Category: Free Inquiry

This week I worked on getting better at strumming and switching chords smoothly. I used a short TikTok video that showed some easy down-up srtumming patterns, which was a lot better than watching a long tutorial video. I practiced a few times this week, usually for about 30 minutes to an hour once I got into it. The hardest part was keeping rhythm while moving between the chords C, G, Am, and F, but once I slowed it down, it started to sound better.

The main thing I noticed was how much smoother it sounds when I relax and don’t overthink it. Switching chords isn’t perfect yet, but it’s getting easier each time. I liked the TikTok video because it explained things quickly and clearly, and I could follow along right away. It’s nice when things start sounding clean instead of all over the place, it makes it more fun to keep practicing.

I’ve been realizing how important it is to stay patient with myself. It’s easy to get frustrated when I mess up, but that’s part of learning. At my Link2Practice school, I saw a teacher play guitar and sing with our grade 1/2 class, and it made me realize I could use the ukulele in my own teaching. Even though the song was in French and my class is an English class, the students were still super engaged. It showed me how music can make learning fun and build a sense of community in the classroom.

I’m starting to feel more comfortable playing the ukulele. My goal is just to keep things sounding cleaner and more consistent each week. I can already notice a difference each time I play, and I’m excited to keep going.

What I tried:

This week I focused on setting up my ukulele and learning my first few chords. I used UkeBuddy to tune it using the standard G-C-E-A method, which is the most common tuning style. It took a few tries to match each pitch, but once I got the hang of it, it wasn’t too bad and it was nice to finally hear it sound right. Then I followed this YouTube video to learn the finger placements for each chord and practiced switching between them. After that, I tried playing along to this beginner friendly song, which helped me hear how the chords sound together and made it more fun.

What I noticed/learned:

At first, pressing down the strings felt super awkward and difficult, especially the G chord, but after a few tries it started sounding smoother. I realized how much practice and muscle memory matter, and that even short practice sessions make a big difference if I stay consistent.

Connection to my future classroom:

Learning these first few chords really reminded me about the importance of patience when teaching something new. If I found it tricky to get my fingers in the right spots, students learning instruements, or any new skill, will need time and encouragment too. This also made me think about my Link 2 Practice class, where I noticed kids remebering songs their teacher used for lessons, they were singing them the rest of the day! It showed how helpful music can be for learning, memory, and keeping kids engaged.

After learning how to tune and play the first few chords, I’m excited to keep going and see what else I can learn next week!