TEFL Adventures!

Have decided to take a 'sabbatical' and teach english abroad for the next few months! We're heading to Central America first (Nicaragua and Costa Rica) to teach and then travel round South America. Combining my love of travel and teaching, kind of realised that this is the time to go.

Thank you to each and every one of my students/schools/songwriting groups who have made my job so worthwhile. Enjoy your musical endeavours, I feel glad to have been a part of your musical journey.

With love,

Amy

'Notivate London' children celebrate their debut song!

This morning we had a 'Notivate London' celebration assembly with the wonderful John Bowman - founder of the Notivate Trust, and heard the debut performance of Sir Francis Drake schools' awesome song! 

So proud of these children! Together they wrote, rehearsed and recorded their song on the theme of 'believe in yourself, never give up'. Lots of discussions were had on how they'd like  the production of the song, who their influences were and what to sing/rap in each section!

Their vocals were recorded at Atomic Studios, South Bermondsey, with thanks to Marcus our sound engineer. 
The song was mixed and mastered by Zoé Beckett for Left Handed Sound - brilliant! 
Here are some photos of their studio day... 

'Believe' by Sir Francis Drake Primary can be found on the website Notivate.org. 
Enjoy!

I'll leave you with a quote I absolutely love on creativity: 

"Why should we all use our creative power? Because there is nothing that makes people so generous, joyful, lively, bold and compassionate" - Brenda Leland

Please comment below and share this article to enable more children to be able to benefit from the brilliant work of Notivate. Thank you!

Three amazing ways that creative encouragement impacts young people

Are you interested in getting the most out of the young people you work with?

It seems to me that there is too much emphasis on criticising a young persons downfalls than to praise their strengths. If we as teachers and parents took more time to reflect on their efforts and explorations then something powerful happens... Our young people would be more likely to grow up to be more grounded, authentic adults. 

What does encouragement mean? 
'The act of giving someone support, encouragement or hope" - Oxford Dictionary

So, how do we encourage the young people we come into contact with?
I wholeheartedly believe that the key to encouragement is getting down to the same level, where a young person can relate to you as an equal. Become childlike in your curiosity towards their learning, ask why, be open to their ideas and then watch how they flourish.

The definition of creativity:
"Creativity is the ability to challenge, question and explore. It involves taking risks, playing with ideas, keeping an open mind and making connections where none are obvious". - Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood

Here are three ways that doing just that can positively impact young people:

1. Increases self esteem - emotions like fear, anxiety, stress and anger narrow focus and hinder concentration while when we create a space filled with encouragement and positive affirmations, their emotions will immediately switch to feeling more calm, relaxed and able to comfortably take on the task at hand.

2. Gives the confidence to take risks - when young people feel valued and acknowledged, it gives them confidence to try new things with the assurance that they haven't 'got it wrong'. This is a massive factor in cultivating creativity.

3. Builds on a sense of challenge - when a young person is gently challenged to reach a goal - often something they never saw themselves doing, they feel really empowered. You change the way they perceive their abilities which is a HUGE deal!

To conclude, praise impacts young people in a such a way that they can achieve so much more. Push their limits creatively through being challenged and they have the safe space to be the best they can be with positive feedback and a supportive environment. 

With love,
Amy x

Piano hand double for short film 'The Finest Red'

Had the opportunity to be a hand double in short film 'The Finest Red' by Blacksmith and High Productions. Playing the theme of the psychological thriller on the piano. 

The Finest Red is based on the short story Rouge, written by Aurélie Briand in 2001. This short story places its lead character Loïc as a narrator, thus offering the readers a direct insight into the protagonist’s complicated mind. Briand’s use of graphic and poetic language to convey her story makes way to a rich and complex inner monologue seasoned with astonishing visual descriptions.

Read more on the story here: http://thefinestred.wix.com/the-finest-red

Songs written on the Young Songwriter Course, Kilve, Somerset

Written by young people on our ' Young Songwriter' course at Kilve Court, Somerset.

Their first song is themed on Kilve Court and what it means to them, the activities you can take part in, describing the surroundings, including beautiful Kilve beach. Some very good singing/lyrics and a rap about the tutors!
All lyrics and music played in/recorded by the participants. We had live guitar parts and each person contributed to a part of the song.

Their second song was influenced by a story told to them by a long standing staff member at Kilve...
It is rumoured that a young lady of 18 had a baby at Kilve Court in the early 1600's, unfortunately a few months after the birth, the baby died. The mother was so distraught she wouldn't believe he was no longer with her, so refused to bury him. She wrapped him in swaddling bands and sat cradling him in a rocking chair.

There is a door on the first floor of Kilve with no handle, no way to get in. It is said her and the baby are in the room behind the door.
She can be heard late at night singing haunting lullabies to her baby, willing him to wake up...
The students had lots of fun coming up with their song based on this story, a chilling lullaby, tick tock of the clock and some eerie spoken word. Finished with a door slam.

Scroll down to listen to the song and a few photos of them in action...

How does music help children with special educational needs?

Music is universal and should be made accessible to every child, regardless of disability. Children with special needs find it hard to communicate and relate to others, so learning an instrument or being encouraged to sing gives them an alternative way to connect with others. For instance, ‘improvising’ or making up tunes with another person on a piano is similar to the back and forth nature of social interaction.

Singing promotes learning in children. It improves their sense of rhythm, motivates and empowers them and provides comfort. Repetition and familiarity are strong latches for children, and especially for children with learning disabilities because they find it harder to undertake every day tasks.   

For instance, an autistic child will find it hard to communicate or relate to other people on a day-to-day basis. Learning an instrument can give them a focus, a creative outlet and a way to express themselves.  It may also give them something in common with someone that they are finding it difficult to relate to.

Getting to know nursery rhymes and lullabies from a very early age are important. It gives children with special needs a sense of belonging and well being. This can help them participate in a class with other children and can prevent them from feeling alienated.

Each time a child finishes a creative project; it gives a strong sense of achievement, taking pride in their new skill by playing or singing to family and friends. For a child with special needs, the therapeutic benefits are much more prominent. Music therapy is a popular way of breaking down boundaries and overcoming difficulties for children with special needs; it helps to improve speech, cognitive development and communication. For example, it develops the creative right side of the brain, which can contribute to a child’s ability to develop creatively in other areas of their life.

As seen above, there are many benefits to learning through music. Ultimately, music is a positive influence for children; it encourages a sense of fun and can be an enjoyable way to for a child to develop personally and socially.