This Little Light of Mine

My school has a lovely tradition of "settling in" (a Quaker/Friends School practice) at the start of each day and after transitions. The Lower School has an all-unit settling in every Monday, and we have a tradition of ending it with a song. Every year, I start and end the year with a familiar song that to me embodies our goal as a school: “This Little Light of Mine.”

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine (x3)

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m gonna let it shine (x3)

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

We then pick other things to “shine,” such as “My teachers and my friends, I’m gonna let them shine,” or, “All around the world, I’m gonna let it shine.” In music class, we might even get a little silly and add things like, “These wiggly fingers of mine,” or “This messy hair of mine!” It’s a great song for getting kids used to clapping and body percussion, dancing, or marching around the room in music class. It’s an easy song to add countermelodies and harmonies in my older classes.

Though it is often listed as an “African-American spiritual," “This Little Light of Mine” was actually written in the 1920s by a white minister in Michigan as a children’s song. However, when it was documented by John Lomax in 1939, then adapted into a civil rights anthem in the 1960s by Zilphia Horton, it became associated with other spirituals and often mistaken for one.

No matter its origins, “This Little Light of Mine” is a wonderful reminder of our Friends belief of the “light” that exists inside everyone. All our other testimonies—peace, respect, service, etc.—can be linked back to this concept. 

And it’s really fun to sing!

I’m back!

Hello Friends! It has been several years since I’ve kept up with this blog, and after many requests from families to keep up with the musical scene at CFS and beyond, I’m reviving it. Here you can still find my beginner ukulele tutorials (wow, do I look young!) and information about the Recorder Interactive beginning recorder method, as well as all my older posts. Soon I’ll be posting activities and lyrics from 2023-24 music class, local and virtual music resources, and odds and ends from my life as a music director and performer. I’m also excited to share ideas and activities inspired by my Mindful Schools and Breathe for Change mindfulness and yoga teacher training, especially ways to integrate mindfulness into music class and music-making in general.

If you’re looking for my writing blog, check out my personal website: http://josiskpurvis.com. 

Keep on singing! 🎵❤️

Life has not been boring: my 13-year old pets a shark in August 2023!

Deep Blue Sea

This summer I learned a simple but beautiful old time song called "Deep Blue Sea" from the talented Christen Blanton. It is a perfect song for singing simple harmony, but the words are not so perfect... after a lovely, perky opening repeating "Deep blue sea, baby, deep blue sea," it ends in the inevitable watery death: "It was Willy what got 'drowneded' in the deep blue sea." Not so good for young kids. Or sensitive adults, for that matter.

So I wrote some alternate lyrics for the little ones, which especially work here a couple of hours from the coast, where so many kids look forward to going to the beach every summer. It's not exactly a work of art, but I like it better than anyone "drowneding."

Deep Blue Sea

Deep blue sea, baby, deep blue sea

Deep blue sea, baby, deep blue sea

Deep blue sea, baby, deep blue sea

I wish that I could go right now to see the deep blue sea

I’d jump and run in the big blue waves x 3

I wish that I could go right now to see the deep blue sea

I’d dig and build in the sparkling sand x 3

I wish that I could go right now to see the deep blue sea

I’d see the dolphins leap and play x 3

I wish that I could go right now to see the deep blue sea

I’d find myself some fancy shells x 3

I wish that I could go right now to see the deep blue sea

Deep blue sea, baby, deep blue sea x 3

I wish that I could go right now to see the deep blue sea

Here's a mistake-ridden video of a couple verses, if you haven't heard the tune, and a harmony suggestion:

Simple, right?

Hello there, interwebs...

Once again, I find myself making a "I'm back after HOW long?" post. But it can't be avoided... here I am, starting the third week of the 2018-19 school year! It's fun looking back at my posts from 10(!) years ago, when I was a relatively new teacher. Many things have changed, but some good stuff hasn't. Hopefully most of those changes have been for the better!

All the Lower School classes had their first music class last week. We had so much fun! Younger students enjoyed singing silly songs, a tour of the space, and that old classic, "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes." Third-years were excited to order their recorders with a choice of three colors, and fourth-years had all kinds of questions about their planning and producing of Springfest... even though it's not till, well, Spring. We all enjoyed adding our favorite fruits and vegetables into "The Corner Grocery Store," from beans trying on jeans to bananas talking to Joanna.

Middle School started electives last week, and this trimester I'm teaching the usual First-Year (fifth grade) Music Rotation as well as an Independent Study in Music class. Each student in the independent study applied with a particular project in mind. I have a mix of first through fourth-years, doing everything from practicing saxophone to making electronic music to ukulele/songwriting. It will be a busy trimester! Students also go into their year-long advisee groups this week, after two weeks of temporary orientation groups. I'm looking forward to finding out which middle school students will be in my at-school family this year.

I expect that many students (and teachers) will be a bit on edge this week. That's because of this:

Yes, that little screaming face is home, and the big scary cone is the projected path of Hurricane Florence. "F" hurricanes have a thing for North Carolina–I personally experienced Fran and Floyd. We're all especially worried for our friends at the coast, yikes!

No promises, but I am going to do my best to keep updating my blog this school year. More soon!

Lower School Uke Jam!

Happy... March?

In the Lower School, we're celebrating the arrival of spring with ukuleles! While fourth-years have been playing ukuleles throughout the school year, third-years were focused on recorders, and River and Sky classes (first and second grade for you non-CFS'ers) have been rocking out on drums, xylophones, and small percussion.

Exciting for this year in particular is that I've finally been able to replace the last of our old, not-so-good ukuleles with Makala dolphins and sharks. This is a big leap in quality (though only a small leap in cost), leading to better sound, much better intonation, and less frustration for beginning players. Plus, they look awesome!

Our youngest students are learning good playing position, steady down-strumming, and the open strings. We're connecting the pitches of the strings to songs they've learned and xylophone notes--a great match for ukulele since the first three strings are G-C-E, or sol, do, mi, the primary notes of many teaching songs. We'll also learn the C chord.

Third-years review all of the above, plus we learn to fingerpick the notes B-A-G, the first three notes they learned on recorders in the Fall (conveniently, the fourth note they learned, E, is an open string). We'll even play some of our recorder songs on the ukulele. If time allows, we'll learn more of the C scale as well as another chord or two.

Fourth-years have already learned all this, so our next task is to learn to strum the chords to this week's song of the week, Ben Harper's "With My Own Two Hands." It uses three chords we've learned, C, F, and G7, plus one other one-finger chord, A minor. We're using the tune as sung by Jack Johnson with Ben Harper (you can hear it during the credits of the Curious George movie!), but my favorite version for listening is Ben Harper's original, which you can check out here. It's an easy song to play and to sing, and a great reminder of how each of us has the power to make a difference in the world.

With My Own Two Hands
Ben Harper

 C                                 F              C
I can change the world, with my own two hands
                                    F             C
Make it a better place, with my own two hands
                                    F               C
Make it a kinder place, with my own two hands
                Am                 G7          C
With my own, with my own two hands

C          F           C
I can make peace on earth, with my own two hands
                           F             C
I can clean up the earth, with my own two hands
   F    C
I can reach out to you, with my own two hands
       Am       G7      C
With my own, with my own two hands
       Am       G7      C
With my own, with my own two hands

C        F C
I’m gonna make it a brighter place, with my own two hands
                                           F    C
I’m gonna make it a safer place, with my own two hands
                      F    C
I’m gonna help the human race, with my own two hands
       Am       G7      C
With my own, with my own two hands
       Am       G7      C
With my own, with my own two hands

C                    F C
I can hold you, with my own two hands
     F      C
I can comfort you, with my own two hands
     F        C
But you got to use, use your own two hands
        Am        G7       C
Use your own, use your own two hands
Am        G7       C
Use your own, use your own two hands

       Am        G7       C
With our own, with our own two hands
       Am        G7       C
With our own, with our own two hands
       Am        G7       C
With my own, with my own two hands

Repost--Why I Teach Music

Back in 2011, when I'd only been teaching in a school setting for three years, I wrote this little list of reasons I love what I do. I like to think that I've grown a lot as a teacher since then, but these core "why"'s haven't changed a bit. They inspire me every day, and motivate me when I'm feeling discouraged. So here is my not-so-new, but absolutely current, list of the top reasons I teach music:

Because there is more than one way to be smart.

Because real life isn't about test scores.

Because music has existed in all cultures since the dawn of humankind, and it is hardwired into our souls (or brains, if you don't believe in that sort of thing).

Because children can learn countless ways to appropriately and effectively express their feelings through the arts.

Because he may end up a gun-toting conservative and she a tree-hugging liberal, but they both smile while harmonizing on "You are my Sunshine."

Because, among other things, music is entertainment. Quality, thought-provoking entertainment makes people happy. Happy people make the world better.

Because the world would be a better place if everyone learned to truly, deeply listen.

Because some children will be inspired to take up a musical instrument, which teaches persistence, discipline, humility, and the rewards of hard work.

Because making music creates millions of new pathways in the brain.

Because making music brings families, friends, and communities closer together, helping us see each other as vulnerable, creative beings instead of roadblocks.

Because in a world of such frightening conflicts and lightning-fast change, we all need as many reminders as we can get that life is beautiful.

New goodies for my classroom!

As I mentioned in my catch-up post, last school year I was able to move into a classroom formerly known as "The Annex," a little cabin-like building with a long and rich history at our school. This meant combining two classrooms into one, which was a ton of work but well worth it! I was able to mix instrument collections, consolidate books and other materials, and really make the space my own. Also, the space came with a BATHROOM (anyone who's had to teach without easy/quick bathroom access knows why I'm so excited about that!), a CLOSET, and a smaller attached office space! I also was finally able to order the rug I'd been drooling over for several years, and I love it just as much as I'd hoped (and so do my students).

Over the summer, I ordered a few more goodies to complete my collections. I can't wait to use them with the kids! For the Lower School, I ordered this lovely set of rainbow-colored Toca djembes, so I now have enough small djembes for a whole LS class (instead of having to always throw in bongos and other hand drums).

Ukuleles have long been popular in the Middle School, and when I started the job, I inherited some ukes and filled out the collection with the same (inexpensive) brand to have enough for Lower School classes. However, I was never happy with the sound and especially the poor intonation--every fretboard is just a little different. Then, I discovered the Makala dolphin, and later, shark ukes. For not too much more money, they offer a richer sound, come with better strings, and have much better intonation. I'd been gradually replacing the old ukes, and I finally have enough for an entire class in either unit. Aren't they pretty?