We had a fun Stake Primary Music Training in our stake recently. All of our ward Primary Music Leaders came and shared their ideas. I wanted to share the information from that night.
Sing Your Heart Out
Music Leader Training Get-together
“We care so much about you and about the children you are
teaching. Prepare well to bless these little ones. Give it your best
effort. Your influence will - quite literally - affect these children for
eternity. Enjoy the assignment that you have, and discharge it
faithfully. However much we love and admire children, I am certain we
underestimate who and what a child is, and what in the hands of God he or she
may become. May God bless you always in your sacred opportunity to help
save the children of this Church.”
-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Leadership Training Library,
“Supporting the Primary Music Leader”
“We are able to feel and learn very quickly through music...some
spiritual things that we would otherwise learn very slowly.”
-Boyd K. Packer, “The Arts and the Spirit of the Lord,” Ensign,
Aug, 1976, 61
PLANNING MUSIC TIME
Know the Song
Before
you can teach a song effectively, you must know the song yourself. Become
familiar with the words and melody by playing the song on the piano or
listening to the music on the Church music website.
·
Do I know the song well enough to make eye
contact with the children?
Use the Scriptures
Study
the song to learn what message the words convey. Use the scripture references
at the end of the song in your preparation or in teaching the song.
·
Do I connect the doctrine to the words the
children are singing?
Sing, Sing, Sing
Children
learn to sing a song by hearing it sung and by singing it themselves. Spend
more time singing than talking during music time.
·
Do we sing more than we talk or play games?
Capture the Children's Attention
Engage
the children's attention with an object, a picture, a scripture, an experience,
or simply a whisper.
·
Do the attention-getters that I use enhance the
learning experience?
Include Different Learning Styles
Use
a variety of approaches to involve as many of the senses as possible.
Seeing, speaking, moving, and doing, as well as hearing, will help children
better understand and remember the songs.
·
Do I vary my teaching plan to include different
learning styles?
Direct Children's Listening
Ask
questions that will encourage children to listen to the song and help them
understand the gospel message. For example, ask—What? Where? When? Why?—and
state the question in such a way that children can discover the answer as you
sing the song.
·
Do I ask questions that encourage thinking?
Involve the Children
Create
opportunities for children to participate. For example, invite children to
improvise actions, assign small groups to sing different sections, ask for ideas
to vary the styles of singing, or give them a picture or object to hold to
remind them of the words to a song.
·
Do I use activities that involve all of the
children rather than a few?
Bear Testimony
Bear
your personal testimony or read testimonies recorded in the scriptures. As
children hear the testimonies of others, they will be strengthened.
·
Do I bear brief testimony of the doctrine taught
in the song?
Reverence Ideas
Bubbles
in cheeks (Junior Primary)
To
fold arms with choices (jets
or fish, in
lap or on chest)
Stand
up/Sit down
Proximity
Control
“If
you can hear me ______.”
“To
Catch a Butterfly”
Positive Reinforcement - “I” statements
- “I’m
looking for…”
- beautiful
eyes
- big
smiles
- chins
up
- mouths
moving to sing
- “I
noticed…”
- Include
specifics
- Whole
group, class, or individuals
- Use
a variety
- Praise
around
- “I
give ______ to those who ______”
- thumbs
up, smile.
- winks,
look at me.
- pats
on the back, sit up straight.
- Silent cheers
Old Reliable!
(Games for THOSE weeks)
From The Barefoot Chorister, Stacy
Sanchez
1. Hide
the Note/Hot and Cold
2. Name that Tune (Notes, humming, rhythm, etc)
3. Stump the Chorister
4. Pop the Balloon
5. Skittles Challenge
6. Who's Missing
7. Something's Different, Sister ________
8. Swat Team
9. 4
Corners
Choose and Review games
From Kathleen Mower
http://thechildrensing.blogspot.com
1. Everyone who…
2. Three
in a Row
3. Scrambled
Word Puzzle
4. People in the Scriptures Made Good Choices
5. I Spy With My Little Eye
Roll ‘em and Blow “em
Cut the
Bishop’s tie
Roll/Spin Mix
‘n’ Match - Fun Ways to Sing
Battleship
Children can put their arm into the elephant's trunk and practice leading the song. A simpler version could be an apple with a worm sticking out of it (if you don't want to try drawing an elephant).
Candyland
Wiggles and Giggles - Children can pick one of these cute things out of the jar and there is a fun song attached that they can sing. Great idea to pull from when you see the kids need a little break and some movement.
Roll the dice to see what style to use while singing the song. Kids love that!
Uno Game to learn a song.
This was a fun idea. One binder contained a copy of the Primary Children's Songbook that she had taken apart and put in sheet protectors. The other binder had the plan for the month. Great way to be organized and what a fun theme.
This was the treat table for our training. Our theme was Sing Your Heart Out since we held it a few weeks before Valentine's Day. Who doesn't love sugar cookies and chocolate?
This was the table of things we gave our music leaders.
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