Shining Words from the Mouths of Babes
by Kathleen Wissinger
Kathleen “Kath” Wissinger is all about the bells—and bell people! She taught 4th/5th-8th grade handbells in the classroom for 18 years, developing her curriculum Square One and a series of pedagogical music along the way. She also taught K-3 general music for a few years. At present she is artistic director of Mosaic Handbell Ensemble and also directs Gloria Dei, an adult church group. She serves on the Board of HMA. Her publishing company ringTrue is now owned by Jeffers, but she continues to act as editor, engraver, and designer. Kath writes innovative music for all levels and ranges; full choirs, bell trees, small ensembles, and more. Kathleen “Kath” Wissinger is all about the bells—and bell people! She taught 4th/5th-8th grade handbells in the classroom for 18 years, developing her curriculum Square One and a series of pedagogical music along the way. She also taught K-3 general music for a few years. At present she is artistic director of Mosaic Handbell Ensemble and also directs Gloria Dei, an adult church group. She serves on the Board of HMA. Her publishing company ringTrue is now owned by Jeffers, but she continues to act as editor, engraver, and designer. Kath writes innovative music for all levels and ranges; full choirs, bell trees, small ensembles, and more.
During the 18 years I taught handbells in the classroom, I was privy to a plethora of comments from my students—innocent, witty, clever, thoughtful, unfiltered, and always honest. I recorded some of them along the way—and will share some of them now with you.
Kindergarten ringer (after discussing the Liberty Bell): “Did it get broken when it fell off the truck?”
Fifth graders moved from handchimes to bells today and got to wear gloves. After I explained how to take gloves off so they don’t end up inside out, one of the boys said, “So, we take our gloves off like a princess!”
Why are they called accidentals? “Maybe because you’re more likely to make a mistake with them.”
Big compliment from my 6th grade boys today: “Bell class is the most awesome, relaxing, and fun class ever!”
7th grader working on a new part with mallets, ringing, and accidentals: “I can’t ring this part without doing something illegal!” (He figured it out by ringing with a mallet in hand.)
One young ringer stated, after we repeated a section a few times, “Patience is a virtue I have very little of!”
When one of my 4th grade G4/A4 ringers turned two pages of music by mistake, he said, “I had a ‘Music Fiasco’!”
A mid-year 7th grade transfer student doubled a part with a buddy and, upon hearing bells for the first time, exclaimed, “This is incredibly beautiful!”
On our first day back in school after Christmas break, a boy told me he watched handbell videos over Christmas break and tried to figure out which position he would like to play in each piece.
A student told me he was going to Disney World this week, and even better, they’ll be back on Wednesday, so he wouldn’t have to miss Thursday bell class next week. I smiled real big. Running down the hall after class, he yelled, “Handbells is really my favorite class!” Be still, my heart!
5th graders on the road again: Rang three pieces and presented three marionette shows for a small concert at a nearby preschool for some very excited 3- and 4-year-olds. Then to a pizza buffet for lunch. “A perfect day!” one of my students called it.
Category: You never know what’s coming:
At the end of a long, hard, but very good day in handbell classes, a boy says to me, “Have you seen Dumb & Dumber?” (Uh-oh, I brace myself.)
“Your hair looks just like Jim Carrey’s! … But that’s okay! I like Jim Carrey!”
We were playing through one of our concert pieces and had to stop for a mistake. One of the boys complained, “Oh, man! We were on a roll!”
After explaining that this squiggly line means to shake the bell, one girl asked, “Can I just call it a French fry?”
One time, I was outside the room with a crying student to talk for a bit. As we talked, inside, I heard the students counting off and playing their piece! I was so proud of them for carrying on and allowing me to be where I needed to be.
This one whizzed by so fast I almost missed it. …
We’re playing Musette on bells, Bach #608, I think. …
Ringer: Who wrote this piece?
Me: Bach.
Ringer: Who?
Me: Johann Sebastian Bach. You know, J.S. Bach.
Ringer: Oh, yes. I play his trumpet.
(Ba Da Boom…)
When introducing time signatures and counting, I mentioned that music used math, and one girl shrieks, “I love math!”
5th grade bell class had focused a lot on Mixolydian mode lately, as many of our pieces shifted to it (“Lowered 7th tone!”). Starting a new piece, some were stumped by “LV”—so I wrote it on the board and asked, “What does ‘LV’ mean?” Up popped one kid: “Mixolydian!”
Class times were rescheduled one day due to the upper school kids practicing for their concert on site in the afternoon. When the 4th graders realized they’d miss their snack time…one boy yelled, “Bells are better than snacks!”
When one boy returned from a trip to the restroom, another boy told him, “You just missed the best thing in the world!”
From a “try-your-hand-at-ringing” booth welcoming college students back to town: A marching band student experiencing ringing for the first time stated, “This is an oddly specific ensemble…but it works!”
And from a school outreach concert at a retirement home—an elderly gentleman took my arm and said, “I didn’t know there were kids like this anymore.”
I hope you have a chance to be enlightened, challenged, and amused by your young ringers. By giving them a firm foundation in music and a love for the fellowship of ringing and performing, we assure a strong tradition of ringing beyond the classroom. They are our handbell leaders of the future.
During the 18 years I taught handbells in the classroom, I was privy to a plethora of comments from my students—innocent, witty, clever, thoughtful, unfiltered, and always honest. I recorded some of them along the way—and will share some of them now with you.
Kindergarten ringer (after discussing the Liberty Bell): “Did it get broken when it fell off the truck?”
Fifth graders moved from handchimes to bells today and got to wear gloves. After I explained how to take gloves off so they don’t end up inside out, one of the boys said, “So, we take our gloves off like a princess!”
Why are they called accidentals? “Maybe because you’re more likely to make a mistake with them.”
Big compliment from my 6th grade boys today: “Bell class is the most awesome, relaxing, and fun class ever!”
7th grader working on a new part with mallets, ringing, and accidentals: “I can’t ring this part without doing something illegal!” (He figured it out by ringing with a mallet in hand.)
One young ringer stated, after we repeated a section a few times, “Patience is a virtue I have very little of!”
When one of my 4th grade G4/A4 ringers turned two pages of music by mistake, he said, “I had a ‘Music Fiasco’!”
A mid-year 7th grade transfer student doubled a part with a buddy and, upon hearing bells for the first time, exclaimed, “This is incredibly beautiful!”
On our first day back in school after Christmas break, a boy told me he watched handbell videos over Christmas break and tried to figure out which position he would like to play in each piece.
A student told me he was going to Disney World this week, and even better, they’ll be back on Wednesday, so he wouldn’t have to miss Thursday bell class next week. I smiled real big. Running down the hall after class, he yelled, “Handbells is really my favorite class!” Be still, my heart!
5th graders on the road again: Rang three pieces and presented three marionette shows for a small concert at a nearby preschool for some very excited 3- and 4-year-olds. Then to a pizza buffet for lunch. “A perfect day!” one of my students called it.
Category: You never know what’s coming:
At the end of a long, hard, but very good day in handbell classes, a boy says to me, “Have you seen Dumb & Dumber?” (Uh-oh, I brace myself.)
“Your hair looks just like Jim Carrey’s! … But that’s okay! I like Jim Carrey!”
We were playing through one of our concert pieces and had to stop for a mistake. One of the boys complained, “Oh, man! We were on a roll!”
After explaining that this squiggly line means to shake the bell, one girl asked, “Can I just call it a French fry?”
One time, I was outside the room with a crying student to talk for a bit. As we talked, inside, I heard the students counting off and playing their piece! I was so proud of them for carrying on and allowing me to be where I needed to be.
This one whizzed by so fast I almost missed it. …
We’re playing Musette on bells, Bach #608, I think. …
Ringer: Who wrote this piece?
Me: Bach.
Ringer: Who?
Me: Johann Sebastian Bach. You know, J.S. Bach.
Ringer: Oh, yes. I play his trumpet.
(Ba Da Boom…)
When introducing time signatures and counting, I mentioned that music used math, and one girl shrieks, “I love math!”
5th grade bell class had focused a lot on Mixolydian mode lately, as many of our pieces shifted to it (“Lowered 7th tone!”). Starting a new piece, some were stumped by “LV”—so I wrote it on the board and asked, “What does ‘LV’ mean?” Up popped one kid: “Mixolydian!”
Class times were rescheduled one day due to the upper school kids practicing for their concert on site in the afternoon. When the 4th graders realized they’d miss their snack time…one boy yelled, “Bells are better than snacks!”
When one boy returned from a trip to the restroom, another boy told him, “You just missed the best thing in the world!”
From a “try-your-hand-at-ringing” booth welcoming college students back to town: A marching band student experiencing ringing for the first time stated, “This is an oddly specific ensemble…but it works!”
And from a school outreach concert at a retirement home—an elderly gentleman took my arm and said, “I didn’t know there were kids like this anymore.”
I hope you have a chance to be enlightened, challenged, and amused by your young ringers. By giving them a firm foundation in music and a love for the fellowship of ringing and performing, we assure a strong tradition of ringing beyond the classroom. They are our handbell leaders of the future.
Kathleen “Kath” Wissinger is all about the bells—and bell people! She taught 4th/5th-8th grade handbells in the classroom for 18 years, developing her curriculum Square One and a series of pedagogical music along the way. She also taught K-3 general music for a few years. At present she is artistic director of Mosaic Handbell Ensemble and also directs Gloria Dei, an adult church group. She serves on the Board of HMA. Her publishing company ringTrue is now owned by Jeffers, but she continues to act as editor, engraver, and designer. Kath writes innovative music for all levels and ranges; full choirs, bell trees, small ensembles, and more. Kathleen “Kath” Wissinger is all about the bells—and bell people! She taught 4th/5th-8th grade handbells in the classroom for 18 years, developing her curriculum Square One and a series of pedagogical music along the way. She also taught K-3 general music for a few years. At present she is artistic director of Mosaic Handbell Ensemble and also directs Gloria Dei, an adult church group. She serves on the Board of HMA. Her publishing company ringTrue is now owned by Jeffers, but she continues to act as editor, engraver, and designer. Kath writes innovative music for all levels and ranges; full choirs, bell trees, small ensembles, and more.
