[HANASHIR:16180] Re: Songsheets

[Steve & Audrey Katz <sk42...>]

In my experience as a religious school music teacher, I have found it a great 
hindrance to be limited by "Hebrew Only" with regard to the many holiday songs 
(as well as other wonderful songs) that I teach.

My goal as a music teacher is to teach children in grades K-7 the joy of 
singing Jewish songs.  But with only 20 minutes per class per week, during 
which I also teach the melodies to the Hebrew prayers & blessings that they are 
learning in Hebrew class, I find the restriction on transliteration to be a 
significant interference to teaching the music.  I totally agree about using 
Hebrew while teaching the melodies for the prayers & blessings that the 
children are learning in their Hebrew classes.  But given that there are many 
students with varying abilities in their Hebrew reading, I find it much more 
inclusive and effective to offer both Hebrew and transliteration while a 
student or teacher points to the Hebrew text on the overhead.

After almost 10 years of 'Hebrew Only', I was given the go-ahead just this 
month to offer both Hebrew and transliteration on the overhead for holiday and 
miscellaneous songs.  Watching as carefully as I could, I found many of the 
students (5th through 7th grade) reading the Hebrew anyway. (Hebrew is taught 
beginning in the 4th grade)  However, the students in the slower classes who 
were able to use the transliteration, were suddenly able to keep pace and sing 
right along with the Hebrew readers.  Fast-forward 3 weeks... I was able to 
teach MORE songs in Hebrew than I have in the past... without exception, and 
these students of varying abilities in their Hebrew reading were full of spirit 
(and having FUN) as they sang Chanukah songs in Hebrew.  What a feeling!  I had 
comments from some 6th graders (!) that they had Chanukah Chag Yafe in their 
heads for the next day after school last week!  YES!

I've told the kids that as they become familiar with each song, they should try 
to switch from reading the transliteration to reading the Hebrew.  Most take it 
as a personal challenge and have been telling me at the end of class that "I 
can do it!"  Isn't this the whole point ~ loving to sing our Jewish songs and 
having our kids feeling so good about themselves?  I'd rather they remember the 
songs and the fun they had singing as a unit rather than the frustration of 
trying to keep up and being left out and set apart.

My point:   We ALL learn at different paces.  I know our religious school 
directors go through great pains in matching students with teachers and 
classmates according to ability level.  Shouldn't it follow then, that when 
they all come together in music, all students have an equal advantage as well?  
  I love these kids and I love to sing.  Nothing makes me happier than to see 
the excitement in them when singing Hebrew songs in Hebrew School. Let them 
learn the songs regardless of the language they read it in.  Even adults 
appreciate the transliteration, as I know many parents who don't read Hebrew as 
well as they did in Hebrew school, admittedly, myself included.  For me, I 
obviously still LOVE the songs, SING the songs and embrace the memories of 
having FUN singing with my Jewish classmates.  I didn't love Hebrew school, but 
I loved the songs.   I can't remember my Hebrew teachers but I sure do remember 
my wonderful teacher/songleader. (thanks Janet T.M. !)  This Jewish music gave 
me the connection I needed and is the one major element that made a difference 
in my being a Jew.  I know I am not alone in this. 

Therefore, we need to remember that even as important as the journey is, many 
different (transliteration & Hebrew) roads can ALL lead to the same place 
(Jewish children singing lots of Hebrew songs and LOVING it)... and WE have the 
ability to direct them onto the ones they will be most likely to continue on 
long after they leave us!  

Shabbat Shalom!

Audrey Katz

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: QuelliPG (at) aol(dot)com 
  To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org 
  Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 11:11 PM
  Subject: [HANASHIR:16160] Re: Songsheets


  of course you should have the Hebrew text!  how else will your students ever 
learn to read Hebrew?  I'd leave off the transliteration!