I just thought I’d chime in with a report about what my grade five students have been up to. Back before Christmas, as some of us were debating whether it’s easier to teach kids recorders or whistles, I decided to teach my kids to play whistle this year instead of the recorder. Now, after two years teaching recorder, I was a bit hesitant about using whistles, mainly because the cheap recorders are of a consistent quality and, well, I had found cheap whistles to be inconsistent. I was also concerned about intonation.
Anyway, to make a long story even longer, after consulting Thom and a few others I decided to order a whole whack of Sweetones Ds and take the plunge. We’ve now been at it for ten days and I can honestly report that these kids have come much further after ten days than has been my experience in the past. What a treat to hear NO (and this is heaven, let me tell you) FREAKIN’ SQUEAKIN’!! Less squeaking, because there are fewer and smaller holes to cover, has led to greater confidence and quicker progress.
So, while we’re a few weeks away 
from performing at Carnegie Hall, we’re making great progress and the kids are thrilled to be playing something, um, different than the other kids around town.
Before the year is out I’ll post a clip, as long as you all promise to be nice. 
Jef
Down with the recorder establishment! Yeah!
Good for you! I think the whistle is a much better choice for elementary school students to learn than the recorder. It seems much more forgiving and just plain sounds nicer.
Wow! I am trying to get my whole district to switch, with little to no success. It is all part of my plan to grow an army of stealth ninja whistle players.
“Hey Thom, have you seen the bohdran players tonight”
“Um,”(insert knowing secret wink here)“no, I wonder where they can be”
We need to start them young, then they will be loyal like puppies. he he he he
Not Tunemarshall
(who is he? What am I doing here, WHAT IN THE WORLD CAN THAT BE. . . . .. )
I love reading the kids’ journals each morning.
Day 1: “My Mom says I sound really good for a beginner. She said it sounds even better when I play in the basement.”
Day 2: “Yesterday I got two compliments when I played while walking home from school. Then the guy in the grey house came out and told me to stop playing or he’d call my parents.”
Day 3: “Cool. I found out that if you play a D and put your pinkie over the hole at the end on/off/on/off, it sounds like a loon.”
Day 4: “I now know four songs. Hey, is it a song too if you play your name over and over again?” (This was in ABE’s journal)
Day 5: “I can play the same song as Darshpreet but it’s in different keys!”
Day 6: “I can play the first line from that song you keep playing on the CD. It’s not as fast, but I can do it.”
And so on. Now, just think how much better they’d be if they were playing engraved whistles?
Jef
Hey Jeferson, There is an Alaskan teacher in Unalakleet that is just about to finish a year with 3 grade levels on Sweetones, instead of recorders. Mind if I send her your email to maybe compare notes? She has sent pics of her kids playing, which were posted here back in the Fall. They all seem to like the whistle a lot. Mike
Jef, I loved hearing the entries from your students’ journals… I love the way a child’s mind works, and how they (usually) say what they feel. It’s wonderful that you have the ability to gift them with the incredible joy of music. Keep up the awesome work-- we need more music teachers in this world!
All the best,
Andrea ~*~
Jefrson,
Thats too cool. I love the journal entries. And think playing in a single key (D) makes it so much easier for them to pick up tunes by ear. It gives them a passion for it. Learning notation later if needed just feeds the passion.
Also
TuneMarshall - I love you signature line, thats the session I want to go to.
\
Enjoy Your Music,
Lee Marsh
[ This Message was edited by: LeeMarsh on 2002-03-15 16:23 ]
Mike,
I missed those pics in the fall and will search to try and find them. Go ahead and pass along my email to your friend in Alaska. I would love to compare notes ( and notes ).
Jef