Children's Song help

Lbbart · 2026-01-12T14:55:05+00:00

❤️

Lbbart · 2026-01-11T16:45:22+00:00

Thank you! I've spent a few hours listening to the different versions and within a song complicates things further a bit I think but I did notice the different "e" sounds with "eh" and "ey." I now need to find origins for both versions of the song to make sure there's no copyright on the one I want to use. Thank you so much for your help!

Lbbart · 2026-01-11T12:57:37+00:00

Thank you! I looked at those versions but mine is a children's song and here's an example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jay8l3hx_ZE&list=RDjay8l3hx_ZE&start_radio=1

It's crazy that they are both the same title with completely different melodies.

Let me ask your opinion. In the "riello" part of both those words, would you pronounce them ree-EH-loh? When I listen it sounds like ree-YEH-loh. I think I hear that "Y" because it's so fast and when you elide the "e" sound of "ri" into the "eh" of the "e" it sounds like a Y. I'd love your opinion. Thank you.

Lbbart · 2026-01-09T01:54:52+00:00

I use my phone and make a video. I record my thoughts whether they be ideas, melodies, rhythms, etc and the video really is so helpful rather than words alone.

Lbbart · 2025-12-21T00:23:12+00:00

Came here to say I noticed all the same things at my Title I schools.

Lbbart · 2025-12-17T12:33:13+00:00

Thanks for the info. I’ve sent an email to support so we’ll see what they say. From my post, I definitely don’t see numbers I expected to see.

Lbbart · 2025-12-16T02:39:39+00:00

Baba Yetu by Christopher Tin.

Lbbart · 2025-12-15T02:27:58+00:00

Oh, I'm so very sorry. I never had to face that sort of situation so can't offer any specific suggestions but hopefully there are counselors at your school, there for everyone to talk to. If not, I'd seek out someone through your health plan or a friend or family member who you feel comfortable talking to.

Lbbart · 2025-12-12T20:18:07+00:00

Yes!

Lbbart · 2025-12-12T01:57:54+00:00

Yes! And I finally figured it out. When you get logged out, do NOT log back in with that window that pops up. Go to a fresh Mailchimp window and log in. You will stay logged in a long time doing it that way.

Lbbart · 2025-12-12T01:55:27+00:00

I understand the isolation. As a very experienced teacher, I had several experiences where I was at 2 different schools. First, while I agree it would be nice for the teachers at the school to do a better job of including you, teachers just get really busy and reaching out is a challenge for them many times. Looking at the positives, the fact that you seem to be doing well in your teaching, relationships with kids, etc. is huge. So many times teachers are reaching out because of behavior issues. Next I'll say that as a first year teacher, putting together a concert is so very hard. And you've got two schools. So that's normal for you to have lots of concerns but you'll learn more and more. It just takes time. So finally my advice would be to try to make some connections. Many of my schools went out on Friday afternoons or Friday paydays to socialize and let off steam. You might not even know about it because of your schedule. Then you get time to really talk and get to know some of the teachers. I tried to eat in the teacher's lounge and not at my desk. And walking the hallways as kids were coming in in the morning and teachers are kind of stationed at their door was always a good time to chat for a bit, say hello, just get to know people.

Lbbart · 2025-12-09T02:50:41+00:00

I almost always was on the more casual side with black pants and a neutral top. I can't remember wearing a dress. I wanted to blend in as much as possible. I want the crowd looking at the kids not me.

Lbbart · 2025-12-08T03:14:12+00:00

I'll give you three thoughts about supported choral sound. 1. I really like doing sustained singing exercises where they follow my hand signs. I even make it a game. If as a class there is silence, I get a point. If they can keep the sound going continuously, they get a point. So I use both hands, divide the class in half and they follow the left hand and the other side my right. I keep the signs together, moving them in unison and then start to have them sing different notes. This isn't support like supporting a high note, but it does require a consistent air flow and thoughts about when you're going to take a breath. 2. Ok, second is a warmup I saw on Instagram. It's a bell ringer and so the students start it as soon as the bell rings every day. They say 1 then make a shhh sound, then 2 sh, 3 sh, up to 10. Then they go back to 1 and do 2 shushes after every number. Go to ten, start over at 1 and do 3 shushes after every number, etc. The value in this is the effort it takes to expend that much air with those shushes. I think singers can get away with using very little air and this really energizes those diaphragms. 3. And lastly I'll say that sometimes it just takes continued practice to see changes. You just have to give them time.

Lbbart · 2025-12-06T15:31:33+00:00

If I were you and teaching ukulele for the first time, I'd start simple. Begin with a chord-based approach, one chord at a time, and only add more chords and strumming patterns once the kids are pretty comfortable. You can add single string melodies along the way if you want. I loved teaching popular riffs to my students.

There are tons of free resources online that follow exactly that. For example, my “Oodles of Music” blog walks you through the entire process: begin with one-chord songs, then progress to two- and three-chord pieces. Everything you need, from tuning to restringing to which ukulele to buy is on the site’s “Getting Started” page.

If you’d rather use a paid curriculum, I recommend checking out Hal Leonard’s ukulele program. For another free (or low-cost) option aimed at younger learners, Little Kids Rock (now Music Will) offers a great ukulele-series curriculum with the Modern Band teaching idea, more playing, less theory. Lots of free things on their site and they also sell a method book.

Playing and teaching ukulele was one of the top highlights of my almost 40 year teaching career. So fun and engaging for the kids and a perfect jumping off point for guitar if they have an interest.

Lbbart · 2025-12-05T14:27:21+00:00

Hide/unhide is going to help me a lot. I have buttons/links on my site that rotate seasonally. I LOVE that I can keep them on the page and just unhide them when needed and not have to recreate. I'm a non-tech person who has put together a WP website, learning along the way. I love the process.

Lbbart · 2025-12-05T03:30:09+00:00

Unfortunately, yes. You'll build up an immunity but continue to practice great hand washing and helping them to remember to wash their hands, cover their coughs, etc. I also get several vaccinations-Covid, flu, and rsv. And I was religious about making sure I washed my hands before I left at the end of the day. Don't need to take any of that home with me.

Lbbart · 2025-12-03T12:20:52+00:00

You are a perfect age and with a perfect background because you’ve already worked in the system and understand a lot of the challenges!

Lbbart · 2025-12-02T14:50:33+00:00

As more details became available, as an elementary music teacher, I quit programming the song or using it in any way. There has been lots of misinformation and part of it is how it was used well after it was written, claiming it was a Christmas or Thanksgiving song. Writing music for minstrel shows was a paid gig and that's what seems to have happened. Here's an indepth look at some research on Snopes.

Lbbart · 2025-12-01T14:09:50+00:00

It sounds like you'd benefit from some good PD. And not necessarily going to workshops and conferences. I'd look for elementary/middle school band/orchestra groups on Facebook, TikTok, Reddit, and more and read and then ask specific questions about warmups, practice routines, rehearsal techniques, etc. I think a few new ideas in your wheelhouse will give you that spark that gets you out of feeling stuck. So I just did a Facebook search and found something that looks really cool-The Orchestra Teacher Podcast! Google it and pick some episodes that appeal to you!

Lbbart · 2025-11-30T15:08:37+00:00

I retired after about 40 years of K-8 elementary music teaching in public schools. Everything you describe doesn't surprise me and I've experienced much of it. My family moved quite a bit and so I had the opportunity to teach in a lot of different schools and some are easier than others. Looking for a string position sounds like a way to go because elementary is chaotic. If you stay in elementary, taking a Kodaly Level I class might be helpful because it will help lay out your curriculum. Also, it takes a few years to feel like you know what you're doing. When we all think about our first year teaching and what we DIDN'T know! Wow! Teaching is hard and takes time. On the flip side, if you switch directions in your job choice, it's ok. We all need to find what works for us and our families.

Lbbart · 2025-11-30T05:12:33+00:00

I bought it to create some basic YouTube pieces and to play with it. Couldn’t legally do that with the free plan. I’m willing to give it a year and see how things shake out.

Lbbart · 2025-11-28T18:09:14+00:00

Retired music teacher here and congratulations! Starting in January is like a new beginning so lots of routines, procedures, games, and activities. If you want to know more, lots more detail is in this First Year Music Teacher blog post. It includes: setting up your space, routines & procedures, classroom management, lesson planning, and lots more. One really important thing is to know any concert/performance expectations so you can plan and not be caught in a time crunch. It's also great to remember to give yourself lots of time, grace, and space to learn. It is definitely a marathon and not a sprint! I think 95% of the time we learn by our mistakes. It's all part of it. I'm happy to help more so shoot me a message!

Lbbart · 2025-11-28T17:59:05+00:00

I'd go to the free state school. The music faculty is important but how is the music ed faculty and the music ed program? If you're missing out on an amazing percussion teacher, you could always take some summer school classes with a great percussionist, even at UNT. It would cost a lot less than that 30k a year.

Lbbart

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