AJThere's something to be said here about those amazing girls of yours. You said that your daughter was in the 7th grade last year. I've got to say, Wow, she's come a LONG way in a just a little over a year. Somebody's got both serious talent as well as a great work ethic. Since my lot in life is to be a teacher, I have about 75 seventh graders. In the 11 years that I've been teaching, I've noticed (at my school anyway) that the talent isn't lacking but the work ethic is. It seems like so many kids these days just aren't willing to work and sadly, their talent isn't worth much because of this. I know from talking to more parents than I can count that moms and dads are flustered about this as well. In so many cases, their kids have talent, but just don't have the work ethic to get them into that "first chair..." or even past the first week of lessons for that matter.
I'm one of the few on this forum that actually got to meet your daughters. You have a wonderful family and your girls seemed to be so eager to achieve. FWIW, that doesn't come naturally for most kids because it indeed involves work and a lot of it. That work ethic comes from the example set by good parents. And therin lies the problem I have with all too many of my kids. They have the talent, but don't have the structure at home.
My hat is off to the fine job you and your wife are doing with those girls. In Psalm 127:4, the Bible compares kids to arrows, and declares "happy is the man whose quiver is full of them." In your case, I'd like to add that this especially true because they are straight and balanced arrows. And that has a great deal to do with the archer(s) that made them.
Thanks for sharing the video: I know it took some time to put all that on the forum for us. Stuff like that makes this forum a great place to be.
You said that you thought they sounded good for a 7th grade orchestra. You are right about that. They did very well with that song.
Gary
darksider #44
Ok, I messed up a hair. She's in the 7th grade now. She started last year in 6th. She's been playing a little less than a year and a half. I gotta say, this kid is amazing. She's the one that taught herself cursive when she got moved to a higher reading group that was writing cursive and she wasn't. Sophia, the one that did all the reading to you, is now teaching herself and tested 12th grade reading level. She's 8 and in the 3rd grade. She's funny because every now and then she'll ask if I still talk to "that friend of yours that I read to."
They all remember SacMike also. I still get told how his blue bike sure was pretty. Haha...
Gary, that brought tears to my eyes. I see that stuff with kids all the time. I always feel bad because there's only so many we can help, and to do enough to make a difference, from where I am, is almost impossible. I actually busted my ass to help a girl once who said she wanted to finish school and become a nurse. I got her into a charter school, I got her bus passes so she didn't have to depend on her loser mom. She was on the way to getting a lap top, but she was more interested in playing the system and playing me than really going to school. She used the bus passes to go see her loser boyfriend and ditch school. I'm glad we caught that before we did anything else for her. That being said, I can't imagine your frustration.
Awesome! 1st seat 2nd violins, so I can appreciate her achievement. Sorry I didn't get to see the girls this year. Maybe next year! Amazing to see how much they have grown since we met them.
How an unbalanced psycho could do such a good job....never mind. I just realized it has to be Carrie!
JK! :uhoh:
WOW!! You and Wheaties? I never would have guessed. I played the trumpet. I never had the work ethic for a stringed instrument. I knew I liked you guys for a reason. The little guy, with skinny legs and wearing glasses, straight past the conductor is the first chair, second violins. He's also in 7th grade and is an awesome player. Cool kid too.
Their teacher has done a very good job. Personally, I think she's weird as Hell, but she has a talent for teaching and motivating these kids. A huge number of the kids in orchestra are honor roll students that excel everywhere. The school is cool because they loan instruments for either free or very little, so even students that can't really afford it can play. Some of those kids are very good also.
FWIW, I wanted her to play the cello but she was set on a violin. Then I goaded her for not taking up the bass. Haha...THAT is a huge instrument. Lol...
Thanks guys for all the positive comments! I can't believe Bob called me unbalanced. I may be a psycho, but I'm very balanced...and consistent! :no:
