Submitted by Kathie Burlow, Mississauga, Ontario
Idea posted February 17, 2004
Turn your choir into your audience - they sit on the sidelines and watch the following:
Tell them that there will be a problem, and that the choir students have to identify and correct it. Choose one student to be the new conductor. Arrange to have some of your colleagues become your new "choir." Bring this "new choir" into the room, but make certain beforehand that they know they are to talk as much as possible between songs (use easy songs such as our national anthem and "Take Me Out To The Ball Game"), and when the conductor is trying to give them directions. Have the rest of your regular choir observe what happens when no one listens to the conductor. Ask the class to identify the problem. Then repeat the two songs with NO talking in between songs or during directions. See if your real choir can understand why you had this demonstration (Of course, to let them know that more can be accomplished when there is no extraneous talking!). Have your real choir then rehearse with the new modeling they have just seen.