Can I be a playgroup teacher if I can't sing?

I want to start a playgroup in my house, ages 18 months- 2 years. I love working with children and I know I'll really enjoy it. The only problem is that I can't sing for the life of me. I just can't keep a tune. Is that so bad in a playgroup that the children's Morah can't sing? I'd still want to do circle time and sing with them, but it'll be off key. They are still very young but I'm nervous they will go home singing the songs they learned and singing them wrong, or if a mother comes by circle time and hears me sing off key. Is it not even worth me opening because of it? What's your opinion? Please let me know, I have such good, fun ideas and would love to do them, but this problem is making me have second thoughts.�

I was an assistant for a wonderful pre-school teacher who could do everything except sing. of course she taught them songs. pre-school tunes are very simple so she was usually able to keep to them but sometimes she sang off key. and the kids learned the songs off key. and if I sang with them, I sang off key too, just to keep them in tune with morah. it was fine. the kids were learning and they had a great time. and that's all that matters.

Moderator Joined: Aug 14 2005 Posts: 4555 Location: Ohio

Have fun! Teach and enjoy. I can't carry a tune in a bucket but I sing away anyway. I think it's a good lesson for kids that you don't have to be perfect at something, you just have to try.
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mommy to 2 girls, 1 boy

"I would rather have my people laugh at my economies than weep for my extravagance."
--King Oscar of Sweden

Platinum Member Joined: Apr 12 2010 Posts: 5799

Sing away.... its the only time anyone will let you sing without commenting on the fact that you can't Smile

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My mother runs a preschool and can't sing. She does have a music teacher come in once a week to do music with the kids, I never asked her if she sings with them the rest of the week. Smile

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Liba, mommy to Zlata Tova 5/6/98, Tziporah Faiga 1/12/01, Esther Rivka 7/13/04 and Avraham Chaim 7/2/2006

I can't sing and when I was an assistant, the only time I felt uncomfortable singing in class was when a parent was nearby Very Happy

, otherwise it was fun.

The kids still learn the songs. My dh knows a bunch of kids songs because he hears me sing it to our children. Even though I sing it well, he can. Wink

I learnt to sing and draw on the job.

I agree with the previous posters. The kids won't mind if you're off tune.
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hadasa. One 'h', one 's'.

"...the eternal Jewish wealth is when we ... bring into the world children and descendants who keep Torah and Mitzvos." (Hayom Yom)

Senior Member Joined: May 28 2008 Posts: 106

I agree with what others said before. Just sing! The kids wont mind.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 30 2009 Posts: 1699

Mothers aren't tested for lullaby-singing abilities, and neither should preschool Morahs. Very Happy

I understand being self-conscious if parents come to visit (I'm a music teacher myself, and I can't STAND singing in public!) but little kids just care about the fun of the songs, so don't let it discourage you if you're otherwise a good Morah. Have you ever been to a siddur party and HEARD the racket as the kids all joyously sing in different keys? I've known preschoolers who thought volume was a fine substitue for tempo, rhythm and melody.
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I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

Silver Member Joined: Nov 30 2010 Posts: 650

I lose my voice easily, so when I taught preschool I used CDs to help me sing the davening and songs.

My mom is a teacher and isn't very good at singing. She tries her best and plays a lot of CDs in the classroom to help her. The kids have a blast and don't know that she doesn't sing the songs correctly.
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Gold Member Joined: Feb 12 2008 Posts: 2386

I have a few years of running shabbos circle time with parents and kids and I am completely tone deaf. After a while you stop caring. As long as you are enthusiastic the kids wont notice.