Songbook

During my practice teaching, I found it useful to have a notebook or compilation of children songs ready at hand. Why? If a teacher was absent in a particular subject, it was my responsibility to take care of the class. To avoid the class in producing noise, I let them sing songs. I wrote the song on the board and I taught it to them with matching actions. Public elementary school students really liked singing songs, especially educational songs. For instance, "Every Single Cell," "There's a Hole," Looby Loo," "It's Our Science Time," and the like. 

It became students favorites when I started introducing songs in Filipino, like:

Mag-isip Isip

Mag-isip isip ng isa, dalawa, tatlo 3X

Sundan niyo ako

Sundan, sundan niyo 3X

Ikaw naman dito.

Ang Ulan

(The class sings the song whenever it rains.)

Kung ang ulan ay parang tsokolate

Oh! Kay sarap ng ulan

Ako'y lalabas at ako'y magnganganga

aaaaaaaaaaa

eeeeeeeeeee

iiiiiiiiiii

ooooooooooo

uuuuuuuuuuu

Oh! Kay sarap ng ulan!

The singing became even more exciting after I started teaching songs in the vernacular, like:

Singko Chikading

(5 Birds)

(A song I often used as a starter in Math.)

Chene singko chikading

Ya para na rama

Ya kay el uno

Kwatro ya lang ya keda

Chikading, chikading, tabula bula 2X

...

Tres ya lang ya keda

...

Dos ya lang ya keda

...

Uno ya lang ya keda

...

Nuway mas ya keda

Chikading, chikading, tabula bula 2X

Alegre Kita

(We are Happy)

Alegre kita aqui

Alegre kita alya

Maskin donde donde

Alegre Kita

(Repeat)

Mobe mobe el mano

Menya menya kadera

Bayla bayla un poco

Des pues bira

La, la, la, la, la

Des pues sinta.

(Repeat from the beginning)

LESSON: A teacher must always be ready and equipped. 

Questions: 

1. What if you ran out of songs? Easy! Search the internet. Look into books. Ask your colleagues. Do professional sharing.

2. I am so tired. I have something else to do. What can I do? That's easy. Ask the class to contribute songs in your class list of songs. I tell you, they will be eager to impart. But, have a reward system for this like giving extra points or using incentive chart. Trust me- I am talking from experience. You will be amazed with children whom you do not expect to contribute, but will donate. 

* The picture is not my property.