tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12281730745296497012024-03-13T01:31:00.475-07:00Music for Special KidsMusic, Activities, Instruments and Ideas to use with all Special Children!pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-34027751400966256112017-05-20T20:39:00.001-07:002017-05-20T20:41:28.934-07:00Need Some New "Tunes" for your Classroom or your Little Ones?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b>Need some new "tunes" for your classroom or your little ones? Be sure to check these out.</b></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I9k0KyFiecA/WSEJWuXeMZI/AAAAAAAABE4/Xm3mE2UzK9UaJtrp4V2J2zd6svqmr023gCLcB/s1600/Tunes%2Bfor%2BMoving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I9k0KyFiecA/WSEJWuXeMZI/AAAAAAAABE4/Xm3mE2UzK9UaJtrp4V2J2zd6svqmr023gCLcB/s320/Tunes%2Bfor%2BMoving.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="https://pamelaott.bandcamp.com/album/tunes-for-moving">Tunes for Moving</a><br /></b><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BSsa30X4P0g/WSEJfJYqi7I/AAAAAAAABE8/nY0-rWAU3F46dJ7XJfWUnySvvBOuJea4ACLcB/s1600/Tunes%2Bfor%2BSinging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BSsa30X4P0g/WSEJfJYqi7I/AAAAAAAABE8/nY0-rWAU3F46dJ7XJfWUnySvvBOuJea4ACLcB/s320/Tunes%2Bfor%2BSinging.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="https://pamelaott.bandcamp.com/album/tunes-for-singing">Tunes for Singing</a><br /></b><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rj3oqtOvmGM/WSEJ0h_AZvI/AAAAAAAABFA/TozOkAVFDJUTdqMASJvrMRL5nSFzvoFEwCLcB/s1600/Tunes%2Bfor%2BRelaxation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rj3oqtOvmGM/WSEJ0h_AZvI/AAAAAAAABFA/TozOkAVFDJUTdqMASJvrMRL5nSFzvoFEwCLcB/s320/Tunes%2Bfor%2BRelaxation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://pamelaott.bandcamp.com/album/tunes-for-relaxation"><b>Tunes for Relaxation</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FLzknKTT5Rw/WSEKKf4CIDI/AAAAAAAABFE/U5YFUe5Fuc0r4CNYBFQgnG58b3xt9FkPwCLcB/s1600/Tunes%2Bfor%2BActivity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FLzknKTT5Rw/WSEKKf4CIDI/AAAAAAAABFE/U5YFUe5Fuc0r4CNYBFQgnG58b3xt9FkPwCLcB/s320/Tunes%2Bfor%2BActivity.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://pamelaott.bandcamp.com/album/tunes-for-activity"><b>Tunes for Activity</b></a></div>
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<b>You can find them on <a href="https://pamelaott.bandcamp.com/">Bandcamp</a> and can purchase songs individually or as an album. Download them digitally! Time to get dancing!</b></div>
pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-29363376731509622982012-05-09T18:21:00.000-07:002012-05-09T18:24:04.046-07:00Love U So<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Mother's Day is right around the corner and is there anything better than hearing, "Mommy, I Love You?"</b> </div>
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<b>I wrote this song years ago after my son, who was 3 at the time, crawled in my lap and said "I Love You" for the first time. At first I thought he must have done something wrong!</b></div>
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<b>When I went to record it, I thought it would be cool to have my daughter, who was 7 at the time do the vocals. I think she did a great job - but of course, I'm a bit biased!</b></div>
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<b>So...enjoy the video and music. If you'd like to download the song to use with your kids or in your classroom, you can find it here: <a href="http://pamelaott.bandcamp.com/track/love-u-so">Love U So</a></b></div>
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<b>Oh - and Happy Mother's Day!!</b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4G0E0wY3UZA" width="420"></iframe>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-66974429368165581502012-05-04T22:39:00.001-07:002012-05-04T22:48:35.579-07:00Pamela Ott Interview on The Music Therapy Show with Janice Lindstrom<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">In case you missed my interview today on The Music Therapy Show with Janice Lindstrom and would still like to check it out, you can hear it via this link.</span></b></div>
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Listen to <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/">internet radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mtshow">Janice Lindstrom</a> on Blog Talk Radio</div>
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<b>And in case you'd also like to check out any of my resources mentioned on the show, you can find them using these links!</b></div>
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<a href="http://pamelaott.bandcamp.com/"><b>Pamela Ott - Music for Activity, Music for Singing, Music for Movement, Music for Relaxation or Shhh... </b></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_2036863998">Music For Special Kids Facebook</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/musicforspecialkids"> Page</a></b></div>
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<a href="http://funandfunction.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=going+on+a+train&x=15&y=9"><b>Going On a Train Book and CD</b></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/p/activity-downloads.html">Piano by Color Book </a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849058582">Music For Special Kids - Musical Activities, Songs, Instruments and Resources published by Jessica Kinglsey Publishing</a></b></div>
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Also available on Amazon:
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=musforspekid-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=184905858X" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-47061151747291125262012-05-03T11:39:00.000-07:002012-05-04T22:20:22.982-07:00The Music Therapy Show with Janice Lindstrom<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Tomorrow I will be a guest on The Music Therapy Show with Janice Lindstrom. She's invited me on the show to talk about the release of my book entitled</span></b><span id="btAsinTitle"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> Music for Special Kids: Musical Activities, Songs, Instruments and Resources published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.</span></b></span></div>
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<span id="btAsinTitle" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">If you would like to listen to the show, you can hear it via this link: </span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jharrismtbc">http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jharrismtbc</a>
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<span id="btAsinTitle"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you would like to phone in with a question, call</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(646) 652-2850.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">T</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">he show starts at 12:00 noon Eastern time, Friday, May 4. </span></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R3p2d2R13xU/Ta38IkW4yjI/AAAAAAAAA50/YUmqOFqKCVs/s1600/Book+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R3p2d2R13xU/Ta38IkW4yjI/AAAAAAAAA50/YUmqOFqKCVs/s320/Book+cover.jpg" width="264" /></a></div>
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</div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-41286951950325281822012-05-03T11:04:00.000-07:002012-05-03T11:04:58.152-07:00Give Yourself a Hug<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Need a hug? Who doesn't? Here's a song I wrote many years ago that's great for self affirmation and a fun circle time song. Have your children help you think up actions for extra verses. Be good to yourself today and "Give Yourself a Hug"!</b></span></div>
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<br />pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-3244391264401501412011-09-22T14:53:00.000-07:002011-09-22T14:54:02.246-07:00Fall, really?<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh my gosh! Where did the summer go? It seems we were just singing about warm weather, swimming and all the fun activities that summer brings. The kids are back in school and the leaves are starting to turn!
I was looking for some new ideas for Fall activities and ran across the DLTK website, which is chock full of activities, games, recipes, poems and even a few songs. I'll be posting some new musical activity ideas for Fall in the next month, but in the mean time you should check out this web page: http://www.dltk-holidays.com/fall/index.html </span></div>
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http://www.teacherfiles.com/clip_art_autumn.htm </div>
pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-52534518149701448922011-07-21T10:25:00.000-07:002011-07-21T10:25:56.325-07:00Where is Fred? Song for Communication Skills by Meghan Callaghan<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today's wonderful post and video entitled "Where is Fred?" was provided by Music for Special Kids guest blogger Meghan Callaghan. Meghan is a Board Certified Music Therapist and the Director of Music Therapy Services at Flagstaff Music Therapy in Flagstaff, Arizona. Get more information on Flagstaff Music Therapy through her website:</span><a href="http://www.flagstaffmusictherapy.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.flagstaffmusictherapy.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />or her Facebook page:</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Flagstaff-Music-Therapy/194503357241547"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Flagstaff-Music-Therapy/194503357241547</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>“Where is Fred?” Song for Communication Skills</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For those of you who work on speech and communication goals with young children, here is a great resource to add to your bag of tricks! I wrote this simple song to help support skills such as learning prepositions, turn taking, articulation, and using descriptive language. This activity a hit with little ones, it’s very fun and playful and keeps their attention time after time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I use a wooden frog rasp as a prop. Between each verse, the therapist or teacher hides the frog. The child searches for the frog as the first two lines are sung. After singing, “Where is Fred?” the child has the opportunity to respond, and the therapist can help cue or re-direct the child if needed. The verse finishes with everyone singing together “Fred is under the drum” (for example).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>“Where is Fred?”</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Funny Fred the funny frog</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Funny Fred is </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">hiding</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where is Fred?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(spoken response)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fred is ___________________________ . </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">©Meghan Callaghan</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Adapt it!</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Use pictures or small stuffed animals instead of a wooden frog rasp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can change the animals name if working on particular articulation goals (for example: “Silly Sara the silly snake” or “Jumping Jim the jumping cat.”)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take turns hiding the prop with the child.</span><br />
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pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-71601462373044946232011-07-20T10:03:00.000-07:002011-07-20T12:06:22.517-07:00Music For Special Kids Review<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>A review of my book "Music for Special Kids" from the Autism Society of Michigan.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It has often been discovered that when you say something to a child with autism, he won't respond, but if you <u>sing</u> to him, he will, and it could be that he's using a different brain pathway than for language. Music is one of the best ways to reach children with autism and other disabilities and Pamela Ott's book <u>Music for Special Kids: Musical Activities, Songs, Instruments and Resources</u> is a delightful treasure trove of ideas for ways to use music in the classroom and at home with children with learning challenges, such as ADHD and children on the autism spectrum. The author starts out with a short chapter on how to use the book, since this is not a book about music therapy and this is geared towards teachers and parents, not professionals. Then, after the Introduction, she starts out with singing, including different kinds of songs, such as Hello Songs and Call and Response Songs. For each song, she shows the words for each song and suggests ways that it can be changed, for variety and to increase the child's learning experience. She also shows examples of song cards that have pictures to go with some songs, such as the Wheels on the Bus, to stimulate interaction to help students with making choices. This is a neat way to add visual input to songs, especially for kids with ASD, who are often visually oriented. There is a section about various instruments, including handbells, keyboards, Gathering drums and glockenspiels, along with activities that often include the use of color for matching keyboard keys to different colors and notes and for matching colored handbells to their corresponding colors and playing the handbell with that color. Each exercise describes the set of skills that activity purports to teach, along with instructions and illustrations of that activity. The illustrations are black and white, even thought the author heavily promotes the use of color, but black and white illustrations may be clearer and easier to see. The instructions are easy to understand, which is a real boon to teachers who don't have the time to look up obscure terms. I like how the sections are divided by instrument, so a teacher can find activities for drums or for the xylophone (included with the glockenspiel in that section). There is also a section for activities using rhythm, which is not only a part of music, but of everyday life as well! Nothing about the benefits and wonders of music is left unsaid here and there is even a chapter on using music to help kids identify feelings in themselves and others, that includes having kids adapt the song "If You're Happy and You Know It" to other emotions such as being angry or sad and they have to move accordingly. There is also a chapter on teaching concepts of music, such as rhythm and making the staff with the various notes. I applaud the author for writing this book - schools need to include music! Not only do I value what the author is doing for kids with special needs though the use of music, I love, love, love the gorgeous cover design with the colorful twisting musical note!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><a href="http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849058582">Click Here</a></strong></span> to order your copy of Music for Special Kids: Musical Activities, Songs, Instruments and Resources</span></div>
pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-9354515396327063642011-05-11T21:08:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:27:51.429-07:00Song Games<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chapter 2 of "Music for Special Kids" highlights fun song games that can be played with one child or a group of children. Song games are defined as games that make use of a predetermined musical component, such as melody or rhythm or a known song.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">One song game that I use quite frequently is based on the song Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. It's a terrific song to use to increase attending skills, participation and the ability to make a change in routine. You can find the directions for this song game here: <a href="http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/search/label/Head%20Shoulders%20Knees%20and%20Toes">http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/search/label/Head%20Shoulders%20Knees%20and%20Toes</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Other song games highlighted in the book are:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">What's That Song?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Song Puzzles</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Singing and Sequencing and</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The Sing and Whistle Game</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">To find out more about the Music for Special Kids book go to the Jessica Kingsley Publishers website: <a href="http://jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849058582">http://jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849058582</a></span></div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-84338870464820739832011-04-19T14:15:00.000-07:002011-04-19T14:15:27.619-07:00Music for Special Kids - Now Available!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v671CUY8cxs/Ta33_azWIOI/AAAAAAAAA5c/lW-4weIgpj8/s1600/Book+cover+2+%252825%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244px" i8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v671CUY8cxs/Ta33_azWIOI/AAAAAAAAA5c/lW-4weIgpj8/s320/Book+cover+2+%252825%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am SO excited to announce that after 9 months of writing, editing and waiting, my book Music for Special Kids has been released and is now available for purchase through <a href="http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849058582">Jessica Kingsley Publishers</a>! I'm very happy with how it turned out and hope that it will be a terrific resource for many parents, teachers, caregivers and music therapists!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The 192 page book contains tons of songs, musical activities, instrument activities and resources to augment your use of music with children in the classroom, in therapy or at home.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Over the next few days, I'll highlight some of the chapters of the book and what you'll find inside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The first chapter is entitled "Singing" and includes Hello Songs, Omitting Words or Sounds in a Song, Replacing Words With Syllables in Familiar Songs, Nonsense Songs, Call and Response Songs, Songs to Teach Academic Concepts, Adapting Familiar songs, Sing and Read Books and Song Cards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">To find out more, or to order your copy, please go to the Jessica Kingsley Website found here: <a href="http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849058582">http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849058582</a></span></div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-22887280079202485712011-04-06T07:34:00.000-07:002011-04-06T07:34:18.878-07:00Easter Egg Song and Game with Egg Shakers<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I usually don't break out this song until the week before Easter, because it tends to be a real favorite of my kids and they want to play it over and over and over! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I find it's a good song to use to encourage participation and interaction and depending on the presentation, it's a good one to use to encourage taking turns!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I use a set of egg shakers as the eggs - the more colorful they are, the better! I choose someone to be the "hider" and one to be the "finder". The finder closes his eyes and sings the Easter Egg Song (the leader can assist with the singing) while the hider hides the eggs. I encourage children to finish hiding the eggs by the end of the song, giving the hider a framework of time for completion and let's the finder know when to open his eyes. Once the song is over, the finder then begins to search the room for the eggs. Once found, the children can change roles.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">This can be played with a small group or with just a leader and student.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQCoWMxAZ6GrUG68XwRu-_N7lDWOapH78e93twisADwjJfeibWyLWmg4xcbkJVIIiLT6LfSss00bq5oilN28zCCfOY8SB4aWDSd7PqqxOXV6KSLqDrN_7pYqTwo932kU-7cU1IdD7ypkq/s1600/Egg_Shakers%252850%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQCoWMxAZ6GrUG68XwRu-_N7lDWOapH78e93twisADwjJfeibWyLWmg4xcbkJVIIiLT6LfSss00bq5oilN28zCCfOY8SB4aWDSd7PqqxOXV6KSLqDrN_7pYqTwo932kU-7cU1IdD7ypkq/s320/Egg_Shakers%252850%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Easter Egg Song</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">(to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Easter eggs, Easter eggs</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Where are you?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Yellow, red and green and blue</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Hiding here and hiding there,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">On the table and under the chair.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Easter eggs, Easter eggs</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Where are you?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Yellow, red and green and blue.</span></div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-48353012105794172122011-03-23T16:02:00.000-07:002011-03-23T16:02:05.062-07:00Spring Makes Me Sing!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The calendar says Spring - even if it may not look like it outside quite yet. At least we're going in the right direction! I love Spring! I love to hear the birds singing and see all the plants and trees wake up from the long winter. Spring truly does make me want to sing - so, I wrote a very simple song entitled just that - Spring Makes Me Sing! This is an excellent song to sing with the very little ones and to encourage singing, communication skills and interaction with special needs children. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana;">Try substituting other sounds for the la, including ma, ee, ahh, ba, oo, etc.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BE-qXhY8t3A/TYp6fZR7-vI/AAAAAAAAA5I/zChIihJ0poo/s1600/Spring+Makes+Me+Sing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="491" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BE-qXhY8t3A/TYp6fZR7-vI/AAAAAAAAA5I/zChIihJ0poo/s640/Spring+Makes+Me+Sing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NQib0hz8ZFo/TYp6hdrAWxI/AAAAAAAAA5M/1u_yGZlLjRE/s1600/Spring+Makes+Me+Sing+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NQib0hz8ZFo/TYp6hdrAWxI/AAAAAAAAA5M/1u_yGZlLjRE/s640/Spring+Makes+Me+Sing+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Spring!!</span>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-12256335858787418902011-03-13T09:24:00.000-07:002011-04-18T16:29:46.584-07:00St Patrick's Day Children's Songs Part 2<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's a few more songs about Leprechaun's and St. Patrick's Day that you might find useful this week!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.theholidayzone.com/stpat/stsong.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Click here</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> to go to a great page with the following songs from the Holiday Zone:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Five Little Leprechauns</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Leprechaun, Leprechaun</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can't Catch Me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have You Seen a Leprechaun</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How Many Leprechauns?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm a Little Shamrock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Leprechauns Dancing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Leprechauns Are Marching</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">St. Patrick's Day</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nine Little Shamrocks</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All songs are action rhyme's or to familiar tunes.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Another song I've used for St. Patrick's Day is the traditional song <em>Michael Finnegan.</em> I found the sheet music for it on a site called Mamalisa.com.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=em&p=420&c=68">Click here to get the sheet music</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.mamalisa.com/midi/michael_finnegan.mid">Click here to hear the tune</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Mama Lisa has several other interesting Irish songs <a href="http://www.mamalisa.com/?p=417&t=ec&c=68">here</a> that are worth checking out too!</span>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-28167356753531778372011-03-08T11:05:00.000-08:002011-03-08T11:54:31.415-08:00St Patrick's Day Children's Songs Part 1<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Top O' the Mornin' to you! St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner and I have compiled a few St. Patrick's Day, Leprechaun, Shamrock and Irish Songs (or Irish sounding songs) that I have run across or used that you can also use with your little ones!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-RiGeEhEBuBA/TXZp53IH3RI/AAAAAAAAA30/BzzOaZ8Zwoc/s1600/leprechaun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" q6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-RiGeEhEBuBA/TXZp53IH3RI/AAAAAAAAA30/BzzOaZ8Zwoc/s320/leprechaun.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>He Lived Under a Rainbow</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(to the tune of B-I-N-G-O)</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. There was a little leprechaun,</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived under a rainbow.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">R- A - I - N - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">R - A - I - N - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">R - A - I - N - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived under a rainbow.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. There was a little leprechaun,</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived under a rainbow.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - A - I - N - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - A - I - N - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - A - I - N - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived under a rainbow.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. There was a little leprechaun,</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived under a rainbow.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - I - N - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - I - N - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - I - N - 'bow'</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived under a rainbow.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. There was a little leprechaun,</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived under a rainbow.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - clap - N - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - clap - N - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - clap - N - 'bow'</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived under a rainbow.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. There was a little leprechaun,</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived under a rainbow.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - clap - clap - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - clap - clap - 'bow'</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - clap - clap - 'bow'</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">He lived under a rainbow.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. There was a little leprechaun,</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived under a rainbow.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - clap - clap - clap</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - clap - clap - clap</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clap - clap - clap - clap - clap</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived under a rainbow.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dltk-holidays.com/">http://www.dltk-holidays.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>I'm a Little Leprechaun</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(to the tune of I'm a Little Teapot)</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm a little leprechaun d</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ressed in green, </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The tiniest man t</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">hat you have seen. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you ever catch me, so it's told,</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll give you my big pot of gold.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Actions:</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm a little leprechaun</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(hands on hips)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dressed in green, </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(point to shirt)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The tiniest man</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(hold thumb and index finger about an inch apart)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That you have seen. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(point to the other people)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you ever catch me, so it's told,</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(make a motion like you're grabbing at a leprechaun)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll give you my big pot of gold.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(make a motion like you're giving something away)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dltk-holidays.com/">http://www.dltk-holidays.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>The Leprechaun Song</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;"> (to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'm a little leprechaun, leprechaun, leprechaun.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'm a little leprechaun who likes to hide my gold.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">(I) dress in green from head to toe, head to toe, head to toe.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">(I) dress in green from head to toe, I wear green all day long!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">You'll never catch me or my gold, not my gold, not my gold.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">You'll never catch me or my gold, I hide it much too well!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/stpat_songs.html"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/stpat_songs.html</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>St. Patrick's Day Song</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">(to the tune of The Bear Went Over the Mountain )</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We're wearing green for the Irish, we're wearing green for the Irish, we're wearing green for the Irish, on this St. Patrick's Day.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We'll dance a jig for the Irish, we'll dance a jig for the Irish, we'll dance a jig for the Irish, on this St. Patrick's Day. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Me Mither and Fither were Irish, me Mither and Fither were Irish, me Mither and Fither were Irish, and I am Irish too. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We kept a pig in the parlor, we kept a pig in the parlor, we kept a pig in the parlor, and he is Irish too.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/stpat_songs.html">http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/stpat_songs.html</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Have You Ever Seen a Leprechaun?</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">(to the tune of Do You Know the Muffin Man?)</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Have you ever seen a leprechaun, a leprechaun, a leprechaun?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Have you ever seen a leprechaun from Ireland far away?</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Yes, I've seen a leprechaun, a leprechaun, a leprechaun.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Yes, I've seen a leprechaun, I invited him to play!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">And did he stay and play with you, play with you, play with you?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">And did he stay and play with you, or did he run away?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">He didn't stay and play with me, play with me, play with me,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">He didn't stay and play with me, he hid and ran away!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.songs4teachers.com/stpatricksdaysong.pdf">http://www.songs4teachers.com/stpatricksdaysong.pdf</a><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Slán go fóill! (Goodbye for now!)</strong></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-27501041218103110052011-03-07T12:29:00.000-08:002011-03-07T12:31:45.590-08:00Pamela Ott Interview by Jessica Kingsely Publishers<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For any of you interested in reading an interview of me done by Jessica Kingsley Publishers regarding the release of my book (due out this month) "Music for Special Kids - Musical Activities, Songs, Instruments and Resources", you can find it here!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.jkp.com/blog/2011/03/int-pamela-ott-music-for-special-kids/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.jkp.com/blog/2011/03/int-pamela-ott-music-for-special-kids/</span></a></div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-61978138571628244322011-02-25T07:24:00.000-08:002011-02-25T07:24:04.068-08:00Music for Special Kids Book<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tPFmJ7ZmuUc/TWfIloJK8lI/AAAAAAAAA3g/8_Fl_S7kugM/s1600/Pam%2527s+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tPFmJ7ZmuUc/TWfIloJK8lI/AAAAAAAAA3g/8_Fl_S7kugM/s200/Pam%2527s+book.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just got word that my book entitled "Music for Special Kids - Musical Activities, Songs, Instruments and Resources" is going to print today at </span><a href="http://jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849058582"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jessica Kingsley Publishing</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Packed with inspiring tips, activities and song ideas, this practical resource will have everybody singing, clapping and playing along! It explains simple and fun ways of using songs, instruments and musical games to connect with children of all levels of ability, and includes helpful rhythm worksheets and sheet music. There is a wide range of suggestions for songs and activities that encourage communication, increase self-esteem, stimulate fine and gross motor skills and motor coordination, and promote relaxation.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'll be sure to let you know as soon as it's available!</span></div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-74775609644728440562011-02-22T10:22:00.000-08:002011-02-22T10:22:26.618-08:00What's the Weather?<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my neck of the woods, we are still smack dab in the middle of winter and are probably looking at at least a month more of it, but in eager anticipation of an eventual change of weather, I am posting an easy circle time weather song. This one has been in my grab bag of songs for a very long time and I'm not sure where I originally got it. I changed some words to fit my situation and I hopefully you will too!</span></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oqdcLhxu_30/TWP7OM8i1PI/AAAAAAAAA3U/DpXQCuYDPsc/s1600/weather2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" j6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oqdcLhxu_30/TWP7OM8i1PI/AAAAAAAAA3U/DpXQCuYDPsc/s400/weather2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>What's the Weather?</strong> <em>to the tune of Clementine</em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's the weather, what's the weather,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's the weather everyone?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is it snowy, is it rainy,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is it cold or is it warm?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is sunny, it is sunny,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is sunny here today.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look outside and see the sunshine,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is sunny here today!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Other circle time posts that you might enjoy:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Hello Songs: <a href="http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/hello-songs.html">http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/hello-songs.html</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br />
Days of the Week Songs: <a href="http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/singing-and-learning-days-of-week.html">http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/singing-and-learning-days-of-week.html</a> and<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/two-more-days-of-week-songs.html">http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/two-more-days-of-week-songs.html</a><br />
<br />
Months of the Year: <a href="http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/months-of-year-songs-to-familiar-tunes.html">http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/months-of-year-songs-to-familiar-tunes.html</a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Adapting Familiar Songs (Three Little Monkeys): <a href="http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/adapting-familiar-songs.html">http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/adapting-familiar-songs.html</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nonsense songs: <a href="http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/adapting-familiar-songs.html">http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/05/adapting-familiar-songs.html</a></span>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-19101642874763619992011-02-11T19:48:00.000-08:002011-02-11T19:50:14.378-08:00Valentines Day Song<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's an easy Valentines Day song to teach to your kiddos this coming Monday. It's called H-E-A-R-T and it's sung to the tune of BINGO. Happy Valentines Day!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong><u>H-E-A-R-T</u></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is a shape and it means love </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And heart is it's name-o. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">H-E-A-R-T, H-E-A-R-T, H-E-A-R-T, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And heart is it's name-o! </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can sing and play this song the same way as BINGO. Leave out one more letter on each repeat and use a clap in place of the letter. If that is difficult for your child, you might want to write the letters on a white board, crossing off one letter each verse. Practice clapping once fo each letter crossed off before singing the next verse!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F-JCSbv1dpk/TVYB3P2MpzI/AAAAAAAAA3E/vta0Y7YD_48/s1600/HEART.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="108" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F-JCSbv1dpk/TVYB3P2MpzI/AAAAAAAAA3E/vta0Y7YD_48/s400/HEART.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-58565896148833284722011-01-26T08:27:00.000-08:002011-01-26T08:28:47.021-08:00Using Songsheets and Songcards<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love using songsheets and songcards with my clients to increase interaction and to give children who may have difficulty with communication skills an opportunity to make choices during our sessions. I started by making songsheets - 8.5 X 10 inch pages with 6 pictures of familiar songs. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TT-dEb3GsQI/AAAAAAAAA2k/nUrBmTtxgp4/s1600/Songcard+-+full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TT-dEb3GsQI/AAAAAAAAA2k/nUrBmTtxgp4/s400/Songcard+-+full.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once the child is accustomed to the sheets, I like to make individual song cards - 4 X 6 inch cards with one picture of a song on each. These cards can then be shuffled, making it just a little more challenging for the child to find the song of their choice!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TUBKL4dGOwI/AAAAAAAAA2w/9HK3UrdwxVI/s1600/Wheels+on+the+Bus+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TUBKL4dGOwI/AAAAAAAAA2w/9HK3UrdwxVI/s320/Wheels+on+the+Bus+2.jpg" width="289" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add a picture for a song or two that the child may not be familiar with to encourage them to explore a new tune!</span></div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-7723308920272673602011-01-14T09:59:00.000-08:002011-01-14T10:00:19.340-08:00Shoo Fly on Handbells<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had SO many requests for more handbell music following the post "</span><a href="http://www.musicforspecialkids.com/2010/12/we-wish-you-merry-christmas-on.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Merry Christmas on the Handbells</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">", that I thought I'd post another today. As I mentioned in that post, I've used my Kidsplay 8 Note Hand Bell Set many, many times during sessions and continues to be one of my favorite instruments in terms of the variety of objectives that can be worked on using them, such as increasing interaction, increasing attending skills, stimulation of motor skills and decreasing auditory sensitivities.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Amber, a young lady with autism that I had the pleasure of working with LOVED the song Shoo Fly. She would request it EVERY time she came to a session and I began to arrange it on instruments so that she could sing AND play. It took a while for her to coordinate the singing and playing on the handbells, but she was eventually able to do both as I accompanied on the guitar! Fun!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The chords on the music sheet can be used to accompany on piano, guitar, autoharp or Q-chord.</span></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TTCNkHndjVI/AAAAAAAAA2A/mIOvOHlJ9Ug/s1600/shoo+fly+-+bells+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="492" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TTCNkHndjVI/AAAAAAAAA2A/mIOvOHlJ9Ug/s640/shoo+fly+-+bells+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TTCNmnm-ooI/AAAAAAAAA2E/DpxGUY1zW3A/s1600/Shoo+Fly+-+notes+and+chords.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="490" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TTCNmnm-ooI/AAAAAAAAA2E/DpxGUY1zW3A/s640/Shoo+Fly+-+notes+and+chords.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-25790211122061664632011-01-11T14:31:00.000-08:002011-01-11T14:31:11.506-08:00Music Therapy Advocacy<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For all of my readers who are Music Therapists, Music Therapy interns or students, or anyone else interested in the future of Music Therapy as a profession, I am attaching this important article on advocacy by Judy Simpson, MT-BC, Director of Advocacy for the American Music Therapy Association. Learn how you can help music therapy gain State recognition and make it easier for those needing music therapy services to obtain them.Please feel free to comment on this blog or to contact Judy if you have questions on the content of this article.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">In addition, there are also 3 podcasts involved in this project with current or upcoming posts: <a href="http://www.musictherapyresearchblog.com/">Music Therapy Research Blog</a>, <a href="http://www.musictherapyroundtable.com/">Music Therapy Round Table</a>, and the <a href="http://themusictherapyshow.blogspot.com/">Music Therapy Show with Janice Harris</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>You Want ME to Do Government Relations?</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Judy Simpson, MT-BC</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Early in my music therapy career, I was asked to serve on the association’s government relations committee. I declined, as I didn’t think I knew enough about “government relations” to be a strong representative for my region. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No one told me at the time that the skills I had developed as a music therapist were actually very similar to the skills needed for government relations work. I believe, however, that all things happen for a reason and perhaps that experience was designed to help me share these thoughts with you some 20 years later.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is “Government Relations”?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Government Relations” sounds so formal and a little scary, so I think it would be helpful to break it down into something more relatable. When most people hear the word government, it often brings back unpleasant memories of social studies fairs and history exams or creates negative images of politicians and systems with which they don’t agree. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Simply put:</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">• “government” means the direction and management of a group and its activities, while </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">• “relations” means the act of telling through friendly or business interactions. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So “government relations” for music therapists means telling everyone about music therapy, including those people involved with directing and managing the groups to which we belong.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chances Are, You’re Already “Doing” Government Relations.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you think about it, isn’t that something we do everyday? Or at least since we decided to become a music therapist? Answering the expected question, “What’s music therapy?” has prompted every student and clinician to prepare their famous “elevator speech” with variations in mind depending on the audience and the anticipated interaction time. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You know what? I had that elevator speech, LITERALLY, long before I knew that it was a form of government relations. When pushing my music therapy cart onto the elevator at the hospital where I worked, my standard line between floors was, “At St. Mary’s, we have LIVE elevator music,” as I proceeded to play a tune on the guitar. That always prompted a quick discussion about music therapy and the units which received services.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That experience relating to people about music therapy came in handy a few years later, when I found myself presented with the challenge of accessing music therapy services for my daughter diagnosed with autism. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The school offered services with someone trained in music therapy, but who did not have board certification. This situation required more than my elevator speech, but involved the same set of skills as I expanded the information shared, as well as the audience that was listening. After about four months of coordinated communication with association staff, local music therapists, and state agency officials, my daughter was receiving IEP-based music therapy services from a board certified music therapist.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Government Relations = Advocacy = YOU</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every opportunity we have to talk about music therapy, to expand awareness, and to potentially increase access to services is a form of government relations. It’s the work that we do to support our profession and the people who need our services. It’s all about standing up for what you believe to be important and promoting the “cause” of music therapy. It’s ADVOCACY.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the long run, it’s really not hard to do…you are already doing it! As you think about how you can expand your music therapy skills in 2011, consider joining in on the excitement that is advocacy for music therapy. Jump on the bandwagon that is seeking state recognition of the profession and the MT-BC credential. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just follow these simple steps and you’ll discover how easy it is to add “government relations” and “advocacy” experience to your resume!</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1) Attend state meetings. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2) Participate in advocacy trainings during state, regional, and national conferences.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3) Read and respond to State Task Force Emails.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4) Initiate communication with your State Legislators by sending an email to them and telling them about your work as a music therapist in their district.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5) If possible, invite these legislators to visit your employment setting to see music therapy in action.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6) Tell your co-workers and administrators about the American Music Therapy Association’s (AMTA) http://www.musictherapy.org and the Certification Board for Music Therapists’s (CBMT) http://www.cbmt.org national initiative to work with music therapists in your state to improve recognition of music therapy.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7) Maintain AMTA membership and CBMT board certification to insure access to</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">current information, technical support, and resources and to demonstrate commitment to your profession and the provision of quality services.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I look forward to working with you and your colleagues as we “Do Government Relations and Advocacy” for Music Therapy!</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Judy Simpson is the Director of Government Relations for the American Music Therapy Association http://www.musictherapy.org. She can be reached at simpson@musictherapy.org </span></div></div></div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-43258210872988007082011-01-11T13:47:00.000-08:002011-01-11T13:49:21.557-08:00Four Seasons<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">he first day of winter has already passed, but each new year makes me think of our seasons. I wrote this song about the Four Seasons many years ago utilizing a familiar melody for the chorus. You may find it useful as you teach children about the seasons and can be used everytime the season changes! The chords are included so that you can accompany on piano, guitar, autoharp or Q-chord if you wish!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizszhtiCOxjha4e5SwRpPUgJplXOOFDKYpRU4PzTu7SyMI1JvHn-nLFeQ0P3_pZrwlz3DAhGS5tErA3jXrA_j-FLM4Cn_rSgAtCxGVbkvZzkzgQRsNpdrQAgHV8-hSYC2goCdEZjMHCi9b/s1600/Seasons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="491" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizszhtiCOxjha4e5SwRpPUgJplXOOFDKYpRU4PzTu7SyMI1JvHn-nLFeQ0P3_pZrwlz3DAhGS5tErA3jXrA_j-FLM4Cn_rSgAtCxGVbkvZzkzgQRsNpdrQAgHV8-hSYC2goCdEZjMHCi9b/s640/Seasons.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TSzO8__Vd_I/AAAAAAAAA1c/je8gTicQmW8/s1600/Seasons2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TSzO8__Vd_I/AAAAAAAAA1c/je8gTicQmW8/s640/Seasons2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-1800795589470564072010-12-22T18:23:00.000-08:002010-12-22T18:23:33.676-08:00Dance Like Snowflakes - A Winter Song<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We've had a fairly dry winter so far - which I'm thankful about after last year's snowy mess! But, I did look out the window just a few minutes ago to see a few big beautiful flakes beginning to fall and it reminded me of an winter song that I used to sing and dance to with my younger kiddos. It's called "Dance Like Snowflakes" and the author is unknown. It's sung to the tune of Frere Jacques and it's fun to sing, dance around in a circle and pretend to be snowflakes!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TRKyGNzs0yI/AAAAAAAAAxM/NLkbYaDVgTs/s1600/snow%2528a%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TRKyGNzs0yI/AAAAAAAAAxM/NLkbYaDVgTs/s320/snow%2528a%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><strong>Dance Like Snowflakes</strong></u> <span style="font-size: x-small;">to the tune of Frere Jacques</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dance like snowflakes</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dance like snowflakes</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the air, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the air</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whirling, twirling, snowflakes</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whirling, twirling, snowflakes</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here and there</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here and there. </span></div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-6929858974572313942010-12-13T12:40:00.000-08:002010-12-13T12:40:31.480-08:00We Wish you a Merry Christmas on Handbells<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TQZk6goRYkI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/gybwvbFv8aE/s1600/bells+in+case.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TQZk6goRYkI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/gybwvbFv8aE/s320/bells+in+case.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I purchased the Kidsplay 8 Note Hand Bell Set with a case many years ago and have gotten countless hours of use during my sessions with them. I'm going to post more activities that can be done using handbells after the holidays, but for now I'd like to share a Christmas song that can be played on the handbells. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Begin by encouraging the child to choose the bells with the colors on the page below (red, green, orange, light blue, yellow, and dark blue) If the child is able to play all bells notated, place all bells on the table or floor in front of them. If all bells are too challenging, place 1 or 2 in front of the child to begin with. You may play the other bells if you wish.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Practice pointing to the words and encourging the child to ring the correctly colored bell when you speak the word (ie: ring the red bell when you speak "wish"). Once they have mastered the ringing while speaking the words, slowly sing the words while pointing to them and encourage the child to ring the appropriate bell.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">If your child finds this activity easy, you might consider playing a duet with the piano, guitar or Q-chord and bells! (Make sure the piano and guitar are in tune with the bells!)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVbMvEEszKx4b6NT5u94OjYKn0ESBaqf5EFgZcJDLUPXZWwRYIs62sSrx0WQmdXg_IFaBqukccahF11HJKOdPr7ZxC2306WLThy8f_Ai2Ca8TvQNPtmcwHpWTnnLz9T8DKKRSwsCmqRM4/s1600/We+wish+you+-+for+bells.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVbMvEEszKx4b6NT5u94OjYKn0ESBaqf5EFgZcJDLUPXZWwRYIs62sSrx0WQmdXg_IFaBqukccahF11HJKOdPr7ZxC2306WLThy8f_Ai2Ca8TvQNPtmcwHpWTnnLz9T8DKKRSwsCmqRM4/s640/We+wish+you+-+for+bells.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGM1oOdQItaoORdoTTQDpC9EZy8lH7P-LIZBBqdz2AQEWPPyEVOa8hWHiX7J1MJAD3roMn_YPsMCpcb0TFjNwwm0ydS9f2WYGt1O6KNU86_09c9P_FNr_xFqoVXqE4f9C1BtrPX75ZQnD/s1600/We+Wish+You+a+Merry+Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGM1oOdQItaoORdoTTQDpC9EZy8lH7P-LIZBBqdz2AQEWPPyEVOa8hWHiX7J1MJAD3roMn_YPsMCpcb0TFjNwwm0ydS9f2WYGt1O6KNU86_09c9P_FNr_xFqoVXqE4f9C1BtrPX75ZQnD/s640/We+Wish+You+a+Merry+Christmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=musforspekid-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B0002E363C" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=musforspekid-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B0002F5CUQ" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1228173074529649701.post-23526086832072350372010-11-16T14:23:00.000-08:002010-11-16T14:26:16.279-08:00I Am Thankful<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another song that I have used to stimulate interaction with my children is "I Am Thankful". The tune is familiar and I added very easy words. This activity can easily be used with one child or in a group. In a group setting, you might sit in a circle, sing the song and go around the circle letting each child take a turn filling in the blank with what they are thankful for! Give a verbal or singing prompt (ie: my mother, my father, my teacher, my dog, etc.) if a child has difficulty thinking of what to say.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TOMD0CFm7kI/AAAAAAAAAvw/bdLH4LU6M4Q/s1600/I+Am+Thankful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="395" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HXlut-vEyA8/TOMD0CFm7kI/AAAAAAAAAvw/bdLH4LU6M4Q/s640/I+Am+Thankful.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>pamelelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831065582175969232noreply@blogger.com0