May 30 2006
It’s official – we’re technically “done” with 2nd grade and kindergarten (for the state)! The kids did well on their standardized tests (Bonnie’s first year taking them), and we can relax for the summer.
Seeing as how I just returned from a homeschooling convention with all this great stuff, though, it won’t be boring! Just need to put it together and figure out what we’re going to tackle first. I love this time of the year!
May 13 2006
Tonight was the kids’ first piano recital. A nerve-wracking experience, for sure. For me – not them! The kids started lessons back in September, so just about 8 months of taking lessons. Their instructor has been just great with them – they rarely complain about practicing. They’re more likely to argue about whose turn it is, in fact!
So tonight. Their first showcase of what they’ve been learning. First off, it was a formal affair. Dresses for the girls. Suit-like clothes and a tie for the boys. No tennis shoes for either. All the kids looked just wonderful!
Here’s Bonnie in her finest – she really loves this dress as it is very similar to one that I had when I was her age.
We were to be at the recital an hour early to give extra time for traffic problems, time to finalize the setup, and let the kids calm down. So, I took the opportunity to take some posed pictures. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get a good picture during the recital – better safe than sorry, right? So I took some of them individually, and then a posed shot of them doing their duet. I’m so glad I did!
Then the recital began. The church was dark. Very dark. And cold. Very, very cold. Someone suggested that the church was intentionally dark so that the kids couldn’t see the audience as well, to reduce their nerves. Good thought! The only bad thing was that I wasn’t really set up to take such low-light pictures, so a lot of the pictures were dark and had to be lightened afterwards.
The recital itself was very, very good. Each child stood up, faced the audience, and introduced themself. They had to state their name, their age, their “grade”, and how long they’d been taking lessons. Then, they announced the title of their piece and the composer or arranger. Great public speaking practice!
I was so proud of both Bonnie & Clyde for being clear as they did their introduction. And they played very well! I didn’t get any pictures of them playing because I waited until the very last measure to take the photo – I didn’t want to risk distracting them in the middle of the music. But, we caught it all on video for the interested relatives.
Clyde played first. A little later, Bonnie. And then they did their duet together. I’m so glad I got the earlier picture because Clyde turned his head right as I took the photo! Such timing!
It was the first recital of this kind that I’ve been to – when I was a kid, I did the competition recitals, but nothing like this. It was interesting to see how many kids who had been playing a year or less – they all did great! Their instructor needs a lot of credit – she’s been fantastic!
Oh, I have to finish showing off the kids. Look how handsome Clyde is in his tie. Just ignore his expression – it was at the end, and he had used up all his “good” manners, LOL.
After all the kids had played, the instructor passed out some certificates of achievement. Both Bonnie & Clyde were awarded gifts and medals for their consistent practice (and they get a special treat from the teacher, too!) and for all the books they’ve passed this year. Clyde was also one of 3 students awarded a cash prize for exceeding expectations – he won for the younger kids’ group. Yeah!
Anyhow, the night was a success. When asked, Bonnie liked playing for the crowd; Clyde not so much. But they both had very positive experiences, and they’re already looking forward to the next recital.
I think I’m going to need some time to recover.
