My major conducting Professor at University of MO – Kansas City, Dr. Eph Ely, reminded, when rehearsing, keep comments short and music making long. That teaching comes to mind when I see students glaze over a bit as I’m running long with comments. Good teachers know when to change the pace or change the activity.
Today’s free download, The Four P’s for a Great Lesson, offers teaching tips for both veteran and newer teachers. With modern students, teachers must be prepared, be ready to perform (because teaching is a bit of a performance), have props ready, and keep the pace moving.
With toddlers and preschoolers, it’s essential to alternate locomotor, or moving from one location to another with non-locomotor, or remaining stationary. Common locomotor movements include: walking, hopping, crawling, skipping, marching, running, etc. Non-locomotor movements can be singing, playing instruments, fingerplays, listening to a story, etc. Another easy change up is simply to transfer an activity from sitting to standing. You can sit or stand as you sing, play instruments, or participate in fingerplays.
In short, a master teacher, keeps the lesson moving and knows their four P’s- preparation, performing, props and pace.
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