Stock day 4 (busy day)

So much to say and I'm so tired! 

 I have a feeling I may start this tonight and finish and post it in the morning! I make lots of notes in my notepad during the day (7 pages today) to refer to so it should be just as reflective even if it is a little late!

I know people are excited to hear about my day as I mentioned it was starting with a master class with Roderick Williams. It started off great and just carried on - here are my (at least) 20 things for today: 

Turning it into a performance with Roderick:

1. Give the people on your shoulder a job to do so they can't sit there saying "you don't know the words to this bit, you're not standing properly etc".  Instead get them to listen for something eg. evenness of voice to keep them busy!

2. Disguise the stress (to a certain extent). Use some stage acting if necessary. 

3. Drop the mistake and put it behind you. Forgive yourself immediately. Smile, move on and enjoy it more if you can. You can sing badly if you do it confidently!

4. The balloon full of air... You are in control of the end (squeeky balloon noise). Don't let it all rush out (comedy balloon noise).

5. I had a lovely chat with Roderick he asked me questions about why I sing? Why I chose the piece? (On mighty pens) and what did I enjoy about it? Summary of answers that he said I should take onto the stage with me to give the audience an idea of who I am: 

I've grown up with singing. My mum sings, it's part of who I am. When I sing on stage I get to be this confident part of myself. I enjoy singing, I know I can do it well.  I picked this song because it was in the diploma list, my teacher said it would suit me and when I listened to it I really enjoyed the soaring high notes. I like high notes! He said he'd love to put part of this onto a plaque that I could hang up! 

6. Key thing: communicating the words. 

7. "On mighty pens? What? a biro?"

8. Imagine the whole audience has English as an additional language - every word has meaning and I need to get it across to them so that they understand. 

9. Breakthrough moment... He asked me to say the words of the first page like the audience was a class of primary school children ("I can do that!!"). Amazing response! They suddenly got it! I got it! I communicated!! 

10. The words in this song aren't grammatically sensible due to it being translated back and forth from English to German. I need to understand what I'm trying to say first so I can get it across. 

11. Mmmmighty - make the word and the eagle mighty! Aim for him at the top of the phrase. 

12. Be careful not to overdo communication! 

13. The process of learning/building the song. You put up scaffolding to get it ready (maybe going through phrase on arr) then you remove it to perform.

14. "Trying to make something that's dead on paper come to life".  

"Next time I sing I will use things that I've learnt from working with all of you today"

Wow that took up 14 points for just one session!!

I've still got tons more revelations to go through! Video playback next! These are mainly things I know I do and I realised I was doing them during the performance which is a real step forward!

15.dont lean back/tighten shoulders/ wiggle hand when I'm panicking/ running out of breath. Continue with Alexander technique to help with this. 

16. Keep face open. No scowling!!! Don't close up mouth to reset. It closed off the audience. 

Session with Elaine Kidd. 

17. Try concentrating in character. Ignor the hands, let them do what they want! 

18. I was singing the Embroidery Aria from Britten's Peter Grimes.

I ended up singing this ontop of a small table (small in size not in height). The ceiling was low so my head was about a centimetre away from the ceiling!  

This was my confessional in the court. Setting the scene.

19. My thought to get across was that I was asking the jury for forgiveness. I had to look at them and plead, explain as I sang.

20. This is a hard song to understand even if English is your first language. My job to communicate the words and tell the story (back to Rodericks advice this morning).

21. Relate the stitches to the jumper. See the jumper.

22. Show depth and a range of emotions - happy and light to contrast when singing  'a coil of silken thread". 

23. Thought for Ellen "I've been a silly naive teacher. I should never have stitches the jumper or brought the boy to Peter because now the boy is dead. I'm sorry".

24. Thinking about this found the heart of the song and helped as a distraction for bad habits etc! An amazing way to think. 

And finally I sat in on Margaret Humphrey Clark's session as I'm due a session with her today (now Wednesday!).

25. Need awareness if space to breath around the back. Ensure you take enough breath to support what you need to sing. Use singing in monkey to help feeling the breath in the back. Propreioceprion - key word this week... Basically to be aware of the position of the body. 

So loads of things going on! 

I'm thinking there may be slightly less to report back later but I'm ready looking forward to working with Margaret. I know I'll end  up singing in monkey! :-) 

Stock take day three

I'm so tired and ready for a sleep but it's been a day of sucesses and revelations so I can't go to sleep without blogging my stock take for today!

Alexander technique 

1. Lucia Walker did a warm up session and group Alexander technique session with us all today.

2. I came out of the session feeling taller and freer! 

3. She explained that thinking of putting my shoulders back to correct my posture was doing me no good at all as I was over correcting and making everything tighter.

4. My shoulders should feel sort of thrown out to the sides... If that makes sense.

5. She helped to raise my back and help me make space!! 

6. Breathing exercises: whispered arr out through mouth and then release breath through nose - imagine diaphragm - use arms to imagine.

I tried these things out in Robin's class...

7. I felt I had more space to breath.

8. He extended this even further - by imagining and following instructions I imagined first my arms/shoulders touching each window and then my head reaching up to try and touch his hand above my head.

9.  Singing felt more relaxed, I could focus on the song and my hand was less twitchy!! 

10. Also my French was almost there (one word I keep changing to a rather rude one apparently!)

11. Make sure my head has space to move.

Things gathered from watching a session with Adrian Thompson.

12. Diminuendo - "don't think of it as pulling back,  think of a helium balloon going up" lifting up the arm as it's tied to the wrist.

13. Imagine a dog on one of those leads... The room, space and freedom to let it roam but still completely connected and you can pull it back at anytime! 

14. Important shape of mouth / use it to sing conservatively (save breath).

15. Panting exercise to engage the diaphragm. 

16. I sang in the evening concert tonight!!!!

17. I felt more aware of what my body was doing.

18. Less twitchy hand and I knew when I hunched up and tightened my chest (big link with not having enough breath!) (more time to work on this with Margaret I would imagine!!) 

19. I sang horcht right!!!

20. Lots of lovely and constructive feedback from some tutors and other students. Feel proud I got up there :-) 

Master class with Roderick Williams at 9.45 so I better get some kip! 

Stock take day 2

So despite the bed not being the comfiest (it also smells funny) and not having my usual nights sleep still a very successful Sunday of singing!

Here are my 20 things: 

1. I was brave enough to be the only female to write my name onto the informal concert list.

2. I sang Bantocks Song to the Seals in the informal concert.

3. Lots of people have now heard of Song to the Seals and love it! 

4. One lady who came over to compliment me on my singing suggested I try singing some Irish folk songs.

5. I got to watch some of visiting tutor Ann Murray's sessions.

 AM quotes and ideas: 

6. Imagine the phrase is like a piece of chewing gum. Pull it out as far as possible.

7. Look for 'house keeping moments' where you can relax a little, be less intense and focus in the words words words.

8. The softer you sing the more intensity is needed in the words. 

Session with Henry Herford. I sang Schubert Nachtstuck.

9. My German wasn't too bad (thanks for all te help Ann!).

10. Words to work on: 

Zeus the oo sound with the ee tongue (y)

Horcht - cannot get this one!!

11. Relax the arms (that one again!!) kind if managed it for short intervals today!

12. Even though it's sad and about death the man in the song sees death as a happy relief. Focus on the word kummer. 

13. Lead into the song with the whole body starting "Wenn uber" feel the vvv. Nebel - feel deep, low and broad

Watching Christine Cairns taking a master class: 

14. Showing the audience that you're confident - you can do it.

15. Making the audience wait for big moments - don't give it away too soon!

16. Keep the sounds going through the consonants "like a string of pearls" they need each other. 

17. "Sing every note like it means something - it is important" 

18. Making more space on a note so that the note isn't the ceiling. Practise going up higher than the note. Works a treat! 

19. Tonight's first concert was exciting and diverse. I really enjoyed having the chance to listen to so many songs and voices! 

20. The single best thing is discovering that the showers on the boys floor downstairs are far superior to our little weedy red hot showers!

Roll on breakfast at 7.40!!! 

Abingdon stock take

So I've decided that for the next few days  my blog will be a place to reflect on my time singing at Abingdon Summer School for Solo singers. 

Elaine Kidd suggested that we do a stock take each day; 20 things that we learnt/ did well/ feel good about/ the things that taught you etc.

Saturday

1. I got up and sang Fish in the Unruffled lakes in my quick master class with Margaret Humphrey Clark.

2. I almost came in on time correctly despite the trickiness of the piece. (My accompanist Chad was fabulous). 

3. I confirmed that everything Ann has me doing to sort out my posture is exactly right!!! (I just haven't cracked the bad habits yet).

4. I like this quote: "you are what you allow your mind to dwell on" hmm gona revisit that one!

5. Learnt a tip to try out in the classroom - geographical recall (move the children more often so that they remember things according to where they sit).

6. Mental rehearsal can be as good as physical performance.

7. Talked to complete strangers and they're really lovely!

8. I'm not the only person who has a jutty chin! 

9. The reason I often can't breath deeply enough to get through lines when performing could be linked to me locking my knees... Will keep an eye on them!

10. Ready to "get comfortable about feeling uncomfortable".

11. "You're there to communicate it (the song) because you can sing it. You're not just there to sing the notes." The need to know and communicate what you are singing about and feeling.

12. Heard some truly amazing voices today!!

13. Giving myself a massage to loosen my jaw.

14. Performing tip: "walk onto the stage as though you are receiving your degree".

15. Where to focus attention when singing - let song dictate but maybe go for hair line or chin - not too direct. 

16. "Allow your song to caress the faces of the audience". 

17. Interesting fact: jaw jutting+ leaning on one sideness could very well be a side affect of musical instrument playing. (Flute and violin mentioned most)

18. "Don't generalise or catastophise"

19. "The more specific you get the easier it is to communicate."

20. I get to sing German Lieder to a man who knows all about German lieder tomorrow. ( I will do my best to imagine myself as German singing about the old man who has gone to the woods and asked death to take him - now where's google translate?!) 

Doodle Buddy fun!

Following my discovery of Mr P's blog (http://mrparkinsonict.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/doodle-buddy-maths.html) and his post on Doodle Buddy maths, I had a go using this with my class... 

First of all we played with the drawing tools making lines, shapes and pictures. The children quickly go to grips with the tools and many got very carried away using the stamps!

Following this we learnt how to use the camera within doodle buddy (we have already practised taking photos using the iPad). We took pictures of 2D shapes that we could spot around the classroom. To extend this I asked them to colour half. 

It was super to be able to use Reflector to show this on the Smartboard. I could pass out an iPad and ask the children to draw half in a different way asking for feed back from the rest of the class. 

This week was even more fun! Our topic is Superheros! We took pictures of each other and added superhero logos and costumes. Here's one I made earlier:

The children had far more original ideas!! 

I'm hopeful that we can learn the basics and have fun doodling on each other in F2 so that Year 1 and 2 can start to use this in lots of cross curricular ways. I can forsee year 1 taking a photo of their friend or a plant and adding labels using text. In a similar way they can use Mr P's lovely capacity idea. And I would live for year 2 to try out the data handling ideas!! How well would this work alongside science experiments?!

Other apps that work in a similar way to Doodle buddy worth a mention: Skitch, show me and Educreations (Some of these have record functions too).

QR Code Easter egg hunt

So I'm finally getting round to writing about our exciting QR code Easter egg hunt!! 

I need to thank the wonderful Mrs Edwards for her help and support in making this happen!

Just before the Easter holidays we set up two hunts: one for F2 and one for year 1 and 2 (with 120 children in each year we had a complex timetable!!). 

All the treasure hunts resulted in the Easter Bunny (our head in a onesie!) and her stash of chocolate being found! Yay! 

Each class received a letter from a very worried Easter bunny. She had got into rather a lot of trouble with our site manager for littering her eggs all over the playground! She'd been locked away in a small cupboard somewhere... Could we help?! 

                                     

Year 1&2 had 12 printed and laminated Easter eggs to find on their hunt (beautiful eggs found on twinkl.com). Each egg had a QR code stuck on which when scanned had a clue to read (we wrote our clues into a QR code maker online and then printed them off). The answer to each clue was a letter that spelt out where the bunny was hidden. The most successful classes worked together to find the answer in extra quick time! 

         

In foundation we had a trail of eggs to follow. Egg QR codes gave us a set of instructions to read in order to help the Easter Bunny to complete his jobs. Above we had to help the Little Pigs to build a house of bricks. 

 

         

Here we had to draw a spider to scare Little Miss Muffet. We also had to fetch Jack and Jill a pail of water and help Insy Winsy down the water wall among other things. The children took turns to scan and read the QR codes and raced to complete each job in time.

At the end of the trail two children from each class were sent off to the Head's office (where the clues led) with the iPad recording a video. On the whiteboard we shared the exciting moment that the Easter bunny jumped out at the children and watched feet shuffling as the chocolate was handed over.

All of the children and staff joined in enthusiastically with this hunt and I'm hopeful it will inspire staff to find a way to use them in their classrooms! 

Our year 2 A&T group have already made hunts and quizzes for each other as well as labelling our displays and important places for visitors with bits of information. My personal favourite is when they ask you to check if the Head has turned her light out!

Over a year later... Let's try again

So over a year has passed and I've done so much and written so little on here. 

I moved on with life, got busy both in and out of school and found another person with whom to share my successes and fears. :-) oh and I got bunnies!!

I've decided to have another go at this blogging thing!! I've had some real successes as ICT/computing coordinator and with my lovely lot of foundation 2s and I want to share that. 

Here goes...