When I came to Suzhou Singapore International School I was confronted by a new teaching directive, PYP. Primary Years Programme PYP is an elementary program of interconnecting different areas of learning. My elementary music colleague sat down with me on that Saturday before school had begun to outline and define the process for me. I had used similar processes of teaching in Oregon and again in Guam but not to the extent that PYP would direct. So, I really appreciated her helping me in the ways that she had.
Throughout that first week it was all a matter of getting to know the students and for them to know me. I was this guy from somewhere in the Pacific Ocean that almost all of them had never heard. So, I set about giving them a geography lesson combined with a music and language lesson. I drew a rough map on the chalkboard of Asia on the left (west) and the United States on the right (east) and drew a little dot in the place where Guam was located.
Then, I got my guitar out and with the help of a large lyric sheet that I'd drawn on a 3' x 4' piece of paper, I proceeded to teach all my classes "Hafa Adai".
Hafa Adai on a Chinese website
I taught them the meaning of "hafa adai" and along with it who the Chamorros were along with other bits of cultural information that were in the song. With that done the children were eating out of my hand. Johnny Sablan would be happy to have seen those students, all 250 that I had under my tutelage, singing out strongly and clapping their hands at the appropriate time during the chorus.
My job at SSIS entailed working with an elementary orchestra, as well. The teacher that had preceded me in the job had come the first day of work, walked in the door, and within a 24 hour period had turned and disappeared, to be seen no more. Why? That was actually a mystery to me and remains a mystery. I have my own thoughts which will bear out in coming blog posts, but I think these things should be drawn out as a story naturally unfolds. For now, I was starting the elementary orchestra's performance year a month and a half late and it was time to get it moving. I started to receive sign up sheets from students and within a week I would be giving one on one auditions for the instruments that were to be involved in the orchestra. Prior to my involvement at SSIS the ensemble had been restricted to only strings, but that would begin to change.
I was a bit taken aback by the lack of music materials available in this school especially since it had been established for quite a few years. I had been used to music texts, of different sorts both old and new, from which to chose songs and glean teaching ideas. But, there wasn't a single music text to be found. When I asked my colleague about this she said that she had acquired sheet music, texts, and materials over the seven years that she'd been at this school and they were her own. Requests for books had been made, but nothing seemed to pass the administration for some reason. I thought this was a bit peculiar.
I tried to rationalise this thinking about not having texts with my mind telling me, "perhaps it was because of the sense of being an international school and wanting to stay away from any particular countries traditions. Was this the rationale?" But, I was just beginning my stay in Suzhou and it might be explained as time went by. For now, I had no materials except for the few texts that I had in my suitcase and some things which I'd left in Guam.
The week ended on a rather curious note. The entire elementary wing of the school had an assembly each and every Friday with a common purpose, sharing things learned, and mini performances for the children. This particular assembly had the fifth grade singing and dancing to a pop song with choreography and special clothes. The principal and vice principal would gave a speech about what would be coming in the following week and, in this case, I was introduced to the body of children.
Hafa Adai Lyrics by Johnny Sablan
Throughout that first week it was all a matter of getting to know the students and for them to know me. I was this guy from somewhere in the Pacific Ocean that almost all of them had never heard. So, I set about giving them a geography lesson combined with a music and language lesson. I drew a rough map on the chalkboard of Asia on the left (west) and the United States on the right (east) and drew a little dot in the place where Guam was located.
Hafa Adai on a Chinese website
I taught them the meaning of "hafa adai" and along with it who the Chamorros were along with other bits of cultural information that were in the song. With that done the children were eating out of my hand. Johnny Sablan would be happy to have seen those students, all 250 that I had under my tutelage, singing out strongly and clapping their hands at the appropriate time during the chorus.
My job at SSIS entailed working with an elementary orchestra, as well. The teacher that had preceded me in the job had come the first day of work, walked in the door, and within a 24 hour period had turned and disappeared, to be seen no more. Why? That was actually a mystery to me and remains a mystery. I have my own thoughts which will bear out in coming blog posts, but I think these things should be drawn out as a story naturally unfolds. For now, I was starting the elementary orchestra's performance year a month and a half late and it was time to get it moving. I started to receive sign up sheets from students and within a week I would be giving one on one auditions for the instruments that were to be involved in the orchestra. Prior to my involvement at SSIS the ensemble had been restricted to only strings, but that would begin to change.
I was a bit taken aback by the lack of music materials available in this school especially since it had been established for quite a few years. I had been used to music texts, of different sorts both old and new, from which to chose songs and glean teaching ideas. But, there wasn't a single music text to be found. When I asked my colleague about this she said that she had acquired sheet music, texts, and materials over the seven years that she'd been at this school and they were her own. Requests for books had been made, but nothing seemed to pass the administration for some reason. I thought this was a bit peculiar.
I tried to rationalise this thinking about not having texts with my mind telling me, "perhaps it was because of the sense of being an international school and wanting to stay away from any particular countries traditions. Was this the rationale?" But, I was just beginning my stay in Suzhou and it might be explained as time went by. For now, I had no materials except for the few texts that I had in my suitcase and some things which I'd left in Guam.
The week ended on a rather curious note. The entire elementary wing of the school had an assembly each and every Friday with a common purpose, sharing things learned, and mini performances for the children. This particular assembly had the fifth grade singing and dancing to a pop song with choreography and special clothes. The principal and vice principal would gave a speech about what would be coming in the following week and, in this case, I was introduced to the body of children.
Hafa Adai Lyrics by Johnny Sablan
In the isle of Mariana A
You hear a lot of locals say
As you come along and visit us
Oh, well, hello, or hafa adai
With a happy smile on their face
And a friendly smile that stays in place
Really meaning what they say
It's time you simply say
Hafa, hafa, hafa, hafa adai
Chorus:
Hafa adai todu mahleg, how are you?
Hafa adai todu mahleg, thank you.
Hafa adai, hafa adai, hafa, hafa, hafa, hafa Adai
Let me help you friend say this word
You must promise me that you'll try
The letters I know you have heard
And it's spelling H A F double A D A I
It's as easy as one, two, three
Just pronounce it as in "half a day"
Sing it with a beat and say it every day
As in hafa, hafa, hafa, hafa adai
Chorus
The Chamorros say this word
And express it in many different ways
Like when you see a Chamorrita girl
Softly say, "hafa adai"
And if you ever need a helping hand
Or a friendly smile a long the way
Wear a friendly smile and talk Chamorro style
As in hafa, hafa, hafa, hafa adai
Chorus
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