Songs for Elementary Emotional Development
The eleven songs of the Songs for Elementary Emotional Development (SEED) series were written to help elementary school aged children begin to understand themselves in new ways. Grounded in the theory of Alfred Adler and the practice of Rudolf Dreikurs, the songs are intended to provide teachers and elementary guidance counselors with a non-threatening way to engage children in discussions about identity, behavior, and group membership.
The songs are grouped under two headings:
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Understanding Misbehavior includes 4 songs that describe common ways that kids (and, yes, adults) act up when they are feeling ignored, powerless, hurt, or left out. Sympathetic discussion helps kids recognize why they might sometimes misbehave and what they can do instead to constructively meet their needs for attention and control. Understanding Yourself is a collection of 7 songs that describe the plusses and minuses of various birth order positions. Birth order position is certainly not destiny. But where we are in our family of origin and what we choose to do about it can inform how we relate to others throughout life. The songs are a fun way to initiate talk about abstract issues like personality, identity, self-esteem, and our ability to decide what kind of person we would like to be. Since they were first published in 1982, we have received letters from all over the United States and the world. We've heard from teachers in Greece, France, and Germany who have translated them for their students. Leaders of parent study groups in the US and Canada have written to share how they've used them to lighten up meetings. And a jug band in Tennessee wrote to tell us they were a fun addition to their comedy act. Fine with us! We are happy to share them with anyone who finds them helpful. We do love hearing about new ways that teachers and parents (and even jug bands) have used them. Most children like to sing. Lots of grown-ups like to sing along too. Group singing leads easily to group discussion. When people hear and sing the words of the SEED songs, they often recognize themselves and others they know. We hope that teachers, parents, and study group leaders will continue to enjoy using these songs as a resource. We are very pleased that PsychCentral can make them freely available. Enjoy. -Dr. Marie Related Articles See the articles below for more about an Adlerian approach to helping our children become contributing and comfortable members of their families and the social world. |
Songs Click on a song's title to listen to it or right-click and save to download it. Understanding MisbehaviorAttention No I Won't Getting Even Leave Me Alone Understanding Yourself: Songs about Birth OrderFirst Born Song Number One The Only Kid Brothers and Sisters The Middle Guy Middle of a Large Family The Youngest |
-- Doctor Who
