Carrying a tune in a trash can.

Today the roof was leaking. We're pretty sure there was water gathering on top of the ceiling tiles, because every few minutes from third hour on, a small gush of water would fall. Lizzy started freaking out, because it was falling right by the electronic piano that she paid a bundle for. After third hour we had to move the piano forward a few feet and stick a trash can under the leak. At the beginning of every class, all the students would ask me if I knew there was a leak. I would have to explain that yes, I know, there is a trash can under the leak.

When a second person in each class would ask me about the leak, I would say to the whole class, "Alright, everyone point at the ceiling and say 'There's a leak in the ceiling!'"

"There's a leak in the ceiling!"

"'This is the last time we get to talk about it!'"

"This is the last time we get to talk about it!"

Most students didn't have a problem after that, but one sixth hour girl who consistently gives attitude said in a challenging tone, "Now we're fixated on it," loud enough so everyone could hear.

"Somehow the other classes didn't have a problem with it," I responded. And we went into warm-ups. Sure enough, the only time sixth hour students were understandably distracted by it was when Lizzy was telling the class about the Renaissance period and history for about eight minutes.

A small note about working on sight-reading with the students: One of the main ideas we're working on is that sight-reading is fun. I told all the students that if they walk into the sight-reading room at festival, showing that they're confident and ready to have fun, the judges will eat that up. The judges have to watch and listen to students who just hate sight-reading and are terrified of it all day. The more fun you have with sight-reading, or even just pretend to have, the more accurate you will be. Because at some point, pretending starts becoming reality.

Two local university students came in to observe, and they were wonderful. They loved what Lizzy was doing with the students, and they were happy they got to see me do warm-ups and sight-reading with the students as well. I was nervous that they would be critical of me to my face, but they were both very sweet. They're thinking of coming back next Friday, and will be gladly welcomed back by both of us.

There is a new male student in fifth hour eighth grade who has never been in choir before, and is only familiar with the speaking voice range of his voice right now. Lizzy threw me into a room with him and another boy who matches pitch really well and is quite comfortable with all parts of his voice. Let's call new boy "Denny," and experienced choir student "Saunderson."

I took one thing that I learned in a choral methods class and found the pitch that Denny spoke at, which was about an F#3. Then I held his name on that pitch and he joined me, followed by Saunderson. We all then went up in pitch one half-step at a time, until Denny's voice just wouldn't go up any further in his speaking voice register. We topped out at an A3. We tried to bottom out his voice and that was as far as it would go.

I tried some things I learned in a choral methods class, but he was clearly super uncomfortable and still wouldn't get out of that speaking range. Busted. I knew it: eighth graders are too cool. He's doesn't want to make a fool of himself.

Denny also admitted that he really only listens to rap, which explains his range. If all you ever have to sing along with is in speaking voice, that's all you'll ever do. After our brief time in the side office, Lizzy told me that Denny was already sounding better than before. Success!

This will be the great experiment.

Will we be able to get Denny's voice into different registers? (horn cue)

Will the other boys rise to the challenge of helping out a fellow student? (horn cue)

Can we get Denny to match pitch and sing along by district choral festival? (horn cue)

Will anything I learned in choral methods actually work in this situation?? (horn cue)

The story continues next week.