[HANASHIR:7571] Re: Music and Spirituality with Teens

[Rglauber <Rglauber...>]

If I were teaching a course on Music and Spirituality with Teens, I would 
make sure to use stories as a way to get the students into a more receptive 
state of mind.  I would have at least one short story per week, and tell it 
near the beginning of class.  Otherwise it seems like there is too great of a 
gulf to try and overcome.  With the right story setting the right mood, I 
believe that everyone (teacher included) would be more open to going deeply 
into the music.

My buddy Jeff Marx (a rabbi in Santa Monica) once told me about a pretty 
high-falutin' gathering of Jewish academics whose mission was to discuss and 
discover the best ways of inculcating spiritual values in the Jewish 
community.  There answer was, in a word, STORIES.  I totally agree.

Additionally, I would get them out of their seats and standing in a tight 
group at some point during each class.  Get some simple percussion going if 
the song can use it, and let them get some ruach going in their lungs.  The 
physical layout of the space you're working in is crucial.  You can't just 
have them sitting far apart, and hope to generate any spiritual juice.  
Logistics are half the battle.  

My two cents,
Rich Glauber



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