Author: wgadmin

Philosophy for Children (P4C), or some variation of it, is practised in over 60 countries around the world and has a history stretching back over 40 years. The underlying principle is for children and young people to experience rational and reasonable dialogue about things that matter to them and their teachers. All participants work together in a ‘community of enquiry’. The aim for each child is not to win an argument but to become clearer, more accurate, less self-contradictory and more aware of other arguments and values before reaching a conclusion.
From the P4C website

The class sit down on chairs in a large circle.

Continue reading “Yr6_P4C_Vacuum Theory”

The class of thirty pour into the room and quickly take up their positions two-to-a-keyboard sat cross-legged on the ground. It’s 9.30 and there is an air of expectancy. Any teacher would recognise that this is a class ready for action! There is a brief moment of fuss because two children have decided to sit with different partners. This is quickly rectified and we’re ready to go.

Continue reading “Year 5-Keyboards-Intense Focus!”

I can hear the first class of the day approaching. It is a Year 3 class. Now they are lined up outside the Music Room. A boy at the front of the line is singing Kye Kye Kule to me, it’s a call and response song that we sing in the weekly Singing Assembly. Once the children are sat down I pick up a copy of the class register. After singing ‘Hello Everyone’ to the whole class a couple of times I choose a name and sing to that individual child.

Continue reading “Yr3_Pease Pudding and Saveloy”

Reception
Spring Term
Week 11
What a Difference a Day Makes
The class who are coming through the door on this Thursday morning usually have a music lesson at 9.30 on a Monday. However, at the start of this week I was out of school with ninety Year 4 children at a Singing Workshop in Bow School, our local secondary, led by the Apollo 5 vocal group.
We begin by marching around the room selling Hot Cross Buns.

Continue reading “Reception_What a Difference a Day Makes”

27.02.17
The class have hardly sat down and I am clapping the rhythm of ‘Lil’ Liza Jane’. By the end of the song the class is singing along. This particular class are very keen singers. I write a simple rhythm (ta ti-ti ti-ti ta) and ask the class to clap it. I am moving along very quickly at this point and many don’t do it. I ask them to do it again. Once they’ve done it I tell them we are going to clap it as an ostinato. Someone asks “What’s an ostinato?” I repeat the question in mock horror and ask another pupil to answer.

Continue reading “Yr5_We Are Musicians”

This week all the music lessons are based on the ‘Philosophy for Children’ model (P4C). On the website www.philosophy4children.co.uk it is stated that “Philosophy for Children (enquiry based learning) offers a way to open up children’s learning through enquiry and the exploration of ideas. Children learn that their ideas have value, and that the ideas of other children have value too. Through Philosophy for Children they realise that they don’t always have to be right, but they gain the confidence to ask questions and learn through discussion.”

Continue reading “Yr6_Master of Puppets”

The Year 1 class enter the Music Room and sit down in front of me very quietly. I think about possibly talking to them about something or other just to break the ice. In the end I just hum a simple little two-note melody. They hum it back. I vary it a few times and it works as a little warm-up.
I tell them that I’m going to sing ‘Hello Everyone’ three times. I explain that it might be high pitched, low pitched or in the middle. As I say this I encourage them all to show these different pitches by holding a hand up high or in front of their chest or down near the ground for low pitch. Continue reading “Yr1_First The Experience Then The Concept”