Behavior "Sounds of Music" experiement"

[KiwiCavyAdorer]

Sounds of Music Experiment 2011- New Zealand - for Guinea Pig Cages.

Maximus von Lichtenwalder is a single pig at this stage of his life. He is a long term indefinite return foster he was purchased from a pet store in April 2011. We do not know exactly what age he is, but we figure around 8 months. His hops are sometimes more like big exaggerated pop-corns done single style without the zooming that sometimes happens afterwards. He zooms in the outside playpen where I think he can dig his nails in the ground and get high speed up... Since I am writing his story for radio my observations were done almost by the minute and are as such a long entry, I'll use it somehow in the program I am writing and needed as much detail as there was. Enjoy!

10 October 2011 Monday 6.30 pm

commenced with Big Band Swing

Observations
Maximus von Lichtenwalder had been munching along on his grass and forages having woken from a snooze. He was busily hopping to different platforms prior to music commencement.

The first song froze him, it was big and bandy. The second song was softer and quieter, near the end of the second song he crept out from under his grass tuft and slowly snuk up to his middle bed. The third song was trumpets and he was alert facing the music looking at me from time to time.
At the end of the fourth song he got up popcorned onto his step, pee'd off the edge of it and went back to eating his grass tuft one step away.
The 5th song sent him back to his middle bed. 15 minutes into the experiment - half way through it.

25 minutes after the start Maximus von Lichtenwalder went around the far side of his abode, and to the bowl of feed on that side. His normal path would have been infront of his bed with his butt facing the stereo. He is facing the music source as he is at present, and three quarters tucked under his stairway to heaven.

end of session 7.00 pm

11 October 2011 Tuesday 6.30 pm

commenced with Wartime Memories

Observations
Maximus von Lichtenwalder was snoozing in his middle bed. He woke up. Was facing the source of the music, and began rasping his teeth.

at the second song he stopped teeth grinding.

At the 3rd song in a row that was quiet ballad style, about 20 minutes into the half hour section, he hopped out of his bed and into his kitchen facing the soft crooning music and munched away happily exposed. To the end of the 30 minute period.

Very different behaviour to the big swing style.
end of session 7.00 pm

12 October 2011 Wednesday power cut from 6.27 pm to 8.35 pm precluded any use of electrics.

13 October 2011 Thursday 6.30pm

commenced with Chieftains Celtic Harp

Maximus von Lichtenwalder had been chirping away to himself having completed a celery snack. He was sitting on his middle bed when the music began. He is directly exposed to the music source from his middle bed.

He began grooming and fetching special poops facing the setting sun. It was hard to distinguish whether he was quietly whooking to himself or if that sound was part of the music.

He was quietly animated scenting the air, had a sneeze. I'm pretty sure he was chirping to the music because I could see his whiskers move quite regularly in the same pattern, but since he was facing mostly away from me I couldn't quite see his lips.

He lowered his head onto his cushion and relaxed into sleep. 7.42pm

drums came on in one song and he raised his head, filing his teeth. Remained where he was, at 6.55 pm I noticed he had slightly moved cuddling further into his wooly beanie, he was sitting head up, then at 6.59 pm he hopped out of bed directly in front of the music and sat on his step eating lettuce butt facing the music.


14 October 2011 Friday 6.30 pm

commenced with DayBreak Classics of Morning Melodies

At the first piece of Peer Gynt suite no.1 Op46 Morning Mood Allegretto Pastorale Maximus von Lichtenwalder got up out of his middle bed and hopped onto his side step first with his butt to the music then during the piece he turned and faced it munching along on first river lettuce and then long fresh grass straps.

On the second piece he snacked on his special vitamin and protein poops. Midway through he hopped into his hay tray nibbling away side on to the music.

He hopped closer to the music source to nibble on and frittle in some long grass roots and blades. Time 6.40 pm

Maximus von Lichtenwalder remained in this part of his abode until the end and beyond the half hour time slot for the experiment. At times when the music was robust he was stiller than at times when it was melodius. At times of quieter music he seemed to yank heartily on his grass leaves, and hop a single popcorn to change direction. At loud vigorous music it seemed as if he hunkered down and ate quietly.

15 October 2011 6.40 pm

I had changed one half of Maximus von Lichtenwalder's abode, leaving his middle bed, upper beds and shavings portions as is. When I brought him back to his house he went back to his middle bed where I had woken him up from in order to take him outside for grass time, while I cleaned half his house. House cleaning seems to upset him. He dislikes to be adventurous when things are just clean or different footing has been created.

commenced with Say Hey Drive Tunes volume 4
first song from Five - Don't want to let you go... Maximus von Lichtenwalder responded with the same alarm noise he makes when a bird sings near him or flies past him... the noise continued for 10 seconds continuously, I stopped the music and took the cd out.

second cd was The Golden Groups Best of the Ballads
first song was He's not heavy he's my brother... he yawned near the end of the song and put his little head on his pillow. During the second song The Sun Ain't Going To Shine Anymore... he moved up his stairway to heaven, turned and snuggled into the second bed at the top of the stairway.... normally he would sleep further back and across ways. Today he sat facing down the stairway to heaven the sun was setting behind him. Different behaviour to yesterday as he has chosen to lie under his calzone douvet. I think partly because changing his "linen" upsets him, I believe I would have to make all his fabric changes of the same colour and texture. I will have to "lead" him around his abode by dragging my fingers in front of him so he follows them seeing that they are "safe" on the new surfaces...

Normally I can lead with a cucumber, absolutely not while the music played, and even just after I turned it off he was not able to come out of hiding. I had to lift him into his "new Linen" kitchen area...
end of session

16 October 2011 Sunday 6.30 pm

commenced with Kaitana This Embrace
this is philosophical lyrics set to soft music

Maximus von Lichtenwalder was sitting outside on his alfresco dinning platform
and as I approached with his late dinner he hopped into his kitchen side of his house, chose to sit on the covered brick step quite exposed and munched along on his salad. About 4 songs in he began to groom himself, and then did a series of single popcorns on his brick step. He came through his middle bed to the opposite side of the music source and stood in the "come and sniff my nose pose" so I obliged as I have never declined this honour invitation. He was completely concealed from the music source.

He pop corned after we touched noses and sniffed I spoke to him as I always do after such a nice gift of contact. After he pop corned he burrowed under his calzone douvet, but instead of climbing the stairway to heaven he pushed across the cushion and went to his middle bed. For the first time he positioned himself far to the front of the beanie so I could easily see him from the computer. Facing the music source.

In none of the previous days of the music experiment has Maximus von Lichtenwalder sought contact with me, or been so active, grooming and pop corning. We wonder was it the style of the music?

17 October 2011 Monday 6.25 pm

commenced with Kaitana This Embrace

I chose to reverse the styles of music from today - using yesterday's cd. I chose to do this because Maximus von Lichtenwalder seemed so comfortable with the music yesterday, and by now I figured that he would be anticipating the newly introduced routine by now.

He hopped out of his middle bed onto his brick at I approached the music source. As it began he struck the "chin rub?" pose, so I rubbed his chin and cheek briefly, turned his grass clump so he could reach the newer straps from his brick and came to the computer. He remained munching along on his grass as the music continued.

At 6.30 he began grooming on his brick step. He pop-corned to turn around scratched and reached for another grass strap. I scratched my finger and this stopped him, caused him to pop-corn around to face the noise. I didn't realise it would affect him. He then turned and hopped into his hay kitchen where I had put his river lettuce a yam, a slice of orange capsicum and a bean earlier. I notice that he is not eating his capsicum again. He does not eat it often enough to ensure his vitamin C quota.

At 6.33 he made an impressive jump over the wooden sides of his hay kitchen onto the back of the grass clump closest to the music source and then a few seconds later sprung across the grass clump onto his middle brick step to continue eating his river lettuce from another angle.

6.39 He hopped onto his alfresco dining platform and nibbled on some cucumber totally exposed in the open.

6.43 Maximus von Lichtenwalder struck his cute fluffy "pick me up?" pose. Since we aren't meant to interact with the piggies during this time slot I found it very hard to deny a contact request. They are such an honest gift. Denying the offer lead me to wonder what he will be like when I do go to pick him up, or if he will be quicker or slower to offer it again... He is just squatting there looking at me quizzically, like he is beaming me some telepathic message. He is totally focused on me and it's been 3 minutes... I got up to turn a pot off on the stove. He went to the shavings side of his house, and was doing stationary pop-corns when I sat back down, then he scratched pop-corned some more and zoomed around his track to his Kitchen side ending up on his middle brick step. front feet up on the alfresco dining platform, back feet down on the brick. I haven't seen him hold this pose before. It lasted 2 minutes.... I'm wondering if this is in response to my non-response to the "pick me Up?" pose....because his is doing his cute and fluffy look... it's 6.52 now. 3 minutes to go before I can respond at the end of the 30 minute time slot for the experiment.

He is filing his teeth. Holding the new pose it's 6.54 now... yes he wants a pick up, he has just shuffled is feet and yawned... those are also signals to snuggle with me, Oh Yay it's 6.55. end of today.

18 October 2011 Tuesday 7.30pm

an hour late.

commenced with Day Break Classics Lively Morning Melodies, track 2 as track one read error.

Maximus von Lichtenwalder was grazing some forages we had just brought in, he remained grazing happily bouncing between the offerings.

7.32 he went to his grass hut on the shavings side of his house, I could hear him filing his teeth.

7.38 came out of the grass hut and sat facing the music source on his middle brick step munching along on river lettuce, dandelion leaves, a dandelion flower and some yarrow.

7.45 hopped into his "railed" kitchen - which I changed this morning - it's just fabric in there at the moment and he is sleeping in there as a bed.

8.00 pm end of session - as I type he has jumped out of his kitchen fence and is standing on his brick step and alfresco dining platform, looking at me.


19 October 2011 6.30 pm

commenced with Chieftans The Celtic Harp

Maximus von Lichtenwalder was sitting on his middle bed and when I approached the music source he hopped off his bed and came to sniff at me, I started the cd and he remained on his middle brick step, choosing to dine on river lettuce and the forages we had brought in for him about an hour earlier. He chose to face the music source.

7.45 pm he is still chomping and now sits front feet up on the alfresco dining platform and back feet down on the brick step. He is munching along on grass stalks. He is lively and is looking about while he munches, scratches every once in a while and bounces his head, it seems as if agreeing with the music, because his movements are often in time to the harp music. My husband sees this too enough to comment on. He pops up in a single popcorn to change direction or just because.

6.59 pm grooming commences...

7.00 pm end of session.

19 October Wednesday 2011 6.30 pm

commenced with Chieftans The Celtic Harp

Maximus von Lichtenwalder had just been up for a feed prior to me starting the music. He's lying awake in his middle bed as I put the music on. He turned his nose to face me, which is not usual.

I decided that I would track back over the cd's I have used so far, but skipping the big band swing which would have been today had I completed the entire sequence. To be honest I just didn't feel like subjecting myself to that music today.

The lad has kicked out sideways and gone to sleep now. 6.35pm

6.52pm We woke up and are snacking in our bowl - he is very lively, having a wake up shake, grooming and making generally sure his hairdo is just so. He popcorned on his brick step so much he had to amend a mis-step into a leap - which he managed very stylishly indeed.
He faces the music source. When I turn my head to look what he is doing, he turns his head to look in the same direction I turned my head.

6.56 pm he is now closer to the music at his second bowl.

6.58 pm he is checking out some wilted river lettuce I had moved when I put in his fresh river lettuce earlier on, he looked at me at 7.00 pm and he began his whooking noise and did single popcorns as if to punctuate his suggestion, so I went to the fridge and got him a yam- since it's the official end of the session. 7.02 pm he is still eating his yam.

end of session

20 October 2011 Thursday 6.30 pm

commenced with Sacred Spirit a cd I found unpacking a box today.

I wanted to see what, if any reaction Maximus von Lichtenwalder had to this very different North American Indian style music. And I wanted to hear it again!

He was eating grass straps, a variety of grass he hasn't had for a few days. I try to vary his grass types. He was lying across the clump vigorously foraging in it as the music came on. He did single popcorns during munching.

At 6.40 pm he jumped off the clump to lie next to his kitchen on a new towel and munch along on the straps of grass from that angle, he is as close as he could get to the music source. Similar sort of behaviour as he has to the Celtic Harp music. Lively and participatory in his feeding movements. The single popcorns continued through 14 minutes, happening sporadically and often looked like a happy means of changing nibble direction.

At 6.44 pm he jumped up to his alfresco dining platform and lay on his tummy munching along on the grass straps from that angle, back legs kicked out to the side.

At 6.48 he hopped onto his middle bed and is perched in his "I'm listening and looking position" the music had turned to heavy drumming and chanting a few seconds before he hopped onto his middle bed. It's pretty concealed draped on two sides like a sort of tunnel and roofed. When he doesn't like what's going on he retreats so he can't be seen in the middle bed. The chanting is still strong with drumming and he has lowered his head to rest his chin on the pillow.

At 6.54 his eyes are closed. Head down sleeping.

At 6.59 he has raised his head and lowered it again.

7.00 pm end of music experiment.

 

[kathlaaron]

You have a real "gift" for sensitivity in connecting and understanding your piggie, Mr. Maximus von Lichtenwalder , you know that ?! In a way..Max reminds me of the piggie in the childrens book, Charlotte Web, Wilbur ! He has so much charisma and he sounds smart too ! I can tell, by some of the things you have noticed about his behaviour.

 

[Hhbean]

Maximus cracks me up! He is so lucky to have you fostering him!

 

[KiwiCavyAdorer]

You have a real "gift" for sensitivity in connecting and understanding your piggie, Mr. Maximus von Lichtenwalder , you know that ?!

No Kathlaaron I'm not aware of it, thank you for pointing it out... :cheerful:

In a way..Max reminds me of the piggie in the childrens book, Charlotte Web, Wilbur ! He has so much charisma and he sounds smart too !

That just gives me SO much hope!!! because he is the main character in The Adventures of Maximus von Lichtenwalder... which is going to be a radio program I record (after I've written the stories) next year...

I can tell, by some of the things you have noticed about his behaviour.

This intrigues me... may I hazard to ask? but perhaps it's the wrong place to ask? perhaps I should ask it in his introduction thread...?

 

[KiwiCavyAdorer]

Maximus cracks me up! He is so lucky to have you fostering him!

lol that's awesome to read. Thanks Hhbean!!

 

[Hhbean]

Hhbean’s music report:

Huey is an American piggy, 2lbs. 12oz, tri-color, going on a year old and a cuddle bug! He came to us in Feb. 2011 after living with 5 bunnies(the smallest one picked on him). He is loves to be out an about in the safety of his cage but come floor time he freezes up.

Roger is an Abyssinians piggy, 2lbs. 15oz, brown and white, going on a year old and loves to climb! He came to us around the end of March 2011 from a neglectful owner. He loves to explore during floor time and he’s a licker.

When we first had the boys together everything was great but then puberty struck and they needed a divider put up. They have been back together for about 2 months and things are good but they aren’t snuggle buddies. They live in a 3x7 grid cage lined with fleece.

THE EXPERIMENT

10/10/11
Music = songs by U2

Huey ran up to the cage and looked a little confused because I have never gone into the room without interacting with them. I started the music and their was no noticeable reaction from the boys. Huey sat at his normal kissing spot for a few minutes before going to lay down is his fleece forest. Roger went into the nearby shoebox. They stayed in these spots until end of experiment for the day.

10/11/11
Music = Golden Oldies

Huey ran up to his normal spot to greet me and waited there for a few minutes before moving over to the hay rack. Roger got up from where he was laying and went into his pigaloo, he stretched his head out, yawned a few times then laid his head on his paws. This is not normal behavior for him, he always has his head inside his pigaloo. It appeared as if he was listening to the music. Huey laid down by the hay rack and I swear appeared to be chewing along to the beat. Nothing else happened for the rest of the experiment that day.

10/12/11
Music = Country

Today I removed all hideys and the fleece forest to observe them better. BIG MISTAKE!!! There was a lot of teeth chattering and chasing after the first couple of minutes. When the lunging started I immediately terminated the experiment and soothed my boys. After replacing everything and putting them back in their cage everything went back to normal.

10/13/11
Music = 80’s

Nothing new to report refer to 10/11/11.

10/14/11
Music = Reggae (Bob Marley)

Boys appear to like Bob, but they aren’t very active. They are both laying in the open and near each other. They get up for a drink of water or hay, yawn and lay back down.

10/15/11
Music = Zen

Boys are laying out in the open at first. Halfway through(15 minutes) they both go into their houses and stay there until the end of the experiment today.

10/16/11
Music = The Little Drummer Boy (by different artists)

Roger sticks his nose up in the air as if trying to catch a scent. Huey runs over to the edge of the cage where the music is playing. The boys start playing follow the leader. Huey gets a drink while Roger patiently wait’s a few inches away(that never happens)! Roger goes to the hay rack and grabs a piece of hay and then Huey takes a piece. Now the race is on, they are zooming around the cage and pop-corning like I hide some cilantro and they have to find it! They freeze together at one end of the cage. Then all of a sudden Huey speeds to the other end, popcorns while doing a 180??? He looks at Roger for a second, like come get me! Roger is up to the challenge and a game of tag is on! They stop to eat and drink politely at the same water bottle and food bowel! Huey takes off running then skids to a stop waiting for Roger. Roger didn’t come so Huey ran back to him and pop-corned. This went off and on for the whole time. I had two exhausted piggies that night.

10/17/11 thru 10/19/11
Music = Jazz, Blues and Classical

Nothing new to report, refer to 10/11/11

11/21/11
Music = Christmas songs

The boys were active during the songs with male singers that have a deep voice. Running around and pop-corning. During the songs with female signers or males with regular voices, they would lay down and yawn.

CONCLUSION

The boys enjoy music class but tend to get revved up to music with a strong bass(drums or deep male voices). They are getting along better then ever and even snuggle each other during lap time with mommy! I will never again remove all their hideys! I will continue playing music for them on a daily basis.

 

[kathlaaron]

OH wow, I loved reading about your boys ! What a wonderful day they had on 10/16 ! That is so cool and interesting that they really enjoy music with a good beat ! You certainly have a set of "Little Drummer Boys" indeed, how adorable ! I love that Christmas song "The Little Drummer Boy" and we use to watch that cartoon every Christmas. Great observation report Hhbean, thank you !!

 

[Hhbean]

The reason I had a whole CD of "The Little Drummer Boy" was because it's my all time favorite song(even in the summer time:shhh. Daniel made it for me as a Christmas gift our first year dating. I'm going to replay it for them to see what kind of reaction I get!?

 

[KiwiCavyAdorer]

Hhbean how fantastic that this music experiement had altered their feelings towards one another!! Caused them to bond better, and Now enjoy lying and snuggling with each other especially on you!!

It makes me wonder if the successive days of the music at the same time or if it was the abnormal stress of removing the hidey's (that triggered a state of alert within them that caused them to "realise" Hey it's just us, best we team up for safety?!)... Because it seems that they came together 3 days after that incident or I guess it could be seen that after several days of the music being played every day they formed a stronger bond... Or that you were in the room, but not interacting with them as you normally would when you entered... Especially one song for an entire cd - was that teamed with your feelings for the song, like a resonance in them was struck or was it the repetition???... lots of aspects to ponder!

it's really interesting that the music has been pivotal in their new found closeness.... food for thought indeed.

Thanks!

 

[Hhbean]

Just had a thought about them reacting so well to Christmas music, exspecially "The Little Drummer Boy". They were more then likely born during December of last year, is it possable they heard it with their mommy and remember feeling safe? Also, I think KiwiCavyAdorer may have a good point about my feelings during the songs affecting them. I will try country music again(leaving all hidieys in place) to see their reaction. The only music that I wouldn't chose to listen to again would be the Zen music, it drives me bonkers.

 

[KiwiCavyAdorer]

Hhbean I reckon you have a point there about them associating Christmas music with their time safely in/with their Mom ! When I read your music experiment to my husband, he did a real cringe at taking the hidey's out and commented, crikey! when you're that near the bottom of the food chain you gotta have somewhere to hide!!

I'm looking forward to you posting on the country music with hidey's. I've noticed a couple of times that my Maximus von Lichtenwalder comes out at "music time" expectantly now... and if it doesn't go on he sort of trundles off to bed again. I think I'll join you in continuing "music class!"

 

[Hhbean]

When they have floor time they don't have any hideys but I'm interacting with them, so they may feel safe with momma keeping the predators at bay. It was the twangy old country music not the newer stuff. I have Daniel to thank for that little torture. We are also going to try a "live" show for them. Daniel is a singer and plays guitar. Do not fear, I will just be observing so no eardrums are damaged!

 

[KiwiCavyAdorer]

a live show!! how cute!

I bet you're right about your floor time, because thinking about that I can relate to what I've noticed:- that in the outside playpen, when I am stationary and close to the wire, my wee one feels safe enough to not pay much attention to bird calls and other noises. When I'm there watching him closely he just gives in to gay abandon and popcorns and runs and grooms, but that changes as soon as my guard is down, my attention wanders or I get busy weeding and he feels unprotected again, he loses the joy and gets down to "I'm a lert".

:yuck: twangy country music is what put me right off watching the original Parelli Natural Horsemanship film clips, I just couldn't stand the sound of it, no resonance to that music at all - you have my empathy there!!

 

[CavySpirit]

I wanted to say that I've really enjoyed reading the results of all of the experiments. Everyone has done a really great job of describing their pigs, too. You've put me in your homes and I can envision the observation and the music. Really nice work!

If there are more people to report on their findings, I look forward to reading them as well.

My stereo system was never in the same rooms as my guinea pigs (but it was nearby) and I've always wondered what they thought about my music. I never really did any experiments, I just hoped they liked my taste in music! Ha. It's pretty eclectic, so they've heard quite a range.

But, it would be cool to narrow down a range and volume of music that would provide real enrichment for them in various ways.

It seems like this could be the beginning of more music studies for guinea pigs!

I look forward to more... Keep it coming!

 

[Kelly91513]

Hey you know what ?! Both my husband and I play guitar also ! I use to play for my students ( 22 children, all 5yr. olds) when I was a pre-school teacher back in Newton, Mass. !! My husband is better than I am though. I haven't played my guitar in years...I should try playing for my sweet little fur balls !

Thank you so much for the encouragement...it really means a lot.

P.S. I didn't understand why they were afraid of country music either, weird ! I don't like country that much myself, though there are a few that I REALLY like, like Shania Twain.

I used to live in MA! I'm from Greenfield, MA! I teach preschool in CA now! lol

 

[kathlaaron]

Wow...very very cool ! I really miss living in the New England area....especially during the fall ! What is California like compared to Massachusetts ? What is your favourite age to teach ? How many students do you have in your classroom ?

 

[Kelly91513]

I miss New England as well, for a few reasons but I
There really is no comparisons to CA. I live in the bay area and the weather is pretty much 70's yr round with chilly mornings in the winter. I miss seeing snow on Xmas but thats about it. I hated snow. I'm not sure I want to work with preschool (I work with a range from 3-5yr olds). I think I'd like to work with elementary like 2nd grade. But right now I have 24 children in my room and it's chaos! It's a subsidized school meaning it depends on your income and status. So I generally have a lot of challenging children. I'm still young and not sure what I wanna do with my life so I'm at crossroads with my career choice. Did you enjoy preschool age? What kind of school did you work in?

 

[kathlaaron]

I miss New England mainly for beautiful falls, and the beaches. The ocean, the beach is where my heart is. My "dream" is to live on or near a beautiful beach...smell the salty air, and be able to hear the rolling waves upon the seashore. I suffer from moderate ( my Mom is a severe asthmatic) asthma, and breathe much easier when I am at or near the ocean and the weather is dry, not humid. I HATE Florida, for this reason alone, the humidity. My Mom lives and loves Florida.

I worked at a private pre-school ( it was called Activity Academy) in Newton, Mass. We had a lot of highly educated parents from mid-high incomes. A few of our parents were from severely low income families, but not many. I really don't know how my director handled the financial aspects. There was very high expectations from our beloved director, but I loved that about her...it pushed us as teachers, to keep striving to better our own educations "as teachers." I have seen some preschools around here in Wisconsin, and I am NOT impressed. I was VERY particular when I went hunting for a really good pre-school for when my daughter was little.

I co-teached with another person and we had a total of 22 students. Some were part-time and some were full time students. I was living my dream, for I really loved my job, and I found it deeply fulfilling ! Our school was located in a catholic school ( our school was not part of their schools program or anything..my director rented out that space for her school) and we were allowed to use their stage, so we also put on big "plays" at the end of the year too !

One year I had to teach by myself :shhh: and put on this "end of the year" play by myself too ! It was really gratifying, but very stressful. Thankfully, I was working with 5 year olds this year, so it wasn't too too hard.

Have you ever heard of the book " Leo the Lion" ? That is the book my kids had to memorize/rehearse. I made all their costumes too ! I made all the zoo animals out of cardboard and crayons. I made huge bird feathers ( out of cardboard that the kids painted and glued their own feathers on) and bird beaks. The kids did a really great job, and the play was a huge success. My little brother taped it for me too. Since we were the oldest group ( 4-5yr olds) to perform ( yeah, parents come and sit in the auditorium to watch, it's quite the production !) It is hard to "hear" our play on the tape, ( all the noise in the auditorium from brothers, sisters, babies, parents in the audience..you can imagine) but it is something !

However, teaching first grade was always my "dream". I never made it that far though, for I married and then we moved, and then there were so many other distractions and moves that I never continued my education and went after that dream job, as an elementary teacher. I am not even sure I would of liked it, for I was spoiled in that my director gave me a lot of freedom to make a lot of decisions and choices as far as "curriculum" and how I handled my classroom.

Also the bureaucracy...all the rules...however, I have in the past, helped our with Sarah's kindergarten, 1st and second grade teachers...and enjoyed it, but I just don't know what the inner workings of an elementary school would be like, and I am sure that they vary quite a bit from school to school, state to state, too.

She took me under her wing ( I was the least educated amongst my fellow peers-they had degrees and I did NOT) and critiqued me to DEATH. Her criticisms were hard to take sometimes, but I knew she was doing it to make me a better teacher. She used to laugh, and tell me to try to quiet down a bit because she could hear my "bellowing laughter" all the way down the hall to her office, with her door closed !

My kids always said and did the darndest things, that they often made me laugh...I just couldn't help it...I really couldn't ! She was from pakistan or iran, and she had a unique accent...she would say to me, "Miss Kathleen"... I love that you laugh, (while chucking, half serious...) with your students, but I can hear you all the way down the hall, would you please close your door ?!?!"

I could NEVER ever handle doing something like that now. I am in poor health and so on..blah blah blah...and that was many years ago, in my late 20's.

 

[kathlaaron]

Want to hear a cute joke that one of my "special" students ( he was the star in the "Leo the lonely Lion" play, he was Leo !) made to me, that I actually remember now, all these years later ?

Cognitively, he was INCREDIBLY bright, with a very inquisitive mind, but he really needed help working on his "fine motor" AND "gross motor" skills. None of the other teachers worked with him, he had a peculiar type of personality, but he was a very sweet boy, you know ?

So, anyway, we were working on using the scissors and just cutting a straight line was a huge challenge to him. Most of my other students could write their names in their "journals that I made for them" and a few words.

We were taking a break, while the others were drawing "Family faces" next to us, where we were sitting. He suddenly looks up at me and he says: "You know what ?? My Dad has an upside down face !" I said..."What honey ?" He said: " I said my Dad has an upside down face. Because he has hair on the bottom, and none on the top !!" Oh my, did I laugh hard ! You see, his Dad had a good thick beard and was "bald". Isn't that hysterical ? Oh man...you had to be there! It took me off guard ( which he often did) and boy...the tears were running down my face I was laughing so hard !lol