5 Ways to Make your Weekly School Singing Practice Inspirational
As a music specialist, class teacher and headteacher, I have seen many a weekly school singing practice – from the inside out! I’ve watched as children wriggle, chatter and go through the motions of singing ‘old favourites’ with flat boredom. I’ve also seen the roof wobble with pure inspirational, shared magic.
What is it that inspires young singers to breathe deeply, joyous in anticipation of the next wonderful shared sound?
1. Keep it Fresh
Keep your repertoire fresh. Children and staff alike feel secure when they are going through the usual list of songs on a Monday morning and there is nothing wrong with that – there are so many wonderful songs that are catchy and memorable, whether traditional or not. However, becoming too reliant on the same materials from the same provider can cause an underlying musical fungus, creeping in and eating away at the core essential of the children’s musical experience – joy! Introduce new songs on a regular basis from different composers, whilst keeping a bag of core favourites, too. Children respond well to different musical styles and approaches, so try to vary your selection of songbook resources for singing practice. Don’t get stuck in a rut with one ‘buy-in’ package. Look out for the new songbooks ‘Thank You for Our World’ and ‘It’s a Brand New Day’ from flyinghighmusic.com They’re inspirational!
2. Inspire passion in your school singing practice
Now, here is the key to a buzzing sense of anticipation as the children enter the school hall. The weekly school singing practice cannot be just another lesson. You cannot force one child in a group of a hundred or more to make the effort to sing with gusto. Neither can you monitor that individual child’s commitment. To achieve success, each child has to want to physically ‘buy-in’ to what is on offer. To do that, you, the leader, have to come into each singing session, buzzing, yourself, with something new and exciting to offer each week. A mixture of consolidation and new experience is vital if you want to avoid a stale atmosphere.
I know that it’s a tough mission, sometimes.
You’re probably co-ordinating more than one subject and carrying all sorts of stresses related to teaching, and more. I’ve been on both sides of the fence. The cliché ‘You only get out of things, what you put in’ is so true in this instance. The spiritual lift from a wonderful, shared singing practice can actually set you up for the week, never mind our special pupils. Music is a vehicle for lifting the soul and raising standards in so many other areas. Embrace the challenge!
Check out 10 strategies for the best ‘whole school’ singing at flyinghighmusic.com
3. Zap them with a lively warm-up
Deliver a pacy warm-up to get them going, whilst avoiding overload. Inject a charge of enthusiasm without losing control of what can seem like a turbulent and threatening sea of bodies, sat ‘en masse’ before you. Always avoid the negative. Make sure you’re there first and encourage involvement as the children are entering the hall and sitting down. If they’re noisy, distract them from the outset with a clapping rhythm for them to clap back. Keep their attention by using body movements for them to imitate and vocal sounds or singing patterns for them to echo. Encourage your colleagues to bring them in quietly but try not to get frustrated if they don’t support you. This will knock your positive input and affect the mood of the session. Avoidance and anticipation is ‘key’ in all respects for ensuring you get the best out of the warm-up.
Check out 5 activities for the best singing warm-ups at flyinghighmusic.com
4. Keep them engaged
O.K. So you’ve got their attention and they’re motivated. How do you keep that vibe going for the whole session? The pace should be varied. Follow your warm-up with a popular song. Focus on one or two teaching points for each song – tone, pitch, rhythm, articulation or breathing. Note areas for future development but be brave too. Home in on any flaws in a performance to ensure improvement. Don’t stick rigidly to the plan. You will lose spontaneity and the positive atmosphere you are trying to create may be damaged. Vary the tone of your voice. If it is getting too rowdy, try a whispering section. Praise, where it is truly deserved, is vital. Always start with that, whilst instilling rigour.
Visit flyinghighmusic.com to find more strategies for keeping children engaged in singing activities.
5. Celebrate the joy of singing together
The school singing practice is a means to an end. At a basic level, whether you are a music specialist or not, you are trying to improve the standard of singing in the school. This is for the benefit of individual pupils and to help ensure the success of school events from assemblies to concerts. At the top level, you are instilling a true passion for music and generating a lifelong love of sharing and appreciating vocal music from pop music to Bach. From singing along to favourite tracks, singing nursery rhymes to your children, to singing in a choir – the possibilities are endless and you are the enabler. The catalyst. Such a wonderful opportunity to make a difference.
Singing is something in which the poorest and richest of all humans can participate
– it is an incredible celebration of the human spirit!
The Teacher’s Role
A teacher is an actor, an administrator, a parental figure, a guide, mentor and so much more. But most of all, they are human. Teaching has become an increasingly stressful and overwhelming job and it can be hard to throw off that feeling of dread that kicks in on a Sunday night and Monday morning. As a music specialist, classroom teacher, senior manager and finally, headteacher, each of my roles had its challenges, as well as its joys. It’s bound to be hard at times and to lose sight of why we are doing the job. I found it particularly irritating, as a young classroom teacher, when advisors or inspectors came into school, patronising and often scaremongering the teaching staff.
Over time, though, I started to see that I really could make a difference in the small things, each day. You will too!
Useful links for your school singing practice
10 strategies for the best ‘whole school’ singing
5 activities for the best singing warm-ups
About the author –
Sheila and Phil Marsh
Sheila Marsh is co-director of flyinghighmusic.com with her husband, Phil Marsh. She has been a composer, music specialist, primary teacher and senior manager in several state and independent schools, culminating in her highly successful, award-winning headship of Lady Barn House School, Cheadle, UK. She now devotes her time to sharing her passion for music through consultation, writing songs for schools and special events, supporting budding composers in the development of their musical ideas through arranging services and composing thematic music. As a keen musician, playing piano/keys, violin, cello, guitar and samba drums, she is also involved in a number of projects which encompass a variety of styles, from samba music, classical and Irish traditional music to ‘the blues’, in both commercial and community-based projects. Visit flyinghighmusic.com for more information.