After two and a half years of toil, the first of my Big Plans has just started to come to fruition - HUZZAH!!!

I've co-written a new music scheme for primary schools and the first book has just been published - I got my copy on Saturday.

It's aimed at 4-7 year-old beginners and there are two books - the Music Handbook which contains 30 detailed lesson plans, and a Big Book containing the song/rhyme words, all beautifully illustrated.

We're really hopeful that this will help to improve music education in primary schools.

We hope that it can be used both by non-specialists (Yours Truly warbles everything on the 6 attached CDs!), music specialists with no knowledge of the Kodály approach, and also Kodály-trained practitioners who want to learn new repertoire or study it from the point of view of how to structure a lesson/sequence of lessons.

If you go to www.jollylearning.co.uk (they are the people behind the very successful Jolly Phonics) you can see 3-D interactive previews and listen to audio clips (EEEP!).

Sorry if this sounds like a plug - it's not meant to be, it's just that I'm SOOO pleased and delighted with how it all looks and I just have to share how I'm feeling! We've worked so hard on this for so long and I can't tell you how it feels to have it finished and in my hand...

*goes off to carry on planning and writing up the next book*

One-Very-Happy-Cyrilla

Fantastic! Well done Cyrilla, sounds like a mammoth effort and I am sure they will be fantastic resources

Wonderful news ! congratulations C: I'm delighted, not only for you but for the children it will benefit - and whose lives will be enriched.

No need to apologise for plugging it, Cyrilla - I'm sure it's well worth it.

I look forward to browsing the site when I have a moment, and passing the details on to our school Music Co-ordinator ( if that's her current job title) . I can also think of plenty of local schools who might welcome it. Are you going to be doing any promotional tours/courses?

All the best

Helen

I don't usually congratulate people I haven't met, but I have to make an exception this time - what a brilliant achievement!

Was it your Kodaly expertise which got you involved in this project?

Now here I'm slightly surprised - and I really don't mean to be critical - isn't 'Jolly' an awfully old-fashioned word? I mean, 'Jolly good' sounds terribly Enid Blyton! I realise you didn't choose it anyway, as it's obviously come from Jolly Phonics, but I thought everyone in kids' education or kids' telly was always incredibly self-consciously cool these days!

Congrats again.

Thanks nicki, maggie, Helen and Czerny!

Helen - there will be a Jolly Music Training Day in Waltham Abbey on 12th June and one in Glasgow on 26th June. I think it's being promoted at the London Book Fair this/next week, and I think reviews in various places (there's already been a small article about it in the TES and I know more are planned). I'm more than happy to go to individual schools/clusters of schools to train teachers so that they can use it most effectively.

Czerny - I know what you mean about the name! I always thought Jolly Phonics was a bit of a daft name - until I discovered that the managing director of Jolly Learning Ltd. is one Christopher Jolly!

Chris is the son of the eminent paediatrician Sir Hugh Jolly (died about 20 years ago now, I think), and his auntie, Cynthia Jolly, knew Kodály personally - she lived in Hungary for many years and has many reminiscences of the great man. I think she had been trying to persuade her nephew for some time to get involved with a music scheme! So, yes, he wanted to produce a Kodály-based scheme - researched other music schemes currently on the market (and wasn't impressed), did his Kodály research and came up with myself and David Vinden. We had our first meeting in December 2005 and have been working on it ever since.

*goes off to David's to continue planning*

Still beaming...

I have to say I had a quick viewing of the proof copies at one of Cyrilla's training days and they look stunning

I've decided not to pursue classroom teaching but hoping to be able to use this wonderful new resource in private tuition - small groups and/or one-to-one.

Congratulations Cyrilla - a massive achievement

Aah, I seeeeee.

Congratulations.
Hope that much use is made of it.

Well done, Cyrilla.
You must be delighted.
We're all SO proud of you!!!

It sounds good. Good luck with it all.

Aww, thanks, BusyBee, noodle, sbhoa, David, jenny and hillyb! Your kind words are hugely appreciated !

Got my copy of the Big Book in the post today and it looks fantastic too. For anyone who likes cats, there are three cat songs (I wonder why ?) and the illustrator does absolutely gorgeous cats .

We're up to Lesson 25 (of 30) for the second book...*goes to make rough outline into full lessons*

David - there is a double-page spread on JM in the latest Jolly Phonics catalogue, which goes to all 22,000 primary schools in the country - so if they are primary teachers their schools (probably the literacy co-ordinator) should have a copy of the catalogue.

Thanks for spreading the word!

Looks great!

Delighted for you - there is nothing nicer than seeing something like that come to fruition. (Yes - I remember Hugh Jolly!)

Looks smashing! I will be ordering one to use at school! The more quality resources the better I say!

Congrats Cyrilla (and nice singing of Pussy cat pussy cat by the way!!!)

Ooh, how exciting, congratulations!!

Well done Cyrilla - hope all your hard work gets used in schools up and down the country!

Disappointed to scroll down Barry's post to find only one at the bottom...

Thank you very much, Rosemary, BachPensioner, SueHM and pianodub .

Ha, ha, pianodub, glad you liked my wonderful rendition of 'Pussycat, Pussycat' - wonder if I should try the X-Factor next???

Seeing as you asked so nicely Cyrilla....



Well done again!

The books look really good fun and I'm sure they'll be very popular! Many congratulations Cyrilla

Congratulations Cyrilla.

Great stuff, Cyrilla! Keep plugging. I'm sure everyone here will help do that too.

Congratulations!

(P.S. And I hope you get some well-deserved rewards from this venture yorself!)

Hoorah! Lots of s from Barry *is happy*

Thank you skylark, Miss Ross and Dulciana .

I'm glad you think the book looks fun, skylark - I do think the presentation is excellent and I think will make people want to use them!

Ha, ha, Dulciana, yes, it would be nice to receive some 'rewards'! Have to wait til December (ie 3 years since first starting work on it) for our first 'pay packet' !

I know. I'm having to be Jolly patient...

Congratulations Cyrilla!

"Bravo, bravo, bravo bravissimo! Bravo, bravo jolly well done!"

This is a song we sang a couple of years ago (ahem!!) when I was a Girl Guide!

Well done to you, Cyrilla

Oh well if we're continuing the theme ...


For she's a jolly good fellow, for she's a jolly good fellow, for she's a jolly good fe-ell-oh

and so say all of us!

Many congratulations

I'm not oging ot copy them all out again but I really share the sentiments. A very big well done!!!

Thank you DaisyChain and skylark for the singing *how apt* and Matthew, Aquarelle and notmusimum for your congrats and good wishes .

You're all very kind and it hasn't really sunk in yet. Showed the books to my dear dad today and I think he was a tad overcome...and this is a time when I really wish my mum was still here to see what I've done...

Thanks again, all.

Do you know when the first copies will be in local shops?

Those of us who teach privately who are disillusioned with music teaching in most schools as it is at the minute have access to parents who care; I'll certainly give the books a plug in my next news sheet which I give out every term, in the hope that the parents will mention them in their next parent/teacher interviews in school.

Gee, thanks, Dulciana!

It won't be 'in the shops' but it can be ordered from Jolly Learning Ltd. All schools should have the Jolly Phonics catalogue and it's in there, with an order form, or you can get it through the website.

Thank you for mentioning to parents etc. - you're right, a lot of music teaching in primary schools is either non-existent or not very good (although there are, of course, schools where it is excellent).

This first book is aimed at the 4-7 range although I think it 'sits' most happily with Y1 (5-6 year olds). It gets the children learning simple rhymes and songs, exploring different types of voice production (speaking, singing, whispering etc), starting to develop understanding of pulse and pitch in particular (rhythm is also introduced and some initial work with rests) - and we encourage the children to become used to performing on their own, as well.

Many thanks again!

That's great! You must be so proud!

Many congratulations Cyrilla. Really pleased for you. I'll be encouraging the primary school to look in the direction of the Jolly Phonics catalogue .

Thank you, ad_lib and Apf!

We just finished the 30th lesson for the second book (in rough outline only so I still have to find a day or so to flesh it out and put it in all the right words ) so that's quite a relief...until we start work on the third book, that is!!

A really great singing resource Cyrilla, terrific, well done.
It should fly!


V

Well done Old bean. Jolly good stuff!

I will get a copy to use in my saturday morning Hedgehogs club. They will love it. We may change a few of the words into Welsh too.

Aw, thanks, songsinger and petrat (haven't been called Old Bean for a while !).

Hope you can use at least some of it with your Hodgehegs on Saturdays...I'd be delighted to have some Welsh translations!

The bits I've seen of big plan no. 1 have looked rather impressive.

They should make a big difference to the way music is taught in the schools that take up this scheme.

This sounds FANTASTIC, Cyrilla - wow!!!! How can I get a copy? Sounds like amazing work - lets hope every school in the country takes it up, you become massively famous (yay!) and singing (with musical understanding ) really takes off in primary schools around the country - it's about time!

This looks great Cyrilla!!!!!!

As well as teaching piano privately, I also do voluntary work as a classroom assistant at my local primary school (I hope to qualify as a teacher one day specialising in music). I help the teachers and children in all subjects but I also teach music to small groups. I have noticed that music is near enough non-existent at my school which is a real shame.

I am offering piano lessons to children who show an interest in learning, but I will also pass details of the brilliant work that you have done to the music co-ordinator, I'm sure Jolly Music will really help in bringing music back to the school!!!!

Well done

Thank you again, barry - they've certainly made the whole thing look gorgeous, IMHO! The editor (thank you, Theresa!) has done a wonderful job and the illustrations are really lovely.

Of course this first book is aimed at beginners so it's all pretty basic stuff - but for class teachers who are terrified of teaching music (and I've met a LOT) it should be very helpful - though of course can also be used by music specialists who are new to the approach, too.

Thank you also, Violinia and pizazz, and also to Muddy Paws for your PM

Ha, ha, I don't think there's the remotest chance that I shall become even a tiny bit famous, but thanks for the thought!! Hmmm - 'singing with musical understanding' - that about sums the whole Kodály thing up, I think...

I do hope the book will help 'bring music back' to your school, pizazz!

I did a presentation at a small private school on Wednesday (the new director of music has just become massively into Kodály and wanted some help 'selling' it to the school!). They were really happy and want to make K the 'official music programme' for the school, which is great. Next job = sell it to the parents! (I mean the approach, not the book!)

*feeling very happy to have some more s!!!

Awfully well done.
Bev.

I know just how hard sis has had to work on this but it really is FAB! So many class teachers will breathe a sigh of relief if they get their paws on this - it is great fun and virtually "idiot-proof" (i.e. Bagpuss-proof!).

I sincerely hope it will make C a skip-full of cash too eventually because I have no pension as such and therefore am relying on her to keep me in my dotage (which looks likely to kick in next year).

I hope it will catch on just as well and as quickly as Jolly Phonics. Mr Jolly certainly saw a gap in the market and has gone for it.

Well done, C

Liccle Sis Baggle xx

Thank you, Bev and Bag!

I am really glad this has been published Cyrilla. I have some idea (but an incomplete one) of how much time, energy and self you have put into this. Onwards and upwards ! Let's hope you and David get the benefits you deserve from it. (lots of times)

I might consider singing For she's a Jolly Good fellowess in the locrian mode when I next see you

Thank you, Willard! And a public vote of thanks to Willard for all his significant legal help to David and myself in the matter of contracts etc.!

*looks forward to the promised Locrian offering*

Have a drink on me!

Thanks, Daley!

*wonders if that's sherry in that glass*