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Original poster

Help with finding a children's song with a story for PGCE interview

119 replies

josh751 · 28/11/2013 19:36

I have an interview for a PGCE in primary and as part of it I need to tell the lecturers a story as if they're children using props, it must be geared towards 4-8 and I want to get them to participate. I plan on using a guitar as my prop and telling them a story through song. so does anyone have any ideas?

much appreciated
josh

OP posts:
lougle · 29/11/2013 10:39

I do think you've missed the point somewhat. The guitar is an aid (and a very valid one) to your story telling, but it isn't a prop because a prop is something that helps to make the story relevant to the children.

So, for instance, in Handa's surprise the props would be various kinds of fruit and veg.

For instance: www.teachprimary.com/learning_resources/view/using-stories-to-teach-music

Cinderella (sung to One Finger, One Thumb Keep Moving)

She had two ugly sisters,
She had two ugly sisters,
She had two ugly sisters,
Who made her do all the work!

v2. A servant once brought a letter…………
Inviting them to a ball
v3. But Cinders had no dresses…………
So she stayed home and cried
v4. A fairy discovered a pumpkin…………
And turned it into a coach
v5. Now Cinders and Prince Charming…………
They danced the night away
v6. The midnight chimes were ringing…………
She dropped her little glass shoe
v7. The prince walked round the city…………
To find the lady he loved
v8. Now here’s a happy ending…………
For Cinders and her prince

You could still use your guitar, but the props would be some dolls, a shoe, etc.

SilverApples · 29/11/2013 10:42

Try and get the 'children' actively involved and responding to whatever you do, otherwise it's just a performance of a folk song to an audience.

storynanny · 29/11/2013 12:08

Josh, old teacher here, music specialist with primary children. The other posters are all correct, the guitar is not the prop its the aid just like voice. Props are part of the actual story.

EvilTwins · 29/11/2013 19:37

Other posters all have very valid views, and just to throw something else in - if you're about to embark on a PGCE, you need to be willing to take on advice from those of us who are already in the profession. Both of your threads on this subject come across as "thanks but I'm going to ignore your advice". Successful
PGCE students (and NQTs and teachers in general) are always interested in taking on the advice of others.

Original poster
josh751 · 01/12/2013 03:17

Hi, Again.. you seem to be ignoring the fact that I have spoken to the Course Director and she told me that singing and using my guitar is a "Brilliant Idea!!"

OP posts:
paperlantern · 01/12/2013 05:43

don't think anyone was against the guitar. they were just advising against the guitar as a prop.

not sure 5 little ducks is a great story song. again you could argue it so it's not a complete dead duckGrin .

it does have a Beginning 5 little ducks went swimming, middle ducks swam away and end: ducks came back. But there is no real story or character development. The stuff you'd want to sit down and discuss with the kids after if you were doing it for real. so going back to the ugly duckling example at the end of the story you might be asking how do you think the duckling felt at the beginning and the end how are they different what in the story makes the way the duckling feels change.

Those are the kind of rich questions that gets kids thinking about how storytelling happens, which, if it was in a real classroom, I suspect would be the objective.

just some thoughts for you.

Turnipsandsproutswithtinselon · 01/12/2013 05:57

Eek. Josh751 I hope that you either learn to accept some constructive criticism and valuable advice. Traits that I would expect a teacher teaching my kids to demonstrate.

Why don't you clarify the points that have been raised here with your course director?

vvviola · 01/12/2013 06:13

Just a quick question - and perhaps one of the actual teachers might correct me on this, but is 5 Little Ducks not a bit young for 4-8 year olds? Or at least the upper age? I have a young 6 year old who is beginning to lose interest in that sort of song, although that could be partly because her baby sister is learning it at daycare age 2.

CakeIsyourFriend · 01/12/2013 06:16

LOL! You are going to love being a teacher josh if this is how you respond to advice from colleagues! I should imagine everyone on here (myself included) are experienced teachers.
5 little ducks isn't really a story. Don't get so tied to using the guitar that you don't actually fulfill the brief. I agree using the guitar and singing is great but not if you don't actually tell a story as they have asked you to. They didn't ask you to sing a song!
There are lots of suggestions here for actual stories so I would think again.

Good luck with your interview. When I had mine (a million years ago) it was a very dry conversation in the lecturers office. How they guessed I would be a good teacher I can't imagine. This sounds much better but much scarier .

CakeIsyourFriend · 01/12/2013 06:18

YY 8 yr olds will be unimpressed with 5 little ducks I think (I teach year 3/4). However there is rarely a situation in which you would be teaching the age range 4-8yr all together so it is a very unrealistic scenario really.

lougle · 01/12/2013 08:29

5 little ducks isn't a story - it's a song that introduces counting. It is typically sung at toddler groups 18 mths-3 yrs: it's far too young for your brief.

The course director said guitar was a brilliant idea, which it is, but didn't say 'and don't worry about following the task'.

She'll be coming round the mountain isn't a story. Not in any shape our form.It's just a song.

I'm sure you don't mean to, but you are coming across as inflexible and arrogant.I'm not at all sure how you would survive the PGCE with this attitude, our the ever changing demands of senior leadership teams and OFSTED.

KatoPotato · 01/12/2013 08:34

Michael finnegan?

gruffalosmile · 01/12/2013 08:36

How about one of the Julia Donaldson ones, not sure of copyright but they do come with a song e.g smartest giant in town.

lougle · 01/12/2013 08:36

Debbie and Friends have an animated song of Goldilocks which I've seen used very effectively in a Year 1 (5-6 year old) class. You could extend the content for older children by asking more advanced questions to do with safety and obedience, etc.

RightInTheKisser · 01/12/2013 08:41

Oh dear me. You really do need to learn to take advice from experienced teachers. They will be your saviours!

Interestingly you are doing exactly what children do to their parents when they get home. (Whingey voice) "but my teacher said..."

You are not understanding the whole objective (now there's a word you'll grow to love) of the story telling. What are the children actually learning? It's not an interview for CBeebies.

CommanderShepard · 01/12/2013 08:42

What about Puff the Magic Dragon?

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 01/12/2013 08:45

I suspect the task doesn't matter much and it's more to see how creative / confident you are. As you've spoken to course director guitar sounds good.

I agree that five little ducks is probably too young though. My two year old can almost sing it himself. I loved the cinderella song up thread.

Original poster
josh751 · 01/12/2013 18:37

Holy god, the teacher I'm working with told me not to post anything on mumsnet because they never have a good word to say about anything, can't believe how true that is! well guys the most popular story chosen for the interview is "The Hungry Caterpillar" for those of you who don't know, its about a Hungry caterpillar who eats a lot of food and then turns into a butterfly now is that suited for an 8 year old? I'm trying to find a story similar to that. The guy here that very correctly said "It isn't even about the story, its to see how confident you come across" couldn't be more correct and thats the point all of you are missing! Now heres my new question.. Is '5 little ducks' suited for the same age group as 'The Hungry Caterpillar'? I've discussed it with a P.1. teacher and it was actually her that recommended me doing '5 little duck'. Please put the guitar issue to rest and I am taking a lot of your comments in but at the end of the day the story is probably completely irrelevant to the interview, they just want to see how you come across telling one. Thanks

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 01/12/2013 18:40

Course director probably meant guitar was a fantastic idea in addition to props.

5 little ducks too young IMO.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 01/12/2013 18:42

How about bear hunt? Ive see that done as a song and is a proper story with lots of opportunities for interaction.

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 01/12/2013 18:43

It was me who said about confidence so hopefully I've proved I'm helpful, but honestly op it is you who is coming across badly, not those who've taken time to reply to you.

Fwiw, I think Hungry Caterpillar may be too young too. Two year old ds loves it. As I said, there's a great cinderella story song up thread.

Original poster
josh751 · 01/12/2013 18:43

Yea I'm going to include other props as well :) do you think The Hungry Caterpillar is for an older range than 5 Little Ducks?

OP posts:
LeBearPolar · 01/12/2013 18:44

The Hungry Caterpillar could actually lead on to an interesting discussion about transformation and the life cycle of the butterfly which would be appropriate to 8 year olds.

I'm not sure whether 5 little ducks leads on to anything that could be regarded as similarly challenging.

littlemissblue · 01/12/2013 18:44

We're going on a bear hunt? that's the one i used!

Original poster
josh751 · 01/12/2013 18:45

I know people who have got into the course using "The Hungry Caterpillar" :)

OP posts: