Music, Movement and More!
- thartman12
- Jan 22
- 2 min read
Music, Movement, and More in OMPH School’s Music Classes
A Message from OMPH School’s Music Teacher, Mrs. Phyllis Sands:
This is my third year of teaching at OMPH. Each year, I have felt more at home with this friendly staff and a very supportive Principal. All this means a great deal to me. I couldn’t do this without their support. Enrollment has really grown since I started, so the work load is a bit more than anticipated (but that is a good thing!)
I teach all grades including Preschool 3 and Preschool 4 through the Eighth Grade. It is quite a broad spectrum of classes! I hope each year I have been able to reach each grade level where I should. My past job was only Kindergarten through Fifth, so I have been challenged these past three years!
This year I started all classes with learning about all the instruments and encouraging them to select one to learn, if not now, in the future. Even middle school students can start at their age, it’s never too late! Then, I move into Music Ace exercises. This is a fun and easy way to learn to read music or, for younger students, ear training to give students an awareness of same versus different pitches.
Next, we move on to Christmas Concert preparations. Special rehearsals are scheduled in the Church, and classes are grouped together. This concert is always fun, as we use various props such as jingle bells, ribbons, hand bells, and hand chimes. Our students dress in costume, and some of the adults are willing to join in the fun, including Mr. Sunny dressing as Rudolph!
All classes study movement to beat in February. We study different dances that have the students move their entire bodies to a steady beat. We learn the Cha Cha Slide, Cupid Shuffle, Macarena, Bow Belinda, Limbo, and even Cotton Eyed Joe!
March brings more work with steady beat using Music Ace 2. We work on note reading in groups of two, three, and four. Students learn different tempo names and the “tas” and “ti tis.” They also start learning songs for our Spring Concert, held in May. This concert includes soloists, who try out for a solo part. We finish out the school year with patriotic songs and marches, including the March King, John Philip Sousa. I strive to teach all students to love music and hope it will always be a part of their lives!
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