Nothing that is worth anything is going to be easy...Sight Singing!

...but I promise I don't mean that in a depressing way at all...quite the opposite.

I'm talking about the fruits of dedicated, consistent hard work that pays off in ways we never imagined. It can be through gradual, permanent lifestyle changes when we combine a slight moderation in our diet and exercise that results in a weight loss of 1 or 2 pounds per week. It can be saving for retirement from the first day we start our professional work life until the day we retire that affords us the opportunity to enjoy the 3rd Act of our lives.

Planning and doing the work are big parts of my philosophy of life. I mean...I guess I could be wrong about that. I suppose I could plan on winning the lottery?!

I need to stop blogging and go buy a ticket. I think it's like $400 million right now!

Joking aside... 7 months ago, the 55 6th grade students that you hear on my YouTube channel walked into my classroom for the first time. They were excited and nervous about middle school. They were mostly musically illiterate. I mean...some could identify a quarter note or whole note, for example, but that was about it. Because of the excellent elementary feeder programs I have, they'd been exposed to the Kodaly Hand Signs, and that helps a lot. They sang as sharp as can be. They could not sing a major scale to save their lives without going at least a 1/2 sharp on the ascent and 1/2 flat on the descent. Some liked to yell when they sang. It is always like that each year.

 This week, they sight sang in tune a Two-Part, a capella, eight measure example that included dotted-quarter syncopated rhythms and difficult skips they had only seen a few minutes before for the first time nearly flawlessly.  Here it is:

Two-Part Sight Singing Success!!!

Last August, I started my own gradual labor of love when I started sharing my Sight Singing work online.  It's taken enormous amounts of time and energy.  Not being a technology superstar, I had to overcome numerous frustrating obstacles to figure out how to share my materials.  Hours upon hours of work preparing materials...learning how to promote them using technology...  I remember last October saying to a friend, "Why the heck am I doing this?  I want to do a show!"  I like to perform in theater in the Atlanta area, but between my teaching job and this endeavor, there was no time.  I'll get back to that, though!

Then, in November, one night, someone purchased every lesson I'd created all in one purchase.  I thought....ok...this could end up helping lots of music teachers and also create some extra income if I keep going!

Then, it January and February, it really began to pay off at a new level, and I am thrilled to be on this journey.

That is exactly how anything that is worth anything works!

I am sure that my students have felt frustrations along the way as I've helped them on their journey to becoming literate musicians, but boy were all of us thrilled when they succeeded at their Two-Part Sight Singing this week!  Woohoo!

Consistent, hard work pays off for sure!

I knew it would because I created and have taught S-Cubed to my students now for several years.  It is like training for a marathon.  It builds.  It's careful.  It's respectful.  It's fun.  It's frustrating....but when you cross that finish line after all of the work you've put in, the feeling is like no other!

....Not that winning the lottery wouldn't feel amazing too.....  :)

But, when you work for something really hard, there is nothing like the feeling you have when that work pays off!

I've laid it all out in S-Cubed as thoroughly as I know how to do and revealed every secret I've learned along the way so that other teachers can have that awesome feeling and enjoy the benefits of that work in all areas of their choral music programs!  I think the benefits of S-Cubed will benefit the programs of teachers far more than being able to read a 2-part 8 measure example flawlessly.  I hope lots of teachers find it and use it!  I wish I'd had it when I started teaching!  It would have saved me some seriously frustrating moments in the classroom!

I've just posted Lesson 25-TWO-PARTS!  Woohoo!

Link to Lesson 25 TWO-PARTS!

My own students go to their adjudicated festival on March 11th.  I'll keep you posted as to how it goes.  I'll be uploading the lessons I teach to finalize their preparation right up until that day.  After that, I will create some more two-part sight singing examples that will help keep their skills developing, but the lessons will stop...at least until I decide to create S-Cubed Series 2, and I can tell you know, that it won't be anytime soon!

Right now, I am just going to enjoy the feeling of having almost finished following through with my long-time wish to share my Sight Singing program for beginning middle school students with other teachers who may find the subject frustrating and well...irritating to teach....And I hope I've helped you add lots of success and fun into that process!

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Music Linky Party! Big TPT Sale!

Tomorrow and Friday, TPT is having a big sale on all of their products! I am participating, and so are many of my music teacher colleagues at TPT. You can get up to 28% off! Thanks to my colleague Amy Abbott for hosting:

Wish List Wednesday with Amy Abbott!

I love the Kodaly method and Lindsay Jervis has great stuff using that method!

Kodaly Product from Lindsay Jervis

Aileen Miracle has a great freebie that helps teachers with program planning:

Aileen Miracle's free program planning check list

My entire middle school sight singing program will be on sale for the next two days.  It will be the most affordable time ever to buy all of the lessons at once.  You can start with:

Start your middle school singers off with Lesson 1-Forbidden Pattern!


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HUNT and FOCUS-Lesson 24 is ready! Sight Singing for Middle School-Filming the process

I started sharing my Sight Singing program with teachers last August. In the beginning, I called it my own little reality show because I had decided to videotape each days lessons to supplement the materials I include in the power point. Admittedly, I was a bit nervous about that prospect! I mean...I didn't even know the students who walked into my classroom on that first day and the video was running.

 ...But I so completely believe in the S-Cubed process, I felt confident that I (and they) would be successful. I've used it in my classroom for years now, and it works like a charm. I love teaching it, and they love conquering this very difficult skill!

So, here we are about 2 weeks from our adjudicated festival at which my 110 beginners will sit down and see if they can conquer the two-part sight singing example that is placed before them while an adjudicator watches the work we've done all year. It's exciting! ...and daunting....because I'll film that too! :-)

I decided to film it all because people learn in so many different ways. Some like to read material. Some like to "do" the material at a workshop. Some like to listen.  I wanted S-Cubed to presented in ALL of those ways and more.  I wanted to touch all of the learning modes because I want teachers to have the best chance possible at improving how they teach sight singing to this very special age group.

Our children are the same. They learn in so very many different ways. S-Cubed is designed to hit all of the learning modes so they have the best chance possible of learning how to sight sing to the best of their ability. These children were total beginners when they walked into my room in August 2013, and I am thrilled with their progress.  They don't all get it perfect 100% of the time, but they use every ounce of their brain power to try their best to make that happen.

Even though I have taught S-Cubed to thousands of beginners in my teaching career, I am still amazed when they put it all together and conquer a tough example. Then, as we continue to work together through eighth grade, I am even more amazed at the way all of the things they learned through S-Cubed transfer to their repertoire. It's truly awesome to send them off in a corner to figure something out on their own. ...And they will have the skills for a lifetime if they keep singing in choir in high school as most of my students do.

 HUNT and FOCUS is that last unison lesson. They have all of the tools in their toolbox now. It is up to them to figure out the hard intervals and difficult rhythms. They can totally do it. We need to guide less and less and encourage more and more. It's like when a baby is ready to walk. So, tomorrow, I will begin Lesson 25 with them, and they will sight sing in two parts! Finally! They will only get to do it for two weeks this year before they go to the adjudicated festival because we've missed two weeks of school due to snow. ...but I still think they will be fine...because we've taught the skills carefully and methodically...the S-Cubed way.   We used all of the learning modes. The techniques are in their little bodies. I hope it's working for you in your classroom!

Here is the link:  Link to Lesson 24 S-Cubed Successful Sight Singing for Middle School Teachers

 Have a great week!


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Link Directly to my Store on TPT

A little something for the music folks...so true!

This isn't even a question for me!  Teaching middle school children how to take symbols off of a page and translate that into sound that is well-produced, balanced and, most importantly, spiritually moving,  takes every single area of their little brains....and it's awesome when they do it.  

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Rafflecopter Updates on the the Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway Check out my blog!

Note to Followers of TPT with S-Cubed FREEBIE offer for Sight Singing

Thank you so much for following my store and for purchasing my products!  

First, I have a special FREE offer for my customers.

If you complete these tasks, shoot me an email, and I will send you one free lesson of S-Cubed of your choice:


a)  Please rate each of the products you've used with your students.  I greatly appreciate the feedback.  On TPT, the number and the content of the of ratings matters. One of my customers recently took the time to rate every single product she'd used, and I was most grateful!  Here is a link directly to the store:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Music-In-The-Middle-With-Mr-D
b)  Please +1 each product that you've used on Google Plus.  In the future, please do that for each product.  It is simple to do and it helps tremendously to spread the word about the products.  If you are using the YouTube Channel, you can +1 those as well.
If you aren't sure how to Google +1 something, click this link for info:
https://support.google.com/plus/answer/1047397?hl=en

c)  Please email me at dduncan158@gmail.com and let me know how you heard about my sight singing products.  Was it a magazine article?  A forum like Choralnet?  Was it through Pinterest?  Was it word of mouth?   Was it by searching on TPT for Sight Singing?  Did you find it at the top of the Arts search page on TPT while I promoted the product?  Did you hear about it at a convention?  A Webinar?   I want to spend my time in effective ways as I continue to work to get the word out about S-Cubed.  Having you share with me how you heard about my products will help me do that!  Thanks in advance!
d)  In that same email in which you share with me how you learned about S-Cubed, simply state, "I've completed the tasks from the Note to Followers".  Then, request one free lesson from S-Cubed, and I will email the freebie directly to you within 48 hours.

Angeliv...I owe you one already because you've done it!  Shoot me that email so I know where to send your freebie!

I greatly appreciate your help!  I've worked really hard on this TPT adventure.  I believe strongly in my Sight Singing products, and I think they can help teachers who struggle with teaching their young beginners this difficult skill.  Please spread the word to your peers about how S-Cubed is working for you!

Secondly:  

I am participating this week in a giveaway with other bloggers.
Check it out:
http://inthemiddlewithmrd1.blogspot.com/2014/02/gender-splits-in-choral-classroom-and.htmlThirdly...what is coming up?

We've missed a lot of school in Atlanta, and I am getting a little nervous about our upcoming adjudicated festival preparation.  For those of you who are following my YouTube channel and watching me prepare my own beginning students with their sight singing, you may notice several days of gaps in videos....well...those are the snow days!  Hopefully, my little beginners will be ready with their two part sight singing skills in time for the March 11th event!  We will all see the little reality show play out on YouTube!  :)  If you haven't subscribed, here is a link:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuSvE1y-FTytuFfndvTVUtQ

Barring anymore snow days, I expect to place somewhere between 4-8 more S-Cubed lessons up over the next month to help everyone get their students prepared with all of the skills they need to sight sing in 2 parts as promised when I began this journey last August!  

....and that will complete Series One of S-Cubed.  Once you've completed all of the approximately 30 lessons, your students will have awesome pitch-reading and rhythm-reading skills.  I expect to perhaps create a Series 2 for S-Cubed in the school year 2014-2015, but the truth is, Series 1 gets you through the most challenging difficulties for this age group regarding pitch/rhythm skills and will serve you in ways you couldn't have imagined in your repertoire learning, etc.  Once my own students have completed Series 1, I am able to send them off into a corner, give them "DO" and say "go".  They come back to me in 5-10 minutes with their parts worked out, and life is good!  
Using the skills in "real" music is the big payoff!  Then, you get to focus on dynamics, articulation, diction and vowels and so much more.

Thanks again for following my store and for using my products! Please take advantage of my FREEBIE offer listed above.  I am most grateful for your support!

The next time you hear from me, it will be SPRING!  YIPPEE!!

Have a great week!

Dale Duncan
Music in the Middle with Mr D


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Gender Splits in the Choral Classroom and big GIVEAWAY week of February 17, 2014

I wanted to share a response I gave on the ChoralNet Forum about separating children by gender in the middle school choral classroom!

The question: I've been thinking a lot lately about creating same-sex ensembles at my middle school. I currently see my students in mixed choirs by grade level (6, 7 and 8)vbut I've been wondering if separating the boys and girls might solve some musical and behavioral issues. Does anyone have experience doing this at their school? Can you point me to any research that I could show my administrators?

The answer:

Hello! I teach 6/7/8 grade. I don't have research, but I've been teaching this age groups for 22 years, and my research is in my classroom working with real beginners.

 Here is some data from my experience:

About 10 years ago, my administrator's made it possible for me to separate my children by gender in 7th grade. I was enormously grateful!  Ever since I started separating them, the boys have soared in achievement and in numbers. I teach 302 total students in chorus. 90 of those children are male. That is very rare in middle school, and I attribute most of it to the gender split.  Having a year to simply teach the boys about their changes voices and sing men's literature has been awesome. They are a novelty at our Georgia Music Educator's Convention Large Group Performance Evaluation. They become keenly aware of the fact that there aren't any other men's ensembles going to adjudicated festivals, and it builds tremendous confidence and pride within them. The judges always write wonderful comments about that fact, and the boys love it.

 Boys in general, are quite competitive, and even though I don't present our adjudicated festivals as a competition, the fact that they are getting a rating that applies only to them makes them more focused and willing to squeeze the most out of rehearsal time so they can do their very best at the event.

Before I separated by gender, they barely sang. They were embarrassed to explore their new voices in front of their female peers. I tended to ignore their needs as a result. When they understand the change of their voices, they thrive. They sing. Male voice change is huge and can be quite difficult, and it is imperative that we teach them how to deal with it.

 Knowledge is power. I used to keep them separated by gender in 8th grade, but for a variety of reasons (none related to voice change), I decided to put everyone back together. However, if you have a lot of new students joining your chorus in 8th grade, I recommend that you separate them so you can help those students who missed the 7th grade year. I like to separate in 7th grade because most of their voices haven't done the 'big drop' yet, and we can help them through as it occurs. I even keep the treble male voices in that class too so they can hear and learn the info. If you wait until 8th grade to separate by gender, it can be difficult to pull the boys out of the dungeon if their voices dropped suddenly and significantly when it changed. The muscle memory and ear development you can teach in the 7th grade year as the change occurs makes a huge difference and will serve you well in 8th grade once you put them back together, if you choose to do that.

 Drawbacks: When boys at this age have a class of their own, their immaturity is magnified. The difference in emotional maturity in 7th grade between the genders is immense. You have to learn how to handle it quickly and simply understand that their needs are different. They need to move more. They are definitely more kinesthetic. The "baseness" and silliness of their humor comes out (passing gas, for example...sorry...just being honest). They do things they would NEVER do with a female in the room. (I am male).

 However, the payback is amazing. The music they are able to make is outstanding when we are given the opportunity to help them through this difficult time in their lives as young singers! Hope that helps! Dale Duncan For more tips on teaching middle school chorus: http://inthemiddlewithmrd1.blogspot.com/ For my 21st Sight Singing Training Program for Middle School Teachers and their Students: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Music-In-The-Middle-With-Mr-D For my YouTube Channel with teaching tips for Sight Singing and Classroom Management: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuSvE1y-FTytuFfndvTVUtQ

Check out "Chaos"  A great way to use the "Chaos" of the middle school classroom to help your children become better sight singers!

Link to all of my Sight singing program for Middle School!
Link to the big giveaway that starts tomorrow!

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