Other stuff

This is the place where I’ll put links to blogs and sites that interest me that are not related to parenting in bicultural families - in no particular order. 

And here’s the view from my kitchen window last November, when the red flowering gum and the Jacaranda were in flower.

http://www.solidariti.com/ Technology and social change – tips and discussions.

http://www.handinhandparenting.org/index.html Building close conenctions with your children.

http://www.greenfoot.com.au/ Living green in Sydney.

http://www.triantan.com/ A trio of great singers – who sing mostly in Gaelic.

http://tinyurl.com/ysvuwc The sounds of space – meaning outer space.

More on the way.

Getting the beat

At gym this morning I was suddenly reminded of a sound I heard almost every morning when in Kumasi. The percussion intro to a piece of music was very like the druming at assembly time at the primary school on a neighbouring hill.

Each morning all the students would march and form into their lines to the lively beat, which I suspect owed as much to British military bands as to traditional African rythms. Whatever, it was great. My perception was that most schools did this in the mornings, plus an occasional “march past” where the entire school marches through the village or suburb. I’ve seen this a few times – its fun to watch and I bet even more fun to participate.

It occured to me, as I mused on this phenomena while pushing my weights, that Australian primary schools would benefit from this. Instead of everyone crowding into the school hall at the end of each term to passively sit and listen to the school band’s sometimes squeaky offerings, a daily march, with lots of students getting a turn to bash away on drums, would get everyone’s circulation going in the mornings, start the day with a bit of fun,  and improve our sense of rythm no end.  I reckon it would do as much for the school’s musical development as any formal lessons.

Sadly, I can’t see it taking off. We are too self-conscious as a culture, and too cynical. Ah well, a girl can dream.