Sometimes You Just Gotta Laugh

I teach recorders to the 4th grade here at my school and I have to say how much I love them. We were working on the final song in our unit. The song is called "Long Legged Sailor" and works with the first 3 notes we have learned...B, A, and G. It is a pretty fast song but kind of fun. Well, my kids were sitting there just listening to everything I was saying (you gotta love it when they do that) and I asked them a question. "What is the term for holding a note as long as the director says is necessary?" (The answer is: Fermata) My kids remember us talking about it last week but they couldn't think of what it was called so I thought I would help them just a little. I decided to give them a hint by saying it started with an "F." Immediately, hands went up so I started calling on kids. The first answer was "farenheit." Umm...no. The next answer was "Fermenta." Closer. Then things started getting really funny. I heard answers like, "Pheonix," (Sounds like an F) and "Fermont" (instead of Vermont). It was then I realized that I should probably just tell them. I finally said "Fermata" and every single kid all went "OOOOOHHHHHHHH." It was probably the highlight of my day, but at the same time, I think I need to find a better way of asking questions. You just gotta laugh.