[HANASHIR:4599] Re: 6th and 7th graders

[Meris Ruzow <meris...>]

It's really hard to start off with 6th graders when you haven't had them as
1st or 2nd graders...... very tough.   However, it sounds like your 7th
grade is making up for it.   I would ask the principal if you could combine
both grades.   You could tell the older kids how much you need them to be
role models and hopefully the younger ones would want to emulate them.
maybe there are instrumentalists in the 6th grade.   Ever think about
forming a klezmer band?  If you have one decent trumpet player, a violinist,
maybe a sax, trombone , a clarinet and some percussion you've got it made.
Of course that would be extra.   But getting back to the other stuff, don't
give up on the 6th grade.   If you can't combine the classes, try games like
"Name that Tune," or do a singdown.    Don't give up.  Good luck.   Maybe
soon we'll get that list of "Top 10 songs to sing with 6-7th grades" and
we'll all have lots of "ammunition."  Take care,
meris
-----Original Message-----
From: Emworobey (at) aol(dot)com <Emworobey (at) aol(dot)com>
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Sunday, December 12, 1999 2:46 PM
Subject: [HANASHIR:4594] Re: 6th and 7th graders


>Beth, and others who have been successful with this age group, please do
>share any specific songs or techniques that work for you.  I had two
>completely opposite extremes today with my 6th graders and 7th graders.  My
>first class this morning was with the 6th grade and I felt like I was at a
>funeral.  I tried very hard to infuse some ruach but nothing I did worked.
>This particular group does not enjoy singing at all (can you imagine?!)
They
>were the same way when they were 5th graders and I'm told that they were
this
>way in the earlier grades as well, although I haven't observed this first
>hand because this is only my second year at this school.
>
>At the opposite end of the spectrum, is our 7th graders who I worked with
>later in the day.  There are several very musical students in this class.
>Most of the kids either play an instrument or have sung in the youth choir
>(grades 3-6) in the past.  Two of the girls played their flutes today at
>B'Yachad (weekly assembly/snack time) - Maoz Tzur in two parts.  They were
>wonderful so I encouraged them to play another song or two during music
>class.  When they were playing, the other students listened quietly and
>respectfully.  When we sang songs together some of the students asked if
they
>could stand in front of the class with me and help lead because they had
sung
>an arrangement of it in the choir (e.g. Shalom Rav) or had sung the song at
>their own Bat Mitzvah (Lechi Lach, for example).   The more they got
>involved, the more they seemed to enjoy themselves.   This is an age when
>most kids are self conscious and not at all comfortable getting up in front
>of their peers so that's why I think it's so important to encourage them
when
>they show that they want to take a leadership role.  I guess it's the luck
of
>the draw to a certain extent, but there has to be a way to break through to
>classes like my 6th grade.  I'm thinking that maybe I should combine the
6th
>and 7th grade classes so that the 6th graders are able to learn from their
>'older' peers that music can be fun. This could also backfire if I'm not
>careful and the 6th graders could end up bringing down the 7th graders.
What
>are your thoughts?  Any insights you can share will be most appreciated.
>
>Emily Worobey
>
>
>

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