In my capacity as The Song Fairy on "My Everyday Magic", here are my Music Monday notes:
* Old, lovely hymns from my childhood church days surfacing sweetly in my mind on Easter Sunday!
* Getting a great review of our Spanish/English children’s music CD, Tingaleyo, from a big East Coast music site!!!
* Finding more clapping games! Oh, I hope you will try them! Remember, they’re good for all ages, all of us!
* Enjoying hearing about how many of you come up with your own songs! Inserting children’s names, putting new upbeat words to familiar tunes, etc. Do write down the words you come up with! Then you can refine them and come up with great personal songs to keep! Bring them out a few months/years from now to enjoy together.
* Spring, beautiful spring, beckoning us all to burst into song! Plus it’s my birthday month, and we get a Blue Moon!!!
Magic and music are simply everywhere—Post your comments below and feel your world take on a new glow!
Fairy wishes and music kisses,
The Song Fairy
Monday, April 5, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Energetic Expressions
Just found the loveliest blog, Aura Art Creations, by a "fellow fairy" I met at My Everyday Magic.
She's the coolest artist, living and creating in Guam. Check out her lively blog!
She's the coolest artist, living and creating in Guam. Check out her lively blog!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
My Everyday Music!
Here is my post for an upcoming Monday on the "My Everyday Magic" blog:
* Getting to go to 2 big education conferences this week and share my music!
* Sharing with group leaders how easy and fun it is to slip songs in everywhere, any time.
* Gently emphasizing that we are all natural music-makers and singers---and that there is no such thing as a "bad" singer!!.
* Learning about all the song-writing being created by many of you on this blog!!! Awesome!!!
* When feeling stuck, sitting in "the silence" and being open to a higher power that inspires and guides us in the creative process.
* Singing with kids!! Total joy, wonder and fun: MAGIC!!!
Music and magic are simply everywhere---share some of yours here today by posting in comments below, and watch your world glow!
Fairy wishes and music kisses,
Lisa aka "The Song Fairy"!
* Getting to go to 2 big education conferences this week and share my music!
* Sharing with group leaders how easy and fun it is to slip songs in everywhere, any time.
* Gently emphasizing that we are all natural music-makers and singers---and that there is no such thing as a "bad" singer!!.
* Learning about all the song-writing being created by many of you on this blog!!! Awesome!!!
* When feeling stuck, sitting in "the silence" and being open to a higher power that inspires and guides us in the creative process.
* Singing with kids!! Total joy, wonder and fun: MAGIC!!!
Music and magic are simply everywhere---share some of yours here today by posting in comments below, and watch your world glow!
Fairy wishes and music kisses,
Lisa aka "The Song Fairy"!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Aren't we all singers? or What happened to singing in the Classroom?
Here is a letter I wrote to Rick Morris, a renowned education workshop presenter and master problem-solver. I highly recommend checking out his New Management website.
What I see as the challenge in the subject of my music workshops is getting teachers to realize the value and rewards of singing regularly with their students. To engage in this, they have to be comfortable with their voices and be open to launching into songs with their classes.
The advantages to teaching with songs are many. One of the most obvious is rhythm and rhyming enhance input/output of concepts, vocabulary, etc. Many teachers use CDs for this purpose and that's fine. But I want them to be mindful that we are all natural music-makers and singers, and that uplifting our voices together in song is a life-affirming, creatively-fulfilling part of our human experience.
Yet it seems that so many have come to think that if you can't sing perfectly you shouldn't sing at all. When teachers believe that they can't sing, they convey this notion to their students; the students pick up the idea that there are people who don't sing or that have bad voices. Singing and singing together may be considered a luxury or worse, trivial.
Problem: While singing is inherent in each of us, invaluable as a means to build community and foster safety, and is an excellent classroom tool, it is getting lost as a communal means of sharing information, feelings and beauty. It is being relegated to special occasions and experts only.
What I see as the challenge in the subject of my music workshops is getting teachers to realize the value and rewards of singing regularly with their students. To engage in this, they have to be comfortable with their voices and be open to launching into songs with their classes.
The advantages to teaching with songs are many. One of the most obvious is rhythm and rhyming enhance input/output of concepts, vocabulary, etc. Many teachers use CDs for this purpose and that's fine. But I want them to be mindful that we are all natural music-makers and singers, and that uplifting our voices together in song is a life-affirming, creatively-fulfilling part of our human experience.
Yet it seems that so many have come to think that if you can't sing perfectly you shouldn't sing at all. When teachers believe that they can't sing, they convey this notion to their students; the students pick up the idea that there are people who don't sing or that have bad voices. Singing and singing together may be considered a luxury or worse, trivial.
Problem: While singing is inherent in each of us, invaluable as a means to build community and foster safety, and is an excellent classroom tool, it is getting lost as a communal means of sharing information, feelings and beauty. It is being relegated to special occasions and experts only.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Using music to change your life
The Tao of Music, by Dr. John M. Ortiz, is about using music to change your life for the better. Dr. Ortiz uses behavioral, cognitive, and affective psychological techniques incorporated with toning, chanting, affirmations, and visualization to help you deal with issues such as chronic pain, lack of self-esteem, depression, anger and more.
He offers "Musical Menus" of carefully selected songs and melodies, reflective of specific emotional states that you can use to progress from identifying your pain to healing it."
The Tao of Music
Thanks to this and other books by Dr. Ortiz we can learn more about the healing power of music. Then as parents, caregivers, and educators, we will be that much more equipped to empower our children and give them the tools to lead healthy fulfilled lives.
He offers "Musical Menus" of carefully selected songs and melodies, reflective of specific emotional states that you can use to progress from identifying your pain to healing it."
The Tao of Music
Thanks to this and other books by Dr. Ortiz we can learn more about the healing power of music. Then as parents, caregivers, and educators, we will be that much more equipped to empower our children and give them the tools to lead healthy fulfilled lives.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The double magic of children and music
I attended a workshop this week which addressed the topic of blogs and bloggers, and this being one, I was duly attentive, pencil poised, eager to learn more.
"If you decide to start a blog," the presenter intoned "first be sure that you have something of worth to write about. And be prepared to post regularly and consistently!!"
I squirmed a bit at that. No way have I been consistent with my blog here. Will anybody really be interested in my thoughts and opinions on the subject of children's
music and how passionately I feel about its place in our everyday world?
What could be more worthwhile than the double magic of children and music? The possibilities are endless!
So with sincere gratitude to you dear reader, and with a promise to be consistent, I hereby resolve to post regularly. Join me! Share your thoughts on music for/with children---how important is it, or is it just purely for fun?
"If you decide to start a blog," the presenter intoned "first be sure that you have something of worth to write about. And be prepared to post regularly and consistently!!"
I squirmed a bit at that. No way have I been consistent with my blog here. Will anybody really be interested in my thoughts and opinions on the subject of children's
music and how passionately I feel about its place in our everyday world?
What could be more worthwhile than the double magic of children and music? The possibilities are endless!
So with sincere gratitude to you dear reader, and with a promise to be consistent, I hereby resolve to post regularly. Join me! Share your thoughts on music for/with children---how important is it, or is it just purely for fun?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Libraries and shopping local
Big shout-outs to our local libraries and all the local businesses who make our lives easier and more enjoyable!!
I so appreciate all the independent stores who make our CDs available and make shopping such a pleasure.
And what a joy it is to visit the library! I love to read and I love to sing, and I get to do both at libraries. Watch for the next family music event there!
Visit the library often, and whenever possible shop local! :D
I so appreciate all the independent stores who make our CDs available and make shopping such a pleasure.
And what a joy it is to visit the library! I love to read and I love to sing, and I get to do both at libraries. Watch for the next family music event there!
Visit the library often, and whenever possible shop local! :D