[HANASHIR:12646] Re: top 10 kids' favorite songs

[Meris Ruzow <meris...>]

Steve - Yes a great thread.   I like to use songs that: #1 above and
beyond everything - have the content that you're trying to integrate
into your teaching; whether it fits into a parasha or a holiday; or
maybe a family ed program;  #2 it's got to be immediately pleasing to
the ear and harmonically interesting.  I mean I don't think something
would grab us as teachers, OR our kids if it wasn't well written.   And
then there's the age appropriate stuff - I've got a 5th grade that
learned Craig Taubman's "Master of All Things" 2 years ago as 3rd
graders.   As Gd is my witness, they STILL ask for that almost every
week as their warm up.  Yikes!  But you know what, it still energizes me
too - between the song and their spirit it still works (and so does your
Bayom Hahu!)  Ever wonder why a Shlomo Carlebach nigun always works?
What about the cool middle-eastern stuff?   It's well written; whether
the melodies are haunting, in different modes than we're used to - it's
intelligent; interesting rhythms.   I guess someone could actually do a
dissertation on this subject!  Let's keep it going!
Meris 
 
Meris (at) nycap(dot)rr(dot)com
 
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
shamash(dot)org] On
Behalf Of Ketzev2 (at) aol(dot)com
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2002 6:32 PM
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
Subject: [HANASHIR:12645] Re: top 10 kids' favorite songs
 
Fascinating thread...

I find it interesting to hear all the different suggestions. Somehow I
wonder how we determine what a "favorite" is. Are these song(s) that we,
the teachers are most enamored with (an aspect that I know exists in our
own teaching at our shul), or is it truly the kids responses to the
songs? As I learn new tunes for the kids, I find that MY favorite often
will become THEIR favorite, if the song is taught well and with a lot of
enthusiasm, especially if they think the song is "cool."

Of course the entire process is slightly skewed by our own individual
musical tastes. That counts for a lot. Open mindedness and a lot of
listening to all kinds of Jewish music CD's continues to evolve my
school's Favorite list. 

I'll check with my kids, and get back to y'all.

Shabbat Shalom,
-Steve Dropkin
Birmingham, Alabama