Ideas for music lessons?

Question

I'm a Flute/ Clarinet teacher and being the end of the year Im really stuck for creative lesson ideas? What are some of the best music lessons you have had with your music teacher? Does anyone have any ideas to make flute/Clarinet lessons fun? Most of my students are in primary school

I would hate to be a stuffy teacher! LOL

Answer 1

Create a studio theme each month - fun, educational and motivating. Display a chart in your studio to track each student's participation!

January is "Rhythm" month. Week one: select four 2-bar rhythms to clap (call and response style.) Week two: translate a sentence into rhythms ("Marshmellow watermelon tastes like chocolate popcorn." - nonsense, of course!) Week three: notate simple rhythms. Etc.

February is "Music Vocabulary" month. Include music symbols. Each week students have to memorize 5-10 words/symbols, depending on level.

March is "Tone Quality" month. Week one: listen to recordings of 3 different musicians and describe the sounds. Week two: in-class exercise, like Long tones. Week three: create hand-out defining sound characteristics. Etc.

The prep time is minimal and students LOVE the game aspect!!

Answer 2

Well,although autodidactic on guitar I did take a year in grade school for saxette and piano.Lessons were dull.So,you could do what us ear players do.Play the fun stuff kids want to play.You could transcribe a few pop songs of that age group into sheet music and surprise them with a couple fun lessons or a fun theme week whereby they wear funny hats or clothes and you have a ball while teaching them.To add to the fun you could learn a third to the song and trip them out by soloing while they are playing straight.Bring in some balloons and cookies and soda.I've always loved music,but hated theory and stuffy teachers.

Answer 3

I teach piano to primary school students and just last week I had my first group lesson. Instead of a private session we met together and played rhythm and note reading games. The girls (I have 4 first grade students) loved it and were thrilled to spend a little time with each other. The end of the lesson was a "mini recital" for just the students. They loved the no pressure scenario and felt like they were able to show off a little bit for each other.

Answer 4

My teacher had the entire class assigned partners. One would have to create a melody, and the other a variation. Prizes were given for various goals (i.e. best key change, most interesting tempo, greatest dynamics, most creative phrasing/rests placement, etc..). Another option was extra credit for a fugue on the subject, or a 3 or more page piece on the "theme and variation". It was quite fun, and broke the boredom of exams. Three of the pieces were actually performed at the conservatory recital! Hope it helps.

Answer 5

I always especially enjoyed duets. Either with my teachers or with other students. Even when I was a rank beginner, duet lessons were always my favorites.

Answer 6

ooh..my middle school director allowed us to play a note as long as possible to see who could support thier note the longest...it built our lung span..:)

we also played scales in rounds

something else cool to do is playing on the floor to learn about diaphram support.

Answer 7

teach them do rey me fa so la ti do.