Q, believe me, I'm working on the mold issue. I have been able to have all the windows open so far- it may just have been that the trailer was stuffy after not having been opened all summer. So far, so good!

Thanks for all the other words of wisdom. Our second meeting was a classic illustration of my theory: "everyone needs to know where the boundaries are- and will keep testing them until they are certain!". Apparently their last music teacher was a laid-back dude with no classroom management. Things will be different for the little darlings this year (remember, I have 25+ years of doing this!).

Successes from this past week:
~The kindergartners LOVE everything I do. No problem there- they don't have any past programming for me to undo.
~The 5th/6th graders LOVE to sing, and do it well- I had them doing "If I only had a brain" complete with whistling, since they are studying The Human Brain in science.
(BTW, any suggestions of another song that could connect with the brain theme would be gratefully appreciated, esp. if it's in 4/4 time, major key, with a straight (not dotted/bouncy) rhythm, as we are learning about quarter notes and eighth notes this week!). I plan to ease them in to harmony singing over the next few months, but right now we're just singing for fun.
~I'm in love with the 7th/8th graders. They are not easy, but they are interested enough in what I'm throwing at them that they are willing to try. Because there is such a range of musical background, I'm starting with west African-style rhythmic ensembles, with lots of improvisation (not striving for any kind of cultural authenticity, but using listening examples from Babatunde Olatunji to Mickey Hart as inspiration!). Soon they will find themselves singing an African chant ("Aramile") which will hopefully get them willing to sing other things I introduce. Sneaky music teacher is sneaky.

OK, now, off to find a new brain song (or just about anything that fits the meter/rhythm/mode criteria!).