking a course that teaches them how to integrate the Arts into their everyday lives in the regular education classroom. Their professor, Dr. Gigi David, is an extremely talented visual artist. She has written and illustrated several children's books and is a strong supporter of arts education. She enlists my help to teach musical concepts that are simple enough for the "musically un-trained" to replicate in their classroom.

In years past, I packed up half my classroom and carted it over to the university to teach two sections of her class over a two-day period. This year, we decided to bring the students to Chets Creek for the workshop. We wanted them to see what a music classroom looks like. We wanted them to experience me interacting with elementary-age children and wanted the experience to be as "real" as possible.

UNF Students

The students came into my classroom to observe me working with second graders who are working on the music for their holiday musical. They observed a 45-minute rehearsal followed by a workshop with me. I taught a lesson that integrated social studies and music ("Star Spangled Banner" - the history behind the lyrics); we did some work learning to read rhythmic notation; we analyzed a simple melody and discovered that melody can move "up, down and stay the same;" we used manipulatives to show our comprehension of the material (just as I would do with my own students); we learned a multi-cultural song from Africa and learned to play tubanos (drums) and we played with Sound Shape drums and Boomwhackers - all in two and a half hours!

Rehearsing with second graders

Answering students' questions

As they were leaving, I asked them to complete a brief "exit survey" for me so I could re-work my presentation prior to the Spring semester, if necessary. My favorite comment of all..... "Pure, unadulterated awesome!"

Until next time...

Welcome, Dave Rowan

2010-10-19T07:53:00.001-04:00

When a college student joins a fraternity, he is initiated into the group and each group has their own way of handling the initiation process. When a college student signs up for Field 1, this course of study is his initiation into the world of teaching. Welcome, Dave Rowan!

Dave is a pre-intern from the University of North Florida who is studying to become a music educator. He is spending the fall semester with me at Chets Creek. I've had other UNF students in my classroom; an intern that played French horn and a percussionist that beat anything he could get his hands on. Now, I've got a vocalist. YEE-HAW!!

Mr. Rowan began his music study on the viola, but he also has a lovely voice. We stood by each other in a classroom last Wednesday and sang the "Star Spangled Banner" and the kids went wild. Maybe I should ask him to sing at flag-raising. Hmmmm.........

A pre-intern's greatest responsibility is to observe the veteran teacher in the classroom. His assignment is to pay careful attention to rituals and routines, procedures, classroom management, classroom set-up, teacher interaction with students, etc. Each time he comes into my room, he has a focus question that must be answered before he leaves. For the "Teacher Observation Project," he must shadow me for an entire day while carefully notating what happens in my world from the time I arrive to the time I depart. He is also required to teach three lessons during the course of the semester.

He taught his first lesson last week using a wind instrument called an ocarina. I was not familiar with the instrument or the video game for which the instrument is known, however, my students were! (He played "Zelda's Lullaby" from "Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time." The ocarina was the instrument of choice prior to the recorder.

OCARINA

It is made out of clay and is simple to play. The sound was very pleasing to my ear and hearing one was a brand new experience for me. He had purchased his ocarina in Italy last year and the kids wanted to know if the school could purchase one for each of them. At $85 each, that is not likely to happen anytime soon.

Until next time...

Congratulations, Lorraine!!

2010-10-11T15:13:00.000-04:00

Lorraine Roettges

Teacher of the Year - 2010

Atlantic Beach Elementary

For the past two years, I have had the privilege of working alongside a wonderful human being who is incredibly talented and extremely concerned about our children's music education. She is an itinerant music educator in Duval County which means she splits her time between two schools. Her main school is Atlantic Beach Elementary but on Mondays, we are blessed to have her here at Chets Creek.

Lorraine is a classically trained musician that plays the flute and piccolo. She has performed with numerous ensembles throughout her career including the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, The Savannah Symphony, The Sarasota Opera Company, New York Gilbert and Sullivan and the Eastern Music Festival Orchestra. She is a strong advocate for arts education and founded "Project Listen" through the Riverside Fine Arts Association. Lorraine is married to Les Roettges, principal flutist of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.

I have grown to love Lorraine as a musician and friend. She is an inspiration to me and I am so glad her colleagues chose her for "Teacher of the Year" at ABE. This honor is a testimony to her dedication, her love of music and her willingness to share her passion with others.

Congratulations, Lorraine! I am proud to call you friend.

Until next time...

Old Mac Boomwhack

2010-10-06T15:36:00.007-04:00

Music is made up of three components - rhythm, melody and harmony.

Since we're cultivating down on the farm this year, I thought it might be fun to use a "farm song" to teach two of the three musical components - rhythm (the beat) and melody (the tune). This lesson was taught in 3rd grade and the students greatly enjoyed it (once they got over the fact that their teacher used a "baby song!" in their lesson).

We began by singing along with a CD accompaniment of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm." After determining the form of the piece - Line 1 (melody); Line 2 (melody); Line 3 (rhythm) and Line 4 (melody), we changed the words on Line 3 from ("chick, chick here and a chick, chick there") to "tap, tap here and a tap, tap there; here a tap, there a tap, everywhere a tap, tap" and transferred that pattern to our laps first, and then to a sound shape drum. I notated the rhythmic pattern on the board for use as a visual aid.

After rehearsing the rhythm section several times with the entire group, I pulled 5 students to play the melody on boomwhackers.

Boomwhackers are colored tubes cut in various lengths that can be played in the palm of the hand or on the thigh (or the head, if you're really creative!) Each one corresponds to a pitch in the C-major scale. For this activity, we needed a G, a D, an E, a B and an A (the recording is in the key of G major). The students were set up in a straight line in the following order (left to right) - B, A, G, E, D. I notated the pitches on the board for use as a visual aid.

After rehearsing with the melody group, we put it all together and performed with the CD accompaniment.

Rhythm Section with Sound Shape Drums

Boomwhacker Players

Everyone rotated through both parts and played their little hearts out! (even if it was a "baby song!")

Until next time...

Visual Aids in the Classroom

2010-10-01T16:03:00.004-04:00

I never realized just how much of a visual learner I was until I began teaching. I recall sitting at my desk as a young person and writing things down as fast as I could or drawing a sketch of something that the teacher was trying to explain so that I wouldn't forget it as soon as she had moved on. If the teacher drew it on the board, I had to draw it in my notes. They say, "a picture is worth a thousand words" and I believe them.

Because I am not very skilled at drawing, it pays to be married to an artist. Anytime I need a visual aid to use as a teaching tool in my classroom, I can call upon Mr. Tamburrino to assist. He will verify that I am not a "big picture" person; I am not conceptual at all. I am painfully linear in my thought processes. I will never be a composer (that's too conceptual for me), but I can teach a song that someone else has composed from beginning to end with no trouble at all...and that suits me just fine.

In my classroom, I provide both Orff instruction and recorder instruction. Orff instruction requires the use of the barred instruments (xylophone, metallophone and glockenspiels) which are laid out like a piano keyboard. I have dubbed my visual aid for these particular instruments a "BAR CODE."

One must be able to easily locate the pitches prior to playing them and with this handy-dandy visual aid, I can black-out the bars that are not needed and use the others to teach the pattern. The black bars are attached with velcro dots and are removable. When the pattern changes, simply replace those and remove the others. It's a snap! Because a xylophone is basically lots of vertical lines, I was able to make this one myself using a ruler and a sharpie on a piece of poster board. I laminated the poster and the bars, prior to attaching the velcro dots.

In my recorder classes, it is quite useful to have a fingering diagram written on the board when trying to teach new pitches on the instrument. Because I have eight classes that rotate through my classroom, I would have to re-draw the fingering diagram eight times. While attending a workshop in August, an instructor from south Florida had this nifty little gizmo she had made that used the outline of a recorder and red buttons that were velcroed in place. If the hole was covered with a red button, you covered that hole with your finger. If it was not, it was played as an "open hole." It was a stroke of brilliance and I took her idea and ran with it.

Knowing that I would need some assistance with the drawing of the instrument, I purchased the supplies and delivered them to Mr. Tamburrino with a blown-up picture of a recorder. I explained what I was trying to create. I told him I needed a simple outline of the instrument and I could handle the rest. Together, we created something I hope will be extremely useful in my classroom for years to come.

Supplies needed for this visual aid were foam board, black sharpie, velcro dots and something with which to cover the holes. (The buttons are magnets that were purchased at the Dollar Store and the leftover velcro dots from the Bar Code visual were used to attach the magnets to the foam board).

Get creative in your classroom! If money is tight, ask your art teacher for assistance. She may have some supplies in the art room you can use. She may even be willing to draw the picture for you!

Until next time...

Data-Driven Instruction

2010-09-26T19:06:00.002-04:00

Music

Art

Physical Education

MAP Test Results are in!!

Duval County Public Schools holds all teachers accountable for learning gains in the classroom, regardless of the subject matter they teach. Schools, as a whole, must make "annual yearly progress" or suffer the consequences imposed upon them by the district. It is the teacher's responsibility to move the students forward and not allow anyone to fall behind. Safety nets are in place for the "general education" student, the "exceptional education" student, the "gifted and academically talented" student, the "English Language Learner," and many others. On the fringe are those of us who teach electives and what is commonly called "resource" at the elementary level.

All 2nd grade and 5th grade students in Duval County are tested in Music, Art and Physical Education twice a year. A pre-test is given at the beginning of the school year to determine their baseline scores. We "resource specialists" then teach our standards (YES, we have standards too!) throughout the course of the year and a post-test is administered in June. Learning gains are then measured against the pre-test. If you are fortunate enough to land in the top 25% of all teachers that hold your certification across the district, you are rewarded with a performance pay bonus the following year.

The MAP test results from last year were recently posted. After calculating percentages for over 400 students, I am very pleased to announce that my fifth graders increased their test scores by 15.5% as a grade level and my second graders increased their test scores by 13% across the grade level. It's definitely time to celebrate!!

My principal would attest to the fact that I take my job very seriously. Although I am not the only music teacher in the building, I feel personally responsible for the music education of over 1300 students entrusted to me at Chets Creek Elementary. Twice a month, they pass through my classroom and I have approximately sixteen opportunities to work with them during the course of the school year. It is never enough time to accomplish everything I would like, but it is evident from their improved test scores that they are learning.

Personally, I would be remiss if I did not share my success with the other three teachers whose efforts in the music classroom last year contributed to student growth over the course of the year. I would like to thank Lorraine Roettges, Jane Plank and Samantha Lambros for their diligence and dedication to the students of Chets Creek Elementary. Although they split their time between two schools, I am so grateful to each of them for their willingness to serve. Thank you, ladies!

Until next time...

America's Got Talent - The Finals

2010-09-16T18:23:00.000-04:00

It's finally over. Pop music won out over "legit" music. The fourth place winner was Prince Poppycock, the third place winner was Fighting Gravity and I'll let you watch the video for yourself to see who won the grand prize.

I can now return to my normal bedtime (8:30 or so for this old girl!) and enjoy the fact that I made it all the way through to the end. What a great ride for the vocalists that were competing in the competition. Every one of them earned their place in the finals and their lives will never be the same again. I wish them all the very best!

Until next time...

Jackie Evancho

2010-09-09T18:41:00.002-04:00

Once in a lifetime, someone comes along that is so incredibly talented, the world actually stops to listen. This particular singer is a child. Her name is Jackie Evancho. She is one of four finalists in the "America's Got Talent" competition that is currently airing on NBC. She and Prince Poppycock (see blog post of 8/28/10) made the cut last night and will compete against each other on Tuesday, September 14th. This broadcast will be "live from Hollywood" and the winner gets a million dollar grand-prize and a headline show in Las Vegas.

I have been around extremely talented vocalists most of my life and I've never seen nor heard anything like this child. Her technique is flawless. She is ten years old! I cannot compare her sound with anyone elses - it is so unique. It is gorgeous. She is gorgeous. God has blessed her with a gift unlike any other I've ever witnessed.

The following video clip is from her performance last night. She sang, "Pie Jesu" in Latin and the crowd went wild. The judges were at a loss for words. Her performance was incredibly touching. Take a look....

If you would like to watch the final four compete for the grand prize next week, the show airs at 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday on NBC. I hope you can join us!

Until next time...

Beginning Recorder Study

2010-09-08T15:36:00.003-04:00

Each year the Chets Creek Elementary PTA purchases a recorder for every fourth grader in our building (approximately 200 students). Their gift provides an avenue for large numbers of students to learn to play an instrument and build their music-reading skills over the course of the year.

The recorder was a very popular instrument in Elizabethan England during the Renaissance period (circa 1600). It was easy to master and could be enjoyed as a solo instrument or preferably, in an ensemble setting with all four voicings playing simultaneously.

As with any instrument, the first few months of acquainting onesself with the instrument can be somewhat painful. One must figure out correct playing position, correct fingerings, correct tone production and endure much screeching until the amount of airflow needed to make a nice sound on the instrument is realized. For some students, it comes very easily. For others, their parents require that they practice in their bedroom with the door closed.

At our first class meeting with the fourth graders, I give them the opportunity to "blow the bejabbers out of it" while I plug my ears. This is their one and only opportunity to do so in my classroom. From that moment on, we work really hard at trying to produce a good tone at all times on the instrument.

Before they ever touch the instrument, we use colored reinforcement circles to create a practice instrument on their forearm. We go through the process step-by-step as a group activity. Once our circles are in place, we practice fingerings for B-A-G without having to worry about airstream, hole coverage ("leaks make squeaks") and note-reading. The students love this activity and it gives me time to build in the rituals and routines that will guide our instructional time when they return for the next class.

Until next time...

Prince Poppycock

2010-08-28T07:53:00.001-04:00

As an elementary music educator, I often wonder where my students will end up in life. Will they simply be consumers of music or will they actually take the "seed of song" that has been planted within them and grow it into something more meaningful; something that touches the heart and the soul.

I have been following an individual on "America's Got Talent" this summer. I couldn't tell you his real name. He is known to America as "Prince Poppycock." This person has created a persona that is larger than life. He is a machinist by day and an opera singer by night. My children are fascinated by him and have grown to appreciate his talent. America loves him and keeps voting him through. He has made his way through the semi-finals on the show and each time he returns, his performance is more astounding. Here he is performing his version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" on Tuesday, August 24, 2010.

IF he wins the talent competition, he will receive a headline show in Las Vegas and one million dollars. I will be completely dumb-founded if he actually wins, because pop culture in America always takes precedence over true talent. When I watch his performance, I see someone who was deeply touched by his elementary music teacher, greatly impacted by his middle school music teacher and pushed to performance level by his high school music teacher. I see someone who is dedicated to his craft; someone who has spent many hours studying vocal performance; someone who is not afraid of hard work and long hours and someone who understands showmanship. He has an uncanny ability to draw a crowd into the moment. Prince Poppycock -you have my vote!

Until next time...

Down on the Farm

2010-08-23T12:45:00.011-04:00

What a great day for our kids! Most of us city-slickers don't have any idea where our food comes from, but today our students got a first-hand look at farming from a group of farmers right here in Duval County, Florida. The Duval County Farm Bureau brought watermelons, tractors, livestock, a mule-drawn wagon, bees (self-contained) and seeds for our kids to plant.

I worked the "CCE Watermelon Patch" this morning and learned a great deal about watermelon. They originated in Egypt, they are a first-cousin of the cucumber, a medium-sized watermelon has approximately 1530 seeds in it and they're grown right here in Duval County!

"Jubilee" variety of melon

Every kid got a piece of watermelon from the watermelon patch (all 1350 of 'em!)

Beekeeper's Association

Beekeeper's gear

Beautiful Bovine Baby

A mother hen and her chicks

Have a great year, Ya'll!

Until next time...

Back-to-School 2010

2010-08-15T15:28:00.016-04:00

It's that time of year again...when teachers soak up the last few rays of summer sun, parents dash from store to store collecting school supplies and purchasing sneakers in the next size up; where tax-free shopping rules the day and sports physicals are an absolute necessity.

Yes - it's "Back-to-School 2010."

Welcome Back Teachers!

Our theme this year is "Cultivating a Community of Excellence" and we're heading down to the farm.

Opening day for faculty and staff is filled with games, skits, food and fun! Prizes are awarded for the best skit and the best costumes. Oh, we'll work a little too - review policy and procedures, talk about the data and how we plan to shore up our weak spots - we'll discuss our plan for implementing the new "Response to Intervention" tool and spend a little time reflecting on how to make this year our best ever.

Mrs. Phillips works really hard at including everyone in the opening day festivities and making our new teachers feel welcome. It is truly a great way to build community and prepare us for the coming year. Check out these photos!

Yee-Haw!!

Props from our Skit - "The Resourceful Farming Company, Inc."

Holy Cow! It's Dee Dee and Ray!

Building a weather vane with Tinkertoys (the hard way!)

Working on "Eggstrella's Egg Mover"

The team-building activities were the toughest part of the day. Have you ever tried to build something while getting your cues from a liason who can only say, "Yes, No or I don't know"? That was an experience I will never forget!

Until next time...

Orff Level 2

2010-07-24T05:55:00.025-04:00

"Tell me, I forget...show me, I remember...involve me, I understand." Carl Orff

Carl Orff (d. 1982) was a 20th Century German composer who taught early childhood music by involving the children in the learning process. Philosophically, "Orff-Schulwerk is a way to teach and learn music. It is based on things children like to do: sing, chant rhymes, clap, dance and keep a beat on anything near or at hand. These instincts are directed into learning music by hearing and making music first, then reading and writing it later. This is the same way we all learned our language." (American Orff Schulwerk Association).

For the past two weeks, I have spent my days in class studying melody, harmony, rhythm, bordun accompaniments, movement/dance - and my nights composing Orff arrangements using various compositional techniques that are accessible for young children. I have spent countless hours practicing the alto recorder which has different fingerings than the soprano recorder. I have had aesthetic experiences in class that I have never before experienced. I have created music, dance, movement and song. I am completely exhausted, but extremely fulfilled. It was a wonderful opportunity to grow as a musician and as an educator. Each of the music teachers at Chets Creek shared this experience with me and we will be better music educators because of it.

Lorraine Roettges, Dee Dee Tamburrino, Samantha Lambros and Jane Plank

This summer's professional development opportunity was a gift to each of the forty-eight music educators from Duval County Public Schools that attended. In June, several of our teachers traveled to Stetson to take Level 1 so they could be part of Level 2 at the University of North Florida in July. I greatly admire their tenacity!!

Two years ago, Patsy Butterbrodt wrote a $1,000,000.00 grant that was funded by the Federal Government for teacher training in Orff 1, 2 and 3. Last summer, Orff 1 was offered. Next summer, Orff 3 will be offered - free of charge - to any DCPS elementary music teacher who has completed Level 2. Thank you, Patsy, for having the courage to take that step to enhance teacher training in our district. We appreciate you! And a big 'thank you" to Mary Jeanette Howle for administrating the grant on our behalf! Without your faithful assistance, this professional development opportunity would not have been possible. "Well-done, good and faithful servant."

Orff Pedagogy Instructors: Gretchen Wahlberg and Sandy Lantz

Recorder and Movement Instructor: Linda O'Donnell

Orff 2 Alumni

Recorder Class (Dee Dee and Samantha)

Movement Class

Rhythm Class

Orff instruments stacked in the back of my station wagon

Transporting instruments back to Atlantic Beach Elementary at the conclusion of the workshop

Unloading the instruments

A huge 'thank-you' to Lorraine Roettges for allowing us to use her classroom instruments. You're the best!!

Until next time...

The End of an Era

2010-06-10T10:08:00.024-04:00

I began my teaching carrer six years ago when my youngest son was starting kindergarten. I had been out of graduate school for 12 years. During that time, I raised two babies and cared for my father who had been incapacitated by a stroke. It was a new beginning for all of us. I was blessed to be able to take he and his older brother to school with me and we were looking forward to this new adventure together. Fast-forward six years...

Yesterday, I graduated my first class of kindergarteners - Zac included. It was truly a bittersweet moment for me. I am very excited for Zac and a little sad for me. He has been well-prepared by some of the finest teachers in the district. He has matured into a scholar, an athlete and a comedian. He has served his school as a patrol and has been a shining light for others to see. I will miss my door being flung open on a daily basis with the usual shout-out of "HI, MOM!!" For the first time in 6 years, my car will be empty except for me traveling to and from school. It is a strange and wonderful place in which I find myself.

Mr. Ruark doing the high-five thing with his scholars

Zac received a medal for making the "A" Honor Roll

Zac received a Physical Fitness award

Zac high-fiving his teachers with his diploma

I would like to take a moment to thank his teachers as they have imparted knowledge to him in a masterful way over the past six years. They have helped shape him and mold him into the young man that he is today and I would be remiss if I let this opportunity go by without a proper "thank you!"

To Mrs. Michelle Ellis and Mrs. Debby Cothern, I would like to say thank you for helping him make the transition from preschool to kindergarten and first grade. You provided him with stability and a highly structured environment which he desperately needed. You taught him to read. You loved on him when all he wanted was to be in my classroom with me. You paved the way for the others.

To Mrs. Wanda Lankford and Miss Amy Adams, I would like to say thank you for caring for my child in a way that only you could. To this day, he speaks very highly of you. Besides, he thought it was incredibly cool to be outside in a cottage! Wanda, you are still his favorite cheerleader!!

To Mrs. Toni Chant and Miss Bridget O'Connor, thank you for helping him stretch his mind and work on social skills at the same time. Both of you encouraged him and loved on him and helped him find himself in third grade. Without your help, he would not have performed at the level he did in 4th grade and we are grateful. Mrs. Chant, I love that you still have his picture on your wall two years later. To me, that speaks volumes. You promised you would attend his wedding; I will hold you to it. It may not be a "Big, Fat Greek Wedding," but we would like you in attendance nonetheless.

To Mrs. Angela Phillips and Mr. Rick Pinchot, thank you for helping him slow down when trying to do mathematical calculations. He operates in turbo-drive most of the time and both of you ingrained in him the importance of slowing down, checking your work and finishing the task before moving on to something different. We now call him the "human calculator" and he is looking forward to being on the Scholar Bowl Team in middle school like his older brother. And to Mrs. Dorry Lopez-Sinclair and Miss Meli Launey, thank you for nurturing in him a desire to read and to explore new genres of literature. Dorry, thank you for allowing him to assist you with technology and help you get ready for your day. It made him feel valued and needed.

And finally, to Mr. Tom Ruark, Mrs. Carolyn Swidorsky and Mrs. Jane Szerba - what a great way to end an era!! Thank you for making his 5th grade experience at CCE a fabulous one. He worked so hard in your classes and has learned the importance of being organized and following through. When he panicked because he didn't have what he needed to complete an assignment, you were so understanding. When he was out of line in class, you re-directed him and got him back in line. When he was sick at home, you called to check on him. There are no words to express my gratitude to each of you.

I would be remiss in not expressing a word of thanks to the resource teachers in our building who have helped him become an artist, an athlete, a young man of character and a technology guru. He is also quite the musician. You have considered him as one of your own and I will return the kindness as your children pass through the music department.

Not every parent can say "I taught my own kid in the public school system." I've had the good fortune of teaching mine and many others and consider it a privilege and an honor to have done so.

Until next time...

Flag Retirement 2010

2010-06-04T10:45:00.014-04:00

"United States Federal Law provides that when the United States flag (Old Glory) becomes worn, torn, faded or badly soiled, it is time to replace it with a new flag, and the old flag should be "retired" with all the dignity and respect befitting our nation's flag. The traditional method of retirement is to incinerate the flag, but this does not mean that one should simply drop the flag into a fire. Today, we are not burning a flag. We are retiring a symbol of America's honor, courage, and strength."

And so began our final flag ceremony of the school year...

With the "Armed Services Medley" playing in the background, 1342 students filed out of the building and took their place around the bus loop. 100 5th graders who have served our school as Patrols were lined up and standing at attention. It was their final act of service as a Patrol this school year. 100 "Junior Patrols" were standing in formation as the honor of serving as a patrol was passed along from those who have served to those who will serve during the 2010-2011 school year.

After Mrs. Phillips completed her opening remarks, the flag team marched the new flag out to the flag pole and raised it to the top of the pole. Everyone recited the "Pledge of Allegience" and the "Star Spangled Banner" was sung by Courtney, one of my first-graders.

At the conclusion of the of the National Anthem, the flag was lowered to half-mast.

Sixteen of our 5th Grade Patrols celebrated the flag with reflective commentary while the retired flags were carried to the place where they would be incinerated. As the speakers shared their reflections, each of the 13 red and white stripes were separated from the flags and dropped into the fire.

At the conclusion of this portion of the ceremony, Andrew Bohn (a senior from Fletcher High School) played "Taps."

A moment of silence was observed in honor of the flags that were retired and for those who have served and are currently serving in our Armed Forces. The new flag was then returned to the top of the flag pole.

On a personal note, my father served in the United States Navy and saw combat during WWII in the South Pacific. My father passed away ten years ago and it is with great pride that I dedicate our flag retirement ceremony to him in my heart. I will never again be able to hear "Anchor's Away" or "Taps" without thinking about my daddy. Today, my mother was in attendance as her grandson (Zac) had a speaking part in the ceremony. She was deeply touched by the patriotism she saw in our students and our faculty today.

I am grateful to Mrs. Phillips for teaching our students what it means to be a good citizen of the United States of America. Teaching them to honor our country's flag is an important part of the process.

Until next time...

A Better You, A Better Me!

2010-05-27T08:34:00.014-04:00

Producing a grade-level musical is no easy task when you have 200 students, 12 teachers and 8 different classrooms working together on the same project. These six songs - A Better You, A Better Me; Expect Respect; Trust is a Must Blues; Fight Fair; I Will Care For You; The CitizenSHIP - have been swimming around in my brain for many months. Next week, I will conduct this show eight times over the course of two days. The performance schedule is grueling, but in the end, this Herculean effort on the part of all of us is worth it. Creating life-long memories in the lives of our children is what it's all about!

I began teaching the music to the students back in January.

Our art teacher finished the set last week and "dressed" the stage for the performances.

My sound technician has spent hours with his meter trying to "dial us in" on the sound board.

It has been a frenetic week of working with props, practicing transitions, delivering lines and remembering lyrics.

"A Better You, A Better Me!" is up and running and we are very excited to present this program next week. The performance schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, June 1 at 6:00 p.m. Phillips, Pinchot, Lopez-Sinclair and Launey
Tuesday, June 1 at 7:30 p.m. Tillis/Smith
Thursday, June 3 at 6:00 p.m. Constande/Cole/Bass/Ciupak
Thursday, June 3 at 7:30 p.m. Evanko/Tsengas

The Chets Creek Recorder Club will perform pre-show music 30 minutes prior to each program.

Please make plans to join us!!

Until next time...

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb

2010-05-13T15:08:00.011-04:00

HAND, HAND, FINGERS, THUMB by Al Perkins is a text I use with my kindergarten classes each year. If read properly, it is filled with rhythmical patterns that can be easily transcribed into rhythmic notation.

Rhythmical books make teaching rhythmic patterns much simpler. When the cadence of the text can be translated into rhythmic notation, it can be read much easier than trying to decode the rhythmic pattern alone.

Take a look at the following picture.

On the board, I have written three patterns. Each of these patterns aligns with one page of text from the book. They are written in random order on the board.

First, I read the text from start to finish. Then I ask the students to play the patterns on the board on their "lap drums." I demonstrate the pattern; then say, "Pattern 1, ready, play" and they tap it out for me. Once they can play it fairly proficiently on their laps, I give each student a hand drum. I re-read the text. Every time I read a page that has a matching pattern on the board, I point to the notation on the board and everyone plays.

Assessment is done at the end of the class. I play the patterns on the board in random order and ask which pattern did I just play? If I have 80% accuracy on the assessment, I am very pleased.

Aural, visual and kinesthetic modalities are all used in this lesson and the students are actually reading simple rhythmic patterns which have now been tied to speech. Aligning the visual cue on the board with the aural cue from the book is good for ear-training. It is Orff instruction at its core.

"hand, hand, fingers, thumb; dum-ditty-dum-ditty dum, dum, dum - Pattern 1, Ready, Play..." Give it a try on your lap drum and see how you do!

Until next time...

Recorder Club and TPC at JIA

2010-05-05T19:49:00.013-04:00

Today was an exciting day for The Chets Creek Recorder Club. We took a field trip to Jacksonville International Airport to perform for crowds of golf officianados passing through the airport on their way to the Tournament Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach. The students were very excited to see Paul Azinger (PGA Professional) autographing golf gloves and copies of his new book under the TPC tent.

We have been preparing for this musical adventure for the past eight weeks.

We've been rehearsing after school and working on the art of improvisation in one of our jazz pieces (a new and sometimes challenging musical skill). We showcased four soloists today (a first for us!) and the audience seemed to really enjoy our choreographed number. Have you ever seen "recorder digs?" :)

Waiting for our turn to perform.

Our fan following included moms, dads, grannies, grandpas and a little old lady from South Carolina that made her way over to me at the conclusion of our performance. She wanted me to know that she had driven down to Jacksonville to drop someone off at the airport and had no idea that she would get to enjoy "live" entertainment on her trip! "Marvelous Marvine" even dropped by to lend her support!

Miss Lambros returned to assist me with the trip today and conduct one of the pieces in our program. I am always very grateful when Miss Lambros can show up for the fun!

A big "Thank You!" to Ms. Debbie Jones (Community Relations Administrator at JIA) for believing in us and inviting us back for a command performance! We played there in December as part of the airport's "Holiday Fest" and she is always a most gracious host.

Many thanks to our parents who gave up their morning to help transport kids and equipment. Without their assistance, musically enriching experiences such as this would not be possible.

Until next time...

What's a Cobbler?

2010-05-03T20:51:00.012-04:00

My first graders tend to think a "Cobbler" has something to do with peaches, blueberries and cherries. They have limited background knowledge of what a cobbler is and what a cobbler does. Enter an old-tyme Nursery Rhyme called, "Cobbler, Cobbler" and watch what happens next...

"Cobbler, Cobbler mend my shoe; Have it done by half-past two; Half-past two is at the door; Have it done by half-past four."

At first glance, it is a simple rhyme. Talk about the job of a cobbler (who he is and what he does) and you have a social studies lesson from the 1800s. Ask the students to define the word "mend." Then consider other synonyms such as repair or fix and you have a vocabulary lesson. Ask the question, "What time is half-past two?" and you have a lesson on telling time. Add the solfege syllables Sol, Mi and Re and you have a pitch-matching lesson. Pat on your laps while you sing the rhyme and you've layered in some much-needed practice with steady beat. For the piece de resistance, throw in a little play money and you have a mathematics lesson on making correct change.

All of the above transpires in a lesson I do with my first graders towards the end of the school year. I set up the activity in the back of the room so that each child gets to be the cobbler AND the customer. The customer comes to the cobbler shop to get his shoes repaired. The song is sung and we segue into a chant - "Cobbler, Cobbler thanks so much. How much do I owe you?"

The cobbler taps out a number between $1.00 and $10.00. The customer must count the number of taps and pay the cobbler correctly from the money in his wallet. I oversee all monetary transactions to make certain the students perform the task correctly. Once the transaction is complete, the cobbler moves to the back of the line, the customer becomes the new cobbler and the process is repeated until each child has a turn.

It's a great lesson for curriculum integration and the students get to practice math and music skills simultaneously. Their enthusiasm is contagious!

Until next time...

Cultural Arts Week

2010-04-19T16:47:00.029-04:00

Cultural Arts Week showcases THE ARTS using a variety of media including visual arts, dance, performing arts, drama, story-telling, and music. All 1300+ students have a piece of artwork they created on display somewhere in the building.

There are assemblies each day for our students to experience "live" performance on our stage and the week culminates on Friday evening at "Arts Extravaganza" - a two-hour family fun event where you can come and create artwork to take home with you. Visual artists will be on-hand displaying and selling their work and musicians will be on-hand performing throughout the building.

On Monday and Tuesday evening, parents are invited back to school to view the student gallery in the lobby and purchase a framed piece of their child's artwork (Kids Art Fairs, Inc.)

On our stage, "Sugar and Spice" kicked off the week using puppets, pop music and magic tricks to engage the students.

On Tuesday, a percussion duo from the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra performed.

On Wednesday, Glenis Redmond from North Carolina shared the power of poetry with us.

On Thursday, Orisirisi African Folklore shared African drumming and song with our students. This duo performed at EPCOT for many years before taking their program into schools all over the Southeast.

On Friday, Project Listen (the educational outreach program of Riverside Fine Arts) brought Alan Dalton to us to play banjo and share his love of Bluegrass music with us. An impromptu clogging demonstration was also presented by me!!

The week closed out with Arts Extravaganza on Friday evening with Matthew Olsavsky entertaining us on the steel pan drum and a recorder quartet playing old standards and jazz favorites. It was an absolutely incredible week!!

Until next time...

Faculty Fun!!

2010-04-14T17:06:00.011-04:00

Today, the Chets Creek Crab Shack opened for business! It is only open one day a year and it is by far, my favorite "faculty fun" thing to do! My youngest son asked me if we really ate crab and I had to tell him, "No - it's fried grouper, but it's just as good!"

The Crab Shack is southern redneck at it's core. We dine on fried fish, cheese grits, cole slaw and rolls. We drink gallons of iced tea and slop up home-made banana puddin' for dessert. We get to go fishin' for a prize. (One of our community business partners provides the gift cards). We listen to country music and cheer every time the next group walks through the door. It is hilarious!

Me and Mrs. Phillips. I gave her that crab hat years ago!

My principal hollers atcha when you walk in..."WELCOME TO THE CHETS CREEK CRAB SHACK, MRS. TAMBURRINO...COME ON IN!!" She's from South Carolina and sounds like it. She slaps that bait bucket in yer face and says, "time to go fishin'!" Today, I won a gift card from Starbucks, but could have won a gift card from WalMart, Target, Office Max, Subway, Ritas, Chick-Fil-A, an iTunes gift card, gummie worms, goldfish crackers or a real-live fish in a fish bowl. The "whale of a prize" was an iPod Nano or an iPod Shuffle!

I think a new tradition was begun today when Mrs. Phillips asked one of our born-and-bred Yankees if she had tried the cheese grits. She said, "No, no way!!" Mrs. Phillips told her that if she would eat a bowl of cheese grits, she would give her a special prize. We all watched and cheered as this poor soul gagged down a bowl of cheese grits, washing every bite down with a gulp of iced tea. (She was told she had to keep them down or she would lose her prize.)

Talk about blind faith...she endured this heckling not knowing what the special prize was going to be! Turns out, Mrs. Phillips offered to trade jobs with her for a day. She gets to be principal while Mrs. Phillips teaches her second grade class. My only regret is that her husband was not there to witness the ordeal.

Until next time...

Spring Spectacular

2010-04-03T10:28:00.009-04:00

As I write to you from the mountains of western North Carolina, I am currently experiencing a grown-up version of the "3 R's." No...I am not practicing my reading, writing or my arithmetic. I am resting, relaxing and re-grouping. Spring Break comes at just the right time for a music teacher; right between the "Christmas Crazies" and the "Spring Spectacular!"

Upon my return from Winter Break in January, I began rehearsing the Third Grade Musical (aka Spring Spectacular) at Chets Creek. Several third grade teachers came to me in the fall and felt very strongly that their spring musical should enhance what was being taught in Character Education both in the classroom and by Mrs. Hall, our Character Ed Resource Specialist. I told them I had just the thing...

Several years ago, Roger Emerson and John Jacobson collaborated on a musical for children entitled, "A Better You, A Better Me." In this musical, the song titles reflect one of the Six Pillars of Good Character. Titles such as "Expect Respect," "Trust is a Must Blues," "I Will Care for You," and "The CitizenSHIP" are reflective of the musical as a whole. I began working on the musical while their classroom teachers were preparing the students for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).

This particular musical not only reinforces what it means to be a "good citizen," it also teaches young people how to be men and women of good character - to be honest, to be fair, to show respect to others, to care for one another. Additionally, I am able to provide them with unique performance experiences through various genres of music including rock, country/swing, the blues and the ballad. It is a "win-win" for all parties involved!

Because this is a grade-level production and there are 14 classroom teachers, 1 music teacher, 2-4 art teachers and a sound tech involved in the planning, preparation, and execution over many months, I work with a "play liason" from the team who helps me disseminate information to the group during their team meetings. This has helped streamline our productions over the years and keeps the stress levels to a minimum while we're "in production." It is truly a labor of love for the kids and I greatly appreciate the effort on the part of the classroom teachers, many of whom are not musically trained.

Costumes must be created, choreography must be written, staging and blocking must be thought through, a stage rehearsal schedule must be prepared so that everyone has equal access to the stage and technical rehearsals are a must. It all comes together during the final dress rehearsals and performances on Tuesday, June 1st and Thursday, June 3rd in our school cafeteria.

The "resting, relaxing, and re-grouping" scene could not have come at a more opportune time.

Until next time...

Tools of the Trade

2010-03-29T08:38:00.018-04:00

Have you ever wondered what "tools of the trade" a percussionist might carry around with him?
Check this out!

The carrying case is called a "stick bag" and in it, one can find mallets of various shapes, sizes, colors and degrees of hardness; one can also find several varieties of drum sticks (thick, thin, wooden tipped, plastic tipped); and one can find a metal striker, just in case said percussionist is called upon to play the bells. So began Mr. Winslow's final lesson for his Field 1 class with my first-graders last week.

For his third and final lesson, Mr. Winslow was required to teach what is commonly known as a "critical task" - a lesson that the music teacher must teach to cover a particular music standard. We decided that he would plan a lesson covering the Instruments of the Orchestra and focus his attention on the percussion section, since this was his specialty area.

He presented an overview using a PowerPoint presentation which covered the Strings, Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion families of instruments. Then he taught the sub-categories which relate only to the percussion family (wood, metal, shaker, membrane).

He brought an interesting wooden drum with him called a "cajon" and allowed each student to play it. He also brought a ship's bell as an example of a metal and a roto-tom (tunable drum) to demonstrate what happens to the pitch when the membrane is tightened by the turn of a crank. These instruments were very unusual and my students were fascinated by them.

Nolan with the ship's bell

Teaching the lesson

His assessment included a segment devoted to comparing and contrasting the different percussion instruments and placing them in their respective categories. The lesson concluded with a "matching" game to see whether or not the students could correctly label a wood, a metal, a shaker and a membrane and could properly place it in the correct sub-category. My students were thrilled with this hands-on experience and I was very appreciative of Mr. Winslow's willingness to share his expertise with them.

As Spring semester comes to a close at the University of North Florida, we must bid farewell to Mr. Winslow and his highly-specialized content knowledge. Because he is only here six hours a week and is limited in the number of classes he can teach, I have engaged a percussion ensemble from the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra to come to Chets Creek during Cultural Arts Week and bring the larger instruments like the timpani, the concert xylophone, marimba and vibraphone along with them. They will be performing two 30-minute concerts for our entire student body next month. I can't wait!!

Until next time...

Welcome Back, Miss Lambros!!

2010-03-17T06:57:00.012-04:00

As many of you know, I had the privilege of mentoring Samantha Lambros through her music internship last fall. I served as her Directing Teacher and she spent approximately four months with me in my classroom. She was a joy and a delight to work with and it broke my heart to see her go. She is smart, musically gifted and brings an instrumentalist's perspective to my classroom. (Her instrument is the French Horn.)

Miss Lambros and Mrs. Tamburrino at her Senior Recital

Miss Lambros graduated from UNF in December and began teaching elementary music in Duval County Public Schools in January. Although not required, she has agreed to return to Chets Creek and assist me with our spring session of Recorder Club. Miss Lambros and I donate our time on a weekly basis after school to provide these students with an opportunity to work in an ensemble setting and further develop their note-reading and performance skills. Working with a smaller ensemble allows us to work at a deeper level with our students.

Last fall, the Chets Creek Recorder Club performed at the Midtown Arts Fest, the Beaches Senior Center, Jacksonville International Airport and the TownCenter Mall during the holdiay season. In years past, the Recorder Club disbanded after our final performance in December. However, In January, I received a request from the Community Relations Administrator at the airport asking if we would return in May for a command performance during TPC Week. I contacted the parents and asked them to let me know if their child would be interested in returning for eight weeks of rehearsal and another performance at the airport. I said that if I had at least ten students that were willing to make the commitment, I would do it. Fifteen students agreed to return and with my principal's blessing, we began rehearsing on March 9th.

We are currently working on several pieces which have been arranged in a jazz format for soprano recorder. The music incorporates a performance genre that is new to my students and requires the students to improvise on the instrument. I promise to keep you posted on their progress.

Until next time...

The Model Classroom

2010-03-14T20:13:00.001-04:00

Model classrooms are used in learning communities to provide opportunities for pre-interns, interns and inexperienced teachers to observe "best practices" in action. Over the years, our school has built a relationship with the University of North Florida's College of Education and Human Services. Students needing placement for Field 1, Field 2 or an Internship can come to Chets Creek and experience firsthand what it's like to teach at a high-performing elementary school.

We are an America's Choice National Model School and have more National Board Certified teachers on our faculty than any other school in the district. We take pride in sharing our expertise with others. Faculty members who open their doors to student-teachers have taken a course in Clinical Educator Training and are well-equipped to assist the student-teacher. As the Directing Teacher, my job is to help acclimate the student-teacher to the classroom; assist with lesson planning; observe their teaching and to complete several formal, written observations throughout the semester.

This Spring, I was assigned a pre-intern from the Department of Music at UNF. Nick is a percussionist and is in his junior year at the university. He was sent to me for his Field 1 experience. A pre-intern has usually done some peer-teaching with his classmates, but has not had much real-life teaching experience outside the classroom. Because Nick is a percussionist, he has brought a wealth of information to my students that they would not necessarily have gleaned from my instruction. I was trained as a vocalist; Nick, as an instrumentalist. I have learned a great deal from Nick in the last few weeks and would like to share one of his lessons with you.

This lesson on Civil War Drumming (a/k/a rudimental drumming) was taught to kindergarteners. Specific drum cadences and rhythmic patterns were used during the Civil War to muster the troops and get them moving in the right direction. Nick wanted to integrate the music standards with social studies and physical education standards. He planned and implemented a lesson that included a brief history of the Civil War, noticeable differences between a field drum and a snare drum, sticks and sticking techniques, forward/backward movement and aural discrimination between a roll and a flam on both drums. I hope you will gain new insights from a percussionist's point of view by watching his instructional video. Nick - I'm proud of you!

Until next time...

Save Duval Schools

2010-03-14T08:04:00.006-04:00

The Florida Constitution states, "The education of children is a fundamental value of the people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for...a uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education...."

As an elementary music educator, springtime is a bitter-sweet time for me. I love it when the sunshine returns, I enjoy getting outdoors and spending time in the garden, I blow the dust off of my rod and reel and head for the surf and all is well in my world - well, almost.

Springtime is also the time of year when the Florida Legislature re-convenes to balance the state budget. Because I do not teach what is considered to be a "core academic subject," my job is invariably on the chopping block every year. It matters not that I am a National Board Certified Teacher in Early and Middle Childhood Music. It matters not that I open my classroom doors to mentor college students from the University of North Florida, Florida State College at Jacksonville and Jacksonville University. Both my husband and I are elementary arts educators in Duval County. This horrible black cloud hangs over our household until the budget has been passed and we know whether or not we have a job to which we can return in the Fall. It is a very stressful time of year for us and for our children.

Duval County Public Schools is facing a $125,000,000 budget deficit next year. There is a disconnect between our parents and what is going on in Tallahassee right now. It has become necessary for all of our stakeholders - administrators, teachers, community leaders, parents and students - to make their voices heard in Tallahassee. If you value art, music and PE at Chets Creek Elementary, please contact your legislators. If you value a guidance counselor at Chets Creek Elementary, please contact your legislators. If you value a media specialist at Chets Creek Elementary, please conatact your legislators. It is imperative that you do so and do so quickly.

Ask your legislator to "provide flexibility" with how the money is spent so districts can use monies where they are needed most. Ask your legislator to "hold in abeyance the Class Size Amendment" or "limit the penalty for non-compliance." This is an unfunded mandate that we cannot afford. Ask your legislator to "hold in abeyance" all state-recognition funding including "School Recognition, MAP, AP, IB, and AICE teacher bonuses. If your child is taught by a Board-Certified teacher, John Thrasher is trying to repeal the "Dale Hickam Act" which provides teacher bonuses for Board-Certified personnel. Additionally, the State Lottery System was sold to the public as a system that would provide funding for K-12 education. Much of that funding has been shifted to Bright Futures Scholarships for post-secondary students and has left K-12 education with a huge hole in its pockets. The public has been duped and there is much to be lost if we do not speak out.

Florida is 50th out of 50 States in "per capita" spending on public education. Is 50th good enough for your child? Please go to "myflorida.gov" to determine who your state representatives are and to gather e-mail addresses for your legislators. For every e-mail, telephone call or fax they receive, it counts as 25 contacts from constituents. Your help is greatly needed and greatly appreciated.

I have a dream that the teaching profession will one day be held in the highest esteem alongside the medical and legal professions. Without the professional educator, there will be no other professions of which to speak.

Until next time...

X is for Xylophone

2010-03-03T19:51:00.019-05:00

XYLOPHONE. The ubiquitous childhood instrument. It comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. It is easy to manipulate. It requires no breath control to make it speak and no special fingerings to make it play. It pairs beautifully with metallaphones, membranes and shakers. Because a xylophone is laid out in the same left-right orientation as a piano keyboard, kindergarteners can easily be taught transferrable concepts such as the music alphabet, high/low, and stepwise movement. Today, exploring the xylophone was first and foremost on my kindergarteners' minds.

Before ever touching the instrument, we watched a YouTube videoclip of a phenomenal xylophone performance of a piece entitled, "Log Cabin Blues," to get an idea of what one sounded like when proficiently played.

We looked at a diagram of a xylophone on the board and talked about "long, low, left." (The longer the bar, the lower the pitch.) We noticed that the bars got progressively shorter and the pitch got higher as we moved to the right on the instrument. We also discussed the funky phonemic blend (Xy=Z)at the beginning of the word. (One student informed me that the "ph" makes the sound "f" like in "Philadelphia Phillies." Can you tell his kindergarten teacher is from Philadelphia?)

We carefully removed five bars creating an octave (8-note sequence) from C-C; we practiced our mallet grip and technique, we played a C-major scale up and down at a moderately fast tempo and did our best to play as an ensemble; we labeled the different parts of the instrument on a piece of paper in pencil and finally, colored our xylophone picture with crayons to take home something tangible from the experience. All modalities of learning were touched upon in this lesson (aural, visual and kinesthetic). Inquiry-based opportunities for learning were also included.

The title of one of my favorite songs from the 70's sums up today's lesson exquisitely -"We've Only Just Begun." :)

Until next time...

Teachable Moments

2010-03-02T15:55:00.009-05:00

Why is it that Asian children have such a propensity for musical greatness?

That question popped into my mind as I was introducing the Instruments of the Orchestra today in a second grade general music class. I always begin with the String family and work my way through the Winds, Brass and Percussion families in subsequent lessons. Today's teaching began with the work-horse of any symphony orchestra - the violin.

As I began to unpack my school-issue violin from its case, a precocious little second grader by the name of Sarah raised her hand and informed me that she played the violin. "Aha....another teachable moment is about to unfold in my classroom," I thought. "Just go with it..."

The lesson usually unfolds this way: I hold up the violin and explain that it has four strings, that it is tuned by turning these pegs, I show them the bridge and the neck rest, I explain that this is a bow and that the bow is actually made out of horse hair, etc. For my grand finale, I play "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" on the instrument. (It is the only song I remember from my string techniques class.) The students are awestruck by my terrible violin technique and I quietly place the violin back in its case and move on to the viola.

Today, however, I invited Sarah to the front of the classroom to perform on the violin, instead of me. She is accustomed to playing on a half-size instrument and had to reach and stretch to make it work for her.

I assumed she would play "Twinkle" too, since that song has been dubbed the "national anthem" of the violin. Everyone learns it; it is required literature for all budding violinists. I was absolutely dumbfounded when she began to play Beethoven's "Ode to Joy." Like my students, I was awestruck by a seven-year old's violin playing and completely embarrassed by my own!

Her classmates were mesmerized by the performance too. So much so, that they asked her to come back and play an encore at the end of our lesson.

Sarah serenaded her classmates until their teacher arrived to pick up the class. What an awesome way to end the day!

Until next time...

Fifth Grade Lesson

2010-02-05T16:04:00.017-05:00

MU.C.1.2 states that "The student understands music in relation to culture and history." (Sunshine State Standards; Music 3-5)

Because we live in a global community, it is important for students to become acquainted with different genres of music from various countries and cultures. They should be able to describe how the basic elements of music (rhythm, melody, timbre, texture and dynamics) are used in different types of music around the world. They should also understand the roles that regions, events and historical contexts have in generating various types of music. In my classroom, I use a song from South Africa entitled "Kalimba" to teach the concept of form in music.

A kalimba is a percussion instrument (also called an mbira). At the beginning of the lesson, we talk about the kalimba and I play a sound file on my laptop so my students can actually hear one being played.

The lesson you are about to see gives you a peek into my classroom as I teach "Kalimba" to a group of 5th graders. The lesson was originally written by Mary Beth Yoder-White (Appalachian State University) and I have adapted it to fit my purposes here. My lesson synthesizes many things - music from other cultures, unfamiliar music vocabulary, directionality on a compass, rhythmic reading, body percussion, improvisation, form and structure. It is taught to the individual; the learning is then applied in a group setting. The lesson ends with a group performance in the back of the classroom.

My heartfelt "thanks!!" goes out to Mr. Trey Vollmer of Vollmer Video for his assistance with this project.

Until next time...

"Sleepover Under the Stars"

2010-01-29T17:12:00.027-05:00

Today was a big day in the life of our First Graders at Chets Creek. They celebrated the culmination of a unit of study on the Solar System. (For the record, they didn't really have a sleepover, but I bet they wished they could have!) The day began with a pre-dawn flashlight parade followed by a super-galactic pancake breakfast.

Mission Control preparing for the Flashlight Parade

This is me during the parade singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"

Our students then rotated through various centers. They went on an asteroid hunt, they learned new songs about "Spaceworms" and danced the robot to "Rap of the Solar System." They created picture frames for their (unofficial) NASA photo, they used a SmartBoard to test their skill at matching icons to space-related vocabulary words, they visited a blow-up planetarium and attended a Constellation Ball - all in their PJs!

Mrs. Tamburrino and the Storm Trooper. He hails from a planet called Landstar

"Spaceworms crawlin' in the night, spaceworms crawlin' outta sight, spaceworms love to talk and they love to do the Spaceworm Walk!"

Teaching "Spaceworms"

I closed out our time in the music center with a technology presentation entitled, "Blue Beauty." It was filled with spectacular photos of earth taken from the space station. Check out the following link to view it for yourself. It was awesome! http://www.greatdanepro.com/Blue%20Bueaty/index.htm

This grade-level event was completely revamped to address the first grade science standards and the kids absolutely loved it! Hats off to the Chets Creek Resource Specialists - without their help, this day would never have left the launching pad!! You guys are simply stellar!!

Until next time...

"Wilson" the Tennis Ball

2010-01-23T15:56:00.011-05:00

At an Orff workshop several years ago, a teacher in St. Johns County pulled out a tennis ball that she had decorated with a patch of black hair made of yarn, two google-eyes, a red bow tie and a smile. The topic was "teaching children to use the voice correctly" and I couldn't understand what the tennis ball had to do with vocal instruction in my classroom - until I made one myself and tried it with my kids...

Allow me to introduce you to Wilson, the tennis ball. He has become one of my favorite teaching tools ever. I use "Wilson" (think Tom Hanks in the movie, "Castaway," except his buddy was a volleyball) in second grade to help my students understand the difference between "head voice" and "chest voice."

Children have four voices in their little bodies that they must be able to engage on demand. Each serves a different purpose. The "playground" voice (technically labeled the "calling" voice) is easy for them to use properly. Every kid I know can scream, holler, yell and shout. [We also talk about synonyms in this lesson!] The "library" voice (technically labeled the "whispering voice" is usually easy for them to engage and use properly. The tricky part is differentiating between the "head" voice (technically labeled the "singing" voice) and the "chest" voice (technically labeled the "speaking" voice).

I use my little tennis ball friend to help them learn to flip the mechanism in the larynx from their speaking voice to their singing voice without ever asking them to sing a note. This activity is non-threatening to the students and EVERYONE wants to have a turn.

The student can ask Wilson to do anything (within reason) using their chest voice, however, Wilson will not respond to their request. He shakes his head "no!" and sits very still in my hand. When the student asks the same question of Wilson using his singing voice, Wilson smiles and does whatever they ask of him. Of course, in addition to drawing on his smile, I cut a slit for a mouth with an Exacto knife and it delights the kids to see him "talk" to them using his singing voice. My only regret is that I am not a ventriloquist and they usually figure out that it's me operating the mouth by squeezing the ball and I'm the one using my singing voice, not Wilson.

The best part is when my kids return as 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. Not a year goes by that several of them don't ask, "Mrs. Tamburrino - Can we play with Wilson today?"

To me, that is the best part of all!

Until next time...

FMEA Conference - Tampa, Florida

2010-01-10T08:24:00.019-05:00

As a music educator, I belong to several professional organizations that provide content-specific teacher training for me. These organizations allow me to network with other music educators from across the state of Florida and across the nation. My students always stare at me with quizzical looks when I tell them, "I am going back to school for a few days so that I can become a better teacher." At the elementary level, they do not always understand the concept of "life-long learner" and "once a teacher, always a student."

Currently, I am president of the Duval Elementary Music Teacher organization which provides training for elementary music teachers in our district on teacher planning days throughout the school year. I am an active member in the Florida Elementary Music Educators' Association (a component organization of the Florida Music Educators' Association and Music Educators' National Conference). I am also a member of the Northeast Florida Orff Chapter and served on its Board for two years as Professional Development Facilitator for Duval County teachers.

Each January, FMEA hosts our state conference in Tampa, Florida. Members of the various component organizations (Florida Vocal Association, Florida Bandmasters Association, Florida Orchestra Association) converge in Tampa for four days of continuing education opportunities and hands-on training. Performance groups from around the state share their unique and wonderful music with us. I cannot express how refreshing it is to be an active participant in the audience and not have to concern myself with conducting or troubleshooting the sound system. I can simply sit back and enjoy...

The Disney Main Street Philharmonic performing for us

Kim Rose's session "Imagination + Creativity = Musicianship"
Kim teaches at Wards Creek Elementary in St. Johns County

This is me receiving an award from Karen Bouton, President of FEMEA for achieving National Board Certification. I was one of three teachers in the state of Florida to achieve this honor in 2008-09

This year's conference was entitled -
"Music and the Creative Mind: Wired for Success."

We now have hard data that shows the correlation between the Arts and Academics. Our brains are "wired for success" and students who participate in arts education from their kindergarten years through their high school years are more likely to graduate with their cohort than those who do not. They also score higher on the FCAT in reading, writing and math. Complete data is now available on the FMEA website (www.flmusiced.org)

At our conference, there were numerous opportunities for learning. We could sample music software in the Mac lab, observe master teachers from across the country in various teaching settings; sing, dance, play, perform on world instruments and listen to various genres of music in "live performance" settings from jazz to orchestral music and choral groups to steel pan bands.

World Drumming with Kalani

It is always an uplifting and rejuvenating experience to attend FMEA each year and re-fill my tank. A big "thank you!" goes out to my principal for allowing me to do so.

Until next time...

Dress Rehearsals and Holiday Musicals

2009-12-06T06:39:00.012-05:00

Dress Rehearsal for "Once on a Housetop"

'Tis the Season for dress rehearsals and holiday musical performances!

Our second graders will be showcasing their talents this week in a production entitled "Once on a Housetop" by Roger Emerson. They have been working on the music since the school year began and using the lyrics to the songs for memorization purposes in their classrooms during Reader's Workshop. They are very excited about the production, and for most of them, this will be their first time on stage.

Student learning is impacted in several ways while preparing for this production. Shy students come to life on stage. They sing, dance and interact with the audience. They learn to follow me as I conduct the music. They sing with expression. Various genres of music are presented. Various styles of singing are taught. The elements of music are explored as we rehearse each song. Students are exposed to the beauty of harmony and so on. I use the rehearsal setting to teach good vocal technique, ear-training, ensemble singing, part-singing and stage presence. I have had numerous parents tell me that their child is shy and will never be able do this. On many occasions, the parents come to me after the show and say things like, "I never dreamed my child was capable of such a thing." It is a very sweet moment for me as their music teacher.

Producing a quality musical production is a monumental task. The process is a collaborative effort between parents, teachers, students, the music department and the art department. Parents assist with costume construction and set design. Teachers build confidence in their students by rehearsing on the stage and creating the visual experience for the audience. I help the students find their voice and teach them to use it properly. I also conduct each performance which will include three dress rehearsals and three evening performances this week. Mrs. Snead designs, paints and installs the set each year. Even our Security Officer is moonlighting as our sound technician!

During the week, every student in the building will be invited to attend one of our dress rehearsals and practice their "good audience behaviors." My principal lends her unwavering support and attends each evening performance throughout the week. It is truly a labor of love for our learning community and creates a life-long memory for all of our students.

On December 8th at 6:00 p.m. - Ross/Russell/Timmons/Lipsky will perform.

On December 10th at 6:00 p.m. - Chant/Wallace/Morris/Metzger will perform.

On December 10th at 7:30 p.m. - Ruark/VanAlstyne/Walag/Shaffer/Nelson/Rossignol will perform.

All performances will be held in the Chets Creek cafeteria.

As a service to our second graders, the Chets Creek Recorder Club will perform pre-show holiday favorites in the lobby 30 minutes prior to each production.

I hope you will be able to join us!

Until next time....

National Board Certified

2009-11-23T05:58:00.005-05:00

It is with great humbleness of heart that I share this news with you – after months and months of working towards National Board Certification and waiting six months for the scores to be posted, I am very happy to report that I am now a National Board Certified Teacher in Early/Middle Childhood Music.

The journey was long and arduous, and I am deeply honored to be counted among the top 2% of teachers in the nation. My journey began in June, 2008. I attended a workshop at Appalachian State that helped prepare music teachers for the process. I had a great videographer that captured the essence of my teaching so beautifully; I had 5 NBCTs that read my portfolio entries over and over and helped me successfully edit my work; I had a loving husband that picked up the slack at home (grocery shopping, cooking meals, doing laundry, taking care of children, etc.) so that I could pursue my dream. It was truly a labor of love on many fronts and I am indebted to so many of you who stood by me last year and who were faithful to pray for me throughout the process. There were so many people who supported me in this endeavor and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Pursuing National Board Certification was, by far, the hardest thing I have ever done, either personally or professionally.

In this season of thanksgiving, I thank God for the intellect, the voice, the musical talent and the gift of teaching He has bestowed upon me. I am grateful for a principal who took a chance on me six years ago when there were others who were more qualified than I to teach at her school. I am also extremely thankful for teachers who invested their time and talent in me as a young child and I consider it an honor to be doing the very same thing for those that I now teach. Until next time...

Kindergarten Pow Wow

2009-11-20T20:06:00.007-05:00

Today was a big day in the life of a Kindergartener at Chets Creek!

Our annual Pow Wow was held under clear skies with abnormally warm temperatures. The day began with an outdoor ceremony hosted by Chief Red Cloud, Chief Jumping Frog and Chief Sing-Um-Song (that would be me!) Eight Native American tribes were represented. They performed tribal dances, sang Native American songs and tried their hands at drum-playing, food-tasting and symbol writing. Story-telling took place in the Great Tepee and a scavenger hunt was enjoyed by all. Chief Chets Creek shared his hunting and game-trapping skills with our youngsters and gave them an opportunity to try smoked venison too!

Chief Beat-Um-Drum (Miss Lambros) and I spent the day in the Tribal Music Center teaching the "Canoe Song" to our youngest learners. They can now tell you the meaning of the word, "keen" and can explain what it means to "dip, dip and swing."

Creating life-long memories for our children is part of our design. Pow Wow is one of those memories that will certainly last a lifetime. Until next time...

Midtown ArtFest Performance

2009-11-15T20:32:00.014-05:00

It was such a privilege to be a part of my students' lives today as the Chets Creek Recorder Club performed at the Midtown ArtFest in Jacksonville. They were true professionals and they played so beautifully! Our program opened with "When the Saints Go Marching In," "Amazing Grace," Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" and we closed out the performance with a sampling of holiday music.

Nineteen children and their families gave up their Sunday afternoon to participate and I could not have been more proud of them! We are so blessed at CCE to have parents who are committed to the education of their children. Parental involvement is vitally important to a child's success in school. PARENTS - I tip my hat to each of you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!! Until next time...

Miss Lambros' Senior Recital

2009-11-15T16:46:00.007-05:00

My intern, Samantha Lambros, fulfilled one of the requirements for her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education degree last night by presenting her Senior Recital at the University of North Florida. The recital hall was filled with family, friends, faculty and fellow students - many of whom had never before attended a French Horn recital!

Miss Lambros was responsible for choosing the music on the program, hiring the musicians that accompanied her and rehearsing the program in preparation for last night's performance. She played several concerto movements by W.A. Mozart, a lovely piece entitled "Romance in F" by Camille Saint-Sains and two duets for French Horn, also by Mozart. After intermission, we enjoyed the third movement from "Quintet No. 1 in B flat minor" by Victor Ewald and the evening ended with a Canadian Brass arrangement of the "Suite from Water Music" by George Frideric Handel.

Of all the brass instruments, the French Horn is the most difficult to play and Miss Lambros made her horn "sing" beautifully last night. It was an honor to be in the audience, enjoy the concert and support her efforts. Until next time...