Junior Music

Starting in Grade 4, students are beginning to really put together notes on a staff and how they form a melody on an instrument. The recorder! Students will learn Recorder Karate, a program that encourages small group practicing towards assessment benchmarks, balanced with whole class instruction of a variety of songs to meet the learning needs of the class. Students often get excited to pass their next belt, and it is exciting to see their skill level flourish. Students are required to practice their recorder for 20 min 4 times a week to see improvement. At this point we will not be playing our instruments in class, we will be learning all of the steps to play and the actual playing of the recorder will happen outside where we can be more distanced.

I know many parents dread the sound of the recorder, but please help them find a quiet space at home to practice that will be the least of disturbance to everyone. They need to feel supported and safe to practice effectively and to have success in music. Playing the recorder requires students to use both sides of their brain simultaneously, to read, understand, interpret and perform musically what they are reading on the page and hearing themselves create. It is especially good to build dexterity in their fingers, preparing them for future wind instruments, improving their handwriting and fine motor skills. Students who form good practice habits, 15-20 min of focused playing, even if it is just mastering two bars, at least 3-5 times a week have proven to be incredibly successful. This year all belt tests will occur outside during class time or students may choose to submit videos through google classroom.