We had a great Thanksgiving but now it is time to go back to school, if only for another three weeks until our next break! Today I only taught first through third grades because I was sick this morning. We are having a Christmas program on December 17 and the first and second grades are singing four songs, along with some other entertainment. Today I began teaching the kids their songs for their programs. We are singing "Away in a Manger", "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", "Silent Night", and "Jingle Bells". I was extremely amazed and saddened that half of the children had never heard "Away in a Manger" or "Silent Night"! They knew the other two "secular" songs very well, but the Christian songs reflecting the TRUE meaning of Christmas in the birth of Savior, they had no clue about. I am hoping that learning these two songs will plant a much needed seed of the Gospel that a lot of them are so desperate to hear.
Today I began teaching 3rd grade how to read music notes. I started with just teaching the lines notes and then I will do the space notes another day. I was extremely surprised and pleased that they understood it very well. I use the mnemonic device Every Good Boy Desrves Fudge to teach the order of the line notes. After they memorized that sentence, then I pointed to the notes without the letters and had them name them for me. Then on the Smart Board I had placed different notes and had them come to the board and write their names. They got them all correct! I was very happy. I also had them trace treble clefs on the Smart Board and they liked that as well.
When I came home I finished decorating the inside of the house for Christmas, so I will leave you with a picture of our tree next to the piano.
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