Everybody Has A Name

9/1/2021

It's a new school year and as music teachers we know the great task of learning and remembering names.

Many children struggle with correcting adults/peers on how to say their names. We know there is much importance in learning students names correctly and some of the pro's for taking the time to learn your students name include:

Students feel seen and empowered when their teachers and peers take the time to learn and speak their names properly.
Names are a big part of student identity and sometimes ethnic origin.
It encourages students to be proud of their names and where they come from.
Every student gets to practice and learn each others names which builds community.

One of my favorite lessons is to use a chant I learned from a mentor teacher of mine who attributes this name chant to Avon Gillespie. See chant in image below:

My objectives for this lesson are:

Create & perform rhythm patterns,
AB form.

I use the chant as an "A section" and use students names as the "B section". I have the student phonetically say their name and the class echos. The B might sound like this:
"Mis-zuz dung-kin-sin" -Student leader
"Mis-zuz dung-kin-sin" -Students echo

"Ah-leh-wah-duh" - Student leader
"Ah-leh-wah-duh" -Students echo

"Eh-muh-lee" - Student leader
"Eh-muh-lee"-Students echo

***As an extension I like to pair the chant with books and let the books be the "B Section". I have used the following books for multiple grade levels. Click on book image below to learn more about the text itself.

by Yangsook Choi

by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

by Huda Essa

Who was Avon Gillespie?

Avon Gillespie was a leader in Orff Schulwerk nationally, and taught for years at the Santa Catalina School in Monderey, CA. He was a founder of the current San Francisco International Orff Course. He passed away in 1989.⁣⁣” https://aosa.org/professional-development/2017-distinguished-award-recipient-avon-gillespie/
Why am I sharing this? As a Black music educator, it is rare to see myself represented in my profession. When I first saw photos of Mr. Avon Gillespie I knew I needed to know more about him. Many of my mentors have learned from him and use many of his lessons to this day. I am so inspired by Mr. Gillespie and am passionate to continue to learn about him and his legacy of teaching music.
⁣
#representationmatters #blackeducators #orffschulwerk #avongillespie #orff

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4 Comments

Sheila

9/1/2021 06:01:03 pm

Love this lesson! Thank you!

Liz Meyers

8/31/2022 06:21:49 am

This is a thoughtful way to start the year with name learning. Acknowledging each individual student by learning their name is a perfect beginning. Thank you!

joyce miller

9/1/2022 12:40:04 pm

I received my Orff training with Avon at the University of Santa Cruz 1986-1987. He emphasized to the music professionals the importance of getting down to the child's level. I was thankful because I was a novice to music and needed simplification and experience. I really appreciate the tribute to him; however, I came away with a similar version of the chant. For the past 30 years I have been saying "Each one has a name, Some are short and some are long, when we put the names together, It's a song. The point is that Avon's knowledge of Orff has helped thousands of children keep the beat and sing in tune. He claimed it was their birthright. He certainly was compassionate about music.

Martha Crowell

9/3/2022 08:08:49 pm

Thank you for this lesson. I had forgotten this chant, and I only knew of one of the three books, so I'm grateful for the nudge and the stretch. I was fortunate to have had Avon as a teacher in Orff levels at New England Conservatory in 1982-83. I'm so glad there are videos of his teaching in the AOSA library.