May 22, 2018

Class went very well yesterday. Preparation for the performance was smooth. I am using a lot more motion in the class, sitting down and standing up, walking in lines while singing, clapping rhythms. This week the 5-year-olds stayed engaged. During snack, I asked them their grade level. When they were done, I told 3rd grade and higher to stand against the wall, and the younger kids to line up behind me. The 5-year-olds marched in line behind me while we sang Fanga, I led with a cowbell and told the older kids to file in behind the kindergarteners. Then I added ukuleles to the march. The three girls played uke while we sang and marched the older kids into position behind the drums. The 5-year-old kids followed me out to the front. When we were done singing, I cued the Fanga drum beat with cowbell, then we played and sang the song all the way through.

I asked who remembered the arrangement, the kids did well talking in turn and answering. Then we played Down By The Riverside on the ukuleles, just the verses because the kids could do it with two 1-finger chords. A, A, and S are my choices for playing ukes at the performance, and I gave A an electric guitar to take home today.

 -George Yellak, SWAN music teacher

The names of students are represented by a letter for privacy reasons.