I adore Latin music. It’s all about love, and heat, and emotion. Like country, minus the heat part. Los Rebuitos “Bonito Final”. Lo Nuestro “Fondo Flamenco”. Alejandro Sanz “Nuestro Amor Sera Leyenda”. Miguel Bose “Estuve a Pundo”. Much of the time I can’t understand the words. It’s hard enough trying to understand an Andalucian right in front of you let alone someone singing, with the words slurred and on top of that they’re so good looking it’s distracting. But it doesn’t matter, Latin music is more of a feeling. You just want to dance to it. And anyone who knows me knows I was cursed with the two left feet Hendery gene. If you say dance right, I usually dance left. But not the Spanish, no, they move to salsa, and merengue, and tango. They hear a single line from a song and their hips start moving in ways I didn’t know possible. I continue to pray that their talent will someday rub off on me.
I think about all the music I’ve used in the classroom this year. Songs are a great way to pique students’ interests I think, but they’re even better for students of another language. They’re catchy and fun and they get to see me being silly, which they all just seem to love. Some of the songs I’ve sung this year:
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes: an oldie but goodie. My first graders love it. Although on the second verse, it gets a little more complicated and most touch their nose when the song calls for mouth, but I pretend not to notice.
The Hokey Pokey- difficult for them to understand. Maybe because the Hokey Pokey isn’t even a real word?
Evaporation- I got to act like a raindrop. Hurray.
Days of the Week, to the tune of the Adams Family- They put special emphasis on the ending, du-nuh-nuh clap clap.
The Month Song- made this one up. They always forgot June. Don’t they know it’s the most important month out there? Hint: B-day quickly approaching.
Turkey in my Tummy- complete with hand movements
Happy Birthday- the teachers sing this for every student’s birthday, then give them a kiss on the cheek
Es Navidad!
If this whole teaching thing doesn’t work out, I’d say I have a future in the music biz. Turkey in my Tummy, with a Latin twist. Watch out Taylor Swift.
