[HANASHIR:4642] Re: 6th and 7th graders

[Emworobey <Emworobey...>]

My 6th grade class (the one that acted like they were at a funeral a week 
ago) did a complete 180 degree turn this week.  I attribute it to several 
factors:

Having gathered lots of ideas and insights from you all, I approached the 
class with renewed hope.  I didn't say anything but I think I must have 
projected a different demeanor.  

They were scheduled in the last time slot of the day instead of the first 
(when they aren't fully awake yet).   I think that kids this age aren't 
really awake until after 10 or 11 a.m.

I started with a parody, "Puff the Kosher Dragon" which I am sick to death of 
but several of the boys exclaimed "I LOVE this song" before I got started so 
I thought, "What the heck!"  Actually, it was on the backside of a song sheet 
I had just finished distributing.  I wasn't even planning to do it - I was 
going to do just the stuff on the other side - and frankly, I forgot that it 
was even there.  Well, did these kids sing out without any inhibitions and 
with ruach like you wouldn't believe!  I almost fell over.  From that point 
on, I just tried to keep the momentum going by moving from one song to the 
next, as some of you suggested, with very little pause in between.  I did 
decide to take a risk and teach a song that has become the favorite of K & 1, 
 "Hiney Rakevet."  I thought, "It's either going to be a big hit or it's 
going to bomb and if it bombs I'll try to gracefully move right along".  I 
prefaced it by saying that if they had little brothers or sisters or if they 
ever babysit they can teach it to the little ones and they'll eat it up.  I 
think that made them feel very grown up and receptive to the song.  Anyway, I 
taught it with all the hand motions and Rabbi Black's added verse (chicken 
soup and matzo balls, etc.) and they went nuts.   They got very silly making 
the tooting noises and doing all the hand motions but they loved it!  In 
fact, after singing it completely through, they asked to do it all over 
again.  
  I just hope that I can re-capture the spirit that filled the room.  It was 
a beautiful thing!  I think I would like to try some other parodies.  Can 
anyone suggest any that have been well received by your classes?  Also, I 
think I may also try to teach one or two Israeli dances but I'm not sure 
about the whole hand holding thing.  I don't know if this age group will feel 
comfortable with that so I'll have to contemplate that further.  If any of 
you have had experience with that, please comment!

Thanks,
Emily Worobey

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