I'm learning too.

I’ve been busy writing songs for elementary schools. The teachers enjoy hearing the key words for their lessons in a song. The students are shy to sing out loud, but if the song has a good rhythm or movement, the kids love it. The younger the children are, the more action the song requires. I enjoy watching a song evolve with each class. Singing is a great tool for teaching a foreign language. The student may forget the words, but the action or tune will stick in their heads. Eventually, the students will want to sing the song with their classmates and maybe they will sing at home. If the parents hear a song in English…that’s great!!!

I think traditional elementary songs are boring. If I can target a song for a specific lesson, then the song is useful. The Yufuin Education Department has an open mind for new ideas and they want to give the students the best opportunity to learn English in a limited amount of time. Sharing my American culture with the students is a vital part in their understanding of English. It helps them visualize who, what, when, and where to say words and sentences. Teaching is new to me. Learning is something I have done all of my life. Maybe this perspective will be an advantage for the students since I’m trying to learn a foreign language too.   

George