Teaching Music in a 2020 Pandemic

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

As I was preparing for my first in-person music classes in many months, I realized most of the things I kept on my music cart would not be usable this year.

I said goodbye to each thing as I put them in a box for after this pandemic is gone. I thought of “Goodnight Moon” and wrote the following poem:

Goodbye Music As We Know It

Goodbye chicken, goodbye button,

Goodbye apple on a tree.

So long doggie, keep your bone.

Fare thee well, closet key.

Frog can stay safe in the meadow

Lucy’s pocket has been found.

Charlie caught me in the ocean

No more bean bag going ‘round.

So long goodies from the mailman

Now the lady has her comb

Goodbye rock for Obwisana

“Love somebody” heart stay home.

Goodbye riding on stick horses

Goodbye bouncing high and low,

All these things we use in music

Transfer germs so they must go.

Music class is looking different

There are things we cannot do.

So I’ve thought throughout the summer

Of some things to share with you.

We can listen very closely

From our dots six feet apart

Making rhythms with our bodies,

Keeping music in our heart.

Students came back this week.  It has been rough but we are all learning how to make it work.

I tried using an imaginary bone.  It actually worked pretty well.  Perhaps the kids will adjust better than I thought – certainly better than me.