Keeping the Music Alive

for Music Educators

by Debbie O’Shea

This second blog post around using Crescendo Downloads in remote teaching and learning is going to point to to ideas for the use of some of the free files on http://crescendo.com.au/.
To access these files, all you need to do is to sign up for a free membership. You will be added to an email list that will get you a free newsletter each month, and an occasional other email from me, however, you can always unsubscribe if you do not find my offerings useful.

The first blog post can be found here: https://crescendo.com.au/teaching-music-remotely-using-crescendo-member-downloads/ and in the introduction you might find some inspiration, so pop on over and have a quick read.
Here is an excerpt:
In this terrible situation, the silver lining is not obvious. Yet, I can see some advantages. I do not mean to belittle your anxiety or worry – it is real.
1. Advocacy.
Yes there is a lot of work. But think about it for a minute. We get to send content, activities and resources directly to families and into homes. We get to showcase what we teach, how children learn, and the all-round fabulousness of what we do. That has got to be some top level advocacy right there.
2. Learning.
Aren’t we ‘Life-Long Learners’?
Yes we are!
I believe we have to be to be the best educators that we can be. So, we get to knuckle down and do some ‘learning’ ourselves in order to do the best for our students and our subject. We need to find solutions to remote delivery and then share our solutions and issues with our colleagues.
3. Reflection.
Times like this force us to ‘reflect’. We are forced to think about what is important. Here are some questions I am asking myself as I prepare for remote delivery:
– Why am I teaching Music?
– What are the essential things that I need my students to continue?
– Why is Music Education just as important as the other Key Learning Areas?
– What can I do to show other that Music Education is just as important as other Key Learning Areas?
– What can I do to ensure that Music is a subject continued at home?
– What can I do to help to bring learning and joy into the homes of my students?
– What can I do myself and how can I help others?

Here are ten Crescendo Music Education FREE files that might be really useful. There are actually 140 free files within the downloads. I have just counted them!
Don’t forget, you will need to be logged in to access these files.
Click on each picture to go straight to the page to download the file.

#1. Agamograph

Why not combine Music with some Visual Art while the kids are at home? One amazing, original agamograph, a beautiful works of art, for your students to colour and for you to display in your music room.
The agamograph is a type of optical art that owes its name to Yaacov Agam, a kinetic artist, plastic and Israeli sculptor. The agamographs are formed by hidden images that appear depending on the position in which the observer is, hence they are fascinating. Place the agamograph on the wall. Look in front and on the sides to see the images perfectly.
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#2. Hot Cross Buns Jigsaw
A Music Jigsaw! What fun for the whole family!
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#3. Key Signatures on the treble staff
A revision sheet for older students. Also great for instrumental kiddies.
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#4. Letter Name Code Breaker – Teeth
What do musicans do to clean their teeth? Find out by completing this code breaker.
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#5. I Love Music
I love music, you love music, and your students love music too! Practice …..with these ‘lovely’ colouring sheets.
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#6. My Book of Beat Rhymes
Eleven fabulous rhymes that have a strong feeling of beat. 2,4,6,8
This is the Way the Ladies Ride
How do you Doo Tee
Chop Chop
Timothy Fish
Flicker Flicker Flap
Engine Engine No. 9
Bee Bee Bumble Bee
My Father is a Butcher
Queen Queen Caroline
Icka Backa
Send them home one at a time. When they have a collection, put them together to make a book to ‘read’. This is a great pre-reading or early reading activity. A great link to literacy!
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#7. Butterfly Colour by Rhythm
This cute little colouring sheet practices ta and ti ti, crotchets and quavers. Send this one home to colour electronically or in hard copy.
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#8. Creative Cards Canoe Song
What about some home tasks around a known song? Here are some ideas based on the Canoe Song, however you could apply these ideas to any of your repertoire that is suitable.
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#9. Favourite Rhyme, Song or Activity
Why not get some inspiration from other teachers?
Files this this can be found on the Crescendo Site. This file has some workshop participants input telling us of their favourite rhyme, song or game.
Have a read and be inspired.
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#10. Copy, Transpose, Transfer
This is the free sheet with a big bundle for members.
Time to practice those staff notation skills. Not the ones that parrot off the letter names of the lines and spaces, but those that connect the sound, the staff placement, intervalic relationships, known solfa and known rhythms. They are, just as the title suggests, sheets that ask the students to first copy a simple melody containing known elements. They then transpose to a different position on the staff. Finally, they transfer the staff notation to stick notation. All of these skills are essential in an aural, sequential music program, but I know that I have been guilty of neglecting them due to time constraints.
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I hope these free files help you out at this time of greater need and also into the future. Please feel free to connect with me in any of these spaces. I admit to being a bit fond of the Crescendo Community on Facebook.
The Crescendo Community Facebook Page
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