Youth and young ukehood...

rock_and_roll_camera

rock_and_roll_camera

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I know that this has been covered countless times on here but I saw for myself today how the ukulele is overtaking guitar and recorder at schools. My bus route home from work takes me past a primary school, and I guess today the kids had music on the timetable. I saw two little girls, bith different ages and heading in different directions from the school carrying ukes. They both had red Mahalo sopranos, in the trade mark colour matched carry bags. Just made me smile!

And they were leaving school at the same time as all the other kids so it's not an after school class thing or anything, they are actually being taught it in school. How cool is that!? The fact that they had the same make and colour ukes made me think that perhaps the school buys them and passes them onto the kids, so everybody has the same, y'know?...

I was a little concered though, the older girl had her uke shoved in her backpack, neck first, with the body sticking out the top. Just had an image of it falling it out, or breaking in her bag...
 
We have getting on for 60 pupils learning ukulele at the High School I teach at
 
I was a little concered though, the older girl had her uke shoved in her backpack, neck first, with the body sticking out the top. Just had an image of it falling it out, or breaking in her bag...
Click to expand...
Don't worry - it's very difficult to break a Mahalo.

I tried to break one on purpose one day by stomping on the soundboard with all my strength.
They're built like tanks - I gave up trying to break it.
 
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Good lord sir, this fine instrument is suitable for prince and pauper, young and old. It knows no social, class or economic boundary. Why if the United Nations were to insist that the ukulele be taught in every school in the world we would all be united in a world wide smile and all wars would cease immediately. I hope?
 
I'd like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love,
Grow apple trees and honey bees, and snow white turtle doves.
I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony,
I'd like to buy the world a Uke and keep it company.

:)
 
rock_and_roll_camera said:
Why where you trying to break a uke by stomping on it?
Click to expand...

I was doing experiments on it, such as sanding down the saddle, filing the fret edges, filing the nut because it was so uncomfortable to play originally.
I sort of messed it up (think superglue), so I decided to throw it away. Before I did that, I thought I'd test out how easy it is to break a uke.

The Mahalo beat me. It would not break with me stomping on it.
 
spookefoote said:
[...] if the United Nations were to insist that the ukulele be taught in every school in the world we would all be united in a world wide smile and all wars would cease immediately[...]
Click to expand...
Except for those small wars where people hit each other upside the head with 'ukuleles...
 
I wish my school would furnish us with some ukes (me being a teacher who does not teach music). I am spending my summer deciding if I really want to commit to starting a ukulele club at my school.....

(Reasons not to: We'd have to fundraise for shared ukes - my students are low on the economic scale; I already am in charge of Polynesian Dance Club; I teach AP which is a huge time commitment; I'm working on my Master's degree; I'd like my second year teaching to NOT have the 50-60 hour work weeks I did for all of last year; I'd like to stay married....etc...)
 
spacecakegirl said:
I wish my school would furnish us with some ukes (me being a teacher who does not teach music). I am spending my summer deciding if I really want to commit to starting a ukulele club at my school.....

(Reasons not to: We'd have to fundraise for shared ukes - my students are low on the economic scale; I already am in charge of Polynesian Dance Club; I teach AP which is a huge time commitment; I'm working on my Master's degree; I'd like my second year teaching to NOT have the 50-60 hour work weeks I did for all of last year; I'd like to stay married....etc...)
Click to expand...

50 - 60 hours is most certainly a lot and you need to do something about that if you want to see your pension. I don't know what AP is but currently I'm teaching Design and Technology, Ukulele Orchestra and have an involvement with special educational needs pupils. I completely empathise with your situation and wish you every success with your Masters.

Getting back on track; our pupils have their own ukes. They are in the main inexpensive Mahalo's, around 15 - 20 UK pounds, 20 - 30 US $. Many have bought more expensive ones as they have got more confident and seen how quickly they can improve.

My advice is give it a go. Don't look at it as a part of your teaching. Treat it as recreational. Only invite a select few and when they get the bug let them start to filter in other interested students. We have a Uke Club as well as the Orchestra and the Club members aspire to join the Orchestra.

Good luck and if I can help more, you know where to find me.
 
spacecakegirl said:
I wish my school would furnish us with some ukes (me being a teacher who does not teach music). I am spending my summer deciding if I really want to commit to starting a ukulele club at my school.....

(Reasons not to: We'd have to fundraise for shared ukes - my students are low on the economic scale; I already am in charge of Polynesian Dance Club; I teach AP which is a huge time commitment; I'm working on my Master's degree; I'd like my second year teaching to NOT have the 50-60 hour work weeks I did for all of last year; I'd like to stay married....etc...)
Click to expand...

Folks in the "helping professions" tend to overextend themselves? I know. As an RN who works with social workers and again now myself in education (nursing).

Before you get your Master's degree, learn this: you have nothing to prove. These words might sound harsh to uke zealots cheering you on to extend the uke religion, but to someone like yourself, you know exactly what I mean.

And yes indeed a marriage can end because people don't have time together...or simply each partner separately, to be alone.
 
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