Describe the most useful resource you have found to help you develop your genius hour project.
My most useful resource I have found to help my Genius Hour project is most definitely my guitar teacher. He has been my teacher since the day I began playing guitar and has taught me 96.387% (kidding, I didn't actually do the math on that) of what I know. Without him, I most likely would not be playing guitar, let alone jazz guitar; and without that this Genius Hour page wouldn't exist (a shame isn't it?)!
What is teaching without fun, right? *nervous laughter* From personal experience, the word "fun" is not part of most teachers' vocabulary. Thankfully, however, it is part of my guitar teacher's vocabulary! Thomas, or Sir Teacher Thomas as I call him, makes every lesson fun. Our motto is, "The best half hour of the week!" And it's true. Even the toughest of songs we find a way to do without the extreme frustration I would normally experience.
From the get-go, I knew jazz guitar was going to be my toughest challenge. We started by simply "putting out fires" and learning the chord progression of one song at a time. Then we graduated to learning some chord progressions, still however, putting out fires. This year was a wake-up call for me. I auditioned and was accepted into the infamous Kingsford High School Jazz Band--the good jazz band, that is. I realized that I need to be able to look at a chord and produce it right on the spot, something difficult to do for an inexperienced jazz guitarist like me. However, Sir Teacher Thomas is there for me every step of the way, making me memorize chords and occasionally putting out fires!
What is teaching without fun, right? *nervous laughter* From personal experience, the word "fun" is not part of most teachers' vocabulary. Thankfully, however, it is part of my guitar teacher's vocabulary! Thomas, or Sir Teacher Thomas as I call him, makes every lesson fun. Our motto is, "The best half hour of the week!" And it's true. Even the toughest of songs we find a way to do without the extreme frustration I would normally experience.
From the get-go, I knew jazz guitar was going to be my toughest challenge. We started by simply "putting out fires" and learning the chord progression of one song at a time. Then we graduated to learning some chord progressions, still however, putting out fires. This year was a wake-up call for me. I auditioned and was accepted into the infamous Kingsford High School Jazz Band--the good jazz band, that is. I realized that I need to be able to look at a chord and produce it right on the spot, something difficult to do for an inexperienced jazz guitarist like me. However, Sir Teacher Thomas is there for me every step of the way, making me memorize chords and occasionally putting out fires!
How could you use your genius hour time more effectively?
It would be quite difficult, not to mention annoying to most, to drag a guitar into class every Friday for Genius Hour, which is precisely why I don't. However, I'm sure I could be using time a little more effectively. When I came up with this idea, I was unaware how difficult this actually was. Thankfully, its something I love, making it easier to do.
My main priority is finding out the history of jazz guitar. I can use my time more effectively by researching more on the subject. I can also go deeper into my research by trying to better understand where the author(s) were coming from when they wrote it. My time can also be spent more effectively outside of class by practicing more. It is clear that spending more time will only make me better at playing jazz guitar.
My main priority is finding out the history of jazz guitar. I can use my time more effectively by researching more on the subject. I can also go deeper into my research by trying to better understand where the author(s) were coming from when they wrote it. My time can also be spent more effectively outside of class by practicing more. It is clear that spending more time will only make me better at playing jazz guitar.