I find giving grade
school programs to be very rewarding. When an 8 year old comes up to me
and says that today was the very best day in his entire life because I
came to his school, it becomes one of the best days in my life,
too. (I do not do school
programs at this time.)
School Programs
Barb's Vaudeville Show -
I put on a fun, fast pace program. Students hear and see a number of the
folk instruments from my collection. Students learn a little history of
the different instruments and also about folk music. Since I learned how
to play many of the instruments from books, it is a great program to
promote reading. (Look at what I learned from books!) I like to ask the
students to critique my performance and share any thoughts, questions
and ideas they have in a letter. I write back to the class that has a
note to each student answering any questions and commenting positively
about what they wrote or drew. See Kid's
comments
Other programs I do for
schools:
Kids' Drumming
Workshops- everyone drums. Not something to do if you are prone to
getting headaches... This is great fun for the kids. I take a carload of
instruments. The kids get to play several different instruments.
Workshops can be as short as 10 minutes (15 is better) to accommodate as
many classes in a day as possible. This program I cannot do after Barb's
Vaudeville. There is just no room in the car for everything.
Kids' Oldtime
Folk Music Workshop - I show the children how
to play spoons, bones, limberjacks, and other instruments. I have enough
instruments for an entire classroom. This workshop works great to do
after Barb's Vaudeville school program. Need 15 - 45 minutes per class.
Lummi sticks
-
To do an entire classroom at once you need a room that deadens the
sound! Carpeted floor helps. Workshops of 10-15 minutes work well. For a
longer workshop, we can make newspaper lummi sticks. Need 45 minutes per
class.
Chicken
squawkers and straw whistles - Chicken squawkers are made by the
children from a plastic drinking cup and string. Wet the string and
sound like a chicken. When the string dries, no more noise. Nice
workshop for 10-15 minutes.
