My colleague Helen Davies from Calverley Parkside Primary School sent me this bit of magic...
"Hi Chris, My name is Helen Davies and I work at Calverley Parkside Primary. I work two days a week (or should I say I'm paid for two days? haha). For the last three years I have been Music Co-ordinator and for one day a week I teach KS2 music - I love my job. I love doing something practical and creative and fun with the children. I am not what you might call a music specialist, but I have had such success and I couldn't have done it so well without the resources of Sing Up and Music Leader. I'm sure you know about them, but do you realize how fantastic they are? I'm sure there are a lot of Leeds schools who don't know about the training and resources they provide. The main reason I am buzzing today is that yesterday we celebrated gaining the Silver Award from Sing Up. This recognises that we are putting singing at the heart of our school - yes in dedicated lessons but also across the curriculum. In to as many lessons as possible to enhance learning but also for the sheer pleasure of singing! Singing helps the children remember things they have learnt and encourages confidence. I have seen children blossom as they sing their hearts out, as they did yesterday. We had over 100 parents into school to hear the children perform some of the songs they had been taught using Sing Up resources. We invited governors and Stephen Wilde from Artforms, who was our official endorser of the award. We got parent involved with warm up games/songs and I explained about the Music Manefesto consortium and our aims to put music at the heart of our school. The feedback I received was fantastic and I just thought you'd like to know. We are not perfect but that's not the point! We will enjoy our success and use this to go onto achieve the gold award very soon. By the way, your blog is a great idea, it makes you so accessible - its a bit scary though too! I wanted to tell you of our success but feel as though I'm putting my head above the parapet! LOL! All the best, Helen."
I am really grateful to Helen for her message; it's very easy to forget how important singing is. Like Helen, I believe that every child should sing and that the impact will be remarkable. It is wonderful to hear about her work and to feel through the e-mail the passion, energy and enthusiam she brings to Calverley Parkside Primary School.
2 comments:
As a parent of 3 children at Calverley Parkside I can vouch 100% for Mrs Davies positive impact on music ion the school. All of my children began singing at school in nursery with Mrs Davies and Coda (the bear). I have heard more about their singing time than any other aspect of their school life. My children sing the songs together now and my husband and i are being taught by them!
All schools should have a Mrs Davies, her enthusiasm for what she teaches is infectious and she even roused a small group to do some community singing at the school summer fayre.
At the KS2 end of year performance in july I witnessed several parents emerging from the hall with tears of pride and raw emotion - how many parts of the curriculum can lay claim to that?
I hope that my children will move on to further appreciation of music and that they will choose to learn instruments. Long live Mrs Davies and her music - Parkside are lucky to have her.
It is great to hear from someone whose life has been touched by Mrs Davies and her music.
THANK YOU
Chris
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