Category Archives: Samba

2/100 Ding dong, I’ve got the rhythm in my head

Posted on January 6, 2016 by

I tripped across this singing game a few weeks ago: Here is a youtube clip (one of many). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niN_TB-OJvs I’ve been using this all week, with various classes; year 1 and 2, year 3 and 4 djembe, year 4 and 5 samba … Continue reading →

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Issue 146: Top Tips for Teaching Samba

Posted on December 30, 2014 by

The first samba lesson I ever taught, many years ago now, was when the “real” visiting samba teacher rang in sick halfway through the first term. There I was, thirty eager year 5 and 6 children, a load of still fairly … Continue reading →

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Issue 143: Grandma, Grandma – a complete samba lesson

Posted on November 8, 2014 by

The toughest class I teach at the moment is the very last one on a Friday afternoon. It doesn’t really matter which class, age group, instrument – I’m beginning to think that the problem lies in the words “Friday Afternoon”. … Continue reading →

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Issue 141: Si si si; and Call and Response Songs

Posted on September 29, 2014 by

This seems to be a theme of my lessons this term. Some of the songs I am using don’t, at first sight, fall into this category. I’ve been using the “Rabbit, run on the frozen ground song” in samba and … Continue reading →

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Issue 133: Samba at the School Fete

Posted on July 6, 2014 by

I was approached to see if I would come and run some samba workshops as an activity for a school fete last month. As usual, I said “Yes” first (they were offering a fee !!!) and then began to think … Continue reading →

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Issue 127: Samba compositions

Posted on April 18, 2014 by

I’ve been giving some thought on how to add a composition element to the Wider Opportunities samba classes I have been teaching. I’ve just six more sessions for one class, before we do a final “end-of-year” presentation. I am planning … Continue reading →

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Issue 123: A Recent Wider Opportunities Samba Lesson

Posted on February 16, 2014 by

A 40-minute year 4 samba lesson, lesson 5 of a series of 10 at this school. I was being observed, so as well as teaching what I planned to teach, I also wanted to make sure that plenty of boxes were ticked! This … Continue reading →

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Issue 122: Samba and Rhythm Grids

Posted on February 12, 2014 by

In one of my larger samba classes we have run into a bit of behaviour management hassle. There are a number of children who, for various reasons, are fidgety or disruptive or uncooperative or disaffected or – well there are … Continue reading →

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