Does every 4th grader in America learn to play the Recorder?
When I was in elementary school, we played flutophones. Same idea, only different.
Because I taught Kindermusik for a few years when my girls were toddlers, they were given recorders early in life. So by this year, when Amanda was handed her 4th grade recorder in school, she already knew her way around the instrument.
I'd always thought that to be a good thing. Until tonight. Sometimes familiarity brings about boredom. And boredom can bring about all kinds of crazy stuff.
Tonight I heard Amanda practicing on her recorder. I think she was playing "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee". Anyway, just as I was starting to think how well she was playing the song, and how proud I was to be her mother, I looked over in the direction of the music.
Are you ready for this?
She was playing it with her NOSE. That's right. She had the mouthpiece shoved into one nostril and was blowing out air (and who knows what else) from said nostril into the recorder.
Me: Amanda!
Amanda: What?
Me: WHAT are you DOING?!
Amanda: Playing my recorder.
Me: With your nose???
Amanda (laughing): Yeah, so?
Me: So?! Are you even kidding me?!?!
It was right then that Megan, who had witnessed the entire nasal concert, grabbed the recorder and put it in her mouth to play a little (unsanitary) ditty. That's when I completely gave up on trying to teach these girls anything whatsoever about being a lady, and asked Amanda if I could video tape her circus act. (Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Right?) She refused, stating that she thought I'd put it on the Internet. Who me?
I am a music teacher who taught my fourth graders how to play the recorder (I now teach middle and high school) It was always a running contest (with myself of course) to see how long it would take someone to figure out that you could play it with your nose...it didn't take them very long.
ReplyDeleteToo funny