Two Down, Infinity to Go

Well week 2 of the research project has come and gone. This was my first week attending Let's Play Music classes, as there were no class sessions this week due to illness. So, this was the really cool part. I had read all the manuals and lesson plans before attending my first class, but I was unsure of how everything was going to go down. I sat in on a total of 4 classes this week, (next week it will be 5). 
So, yeah. I am really enjoying my time at Let's Play Music (provided I get enough sleep the night before). It is way more fun to sit in on the first year classes. The kids there are so excited and they have so much zeal. It's adorable. The third year is the trickiest. Being the last year, it's the time where the program really becomes exponentially more difficult. Classes are jam packed with theory and honestly, it's way harder to make the classes fun. Lorie and I both agree on this point and I think there should be another, optional year to explore in more depth the topic introduced in the third year. Can't change it now, but just my opinion. 
Lorie is really amazing to watch. Each week we meet and go over the lesson plans for the week. She lets me make suggestions. I notice that the second classes always go a lot better than the first, just because she has a way better sense of the timing. Lorie was probably one of those kids who tried super super super hard in school and made sure every little assignment was done to perfect. It's crazy how much effort she puts into everything. We went over my violin lessons and she gave me some books and good practice suggestions. 
As far as observing my piano students, I am now taking notes and making efforts to incorporate what I have learned in Let's Play Music to my own students. Yesterday I found myself singing the song for chord inversions. "The note above the gap's the root". It was as pretty useful way for teaching inversions. I wish I could put a few of my students back into LPM, it would be good for them to get the ear training. I also now always ask my students about staff relations and I started incorporating solfegge teaching. 
Practicing the violin is very fun, when I actually do it. I'm working on a habit. Yesterday I actually set the timer and practiced for 30 minutes. It was a huge victory. I'm used to being able to play whatever I want on Piano and on Violin I have the mental capacity of a much better musician but the technical talent of a 2 year old. (This 3 year old kid is just way more adorable than me and 10x as talented).