(Posted by Nagappa Lamani)
‘I know an old lady who swallowed a fly, I don’t know why she swallowed a fly, perhaps she’ll die’.
The notes and the tunes of guitar went so smoothly that there was complete peace in the classroom. Initially, they were all very quiet and listening to the song and the guitar being played. They did not sing, because it was probably something new for them and they were not familiar with that poem. But the guitar playing put them into the world of music.
I could see them respond to the music. They were tapping their hands on their laps and snapping their fingers and shaking their heads. The children were amazed and happy to have song being sung along with the music. They all had a copy of the poem in their note books which even made them participate in the poem. It was a merry singing and a happy poem.
The poem had a rhythm and the pattern in which the lady goes on swallowing many different things, each as a follow up to the previous. Children were curious and followed the pattern. “Why did she swallow a bird?” And we sung! “She swallowed a bird to catch the spider; that wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her. She swallowed the spider to catch the fly, I don’t know why she swallowed a fly, perhaps she’ll die!”
And the tempo kept increasing which was fun for the kids to follow; and they did so with much giggling and laughing.
It seems like some where or the other the children are connected to the music. Their excitement towards music and interest is so much that their happiness and smile that comes from it cannot be taken away.
The poetry and music week was wonderful week for the children. It added a new note to their environment. It plays an active role for the child to participate along with the teacher and it makes up one movement where in teacher and the child actively participate together.
And the week ended on a very good note!