Today my classroom celebrated its first birthday of the school year, meaning it was time for me to introduce my annual yet somewhat-unusual birthday rules.
1. There will be no “cha, cha, cha” or other extra phrases added when we sing Happy Birthday to the birthday child. It’s not time for you, the singer, to draw attention to yourself in any way.
2. Before we sing Happy Birthday for the first time, we’re going to have a talk about what the word “dear” means in the line, “Happy Birthday, Dear ______.” And when we sing the word “dear” throughout the year, we’re going to mean it.
3. We’re all going to look at the birthday girl or boy and smile as we sing, focusing on the child to whom we are singing the whole time.
There are probably hundreds of ways that I work to get my students to care more deeply for their classmates throughout the year, but few are more important than ensuring that the students act in a kind, caring, self-effacing manner during others’ birthdays.
September 25, 2009 at 6:21 pm |
Great post. I will adopt similar rules!
September 28, 2009 at 2:49 pm |
Oh, see, I love the Cha-cha-cha Birthday song! I never thought about it drawing attention away from the birthday person to the singers. I have started asking if kids even want us to sing because some are just so shy, they are mortified to have everyone staring at them like that.
October 16, 2009 at 9:00 pm |
I didn’t like the cha-cha-cha in my classroom either. I agree. I think it detracts attention from the birthday person. I didn’t allow it either.
November 3, 2009 at 8:44 pm |
I never did like the whole cha- cha- cha anyway. I agree. I think it’s destracting. It don’t sound good either.