SEALSONGS (songs for the social, emotional and behavioural skills programme - SEAL)
"Watching you work last term, it was evident that your skills in developing children's own ideas are very considerable and very valuable - pupils and teachers alike would certainly benefit from working in this way."
Steve Block - Music Adviser, London Borough of Enfield, August 2003
David Stoll visits primary school classes for a half-day session discussing songs and lyrics in general and one of the SEAL topics in particular and how the words of a song might be written about it. The pupils come up with suggestions for general ideas and specific phrases. David then takes the ideas away and writes a song based on these suggestions and records a backing track for the music.
David then revisits the classes and teaches their Sealsong to the pupils. The pupils are also encouraged to write some new words on the topic to fit the song. The backing tracks of all the songs, together with music and comprehensive teachers' notes, are provided to all the participating schools. The SEAL themes are:
Song 1: New beginnings
Song 2: Getting on and falling out
Song 3: Say no to bullying
Song 4: Going for goals!
Song 5: Good to be me
Song 6: Relationships
Song 7: Changes
and two further general songs - one about writing songs and one providing a Rhyme Game - are also included in the pack. A version of this programme with the same features but suitable for a single school is available. Schools may choose their own topics for the songs. Please contact info@creative-confidence.com for details.
"A&C Black is delighted to include David Stoll on its list of composers of children's songs. Musically inspired and technically brilliant, David can write anything we ask for. His music is tuneful and his harmonies interesting; his lyrics are contemporary, and clever and witty where appropriate."
Jane Sebba - Commissioning Editor, Music Department, A&C Black Publishers: July 2004
