There was a time when I knew 25-30 phone numbers by heart. I suspect it came by dialing them again and again and again. No matter where I went, I had those phone numbers with me, ready when needed.
No longer. Today phone numbers are stored in our phones instead of in our memories. Maybe that’s good, maybe not. With so much accessible on phones, on line, the part of the brain given to storage, and the lines of connection to that storage aren’t being exercised.
Creativity may be sparked by new ideas or research, but it grows through sparking connections between ideas or knowledge. Singing songs regularly in school life offers a great opportunity to stretch our gray matter. Fire off those synapses by digging out songs in our memory.
Teach/learn songs by rote, then post the words as a memory aid and for reading practice. After a week or two, take the written words away sometimes and rely on memory or “figuring it out’ to provide words. You’ll be exercising the brain, as well as giving your students songs that will be with them, wherever they go. You might pick up a few to keep you company as well.
Peace
Lesley