Dear teachers, parents, educators and friends
Welcome to School Songs!
We are here to provide you with a wide range of traditional songs, rhymes, poems and tongue twisters to enliven your lessons. We believe that a certain kind of magic is hidden in these treasures from the past, both musically and linguistically. By learning these songs through the resources we offer, you can bring an extra layer of delight to your lessons as well as accessing a deeper appreciation of the English language and culture.
As a native English speaking teacher, I noticed that much of the repertoire I was using in my lower and middle school lessons came from my own childhood. I realised what an incredible advantage it was not to have to learn all the nursery rhymes by heart because they were already deeply embedded in my memory. I wondered where non-native speaking teachers went to learn the songs if, for example, they couldn't go to regular in-person teacher training conferences. Obviously, they would look online, I thought. So, I looked to see what I would find if I put “nursery rhymes” into a YouTube search. I was appalled by what popped up: videos that were cheaply produced for mass consumption, aimed at hooking children with their bright colours, primitive animation and tinny sounding arrangements. This is not what teachers (nor children) need, I thought! That's when it came to me that I, as a musician as well as a teacher, could record my own versions of the nursery rhymes and make them available to other teachers. So the idea for School Songs was born!
Our wish, here at School Songs, is that through access to the resources we offer, you will be able to discover the magic of these well-worn songs and engage the children you work with in joyful learning.
Warm Regards,
Alex