November - what are they doing now? - Page 2

[Greenmama2]

Gosh, my kids do that almost every day. I agree, it helps a lot to understand how the instrument works.

[Tigerle]

Originally Posted by moominmamma 

He's obviously curious. Why just redirect him? Satisfy his curiosity: show him! It's fascinating stuff, and one of the first things my kids' favorite piano teacher ever did with them. Remind him to wash his hands. Let him reach in and feel the vibrations of the sound board. Depress the damper pedal and let him ping and pluck the strings. Feel the thickness of the strings, see how it changes. Notice that some strings are paired, others are not. Show him how to do pluck or ping gently. Point out that the keys and hammers are precision instruments with wooden hinges, special bits of fabric, the arms thinner than pencils. Marvel at how regular the spacing is between the hammers. I think every music student should have an understanding of the inner workings of their instrument. I keep a dissected violin in my studio for exactly this purpose. (After all, you can't reach inside a violin any other way.)

Miranda

DS starts every violin practice session explring the violin anew, pinging and plucking, making observations on the strings, the pegs, the mechanics...I am never quite sure just how long I should let him go on, because part of it is this awesome mechanical curiosity, which is good, and part of it is this maniacal distractibility which has recently ramped up again (see Seasonal Whatever Disorder) and would keep him from doing ANYTHING (even peeing...) forever if not redirected appropriately and ccontinually.

Yesterday I had to stop practice because I couldn't stand it anymore, unable to get him on focussing on Doing Things as opposed to talkasktobservefidgetjumpaboutbangviolinabouttalkaskjump. I then asked DH to practice with him at night (just before bedtime, which I usually avoid) but they had a great practice session, with DH genuinely curious about everything DS had to explain as he doesn't play a string intrument himself and DS then playing his homewor kfor him, and playing it well.

[RiverTam]

The boys (age 6 and 9)are finishing their creative drama class in three weeks. It's an improv class. They wrote a short play for their group and are currently rehearsing.

In two weeks, they are going to be extras in a zombie movie that is filming near our house. It's an indie production that a friend of a friend is working on. They're thrilled to death to be in a real movie.

[deminc]

He HAS been shown the inner workings of the piano. His (young but enthusiastic) teacher opened up his precious upright grand to show him the hammers and strings etc. I have also opened up the top cover of our precious new piano to show him. While not top of the line, it was a made-in-Europe piano that had exceeded our initial budget and his grandma and I had scrapped money together to buy it because it stole our hearts when we heard it at the store. Grandma says it will be something to remember her by when she passes away - it is meant to last the next 25-30 years and I really cannot take the stress of having him stick his fingers in to ping and pluck the strings. Just the thought makes me hyperventilate. Fortunately he has stopped now. Probably can't take mum hyperventilating, haha. I will get the tuner to show him again next week though. :)   

RiverTam,

how cool!! I'm a real coward when it comes to zombie movies and I think your kids are really brave to be running around with the zombies. :)

[Rlin]

We just had the first parent-teacher meeting (DS started Kindergarten in August). We are in Germany where they have 3 years of Kindergarten, the last year is considered pre-school preparation. His teacher started talking about not "grading" him yet on the different subject they have (language, sports, dance, art, theater, etc), but then proceeded to talk about next year, when DS will be in the middle group. The neighbouring group will be a last-year group again and she suggested DS would go there for a few subjects like language, where he is clearly advanced and he already knows the teacher from this year. We were absolutely stunned by this (not that he would need it, but that she would suggest it). She also said next year we should think about starting school early as she can give him extra stuff to do when he's in the middle group, but when he's in the last year it will be difficult to differentiate for him.

DS loves playing in the sandbox, and needs running around, but he also needs to be challenged, so we'll see what happens next year. We are really happy with this school and also with his teacher. I was so worried when he started school, because of the gap he has with his peers. But they placed him in a slightly older group (the kids in his group are about 6-9 months older) and it works really well for him.

[KaliShanti]

DS4 won 1st place for Kindergarten in the unrated player awards category in the US National K-12 Chess Tournament! This means he had the most wins for an unrated player in Kindergarten. He also placed 12th overall in the Kindergarten final standings. At 4 and a half years old, Tor was likely the youngest player in the entire tournament. He also had a great attitude with the games he did not win. So proud.

[ellemenope]

Kalishanti- that is very cool.  He must be so proud!  I love the picture.  That smile!

As of a couple of weeks ago DD is officially reading books--as in reading easy (very easy) books she has never seen before to people other than DH and I with very little stumbling.  The other night she sat down between my mom and dad and read them a book she had just gotten from St. Nick (Buzz said the Bee.)  She steadily got through the entire thing, only having to sound out about 1/4 of the words, but fast, and only incorrectly sight-reading one word.  She is averaging 2-3 new books read a day.  

She is also easily doing adding and subtracting on her fingers.  She just can't run out of fingers.  We were at dinner tonight and somehow 4 + 2 came up in regards to number of bites needed for dessert (four bites of pasta, two bites of chicken breast.)  Unprompted, she quickly added up her fingers all on her own, and using the words "four plus two" she exclaimed, "it equals six!"  The finger thing has been all her.  She has been doing it for over six months,  She loves counting her fingers.  She unconsciously puts her fingers up when just casually glancing at numbers of objects.  At the end of family functions she quickly runs around saying goodbye by pointing to everyone with a new finger so as to come up with a total at the end.

Most surprising of all, she is actually somewhat social in preschool.  I am told she leads whomever will follow in imaginative play at recess every day.  The play usually involves dragons or sharks.  And, at least two boys desperately want to be her 'best' friend.

She will be 3.5 in January.  

[A-time-to-live]

What a great picture!   Congrats to him!

Originally Posted by KaliShanti 

DS4 won 1st place for Kindergarten in the unrated player awards category in the US National K-12 Chess Tournament! This means he had the most wins for an unrated player in Kindergarten. He also placed 12th overall in the Kindergarten final standings. At 4 and a half years old, Tor was likely the youngest player in the entire tournament. He also had a great attitude with the games he did not win. So proud.

[Tigerle]

Congratulations Kalishanti! Get ready for a LOT of travelling!
 

Originally Posted by A-time-to-live 

What a great picture!   Congrats to him!

[KaliShanti]

Yes, he is already planning on going to the Nationals in Nashville in the Spring. And here *I* thought that we only did this tournament because it was 2 hours from home and we had relatives to stay with. HAH!
 

Originally Posted by Tigerle 

Congratulations Kalishanti! Get ready for a LOT of travelling!
 

[Cavy]

I'd be going a bit mentally deranged if DC regularly stuck fingers inside my upright grand, too; couldn't take the worry of dirty fingers in there, tinkering with the fragile bits.  They have to learn to respect the instrument care & needs, too.  (Or maybe it's just MY piano preciousness speaking, but I don't care, it's MY expensive bit of kit).

DD (10) keeps running home from clubs and events (whilst we cycle), even DH noticed her ability to get stronger the longer she runs, and said "If you can run that far that fast without getting out of breath you really should work on it to see what more you can do"; she's nagged me to go running a few times together, but it's dark by 4pm here & I am often too exhausted anyway, I am resolving here and now to make more effort to go out running with her more often, especially over next few weeks when almost all the other clubs are off.  DS7 is also a good runner, so we can all go out together.

DD is brainy, too, btw, but I think her heart may lie in excelling in sport first.

[moominmamma]

Originally Posted by Cavy 

I'd be going a bit mentally deranged if DC regularly stuck fingers inside my upright grand, too; couldn't take the worry of dirty fingers in there, tinkering with the fragile bits.  They have to learn to respect the instrument care & needs, too.  (Or maybe it's just MY piano preciousness speaking, but I don't care, it's MY expensive bit of kit).

I think my point was that you can teach a child to "tinker" safely and with respect for the instrument. Hands washed first, no manipulation of the hammers, etc.. To each his own, though, obviously.

Miranda