We Had A Great Workshop!

Staff members practice matching the Bells.

On Friday, October 9th I did a fantastic workshop at Child's View Montessori School in Portland, OR. The staff at the school is really tight-knit. I found them to be warm, engaging, and energetic. Right out of the gate we started off the 6-hour workshop with songs and games. We got all cozy and coiled up during a rendition of "Snail, Snail", improvised some fun motions during "Shake Them 'Simmons Down",  and did some partner switching and role playing during "Bow Wow Wow" and "Sailor, Sailor". I had a great time leading the group. They sang together beautifully. 

After a short discussion about why we need music in Montessori education, the Primary and Elementary Guides went to work in their classrooms so I could lead the Toddler Guides through some more songs and have a conversation about the musical needs of toddlers. I even learned a couple of great songs from Stacey Edwards-Russo, the Head of School. It's a thrill when the learning goes both ways.After the Primary and Elementary Guides returned, we sang more songs before launching into an exploration of the Montessori Bells.

We first got acquainted with the set up of the Bells, learning how to sing a major scale with sol-fa names and hand signs. Next we practiced matching the Bells, going over techniques the staff could use to help them to listen and discriminate between pitches. After that we had a great time grading the Bells as a group. 

Some melodies composed by staff members.

After returning from lunch we launched into some more singing games. We sang "Bow Wow Wow" as a canon, adding parts until we had about 5 parts blending all together. The staff felt uplifted at being able to sing and harmonize together. Then we composed music using the green boards. You should have seen their eyes light up when they discovered the ability to sing the notes they were placing on the boards. After they composed their melodies, I showed them techniques for starting a song. We sang and played "Bluebird, Bluebird" a few times before launching into a lesson about rhythm. At the end of all that, the group had composed melodies on a 5-line staff with rhythm stems. AND they could sing them. Many of them had no idea they could to such a thing. 

Finally, I showed the elementary Guide some follow up that she could do with her children using the Tone Bars before we all gathered together again for a closure activity.

A day or so later, I had an opportunity to visit the school. One of the Guides called out to me as I was passing through her classroom, "Look! I have my Bells out!" It was a good feeling to have breathed a bit of music into the life of a few more classrooms in the world. I want to thank the Head of School and the Guides for being so enthusiastic and creating a genuine atmosphere of openness and fun. The feedback from the staff was overwhelmingly positive.

Here, you can download the song packet I handed out at the workshop. It's chock full of songs, games, and resources. 

I would love to come to your school and do a workshop. Send me a message on the Workshop page or the Contact page and I'd be happy to set something up. More later!