by Rachel | Uncategorized
The timing of this song is a little ironic, since we haven’t had rain here in central Illinois for what seems like weeks now. But I wrote the lyrics a couple of months ago and felt inspired to finish the song over the weekend, so maybe if I sing it a whole lot, we’ll actually get some sprinkles? Wishful thinking, I know ;)
The lyrics came to me in the midst of a huge thunderstorm, during which it thundered so hard my whole house shook. I like a good rain from time to time, so it didn’t bother me, but the storm got me thinking about how bad weather affects people — adults and kids alike.
I wanted to put a positive spin on the weather by acknowledging that it can make us feel blue, but we can look to those we love to make us feel better. This is especially true for little ones who need some comforting during scary storms.
Now, if only I had a reason to share this song with my students. Come on, rain!
by Rachel | Uncategorized
It didn’t take long for me to learn that as a music therapist working with children who have special needs, one goal area I’d be addressing often is bathroom routines.
Handwashing, teeth brushing, bath taking…those are the easy ones. But toileting is a little more tricky, not to mention a little less fun. However, it’s a goal I’ve been working on with students since my first day on the job, and I’m still at it five years later.
The key to a good “potty” song is that it must be detailed yet tasteful enough so that parents, teachers and others feel comfortable singing it. To the Bathroom I Go is repetitive and the melody is simple, as you’ll hear below.
This is a reworking of the original potty song I wrote years and years ago, and since it’s proven to be effective many times, I didn’t make too many changes. While some of the lyrics may induce a giggle or blush, I think they strike the balance I mentioned earlier.
Plus, it’s a catchy little song that — like it or not — you’ll probably be singing all day long. What are your favorite songs on this unavoidable topic?
by Rachel | Uncategorized
Like so many others, this song was written specifically for one of my music therapy students. She is working on identifying her name from a field of several others, so now we sing Find Your Name at the beginning of each music therapy session.
The visual I use is pictured above, and was super easy to make. I just printed a simple sign I made using Pages, slipped it into a page protector, and then attached Velcro dots to the front and back where you see the name cards. There are also Velcro dots on the other side of each card.
I made several cards so that I can switch them out each week, which makes finding her name just a little bit more challenging for my student. The simple song is short and lets her know exactly what is expected of her.
I have started using this song with quite a few of my other students as well, though for some, a field of 4 is a little too overwhelming. But that’s an easy fix — I just remove 1 or 2 cards as needed, and will gradually increase the field as they start to recognize their names more easily.
What songs, visuals, and other resources do you use to help your students pick their names out of a crowd?
by Rachel | Uncategorized
I hope you all had a lovely Father’s Day, whether you were celebrating your own dad, other dads in your life, or YOURSELF! Yesterday I shared a special video tribute that I made with the help of Listen & Learn readers and my students’ families, so be sure to check that out if you didn’t already.
The song that accompanies the video is this week’s original Listen & Learn song, and even though Father’s Day has passed, I want to share it with you so that you’re prepared when it rolls around again next June! One my friends who is a dad said over the weekend, “every day is Father’s Day!” — so really, I guess the song is applicable all year long ;)
And if we’re celebrating Father’s Day all year long, we’d better do the same with Mother’s Day, right?! Of course, I have a song for that too.
When it comes to family love and appreciation, a song I really do use almost on a daily basis with my students is Love, Love, Love (My Family). Every day is a good day to tell your family how much you love them!
by Rachel | Uncategorized
This week, I decided to give one of my OLD songs some NEW life. Tap Tap Your Rhythm Sticks has been a staple of mine since I wrote it way back in 2008 (here’s the original blog post to prove it!) and believe it or not, it’s by far my best-selling song out of the 200 or so I’ve written.
There are several reasons why I think this song has been so popular and effective. First of all, it’s meant to be used while playing rhythm sticks, which are always fun for my kiddos. Secondly, it’s upbeat and catchy. Third, the lyrics are repetitive while still varying enough to keep everyone’s attention.
Not only does this song encourage rhythmic playing, but it also addresses the concepts of loud and soft. Playing and singing softly can be difficult for kids at times, but for some reason, this particular tune does the trick almost every time.
My original recording was low in quality and didn’t include anything other than my guitar and vocals. I think it works much better with a little bass, piano, and of course, rhythm sticks!
