Two of my grandsons are interested in making music. One wants to play the piano, one the guitar. Since I can play the piano, I rashly offered my services to give piano lessons. I'm not a very good teacher. I don't seem to be able to think of efficient ways to get the lessons across. I'm not really starting from scratch, because Christian has had his keyboard for a year. It is labeled with the key names and places on the keyboard and he has a book that makes this kind of playing easy. My training being traditional read from the book and play the keys, I'm having to adjust my thoughts and teaching to a slightly different method where fitting what he knows into what I think he needs to know.
Last week I was emphasizing timing and the different values of notes, instead of playing every note at the same speed. This week he was much improved. I think he has potential. However, like most kids, he won't realize that potential unless he practices. Barry is taking guitar lessons from the school music teacher. I asked him today how his practice was going. It wasn't. We have two of a kind there.
I hated practicing when I was a kid. I would be a better pianist if I had, but I play well enough to give myself and sometimes other pleasure, so I'm happy with that. I could still learn more, if I practiced.
Here it is March. It came in like a lamb with 70 degree weather. This has been a crazy winter. I don't think I've ever known one like it. I've seen 80 in February before, but while this winter has had its fair share of weeks with chilly weather hovering around the freezing mark, it has more weeks with temperatures ranging from 50s to just below zero. My prediction is of a cold May or a great dumping snow in April. We are getting a little bit of snow this afternoon after some drizzle and sleet. We are so short on moisture and this is going be the most current of the four barely cover the ground snows. It won't mitigate the lack of moisture problem.
Basketball is over. We try to get to as many games as we can. In small schools like the boys are in, Jr. High basketball is the PE program, so everyone practices during school, and everyone goes to the games, which were held on Wednesday afternoons. I've enjoyed watching Zane play. I remember my own pitiful attempts in games when I was that age. I didn't know how to play the games; I was afraid to put myself out in case I make mistakes (the teasing was brutal). I also have problems with depth perception so trying to hit anything at the end of a stick just doesn't work.
I watch Zane follow what I assume are the directions of his coach. The team sets up a certain way under the basket and he's ready to catch and pass. He makes a few baskets. He gets right in there to get rebounds. It does help that he's one of the taller ones and can jump. He plays as part of the team, and they win a good share of the time.
Barry's program isn't part of the school as Jr. high and high school are, but the local schools with their volunteer coaches make a league and play each other at their schools. I enjoy watching Barry play, too. He and his classmates are a competitive group and play well together on the basketball court. I think they as a group really are "getting" how to play. I really don't know much about the rules and strategy. I wonder if I should read up on it. They are a short small-boned bunch, but they are fast and win against much taller and larger opponents. Neither of these boys are the main basket makers, although they usually make a basket or two a game. Barry is excellent at assisting and those kids just dart in and around the other team and get the job done. In fact, they've only lost one game that I know of, but I didn't get to all the games. A couple weekends ago they had a weekend tournament and they played three games each day and won a gold medal both days.
Family Time
No comments:
Post a Comment