Ms.
Camp’s third grade class has begun its own bell choir. Reading music for handbells is different
than it is for other instruments because the ringer, who has one bell in
each hand, is only responsible for two of the notes on the staff. This is a challenge because the ringer
must decide which notes to ignore, and which to ring. It is also a challenge not to lose one’s
place in the music when one isn’t playing every note.
The
trick to not losing one’s place is to keep counting the beat in one’s head,
measure after measure. There is a
lot of math involved in this, and it ties into a unit on fractions. For music that has 4 beats in a measure,
the quarter note is ¼ of the measure, or 1 beat. The half note is ½ of the measure or 2 beats. The eighth note is ⅛ of the
measure, meaning it would take 8 eighth notes to make one whole
measure. We take the four beats of
the measure and cut them in half so that we have eight notes. So each eighth note is one-half of a
beat.
In
addition to reading the rhythm and knowing which beat to play his/her notes
on, there are many other tasks that the ringer has to accomplish at the
same time. The ringer needs to
maintain his/her counting of the beat at the same speed throughout the
whole piece, and to keep counting even when he/she is not playing. Also, the ringer usually has a different
bell in each hand, and has to pay attention to what the note is and which
hand that bell is in. There is also
technique to consider. And finally,
the ringers have to listen to themselves, listen to each other, and work
together as a team.
One
of the exciting benefits of bell-ringing in the classroom is that it gives
a new set of students a chance to shine.
There are many types of intelligence, and that means that different
kids shine in different areas. Some
excel at reading and writing.
Others at art or athletics.
With bell ringing, we see some of the students who struggle with
reading and writing all of a sudden being the leaders. Their confidence grows. Their faces light up. Their self-esteem begins to
strengthen. For other students, who
may have no difficulty with reading and writing, they all of a sudden find
themselves challenged, and they love it.
It is a great feeling to be challenged, to persevere, and to
succeed. In the words of Mr.
Marinich, our school counselor, “A key component of a healthy self concept is
believing you are capable of accomplishing something of significance, and
certainly these performers are doing just that.”
Ringing handbells uses all parts of the brain, and it
connects math with music. It draws
on many different learning styles – kinesthetic, tactile, auditory, and
visual. It challenges the student
to do multiple tasks at one time.
It requires organized thinking and sustained concentration. Students who struggle with paying
attention or having excessive energy are finding it easy (and fun) to
maintain their focus. Students who
struggle with their moods are finding a source of joy for their minds.
It is exciting to see how bell ringing has benefited
each student in ways that meet their own unique needs. Whether it’s improving one’s
understanding of numbers, increasing self-esteem, providing a challenge,
building the skill of organized thinking, improving focus, or creating a
moment of joy, ringing bells is a great exercise for the brain that each
student enjoys in their own special way.
NOTE: Ms. Camp’s Ringers are planning to
perform at the BOE meeting at LWW on March 21st, and at the PTA
meeting at AGM on April 4th at 6 p.m.
