Bravo Bingo again

I made this Bravo Bingo chart a while ago and it's so cute!  I updated it from the Maurer's String Book.  However, I'm finally getting around to using it with my daughter and I can see that some things need to change.  Most of all it needs to be customizable (is that even a word?)  So, I've attached it as a Word document on the Practice Shoppe website so you can download it and put any sort of exercises you need in the different spots.  My daughter's favorite square is "Hug mom."  Probably because it's the easiest - but I like it!

Pictures From Lessons

I love using my iPhone during my lessons to take pictures and videos of my students.  I also use it at home when practicing.  This is a great visual for students to see exactly what you mean when describing something.  I m have a thing with heads and I really think a student looks better when their head is tall.  Here are some before and after pictures I've taken of my students in the past year of their before and after heads.  This way they can see what I'm talking about when I ask them over and over to keep their head up.  I hope this gives you some ideas to use while you are practicing or teaching.

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Music in Practice

I recently discovered a great website www.musicinpractice.com.  This is by a teacher who has really put some thought into some of her products and ideas.  She has great motivational articles - some of which I really want to use in some of the SAU publications.

You can receive this free set of practicing games by e-mail if you visit her website.  Here I have printed everything out, laminated it, and cut it.  Now I have a lovely set of practicing cards that I can use in many different ways.  Half of them have different things a child can do or say that just break up practicing and make it fun.

There are some blank cards where you can write in different practicing pieces or points with a dry-erase or wet-erase marker.

Some of the blank ones have stars.  When playing this game at my group lesson the one with a star had to be a solo by the person who picked it.

Some of the blank ones have a treasure chest.  Perhaps there could be some sort of surprise if the child gets a treasure chest.  In my group class, I was giving out Bach Bucks to people who chose a card with a treasure chest.

Sue, the author of the website and creator of these great cards, has six different practice suggestions on how to use these cards.  This is how I used them in group lessons for my Book 1 students, but this could easily be adapted to private practice or lessons as well.  I put the cards in a circle, face down.  We started with the first one and played that piece.

    

The kids then took turns rolling the dice and moving our little Panda around the board and turning over a card.  We did this for half of the group lesson and the kids loved taking turns rolling the die, playing the songs, and doing the activities.  It was a fun group lesson and would be a fun practice idea as well!

Two Ways to Use a Deck of Cards

My daughter's teacher has a studio mom who e-mails some practicing ideas each month. Tabitha Ricks gave these ideas on practicing with a deck of cards.

The Lay Down Game

The parent/teacher lays down a card every time they hear what they are looking for (i.e. ringing notes, shifting in tune, stop-stop bows, eyes on highway, straight bow, notes in tune).

The child can try to beat what (s)he got the last time or the day before.

 

Dynamics

If parent holds up an "A" (which would be "1"), child plays soft. The higher the number, the louder they play, so 10 is loudest.

This is good for scales, tonalization, and pieces. You might even ask what number they think they should start/finish at.

Thanks Tabitha!