[HANASHIR:4616] 9-12 year olds and singing

[Susan Schanerman <sschanerman.dvh...>]

I struggled with the 5th-6th grade kids big time my first year teaching
Sunday school music.  Then, I formed a children's choir (for the totally
selfish reason that I wanted to spend 45 minutes once a week with kids
who really wanted to sing) and some of those kids (and younger ones)
joined.  I started to notice (the following year) that more kids were
singing and that the choir kids were taking a really positive role
during their Sunday school music sessions.  And as my choir kids have
aged (and this includes those who've dropped out of choir) they continue
to be singing leaders during music.  It really helps and seems to
encourage the quieter and less-interested kids to sing more.

The most important thing I'm learning (and this isn't easy) is not to
take it personally.  The fact that the same songs bomb with one 6th
grade group and wow the second 6th grade group has convinced me that
group dynamics are almost as important as what I'm doing.  If your class
leaders aren't into it, it's much harder to make it work.  And that's
o.k.

Susan Schanerman
Phoenix

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