For the Annual Winter Program this past December the eighth grade worked with Billy Goodrum, acclaimed composer and musician, to create a totally unique originally composed song. In songwriting workshops students composed the melody and rhythm as well as wrote their very own lyrics, like the beautiful chorus: “Let the love shine through, it’s a chain reaction; spread the love and take some action.” The grounded rhythm combined with the wise lyrics make for a heart opening and catchy song. Thank you, Billy, for your help in guiding our students’ natural creativity into musical form.
Billy Goodrum, acclaimed composer and musician, as well as long-time Rainbow parent, worked with the seventh grade to create an originally written and composed song for last year’s Winter Program. In intensive song writing workshops, Billy first worked with the seventh graders to write a collaborative chorus that could serve as the songs steady heartbeat. Students thrived in their creative process as they gained the skills to express their truth through song ultimately agreeing on the title, “Love is Action”.
Teachers and staff gathered together to sing the final song of our Winter Program. After a night of love made visible by the the children’s heart-centered creativity and authentic expression, this cumulating song genuinely expressed our response to what we had seen that night. Musical Director, Sue Ford, in collaboration with the classroom teachers and parents had helped our students to create an entire show of originally written songs on the theme of love. As teachers and staff we were blown away by what our students had accomplished and were truly “full of love” that night.
Our Winter Program featured many beautiful originally composed songs, but “Animal Love” was the only one written by a particularly student. 5th grader Lilly Fox was inspired to write “Animal Love” when she learned that the Winter Program’s theme would be Love this year. More touching still is the way her classmates rallied around her and her song. As one of our smallest classes here at Rainbow, the 5th grade has continued to astonish us with their tender support and committed love of each other.
Inspired by Musical Director Sue Ford’s vision of writing all original songs on the theme of Love for December’s Winter Program, Susie Robidoux, 4th grade’s fearless Lead Teacher, developed an entirely new unit on Love. She got her students started by asking them: What is love for you? What does it look like? What does it feel like? From there they came to understand love as having three distinct forms. Love is first an expression originated in the self, then an action cultivated in community, and finally an offering given with generosity. The fourth graders learned to think of it this way: Love is fostered within us… grown among us…. and gifted beyond us. These beautiful song lyrics reflect their journey through their curriculum on Love.
Let us work together for love in head, heart, and hand. Let us work together for love to make a better land. Love is many things; I cannot count them all. It is powerful. It is peaceful. Love is many things; I cannot count them all. It can break down every wall. Through the woods past the valley where the sea of green grass grows. Love is found in nature’s harmony where the holy river flows. Friends, family, love of life; I feel the warmth from you. Follow me to the land of love where your light is honored and true to make a different land.
