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Listen and Learn Music: May 2009

Friday, May 29, 2009

Friday Fave: Graduation

Today is another special day at the Hope Institute...graduation day! Several students from the senior classes will be taking the next step in their lives after the time they've spent at Hope, whether that is moving back home to be close to family, being placed in a development-appropriate job, or joining an assisted living community. It's a proud time not only for the students themselves, but also for the parents and teachers who have helped them get here. It's always a bittersweet day, though - many of the students who graduate have spent years at Hope, making it hard for us to say goodbye.

My first experience at Hope was actually at the 2007 graduation, right before I became an employee. My principal asked me to sing a couple of songs, and I have been the official graduation day singer ever since. It's a nice job to have :)

Today I'll be singing "You Raise Me Up", a Josh Groban song that I think perfectly embodies the spirit of this day. Here's a video of Josh Groban performing this song on American Idol a couple years ago - I love the children's choir and wish I had one to back me up today!



When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Bells Are For Shaking

Bells, bells, and more bells...I just can't get enough of them when it comes to developmentally appropriate instruments for my students. They come in so many different sizes and shapes that I have one to suit the needs of even the most challenged kids. A student with little or no grip abilities? No problem - there's a bell with a velcro strap for him/her. A child with noise sensitivity issues? Give him/her bells with small jingles that produce equally small sounds. What about kids who are working on color identification or turn-taking? I love bells like those pictured above: fun shapes and bright colors motivate my students to participate in such activities.

But the song I want to share today has a different goal in mind...discrimination between right and left. This can be a particularly difficult skill to master; heck, even sometimes I get the two confused ;) Any type of bell can be used for this activity, as long as it appropriate for the student.


Sheet Music: $1
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Bells are for shaking, bells are for shaking,
Up and down, all around,
Bells are for shaking, bells are for shaking,
Listen to the sound.

Hold the bell in your right hand, grip it tight,
And shake it side to side, with all your might.
Hold the bell in your right hand, up in the air,
Shake it side to side without a care.

CHORUS

Hold the bell in your left hand, grip it tight,
And shake it side to side, with all your might.
Hold the bell in your left hand, up in the air,
Shake it side to side without a care.

CHORUS

It seems that I have a plethora of songs dedicated to playing the bells, which tells me I need to give a little attention to the rest of the instruments, too! Just another thing to add to the list. Luckily I'll have some time to do that soon, as the school year is winding down and summer break is on the horizon. Only four days left...what about you?

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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

More Songs for Teaching

One of my very favorite websites for discovering great tunes - as well as sharing my own - is Songs for Teaching. I've been lucky enough to have quite a few Listen & Learn originals available for downloading (find them here) at Songs for Teaching, and recently had the opportunity to produce a few recordings of well-known songs exclusively for the website.

Here are the first three, which you'll probably recognize:

German Cradle Song

My Country 'Tis of Thee

Rock-a-Bye Baby

I'll be adding several more over the next few weeks, so I will be sure to keep you updated! In other news, you might have visited earlier today and noticed that many songs did not play as they should have. This was due to a file server upgrade, which I'm happy to say is completed. All of the songs you'll find here are now hosted by a much more reliable server, which should eliminate any problems you may have encountered in the past when listening. Thanks so much for your patience, and for visiting Listen & Learn Music regularly :)

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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Flower, Stand Tall!

Flowers are popping up all over the place, and they are a great topic for a song around this time of year. Flower songs are good opportunities to address color identification, which is what I had in mind when I wrote the song below.



Red, orange, yellow, green,
White, purple, pink and blue.
Flowers are so colorful and smell good too.
There are many different kinds Mother Nature grows,
In a pot or in a field or garden rows.

Red flower, stand tall,
Red flower, stand tall,
Can you choose your favorite red flower of all?
(You just might be the fairest flower of all!)

Repeat, using each color.

My initial idea was to give each child a scarf and ask him/her to stand up as that color is mentioned in the song. I made visuals for each color flower, and to practice making choices, the child can choose which of three flowers of that color he/she likes best. For children who don't have that ability, there are alternate lyrics in parentheses.

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Friday, May 22, 2009

Friday Fave: Sadie!

This is our new little bundle of joy! Sadie was born on March 28, and we finally got to bring her home yesterday. She had a fun first night in her new home: she got to meet all of her grandparents, take a walk around the neighborhood, and play with all of her toys. She definitely wore us out...and she wore herself out too! We were expecting a lot more crying throughout the night, but she only woke us up once to take her outside. Not bad at all!

I have a couple new songs I'm looking forward to posting, but they'll have to wait until the weekend. You can probably guess that I have been a little preoccupied for the last couple days, but I can't wait to share the songs I have in store for you. In the meantime, maybe Sadie will inspire me to write a song about puppies :) Have a great Friday, and a wonderful holiday weekend!

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Eight Silly Monkeys

I'm feeling generous today, which is why I'm sharing all the details of my students' favorite book, Eight Silly Monkeys. I picked this book up at Barnes & Noble three years ago, and it has held up through all this time in the hands of my students, who can be less than delicate :) Thankfully, the book has a hard front and back cover and the pages are made of sturdy cardboard, making it the perfect classroom resource.

The bright colors, 3-D monkeys, familiar words and tune make this a very popular book not only with my students, but with me, too. Why? Because there are so many objectives that can be addressed, including counting, tactile input, basic reading skills, and even movement. My kids love imitating the different motor skills the monkeys display in this book, like jumping, dancing, spinning, and sliding.I hope you and your students have the chance to enjoy this book as much as we do here at the Hope Institute. And speaking of Hope, today is our 2nd Annual All-School Singalong! I'm used to being a solo act, but today several of my coworkers - a drummer, guitar player, and bassist - will join me to present some of the "greatest hits" of the year. I'm off to practice with the band right now...have a great day!

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Friday, May 15, 2009

Friday Fave: Prom!

One of my most memorable high school experiences was going to the prom, a rite of passage that most high school students go through as upperclassmen. I'm proud to say that even though the students at my school, the Hope Institute, are not typical - each and every one has multiple disabilities - they get to experience prom just like everyone else.



Last year I had the opportunity to escort one of my favorite students, and it was a blast. The students feel so special all dressed up in their tuxedos and gowns, and it shows as they participate in the "Grand March" while their families and Hope faculty and staff cheer them on. The dance is held in the gym, which is always decorated beautifully, and includes refreshments, entertainment, and of course, dancing!

Today is Prom 2009 for our students, a big day around here. The girls have been practicing walking in their high heels through the halls for the last few days, but today is the real deal! It is something we all look forward to the whole year - a day for our students to shine and be celebrated even moreso than usual. The looks on their faces are priceless, and you can see how proud they are.

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Thursday, May 14, 2009

Safety Comes First

I love hearing from my readers, especially when they have a success story to share involving a song I've shared on the blog. A close second to that is readers who give me ideas for new songs and activities, because sometimes I need a little grease to get the wheels turning!

Well as I mentioned yesterday, music therapist Amy from L.A. did just that earlier in the week. She asked if I knew of any good street and traffic safety songs, as she was addressing this topic with one of her students diagnosed with autism. I told her I didn't, but that I would love to try my hand at writing one. She specified that the language should be pretty basic, and then gave me a few key elements to include. Here is what resulted:



Left, right, left.
Left, right left.
Look both ways before you cross the street!
Left, right, left.
Left, right, left.
Use your eyes before you use your feet.

You gotta be safe,
And you gotta be smart,
When there are cars around,
So do your part.
Always think
Before you act,
Because safety comes first,
And that’s a fact.

Do not run.
Do not run.
Walk very slowly in the parking lot!
Do not run.
Do not run.
Slow is good but going fast is not.

CHORUS

Stay away.
Stay away.
From the street unless it’s time to cross.
Stay away.
Stay away.
Because the street is very dangerous.

CHORUS

Watch the lights.
Watch the lights.
Red means stop, and green means go.
Watch the lights.
Watch the lights.
They will tell you what you need to know.

CHORUS

I like that the lyrics to this song can be easily modified or added to, since the verses are so simple. There are many other concepts it could cover, such as walk/don't walk signals, crossing guards, etc. Hopefully Amy can use this tune, or a version of it, to better teach these concepts to her student!

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

I'm So Glad it's Springtime

Good Wednesday morning! This post is going to be short and sweet, because I can't wait to get to work on the new song I'm writing about traffic safety (a wonderful suggestion from music therapist Amy in California). I woke up today with this simple song about spring - with a familiar tune - running through my head and thought I'd share:



My eyes can see it’s springtime
It’s springtime, it’s springtime
My eyes can see it’s springtime
The grass is so green.

My ears can hear it’s springtime
It’s springtime, it’s springtime
My ears can hear it’s springtime
The birds sweetly sing.

My nose can smell it’s springtime
It’s springtime, it’s springtime
My nose can smell it’s springtime
The flowers perfume

My arms can feel it’s springtime
It’s springtime, it’s springtime
My arms can feel it’s springtime
The sunshine so warm.

The green grass, the birds sing,
The flowers, the sunshine.

Oh I can tell it’s springtime
It’s springtime, it’s springtime
Oh I can tell it’s springtime
And I am so glad.

My eyes, ears, and arms could definitely tell that it is springtime this morning, but not because of the flowers, birds singing, and warm sunshine...more like the storm clouds, thunder crashing, and rain falling!

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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Counting Time: Flowers

It's that time again - counting time! I'm so glad to be counting flowers rather than umbrellas, like I did so often last month. One of my favorite things about spring is watching all the beautiful colors pop up in my neighborhood. My neighbors have the most gorgeous red tulips in their front yard, and every time I see them it makes me want to plant my own garden! Soon enough, I'll get around to that...but for now, I guess I'll have to settle for counting flowers rather than growing them.



Counting time, it's counting time,
So let's all sing this simple rhyme.
Ten little flowers in a row,
Now let's count them nice and slow:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Again!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

How many flowers?
Ten little flowers.
All lined up in a row.

Now that I have flowers on the brain, I have the urge to write a new song about all my favorites. From tulips to hydrangeas to roses, there's an endless list of sweet-smelling blooms to sing about. Do you have any favorite flower tunes?

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Monday, May 11, 2009

Jingle Jane & Silly Sally

Last week as I was preparing for a music therapy session, a thought came to mind: Jingle Joe needed a female counterpart. So right then and there, I created Jingle Jane, and she's been a part of the tambourine gang ever since. Here's the new verse:

Jingle Jane was strolling down the lane,
I saw her just the other day.
Her hair was pink, she said, "See whatcha think,
About the way I play my tambourine."

She showed me how to jingle, jingle!
Tap the tambourine in the air.
Jingle, jingle!
Jinglin' with Jane, play without a care.

Literally hours after I'd composed that verse, I received an email from a reader named Mollie. This is what she had to say:

Hi Rachel,

My 5 year old and I were listening to some of your stuff while I was prepping for the new month and she helped me write a verse about a girl and a maraca since it's "Mexico Month" (according to her!) Thought we would share it with you! Feel free to tweak it and share your thoughts...but just wanted to share. Thanks again...keep up the good work!

Mollie

Mollie must have been reading my mind, because here is the verse she and her daughter came up with:

Silly Sally is a gal I know,
I saw her just the other day.
She likes Chewbacca, and she plays the maracas,
And she taught me how to play.

She showed me how to shake, shake!
Shake the maraca way with all your might.
Shake, shake,
Shake with Sally she's dy-no-mite!

She showed me how to shake it high, shake it low.
Shake it fast, Shake it slow.
Shake with all your might,
Shake with Silly Sally she's dy-no-mite!

What a fun way to incorporate other instruments into the song. And I love that she collaborated with her daughter, who is obviously a budding songwriter herself :) If you ever have an idea for new verses or lyrics to a song you find at Listen & Learn, please don't hesitate to send it my way!

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Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day!

I am lucky to have an amazing mom, who just also happens to be my best friend. Our new house is just down the street from hers, so we're neighbors, too! This picture was taken at my mom's 50th birthday party last month. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful mom in my life, as well as an awesome stepmom, mother-in-law, aunts, and grandmas.

Today I want to wish all of you mothers out there a happy Mother's Day - you deserve it! I hope you have the chance to spend some quality time with your family today. I just had brunch with my husband's family, and this afternoon and tonight we'll get to hang out with my side of the family. Enjoy your special day!

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Saturday, May 9, 2009

Time for Music Podcasts

Wade Richards, LCAT, NMT, MT-BC

Wade Richards is a music therapist with whom I've had the pleasure of communicating via email over the last few months. Read more about Wade and his private practice, Time for Music:

Time for Music is the private practice and business of Wade M. Richards, LCAT, NMT, MT-BC. A graduate of S.U.N.Y. at Fredonia, Wade has been a Board-Certified Music Therapist for over 14 years. He has additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy from the Biomedical Center for Music Research in Colorado and Performance Wellness under Louise Montello, LP, LCAT, MT-BC. Wade pursued training in Orff-Schulwerk from Eastman School of Music, University of Kentucky, and Arizona State University. Wade is also the Chair and Internship Director of the Music Therapy Department at Hochstein School of Music & Dance, and serves on the music education faculty at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

Wade has his brand new website up and running, as well as a new podcast series called "Songs for Music Therapy". I was thrilled when he invited me to join him for the latest edition, which focuses on songs for learning about emotions. You can listen to it here, or you can download it on iTunes.

Stay tuned for an upcoming podcast in which Wade will interview me about songwriting in general, and be sure to check out his website. He is also opening a Song Shop, where he'll feature original song interventions and ideas for a variety of clients and students of all ages. It is an exciting time for music therapy!

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Friday, May 8, 2009

Friday Fave: You!

Today I want to talk all about you, my wonderful readers. I used to feel a little lonely, being the only music therapist in my city. In fact, that was one of the motivating factors in starting this blog. I needed a place to share my ideas, receive feedback on my songs, and just communicate with people who have similar experience and background.

And communicate I have. It is such a great feeling to find an email from a reader waiting for me, whether he/she is asking a question, commenting on a song, or sharing an idea with me. Not only do I have new email buddies, but I have gotten to know many of you via Twitter and Facebook, too.

I am thrilled to have so many new connections in the music therapy community, but it hasn't stopped there. Music educators, classroom teachers, and parents make up a big part of my readership, and those that I have talked with are advocates of music therapy and the difference music can make in a child's life.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for making Listen & Learn one of your regular stops on the web. Thank you for your emails, comments, and overall support, whether it is sending the link to a friend, making a donation, or purchasing a CD. Or all three, in many cases :)

Happy Friday to you. I hope that knowing you are my "fave" makes your day a little brighter!

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Foggy Day

So foggy, in fact, that driving to school this morning was a little scary! I'm a nervous driver in any case, so unfavorable weather conditions do not help my cause whatsoever. But I made it here, and it's Friday, so I can't complain too much. In fact, this gives me the opportunity to share my "Foggy Day" song, which I've been waiting to do since November. A true example of lemons to lemonade!



When I go outside and look around,
It seems like there’s a cloud on the ground.
It’s hard to see, everything is gray,
It’s a foggy day.

Be careful, move slow,
Everywhere you go.
Like a blanket from the sky,
A foggy day for you and I.

When I go outside and look around,
It seems like there’s a cloud on the ground.
It’s hard to see, everything is gray,
It’s a foggy day.

So there you have it. Hopefully the fog will soon disappear, and the sun will come out to grace us with its presence. Not much can top a warm, beautiful Friday...except maybe Friday Faves at Listen & Learn! Make sure you stop by later today for this week's installment.

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Thursday, May 7, 2009

Ring and Sing

Aside from my job as music therapist at the Hope Institute and in private practice, I also lead a music class for very young children at my church called Church Mice. One of the instruments that we play in every class is the resonator bell, similar to those pictured above. The set that we use is made up of D and A tones, which I need to keep in mind when choosing songs to accompany the bells.

The sound that the bells produce is light and pretty, so for the current Church Mice session, I decided to write a song to complement that sound. "Ring and Sing" is the title, and though it was written specifically for the resonator bells, you could also use it to accompany any type of bell.


Sheet Music: $1
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It’s a beautiful day, so ring your bell.
Ring your bell, come on and ring your bell.
It’s a beautiful day, so ring your bell.
Ring, ring along with me.

Ring and sing, oh ring and sing,
Make a sound and do your thing.
Ring and sing, along with me,
Because it’s a beautiful day!

There is music to make, so ring your bell.
Ring your bell, come on and ring your bell.
There is music to make, so ring your bell.
Ring, ring along with me.

Ring and sing, oh ring and sing,
Make a sound and do your thing.
Ring and sing, along with me,
Because there is music to make!
And because it’s a beautiful day!

As far as adding additional verses, the possibilities are virtually endless. There are so many reasons to ring a bell...simply change the first phrase in the verse (and continue throughout the song) to make it work it any situation. A few examples:

1) It is time for school, so ring your bell
2) If your name is _______, then ring your bell
3) If you're wearing ________, then ring your bell

Easy, right? Be creative and see what you can come up with. Or better yet, let your students write new verses, and don't forget to share them with me!

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Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Down by the Station

This isn't the first time I've posted about this book: Down by the Station, by Will Hillenbrand. I wrote briefly about it in reference to a student who has a very strong connection to this particular story, so I thought I'd expand on that today.

I like this book because there are so many opportunities to work on specific objectives, including identifying colors and animals, memory skills, and producing sounds. And of course, it's fun! I'm currently using it with a small group of kids ranging in age from 1-5, and they all love it. It's funny to listen to my students imitate the animal sounds - theirs are usually much better than mine! One way to adapt this activity is to have your students come up with additional animals and corresponding sounds...the creativity I see never ceases to amaze me.

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Friday, May 1, 2009

Sound-Off: Custom CDs

You may ask yourself from time to time...what could possibly be better than visiting Listen & Learn and hearing your favorite tunes over and over again? The answer: a $10.00 custom CD with your choice of 10 songs, the option of personalization, and free shipping.

Sandie and her son Matthew are frequent customers, having already ordered two custom CDs. Sandie writes:

Matthew's Custom CD arrived in the mail yesterday and WE LOVE IT!! :) Thank you so much. I can't express to you enough how much you make a positive difference in our days and how your music and creative songs and ideas help Matthew and help me in creating a positive and music-filled learning environment that is fun, fun and oh so much fun for both of us.

One of the sounds we are working on is "la la la la la" and your "Sunny Day" song is perfect for learning that sound. Matthew will actually chime in with his "a ya ya ya ya" at the appropriate place when we sing that song. We are still working on him being able to make the "la la" sound. He actually did start making the "t" sound and knows the sound "T" makes when I ask him so that tongue of his is working overtime to figure out how it can make different sounds.

We just got done singing to "Jingle Joe" with tambourines and Matthew will shake his mini tambourine really fast now when we sing that part.

Your music is a blessing, your ability to teach skills in a positive way without ever feeling like therapy IS exactly what I have always felt that therapy should be as much as possible. God's hand is definitely at work through you. :)

To learn more about Listen & Learn Custom CDs and order one of your very own, click here.

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May Day!

May is one of my favorite months of the year. As a kid, it meant that the school year was nearing the end, and now that I work in a school, that remains true! It is amazing to think that there are only four full weeks left before a nice little summer break, and then a much more relaxed summer school schedule. There are a few other notable happenings this month, including Mother's Day, my brother's college graduation, and the day my husband and I have been waiting for...we're getting a puppy! But in the meantime, let's kick off the month of May with a song:



May is here, month number five,
Trees and flowers come alive.
Thirty one days from start to end,
So help me sing about May, my friend.

First comes May Day on day one,
Celebrate spring and have some fun.
Then don’t forget about Mother’s Day,
Each family honors Mom in its own way.

CHORUS

Memorial Day is a time that we
Should think about our history.
Let’s honor those who went to war,
And appreciate what they were fighting for.

CHORUS

We’ll have a break when May is through,
Summer time for me and you.
Play outside and sleep in late,
Enjoying our vacation will be so great.

CHORUS

What are you looking forward to this month? I am hoping for May flowers in place of the April showers we've been experiencing all week, but it looks like I'm not going to get my wish anytime soon. I am also hoping for a more relaxing weekend than the last one...we'll see if that happens! Happy May Day to you all.

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