Stick Songs and Focus Devices in the Classroom
This is a short and sweet blog about a short and funny thing – the weird noises and movements your teacher does before a stick song!
If you have taken TMC classes with different teachers, you'll know that each teacher has their own stick routine. Some make their sticks bark. Some sneeze. Some go “nininininini” bouncing their sticks to one side until they fall over, sprawled onto the floor. The kids lauggghhh. It’s adorable and hilarious for the children, the parents, and certainly the teacher when everyone mimics their movements. It’s one of those parts of The Music Class where no one really knows what’s going on, BUT it certainly gets your attention! And that, in fact, is the point.
Before we explain why we do this, please enjoy a perfect example of a kid mimicking his teacher's whole routine!
The goofy stick routine is a "focus device." Focus devices are the quickest and most effective way to get everyone’s attention. When we pass out instruments before starting a song, the children will, of course, start playing with the instruments and making as much noise as possible. So, what can a teacher do in order to regain the focus of her class? Should she say, “Excuse me, please look and listen to what I’m doing?” Or, should she start banging her own sticks even louder and MORE enthusiastically and put the sticks on her head like an alien and start going “Boop boop! Boop boop!” I mean, really, which one would get your attention?
AFTER everyone's focus is back on the teacher, then we can start the song. Everyone will be much more likely to be able to sing along and keep the beat.
Focus devices can also be effective for a myriad of things at home and at school. Silly noises, sounds, movements, and songs can be really effective in helping children transition their focus from one activity to the next. The next time your child is having trouble with a transition, why not try an extra silly way to shift their focus? We humbly suggest starting to enthusiastically sing a Music Class song about whatever the next activity is you are trying to get to! Let us know how it goes. 😂
Stick drop. Like a mic drop but less feedback.