Ringer 205 sent in this great email which I wanted to share with all of you out there who teach.
“Today I read the story of the father and his deal with his 7 year old son [in The Deal]. I have a similar story.
“I teach music, and while my kids at school and I love the books and the movies, it is the music that has touched our hearts. I have been using the soundtracks from the LOTR movies in class to teach my kids musical concepts. One day last year one of my 5th grade music students (whom I would least expect this from) figured out how to play the melody, “In Dreams” on his recorder! He was so excited you’d think he had won the lottery. I still tear up when I think about him. So the kids and I put the melody in notation and realized it had to be transposed into a different key for our instrument. I was able to teach an entire lesson using this beautiful song.
“I use the soundtracks from both movies in class to teach lessons on the low brass, percussion, or winds. The boys’ choir helps “my guys” see for themselves that singing is cool, and the chanting with the football players in the scenes from moria is inspirational for them, too. My honor choir loves the song, “May It Be” and I have countless listening examples to teach any musical concept. My kids and I just love them.
” As an educator I make it my mission to take a child from where he/she is and send him/her soaring. The classics are still being taught in my music room and the walls are saturated with a world of sounds, but the music from Middle-earth will always have a special place in my heart. “
Thank you, Ringer 205, for this story.