Mary’s Lamb Comes to Music Class

November 7th, 2011 Posted in Children's Songs
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It followed her to music school one day…

Children still love the classic song about Mary and her lamb and take great joy in dramatizing the story.  Today Mary’s lamb followed her to my three year old partner class at the Winchester Community Music School.

As we all sit in a circle one child plays the part of Mary.  She walks around the circle by herself while we sing and selects another child to be her lamb as the verse comes to an end.  Mary then walks where ever she wants to in the room with her lamb following behind.  At the end of the second verse the child playing the part of the lamb becomes Mary and the game is repeated until everyone has had a chance to be Mary.  Boys play the part of Harry.

I love watching the Marys and Harrys enjoy their turns as leader.  Giving them the freedom to lead the lamb anywere in the room lets them make choices in a fun and safe environment.

 

 

 

 

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Dreadful sorry, Clementine…Sad Children’s Songs

March 31st, 2011 Posted in Children's Songs
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Sad Children’s Songs

Have you ever really listened to the words of your favorite children’s songs? The farmer’s wife cuts off the tails of the Three Blind Mice; the cradle falls from the tree-top – baby and all;  Clementine drowns as does Aunt Rhody’s Grey Goose.

Many of the adults in my classes are uncomfortable with these songs.  Why would we want to expose our children to such violence and sadness?  Perhaps we should alter the lyrics or maybe just avoid those songs altogether.    Parents and teachers have been debating the issue for generations.   Ruth Crawford Seeger ‘s seminal  1948 book American Folk Songs for Children devotes four pages to the question.   Mrs. Seeger’s position is that these songs are not only appropriate but are, in fact, helpful for children.  They allow children to work out their feelings and fantasies in a safe non-threatening way.

I have a foot in both camps.  In my classes Juba sees a yellow cat instead of killing it but on the other hand I let a merry-go-round full of laughing children collapse.   You should see the parents’ raised eyebrows the first time that song is presented in class.

What are your thoughts?

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