by Rachel | Uncategorized
It’s that time again: most of my students are off to school today! So in honor of this momentous occasion, I decided to give one of my older songs a bit of a facelift.
I wrote “Off to School” way back in 2009, and you can read the original blog post here. It’s been a staple at this time of year ever since, and I figured that because I get so much use out of it, many of you probably can too.
Feelings are mixed amongst my students about returning to school. While many of them are excited to see their friends again, some are struggling with academic and social anxiety. These feelings are completely normal, and will hopefully dissipate over the first few days and weeks.
While my kiddos are off to school today, I’m enjoying another beautiful day in Italy! Make sure to stop my by personal blog for a daily recap (with photos) of my travels.
by Rachel | Uncategorized
The end of the summer means getting back into the routine not only of waking up for school in the morning, but also of going to sleep on time. I remember being a kid and dreading the earlier bedtime that came along with the start of a new school year, and I know children everywhere are feeling the same right about now.
This is the first “goodnight” song I’ve written, and while I wanted it to be appropriate for bedtime, I didn’t want to go all out lullaby. It has a bit of a groove to it, but the overall vibe is chill. I know it makes me want to do exactly what the little girl in the picture is doing!
I’m not in school anymore (nor do I work in one any longer), but I still find myself going to bed earlier once the end of August hits. I suppose it’s just one way of showing camaraderie with my students :)
by Rachel | Uncategorized
With the school year beginning in just a few weeks, I’ve had classroom topics on the brain. I know that calendar songs are part of the daily routine in many classrooms, so I’m adding one more to my long list of ’em.
Seven Days in a Week lists each day of the week several times throughout the song so that it helps children not only learn the names of each day, but also the order. The song also touches on the difference between weekdays and weekends. Take a listen:
This song can be used in conjunction with a “Today Is” kind of song (I have always used this one) or just as a standalone.
After working in a school for several years, I’ve heard MANY songs about the days of the week — and I know they can get old pretty quickly if you hear them every day. That’s why I’m all about revisiting topics I’ve already written songs for and providing lots of options. In my experience, using a different song to address a long-term goal can be just what a child needs to finally master it.
What are your favorite “days of the week” and other calendar songs?
by Rachel | Uncategorized
This week, instead of writing a brand-new song, I decided to give myself a different kind of challenge. One of my music therapy students is working on several speech goals, so we’ve been doing some “tongue twister” songs in her sessions.Peter Piper is a classic example of such, which brought to mind a version I sang with my vocal trio in college.
The arrangement is a tricky one, especially when you’re singing all three parts at a fairly bright tempo. My recording is far from perfect, but I sure did have fun learning and singing it!
I can’t wait to play this for my student later in the week — hopefully it will inspire to keep up her fantastic progress on our much slower version of this perfectly practical, “p”-plentiful tongue twister.
by Rachel | Uncategorized
As a kid, I was never a crier. My mom used to say that she could count on one hand the number of times she saw me cry when I was younger, and she was probably right. Something always stopped me from letting my feelings out.
I see the same thing happen with my students quite often. Music therapy and even music lessons can be emotional at times, and I can tell when a child or young adult is on the verge of tears. They usually try to hold them back and keep themselves together, but I always encourage my students to share how they’re feeling — even if it means letting the tears fall.
I remember feeling embarrassed every time I cried as a child, even if it was just in front of my parents or best friend. But as I say in the song, everybody cries and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
I’ve learned that crying can be cathartic…it really does help us face whatever we’re feeling sad about. I wrote this song so that we can teach that to our students and children. Choking back tears is no fun, as I know all too well!
