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Showing posts with label Brigid Finucane. Show all posts

Thursday, February 18, 2016

KINDNESS - Be Kind, Teach Kind - Part II

How to Be Kind, How to Teach Kind

Ms. Brigid here, from Merit School of Music in Chicago. Thank you for joining me!

In a month that celebrates love and friendship, I’d like to revisit last month’s topic – Kindness. As part of my January post, I put out a call for books and activities that helped foster kindness in the Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms, and received many thoughtful suggestions. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

My favorites for use in music class:

Because of You by B.G. Hennessy is a sweet picture book. The text and bright, cheerywatercolor illustrations make easily understood points for younger Early Childhood kiddos. I created a musical chorus that I inserted every few pages. It’s not rocket science, but the kiddos learned and sang the simple chorus easily and with great sincerity.

Because of you, because of you,

You make the world a better place.

Because of you, because of you,

You put a smile upon my face.

Flora and the Penguin by Molly Idle, is a book without words – but nevertheless, it documents perfectly how misunderstandings occur between friends, and the reparations needed for a thoughtless response. I pair the book with a post-reading paper plate skating session to an excerpt of Waldteufel’s The Skater’s Waltz and encourage fancy stuff like twirling, skating backwards, etc.

If you have more time, the next three books are great for small groups: Helen Lester’s All For Me and None For All about the reformation of a greedy overbearing pig: Iza Trapani’s Baa Baa Black Sheep, recommended by friend Anna Stange, about giving and misgivings: and Kadir Nelson’s If You Plant a Seed, the alarming yet beautifully illustrated (eek) picture book drawing the similarity between planting a garden and planting seeds of kindness.

For older kiddos in First or Second Grade, I recommend Trudy Ludwig’s The Invisible Boy. Patrice Barton’s beautiful illustrations perfectly capture the essence of the poignant story about a boy who is overlooked and ignored by his classmates until...well, I’ll let you find out for yourself! From the book jacket: “…this gentle story shows how small acts of kindness can help children feel included and allow them to flourish. Any parent, teacher, or counselor, look for material that sensitively addresses the needs of quieter children will find ‘The Invisible Boy’ a valuable and important resource.’ I agree completely.

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Lewis, is also highly recommended for older kiddos. I shared this with one of my Second Grade teachers, and she read it to her students. They commented that the book embraced the same theme – inclusion - as R.J. Palacio’s book, Wonder, but with a fraction of the pages! There is no resolution, but the protagonist comes to a greater self-realization, and is “…stung by the opportunity that’s been lost. How much better could it have been if she’d just shown …a little kindness and opened her heart to friendship?” (from the book jacket).

SONGS

The Children’s Music Network’s Peace Songbook: Peace Songs for Children yielded a number of wonderful song, among them, Pam Donkin’s Kindness is Everywhere, which my kiddos loved singing.

I Will Be Your Friend, published by Teaching Tolerance, yielded more treasures, among them, Bob Blue’s Courage – which still brings me to tears. It is not a song for Pre-K, or even K, though others may hold another opinion, but definitely a song to hold in your heart. This book is out of print, but may be found quite easily on secondary book markets. It originally came with a CD of the songs in the book – and if you find a copy with a CD, you have truly struck gold.

ERASE MEANNESS SITE

Lastly, I stumbled upon a site called Erase Meanness. The brainchild of Eric Johnson, a 6^th grade teacher in Mishawaka, IN, his original idea has grown into an international movement involving thousands and thousand of students in over 15 countries and six continents - and going strong!

Merit School of Music, Chicago

Call on Merit School of Music! Our onsite school is in the West Loop. We work in the schools throughout the area providing band, orchestra, percussion, choir, early childhood, and general music instruction with project based units including Recorder, Music and Storytelling and Songwriting. We do great work! YoYo Ma is a supporter!

Chicago Families

Please come to Merit’s Storytime sessions. It’s free, fun, and facilitated by singers and storytellers Amy Lowe, Irica Baurer, Janet Janz, & Brigid Finucane. Stories and songs start at 11am, and we end with time for family networking. Storytime is be offered once a month on the 2^nd Monday. The next session is March 14, 2016.

I am continually inspired by the Children’s Music Network (CMN) community, an international group of socially conscious musicians, educators, librarians, families, songwriters and good people, who “celebrate the positive power of music in the lives of children by sharing songs, exchanging ideas, and creating community.” Please visit CMN, and find a gathering in your region.

http://prekandksharing.blogspot.com

@booksinger1

Blog History

Jan. 2016. Kindness – Be Kind, Teach Kind

Dec. 2015. Star Light, Star Bright – Exploring Counter Chants

Nov.2015. Thanksgiving Songs to Be Thankful For

Sept.2015. Starting the Year with a Song – Part II

Aug.2015. Starting the Year With a Song – and CMN

July 2015. Transitions: Unsung Heroes of the Musical Classroom

June 2015. Summer Songs

May 2015. Crescendo II! Chants & Games for Music Foundation

April 2015. Crescendo -And Sites to Sigh For: edWeb & CMN

March 2015. Piano and Forte! Songs and Books for Investigating Music Fundamentals

Feb.2015. Chinese New Year – Looking for Year of the Sheep & A Good Friend

Jan.2015. Multicultural Children’s Book Day - The Lions of Gir

Dec.2014. Singing a Storybook – Wintertime / A Winter’s Tale

Nov.2014. Singing a Story – The Magic of Musical Books: Part II

Oct.2104. Singing a Story – The Magic of Musical Books: Part I

Sept.2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs from the Heartland Part III: From the Midwest & Great Lakes Regions (Listening Locally)

Aug.2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs – Part II: Midwest & Great Lakes (Listening Locally)

July 2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs Part I: Midwest & Ontario (Listening Locally)

June 2014. Garden Lessons, Typographic Art Apps and Thank You Notes

May 2014. Spring! Songs, Chants & Apps to Welcome the Season

April 2014. Part II. Dancing, Singing & Drawing Legato and Staccato

March 2014. Part I. From “Hush Little Baby” to Yo-Yo Ma – Using Books, Apps and YouTube Videos to Introduce Legato and Staccato

Feb.2014. Pete Seeger – A Time to Thank

Jan.2014. Gung Hay Fat Choy! Stories, Books & Apps to Celebrate the Chinese New Year

Dec.2013. Singing Time! Embracing Appadiction

Friday, December 18, 2015

STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT - EXPLORING COUNTER CHANTS

Ms. Brigid here, from Merit School of Music in Chicago. Thank you for joining me!

Star Light, Star Bright is one of my favorite poems to bring to the classroom, especially at this time of year when the darkness seems omnipresent. The poem also connects me to my childhood, when I used to fervently wait for a wishing star to appear in the indigo twilight of a northern Minnesota sky. My mother taught the song to me when I was quite small, and I tell my students in Pre-K and Kindergarten that I learned it at their age (which instantly makes them more interested!).

I’ve always sung the lyrics, and blithely assumed such was the case with, well, everyone! A current television ad that appropriated the poem for mercenary purposes, however, features a child’s voice chanting (speaking) the words, and at a recent workshop I presented, I was surprised to find that almost half of the adult attendees knew the poem but not the song. Let’s change that right now!

Star Light’s melody uses two notes. Think Rain, rain, go a-way (High, low, high-high, low) – and use those same two notes, or pitches, for Star Light, Star Bright.

Star light, star bright, (High, low, high, low)

First star I see tonight, (High, low-low, high-high, low)

Wish I may, wish I might, (High-high, low, high-high, low)

Have the wish I wish tonight. (High-high, low-low, high-high, low)

c.2015. Brigid Finucane

The lyrics are simple, but rich. They connect to the beauty and mystery of the natural world while honoring the wistful yearning of the human heart. Close your eyes and make a wish. What is it that you most long for?

Often, my kiddos will tell me that they wish for a new toy or a vacation to Disneyworld. But sometimes the answers take my breath away – No more fighting, someone in their family getting well, having enough food to eat or a place to live. Classroom teachers who are present during class tell me they find out new things about their children when Star Light is sung.

After teaching the song and playing it on desk bells (one child, one phrase, until everyone has a turn), we talk about various wishes. This is a perfect way to open a discussion about the difference between wants and needs. At this point, it’s interesting to add another layer - a counter chant – to provide aural richness and give the children exposure to part work. It’s a nice precursor to singing rounds, which I (usually) present in 1^st grade.

c.2015. Brigid Finucane

I’ve introduced counter chants with children as young as Pre-K and as old as 3^rd Grade. The younger the group, the simpler the chant should be, e.g., a simple counter chant for Pre-K and K might be “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, high in the sky”- repeated twice. Depending on your class, elicit student ideas for a counter chant. Your students may come up with evocative, funny or surprising solutions! Tweak as needed to work with the song – and marvel at human creativity!

After a counter chant is made, the next step is to put it together with the song. But how? Most classes I work with have co-teachers, and it’s great to enlist their aid. Break the class into two parts, and ask a teacher to lead a part. Start with the chant. After one complete repetition of “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, high in the sky,” add the song. The“Twinkle” counter chant repeats until the song is done. Then switch parts. Keep a steady beat so that both groups stay together. Rushing = chaos. I guarantee!

I use Star Light song to teach notes on the staff starting in Kindergarten. I bring it back in Third Grade as part of the recorder curriculum.

This year, each of my two great Third Grade classrooms created their own counter chant, then performed the end result at the Winter Assembly. Here’s how it worked.

c.2015. Brigid Finucane

Class 1 made a list of favorite toys:

Legos, hula hoops, jump ropes, collectibles,

Footballs, dolls, silly putty, dog(s).

Class 2 made a list of their wishes for the world:

Hope, peace, love for our families,

First aid, no war, kindness and joy.

1. Both classes sang Star Light then played the song on their recorders.

2. The group broke into two parts, with Class 1 speaking the TOYS counter-chant. After a full repetition, Class 2 joined, playing Star Light on their recorders.

3. Both classes sang the song again.

4. Class 2 spoke their WISHES counter chant, and after a full repetition, Class 1 joined, playing Star Light on their recorders.

5. Both classes ended the piece by chanting “First aid, no war, kindness and joy” several times, getting softer on each repetition.

6. They bowed. Together.

7. The crowd went wild!

I send you greetings of the season, and wishes for a bright new year full of children’s laughter and song, and hearts full of Hope, peace, love for our families, First aid, no war, kindness and joy. First aid, no war, kindness and joy.

Merit School of Music, Chicago

Chicago Families

Please come to Merit’s Storytime sessions. It’s free, fun, and facilitated by singers and storytellers Amy Lowe, Irica Baurer & Brigid Finucane. Stories and songs start at 11am, and we end with time for family networking. Storytime is be offered once a month on the 2^nd Monday. The next session is January 11, 2016.

I am continually inspired by the Children’s Music Network (CMN) community. an international group of socially conscious musicians, educators, librarians, families, songwriters and good people, who “celebrate the positive power of music in the lives of children by sharing songs, exchanging ideas, and creating community.” Please visit CMN, and find a gathering in your region.

http://prekandksharing.blogspot.com

@booksinger1

Blog History

Nov.2015. Thanksgiving Songs to Be Thankful For

Sept.2015. Starting the Year with a Song – Part II

Aug.2015. Starting the Year With a Song – and CMN

July 2015. Transitions: Unsung Heroes of the Musical Classroom

June 2015. Summer Songs

May 2015. Crescendo II! Chants & Games for Music Foundation

April 2015. Crescendo -And Sites to Sigh For: edWeb & CMN

March 2015. Piano and Forte! Songs and Books for Investigating Music Fundamentals

Feb.2015. Chinese New Year – Looking for Year of the Sheep & A Good Friend

Jan.2015. Multicultural Children’s Book Day - The Lions of Gir

Dec.2014. Singing a Storybook – Wintertime / A Winter’s Tale

Nov.2014. Singing a Story – The Magic of Musical Books: Part II

Oct.2104. Singing a Story – The Magic of Musical Books: Part I

Sept.2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs from the Heartland Part III: From the Midwest & Great Lakes Regions (Listening Locally)

Aug.2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs – Part II: Midwest & Great Lakes (Listening Locally)

July 2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs Part I: Midwest & Ontario (Listening Locally)

June 2014. Garden Lessons, Typographic Art Apps and Thank You Notes

May 2014. Spring! Songs, Chants & Apps to Welcome the Season

April 2014. Part II. Dancing, Singing & Drawing Legato and Staccato

March 2014. Part I. From “Hush Little Baby” to Yo-Yo Ma – Using Books, Apps and YouTube Videos to Introduce Legato and Staccato

Feb.2014. Pete Seeger – A Time to Thank

Jan.2014. Gung Hay Fat Choy! Stories, Books & Apps to Celebrate the Chinese New Year

Dec.2013. Singing Time! Embracing Appadiction

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

THANKSGIVING SONGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR!

Thanksgiving Time is Thank You Time!

Ms. Brigid here, from Merit School of Music in Chicago. Thank you for joining me!

Before we look at Thanksgiving songs, here is my question:

What are you grateful for? At the moment, I’m grateful that during the torrential rains of the last day, our roof isn’t leaking! On a more global scope, however, here are three things that come to mind:

~The Peace Songbook via The Children’s Music Network (CMN)

Hot off the (virtual) presses, this resource is available to one and all! “INTRODUCING OUR NEXT SONGBOOK- PEACE SONGS FOR CHILDREN

The NEW CMN Song Library recently launched with our Environment Songbook of members' music that was already on the public site, but broadened to include audio files and lyrics for all songs. Many members have also contributed lead sheets, sheet music, and additional resources. We're pleased to let you know that the Peace Songbook has now been added. These two songbooks will continue to grow and serve as a free resource available to artists, librarians, teachers, and other visitors to our site, providing the tools needed to actually learn a song and use it tomorrow-a one-stop source for growing your repertoire with fine songs from fellow members. What could be grander? Read more about our Song Library at: cmnonline.org/pass-it-on/features/sharing-our-strengths.aspx"

~A Trio of Songs by Stuart Stotts. Stuart was CMN’s keynote speaker at the annual conference just a month ago in Zion, IL. Since then, he has presented three songs on his excellent blog that are invitations to inclusiveness and speak to the power of people singing together: Clap My Hands In The Morning, I’ll Save a Spot For You, and 'Til Then. Click on the links to read about the songs and hear them in their entirety. In the last song, change “show to show” to “spring to snow,” and this beautiful and engaging song transforms into the perfect song for the end of class or a special gathering. And yes, the composer approves this idea!

~Choice Literacy and Big Fresh Newsletter

Every Saturday I awake to an inspiring new post from the Big Fresh Newsletter. Besides the engaging and thoughtful key articles on the collaborative blog, there is a “Free for All” section from which I’ve discovered wonderful new books and strategies for use. Just this past week, I clicked on Franki Sibberson’s “Teaching Reading Skills with Wordless Picture Books,” and came away with an armful of new titles that I immediately tracked down at The Skokie Library. I’m excited to dive into this luscious list!

And Now…Thanks Giving!

http://theartmad.com/05-thanksgiving-clip-art/

This week I’ve been asking students in my classes to tell me one thing about Thanksgiving. Families and friends, cornucopias and pilgrims were mentioned, but the majority of answers tended to be food-oriented. In one first grade class, “eat dead turkey” was the unsavory, and repeated, response of choice. What to do?

Since I visit classrooms once a week, varying from 30” – 60” sessions, it’s best for classroom teachers to discuss historical details. I focus on being thankful, not only for its intrinsic worth, but also as an antidote to the materialism that creeps into this time of year.

~Thanksgiving Time
Tune: Do You Know the Muffin Man?

Thanksgiving time is thank you time

For all the fruits and vegetables.

Thanksgiving time is thank you time.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Other ideas: Thanksgiving time is thank you time …For all the things that live and grow; …For moon and stars that shine at night; ...For families that we love so much.

~I teach “Thank you, thank you, thank you” before I start the song, so my kiddos can immediately chime in. After singing is strong, I open it up to ideas from the class. Feel free to combine ideas from more than one child in each verse, e.g. …For moms and dads and dogs and cats.

THANKSGIVING

Lyrics by Brigid Finucane. Tune: Down By the Bay

For sun and moon And stars above,

For Moms and Dads, People that we love

For _______________, Where we learn and play

Let's all say thanks, On Thanksgiving Day

For winds that blow For rains that fall

On the smallest flower And the trees so tall

For happy laughter As we dance and play.

Let’s all say thanks, On Thanksgiving Day.

~I wrote this song originally for a sweet preschool I teach at, but have since adapted it for use at other schools. Insert the name of the classroom, school, or group where indicated in the first verse. Please customize for your site. I also add basic ASL signing to the song. At the very least, I teach the sign for “thank you.”

~Finally, I close my sessions with the musical book, May There Always Be Sunshine.

Jim Gill, the beloved Oak Park, IL singer-songwriter, sings this song in concert, and over time gathered ideas to use with the song. This book is the result of years of ideas, and is lusciously illustrated by Susie Signorino-Richards.

The song “…was created in 1962, music was composed by Arkady Ostrovsky and

the lyrics were written by Lev Oshanin. The Russian writer Korney Chukovsky later wrote in his book that the base for the song was the four lines which became the refrain, composed by a boy of age four in 1928.” Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJw9sKg4Z_0

I sing the first four lines by myself, and then ask the children to sing with me on the second repetition. We then sing the rest of the book. My Pre-K children are not readers, so I let them fill in what they think the picture is about, e.g., an illustration of “skyscrapers” can be called “houses,” “cities,” “buildings,” etc., with my complete support. At the end of the book, I sing, “May there always be ice cream…” and ask if anyone has another idea.

http://www.designerclipart.com/autumn-clipart.html

I’ve been touched at how enthusiastic the children are to share their ideas. They often sing the whole phrase, rather than filling in the idea at the end. It’s a sweet and affirming way to end a class.

I’ve also experimented with asking the kiddos to draw a picture of what they are thankful for, essentially creating a class book that we can sing together.

Thank you for joining me! I hope you have a glorious and happy Thanksgiving with those who are dearest to you. Celebrate fall, the bounty of the earth, the richness of life…and music!

Merit School of Music, Chicago

Chicago Families

Please come to Merit’s Storytime sessions It’s free, fun, and facilitated by singers and storytellers Amy Lowe, Irica Baurer & Brigid Finucane. Stories and songs start at 11am, and we end with instrument exploration and family networking. The next session is December 14. Storytime is be offered once a month on the 2^nd Monday.