Crayons - and how many??!!!

Hello PPiF teachers.

It's the London Marathon today! The sun is out shining, and the first runners are crossing the finishing line! What a lovely day for a marathon - both for the runners and the spectators!

Anyways, Marathon aside!! During my PPIF sessions, one teacher asked me how many coloured crayon sticks does a child need. I strongly suggest at least four of contrasting colour - red, orange, blue and green. This adds variety and the answers become very distinctly clear too. For very young children, if Mathematics skill is not ready, BOX the section (eg page 18 under GAMES question 2a,b and c) - you can introduce this when the child is ready. Have fun with other GAMES activities. Get your crayons ready!

May I suggest to introduce pages 27, 29, 35 and 41 by verbalising (semibreve-ta-aa-aa-aa; minim-ta-aa-aa; crotchet-ta; quaver-te) and clapping along STEADILY first before actual playing on the keys. Please avoid counting (eg page 27) 1and 2and 3and 4and... Try verbalising tetetete ta ta. You will be surprised how more effective and more enjoyable than counting in numbers for the students to grasp quavers/eighth notes values. Again, if the little fingers are not ready to play - keep these as rhythm exercise pages - verbalising and clapping - such activity can break monotony in the lesson and also relaxes any stress in the class. Later when the student is ready quavers/eighth note can be played more evenly too - voila - go ahead! Have fun!

Meanwhile, I am off back to watch more marathon! Come on Runners!!!!

Have a good sunday everyone!

Love,
Alice Chua

Happy belated Easter wishes... From both of us in Taipei, Taiwam

Hi everyone,  apologies for this belated Easter well wishes. I want to share with you the exciting moment when the display of Easter eggs - very huge and mini ones... It is very exciting to see the creativeness of the commercial sector!!!... This year we see eggs packed along not only with bunnies but with chickens, duckies and teddy bears (???)... Nonetheless it is the season to celebrate the resurrection of Christ... If you enjoy music, compose a tune for post-Easter and share with all PPiF enthusiasts... How about with these few notes as the melodic stimuli - mi-fa-so-so-so-do'-so???... (to any rhythmic pattern).  Have fun!!!... With best regards from Taipei, Taiwan - Alice Chua & Mitra-Alice Tham