Big Day for my Choirs! S-Cubed Sight Singing System works for Middle School!

Today, I took 150 children to the Georgia Music Educator's Association Large Group Performance Evaluation. 110 of them were my beginning 6th grade Chorus. I've been documenting them via video all year since the very first day of school as they have learned the S-Cubed process and techniques.

On the first day of school, they couldn't sing a major scale in tune. They sang sharp all the time. They sang too loudly. They had no clue how to listen. They couldn't sing correct pitches or rhythms in 2-parts. They couldn't keep a steady beat.

Today, they confidently walked into the sight singing room and perfectly sang an eight-measure sight singing example in 2-parts a capella, in tune with beautiful tone.

...As did the 7th grade Men's Choir.

The S-Cubed preparation system works like a charm. I have shared every single detail this year. ...Every secret that I've learned along the way about how to get your young beginning singers to Sight Sing with success and have lots of fun along the way. I held nothing back. I've shared the philosophies. I've shared the carefully orchestrated competitive components that add the "fun" to the daily sight singing experience. I've opened up my classroom by filming me teaching the lessons to my beginners so that if I didn't cover something in the "Teaching Tips" videos, you could go back and watch me teach the lesson. Perhaps through seeing those, you would glean even more stuff than I ever planned to share that helps you in your classroom.

Honestly, today, walking into the sight singing room with my beginners, I got a little nervous because, as I've done all year, I was filming it...and I am not going to edit it...just like I've done all year. Would they be successful? It's the name of the program- S-Cubed: Successful Sight Singing for Middle School Teachers and their Students. ...But then, I took a deep breath and trusted myself because I've used it for years with my beginners. I know that it works.

I've wanted everything documented clearly, and I wanted it to be easily accessible and easy to study. I wanted the people who've been following the process and future people who decide to use the process to see if it actually worked under pressure. It did...thank goodness!

And...honestly? ....I thought the 6th Grade Sight Singing example was WAY easier than it usually is, but I'm not complaining. :) The 7th Grade Men's Choir example made up the difference for sure! It was TOUGH!

The ultimate idea is not simply for my students and yours to walk into the sight singing room at a festival and get a Superior on the Sight Singing. This process, and any sight singing process that is carefully planned and taught, will have benefits so far and above the moment my students got to experience today in the Sight Singing room.

That moment was awesome, by the way! They felt successful. They were proud. It was clear to them that dedication, hard-work and persistence pay off. The judge praised their efforts over and over. He was thrilled, as a music educator, to see that students are being taught to read in classrooms in Georgia.

I saw several colleagues and their students walk out of the sight singing room today beaten down and defeated. That is never a good feeling. I felt it for years when I first started teaching. We work so hard, and we definitely don't work so diligently to have our students walk out of the room feel disappointed. It is up to us to teach them and motivate them. I've shared all of my own ideas about that in this method as well.

I've tried to share everything. Every question is answered in the lessons or in the videos. I tried to make sure it was offered in a 21st century format...downloadable...video examples...PDF files to use and re-use without having to re-purchase.....We've all used books. For me, they didn't work...AND, we have to re-purchase them when they get tattered and torn. So, the 21st century way of learning to teach something better was appealing to me, and I hope it helps lots of other teachers. Posting my method for others to use has been a long-time goal of mine. I wasn't sure how I'd do it. I just knew that I had to figure it out, and I'm glad I did.

It's all there...documented and ready for use. 27 lessons.

Well...not totally true. I still have to post the final lesson. I plan to do that this weekend....but I've taught it all, and all I have to do is wrap the final package. It's sort of like Christmas Eve! :)

Lots of folks are using it already, and I am honored. I am hoping lots more teachers find it on the web!

So...please share it....and let me know how it is working for you in your classroom! I want to continue to refine it and make it better and better for teachers!

Tomorrow, I take the other 150 students for their GMEA LGPE! Can't wait! Good luck to my 7th grade girls and my 8th grade Mixed Choir!
Here is the link to my store:
Link to my store with all of my Sight Singing Lessons for Middle School Teachers