I learned something about chants when presenting on Thursday:
Chants are there, but they are hiding in the circling and in the general discussion. So, every once in a while, take any sentence that you are circling and kind of slow down and taste it, like you would taste a wine. Explore the sound there, audibly or sublingually or just in your head. The sound may have some potentional to become a chant or a kind of song.
It’s o.k. to stop teaching and do that. Silence is good. In those moments, previous meaning will drop down into your students’ deeper minds. We never pause enough in our pacing enough anyway – we should be doing that as per https://benslavic.com/blog/2010/03/10/handel-and-the-ventures-reprise/
If you choose to explore the sound openly by messing around with the syllables and all like that, the kids won’t care – they already know that you are a little crazy. And they need the reps. Maybe toss an entire little tune onto what you are saying, making it into a ditty. Ditties rock.
If you sense a rhythm or something that has musical potential in the taste of this wine made from words, go for it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Surprisingly, the kids will go there with you more than you think. And if they don’t, who cares? At least you’re not talking about object pronouns.
CI and the Research (cont.)
Admins don’t actually read the research. They don’t have time. If or when they do read it, they do not really grasp it. How could
1 thought on “Chanting Made Easy”
oh yes, the point of students seeing teachers think and pause and reflect and tell the students what they are doing. I saw that session on Thurs. It was intense.
If we are a place of learning, students need to see us vulnerable to the learning process. Searching for the syllables and the fit to the music or chant is perfect. Babies and toddlers learn through experience and exploration, after that they move to experimentation. Exhibiting those basic learning skills is what I call Exploriment! It is important.
And if trust with your students is what you are trying to build, nothing will do that better than them seeing you real–searching for the right thing to express yourself and your ideas. Each of them struggle with that everyday.