Fall 2004 Open House Music Workshop

(notes by Kristen)
 
SONGS OF THE HEART 
Sister Wilson, Sister Lent, Sister Hunter
 
Objective:  
To help music leaders understand how teaching the Primary songs can help lock the gospel principles into the children's hearts.
 
Preparations are so important.  Use pictures and examples.  Keep your primary children in mind as you listen to the words of the Open House.  Think how you can share these ideas with other leaders and family that couldn't be here.  
 
Primary songs carry us through our lives
 
Music can touch our hearts in ways that words only can't.
 
See if you recognize this song - As I Have Loved You.  When you recognize it, place your hand over your heart.  If it's your favorite song, show with your hand your beating heart.
 
See if you can recognize this song - Families Can Be Together Forever.  If this is your favorite song, show me on your fingers, the number of people in your family.
  
They then sang Our Door is Always Open CS, 254b and then they sang, Come with Me to Primary CS, 255.  They then split the room in half and sang the songs together.
 
H - How to Teach a Song 
1.      Know the song - know the words, message, melody 
2.      Sing the Words - don't say the words, sing the song.  Children learn best through listening.  (learn song by rote - hear the song, sing it back) 
3.      Direct children's listening using questions 
4.      Repeat song in a variety of fun ways 
Hymns, 134 "I Believe in Christ"  Watch as the music leader teaches this song by rote method. 
 
One of the sisters stood up and held up a picture of Elder Bruce R. McConkie.  She told us (the "children") who he was.  She then sang the 1st lines of the hymn.  Before she sang the line she asked the children to listen for another name for Jesus in the song.  (King)  She sang the line and then we sang it back.  She then asked the question again and said, let's sing it again and emphasis the word King.  (In order to get them to hold the note out as it is written in the music.)
 
Next, listen for how I'll sing to him.  When you know the answer, place your hand on your heart.  She sang the second line and then had the children repeat her.  She then put both lines together.
 
She then asked the children to listen as she sang the next line.  Does the melody go up or down.  Show with your hand if it goes up or down.  She then had the children sing the third line and asked them to show with their hand as the melody goes up and gets louder.
 
For the fourth line she asked then to listen for words that offer praise or prayers. 
 
She then sang the 3rd and 4th lines together and then had them put all 4 together. 
 
She then asked, if you had written this song, what would you call it?  She then explained that Elder Bruce R. McConkie named it "I Believe in Christ".
 
She then asked us to slump over in our chairs and sing the first line.  How did that sound?  You couldn't breath well and I couldn't see your faces.  You didn't sound like you believed what you were singing.  This time try it sitting properly.  The music says to sing this song fervently.  Let's try to sing it that way.  When I use small arm movements you sing quietly.  When I use big arm movements you sing loud.  See if you can bear your testimony while you sing. 
 
End by bearing your testimony that you believe in Christ.
 
E - Engage the children
Research the songs, interesting history or story to share about the song?
Older children
Scripture to go along with song.  Read the scripture and ask them to decided which song would best go with the scripture.
"Teach Me To Walk in the Light" Children's Songbook, 177 
Count on one hand how many times "teach" is sung, count on the other hand how many times "light" is sung.
 "I Want to Be Reverent" CS, 28a 
 Children learn when engaged in movement. 
"When I Am Baptized" CS, 103 
1st and 2nd lines - Make rainbows with your hands are you sing the song to show how the melody of the song crescendos and then comes back down, just like a rainbow. 
3rd and 4th lines.  Jumping Notes  Pitch lead with your hand to show how the notes "jump" up and down.
 
American Sign Language (ASL)
ASL videos with selected Children's Songbook songs are available through the Distribution Center.
In June 2005 Faith, CS 96 Second Verse is one of those songs that are available in ASL
 
Wiggling and Restlessness
Always keep a wiggle song in the back of your mind that you know well and can sing at a moment's notice. 
 
Slow tempo down for young children.  Difficult for them to sing up to tempo
 
"Sing a Song" CS, 253 and "Lift Up Your Voice and Sing" CS, 252 
Had the back row stand up and be the drum beat for CS, 253.  They moved up and down as the drum.  They had another clap out the beat.  Another group snapped.    The other part of the room sang CS, 252 and they combined both songs.  Basically, they were showing fun ways to wiggle the wiggles out.  It was ok to have fun.  Be sure to sing a reverent song or slow down last line of wiggle song  to restore order after a wiggle break.
 
A -Approved Resources
 "I Will Follow God's Plan"  CS, 164 
They had 4 women come and draw quick, simple pictures of the key words in the song.
Relay - (Pass the baton) 
4 women stood in front of each section of the room.  As the baton was passed to them, their section stood and sang.
 
R - Repeat and Review
"I Will Follow God's Plan" CS, 103
Chorus: 
Helpers each held up a simple prop to represent the lines of the song.  In order the props were: scriptures, a rod to represent the iron rod, a hand rake to represent work, one helper folded their arms like they were praying, another helper walked in place, the next helper held her hands in a circle to represent the Earth and smiled, the final helper held her hand to the sky to represent our home above.
 
"When I Am Baptized" CS, 103
Lead with both a closed hand and an open hand.  When your hand is open they sing, when your hand is closed they stop singing and listen to the music and come back into the song when your hand opens up.  This way, they learn to watch you and they still have to sing the song in their heads to know what words to start singing when your hand opens up again.
 
T - Testify
 Boyd K. Packer "We are able to feel and learn very quickly through music.some spiritual things that we would otherwise learn very slowly." (Teaching No Greater Call, 46)
  
President Harold B. Lee "When we understand more than we know with our minds, when we understand." New Era, Fe. 1971, 2.

 

Other counsel and ideas:
Help the children enjoy music in primary.  Encourage them to use what they've learned with their families in Family Home Evening.
 
You are not just music leaders, you are gospel doctrine teachers.
We are there to teach, not to entertain.