Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Mitch Miller and Me
Who could have dreamed all those years ago? Four decades in fact. Mitch Miller is my best friend as an ESL teacher! My mother was a huge Mitch Miller fan. We watched his tv show "Sing along with Mitch," and my mother had all his records. I grew up listening to such moldie oldies as "The Old Gray Mare" and "I've been workin on the railroad."
How the most obscure parts of childhood come back. In strange ways, but ways that make you smile and laugh! We have a book at Apollo called "Songs and games for children," and what dya know, Mitch's favorites are prominently sprinkled throughout the book! I've been able to utilize these old standards to help my teaching.
I've been workin on the railroad = present continuous tense
Billy Boy (Can she bake a cherry pie, Billy boy, Billy boy) = Can, abilities
The Old Gray Mare = Adjectives
Take good care of yourself = personal care, health and exercise
The children generally love these songs and catch on very quickly. Some even are humming the tunes afterwards. I find it delightful to teach them these songs and sing along. It is one of the highlights of my week and I often find myself singing or humming these songs as I walk home on the busy Ha Noi streets.
Further info on Mitch:
http://www.oldies.com/artist-view/Mitch-Miller.html
Hear Mitch:
http://www.rhapsody.com/mitchmiller
How the most obscure parts of childhood come back. In strange ways, but ways that make you smile and laugh! We have a book at Apollo called "Songs and games for children," and what dya know, Mitch's favorites are prominently sprinkled throughout the book! I've been able to utilize these old standards to help my teaching.
I've been workin on the railroad = present continuous tense
Billy Boy (Can she bake a cherry pie, Billy boy, Billy boy) = Can, abilities
The Old Gray Mare = Adjectives
Take good care of yourself = personal care, health and exercise
The children generally love these songs and catch on very quickly. Some even are humming the tunes afterwards. I find it delightful to teach them these songs and sing along. It is one of the highlights of my week and I often find myself singing or humming these songs as I walk home on the busy Ha Noi streets.
Further info on Mitch:
http://www.oldies.com/artist-view/Mitch-Miller.html
Hear Mitch:
http://www.rhapsody.com/mitchmiller
