To Answer Chassidy's Question

I know you had a little singing session with one of the new fellows when she came to visit, I would love to know how that went. Would you post a blog about that? I think that will be interesting for everyone. Did it help you understand anythings clearer? Was it hard for you to sing for her? Do you think singing on the camera has helped you overcome your shyness? How is your study of girls going? 

Chassidy Smith

Two weeks ago,  a prospective fellow came to apply here to Chinquapin and she gave me a lesson for about 15 minutes. I would say that it was a great experience because I felt  that she understood what I meant when I said "I need someone to give me constructive criticism". At first, I have to say that I was really intimidated. This prospective fellow was basically a professional. I believe she participated in musical theater at college, and right when she met me it seemed as if she was extremely excited to get to work on my skills and see what it was that I needed. I was afraid not to sing well because of my lack of practice. At first, it was really hard to sing in front of her but I quickly felt at ease with the constructive criticism she gave me. Thoughts ran through my mind: What if I can't do it? 


I admired her passion for singing and ease with which she helped me. At first, we started doing vocal exercises which warmed up my vocal cords. As I have mentioned before, singing from my diaphragm is a hard thing for me. We worked on breathing properly for an extended period of time and I realized that all I need is to do was concentrate on using air properly and scarcely to hit the notes.  I was glad that she noticed problems with the way I sing and gave me suggestions to improve my voice. Overall, those fifteen minutes were very productive and helpful. I was also happy to hear complement my voice. 


I think that singing in front of a camera has me a little more at ease with myself but it has not been enough to overcome my shyness. I actually think it has hindered my progress in a small way. To be truthful I do not want to sing in order to culminate my project. Even though my presentation is three weeks from now, I don't know whether I will sing or not. I do know that from my visit to Mt. Holyoke College (to which I will be attending this fall) that I will join an a capella group. I love singing so much that I will keep on trying till I succeed even though I did not achieve mastery in the signing part this year. 


My study of girls is going really well. I am actually going to the private middle school in Houston May 5th and distributing my survey to about 80 girls. That is super exciting! 

So Far...

I am very happy to say that I have an official date in which I will carry out the study at a private middle school institution at Houston. It will be on May 5, 2011. This was with the awesome help of my panel member Dr. Acosta.

Dr. Acosta reviewed my the procedure for my study and gave me many suggestion that made my survey focused. The focus that she gave will in return give me very good results in understanding how girls in middle school really feel. She also spoke to the headmaster of this institution and got his approval. I was super excited when I heard about that.

However, I have to say that even though I am really grateful for all the help that she provided me with,  I also learned something really vital and important in this process. I should have managed my time well. I did not actually seek the approval of the headmaster of the private institution such as a real scientist would have done. Instead, I procrastinated.  Today, I was supported by Dr. Acosta but in the real world I won't be.

I have to really be honest about the second part of my project. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend to any classes nor have I been practicing. I feel very sad because I have not accomplished much in gaining mastery in actually becoming better at singing and being in front of crowds. I guess that this part of the project could end being removed from my original goals. Who knows?

Extra! Extra! Extra!...

So, as you can see from the title I am very excited! I have gotten the approval from Dr. Acosta to carry out my study at a particular private school in Houston with 7th grade girls and the 7th grade girls from a private school in Highlands. I will soon be setting up a date to give out my survey. This means, that it will definitely have to be in the next two weeks! I am so happy!
I also have found a very economic voice teacher with which I will practice for the rest of the year. I will record the practice which I will put up on the web asp. This is in preparation for the final presentation during the month of May in which I will perform in front of an audience. I do not have a date yet but it will be determined by Friday! Wish me Luck!

Creativity Week Progress

So I believe that I worked hard during Creativity Week to really practice even though I got a cold and a sore throat. That's life! So I would just like to share this video as I promised and as always ask for your specific constructive criticism.  It will help a lot.
This week was very hard for me because I had to always fight with my feelings of shyness but also inadequacy. I say inadequacy because since I don't have someone to tell me what I am doing right or wrong. How I can improve? I feel that my signing is "not good"... ( I know that this has to do with the fact that my self-perception is not very high.)
I worked this week with the support of my friend Liza who encouraged me to keep on trying all the time. Even if I sang horrible at times. It really helped to have someone to work with even if she is not a voice teacher.

I realized this week that I sing because I know that God exists! I love singing for Him.   

Diaphragm Singing: Harder Than It Looks

So, today I some helpful tips for signing that are very essential. I have never taken voice lessons but today I looked at instruction videos that were very helpful. I still find it hard to only breathe with the diaphragm but practice is essential. So as the days go by the key factor that I am going to have to always remember is to breathe. 

Creativity Week

So, since my dreams of going camping for Creativity Week where shattered. I have decided to work on my Senior Project. OK, this is not to say that I would rather be doing anything other than my project but camping is also one of my most priced and relaxing times I ever experience.

I will basically be working on formulating the scientific study that I will be conducting sometime in March or April. I will have to run it through the experts (panel members Dr.Ott and Dr. Acosta) and get it approved. Once the the proposal for my study is approved I will have to undertake the hardest part: getting an approval by the headmasters at the school's where I plan to have the study. As I have mentioned before,  the study is going to be a comparative qualitative study in which I access when feelings of inadequacy arose first in girls of different racial and economic backgrounds. I will also rely a lot on the information and research I did previously this year. I also have to sent out consent forms for the girls that might participate in the study.

I will also be practicing my singing and will fullfill my promise! I know I have promised in earlier post to actually post my practices but I still haven't... Well, this week I will do it! I ask you all to keep track of my blog and to please give feedback! Constructive critism. This means that you tell me specifically what I am doing right and wrong and how specifically improve. That is the only way I will grow.

For all of you who haven't kept up with my blog I would like to say that I am posting videos of my progress because I am basically chosing to self-teach myself because I could'nt find a voice teacher at an econoomic price. This is fine either way because that is not going to stop me from advancing in the search for my voice and love of singing!

Christmas Event Performance: "This Christmas" sang by Tamar and Chassidy

This was the first performance I ever did in front of a large audience... I would like everyone to please provide constructive criticism. Take into account I have never taken any voice lessons. I would just like to become better that is the part of growth. I also will be posting videos of me signing as a practice.

Why do I Sing?

This is the trailer for my project. Please check it out! Feel free to leave any comments...

"A good idea will keep you awake during the morning, but a great idea will keep you awake during the night."

I have been reading a lot in order to learn more about the way my brain works and just how girls tend to be when they are young. As I was reading Joann Deak's book "How Girls Thrive", I found the quote given by Marilyn Van Savant "A good idea will keep you awake during the morning, but a great idea will keep you awake during the night." (Joann Deak, 35). I read that quote I and  I could not help but smile. I smiled because even though in the past century there has been millions of research done about the ways girls act and how they are influenced (meaning that my idea is by no means original) , I myself never understood why I acted the way I did or felt the way I do. My idea is captivating to me (and maybe someday to others) because I am going through the stage and at the same time I am attempting to look at myself objectively. What a hard thing to do at my age.   The main "idea" of my project was to find myself. I wanted to understand why I stopped singing even though I knew that "inside" the feeling that I had was embarrassment and fear. I had never have taken time to deal with that aspect nor my mom has any idea that all this world exists. I don't blame her for not knowing how to deal with this world because she probably had some similar feeling of inadequacy when she was young that her mother never knew how to deal with. So that just shows the chain that exists in the world of not- knowing therefore meaning that this "world" doesn't really exists. 

There third chapter of this of Joann Deak's book deals with the three ingredients that a girls must have in order to have a good/balanced self-esteem. They are green frogs, green fingernails, green marbles.  Yes, as goofy as it may seem these are the three tittles of the stories that show the ingredients which are really competence, confidence, and connectedness. Joann Deak uses these three stories to help us associte these three ingredients to gain self-esteem .

I am happy to have read these book it has helped a lot. 

Last Semester ...

Well so far, Jan Ott, Susan Davis,  Dr. Amy Acosta, Jen Pickering, and Mrs. Spires have agreed to part of my panel of judges. They are going to be the people who are going to determine and grade the successes of my senior project. I am really excited to start this new year and  hopefully finish strong. 

I would like to thank Chassidy Smith for encouraging me to sing at the Christmas Event held at the Chinquapin Preparatory School gym. I have to say that I was terrified to go up in front of everyone. We only practiced a little bit but it went well. I believe that the next step that will help me keep on advancing in the journey to find confidence is to receive constructive criticism. I wish to improve and that only means that I have to accept criticism. So,  I would like to invite anyone who heard me sing at the Christmas Event to give me any suggestions. I also will start to record myself more when I sing so I can track my progress. 


This last few months before my presentation are going to be by far the toughest. The goal I have is to conduct a qualitative comparative research of high school and middle school girls at the Chinquapin Preparatory School and a private school in the Houston area. This study will try discover the way girls feel at this ages: whether they feel shy or with low self esteem by counting the recurring words. This research will be very interesting because the girls of these two particular schools differ economically and ethnically. With this being said, I have to actually write consent letters and talk to the director of the school in the Houston area to get the school consent. I think that Dr. Acosta might help me conduct this study.

My second goal is to actually sing by myself in a "small concert"  hosted by me or at the senior graduation.  For now, the plan I have is to actually practice singing while recording it simultaneously. I will try to each week post a video online and allow people to give me constructive criticism.  Since I could not find a voice teacher I decided to go on this route.