Preface Introduction How to use this book Contents Book Review The Author

Our names carry so much. A rose by any other name may still be a rose, but had Bartholomew been named Butch, he would have been a different person. These tiny explosions of consonants and vowels speak of heroes, friends, family, and an entire ancestral line. We may be more than our name, but we are never less than it; we can cover it with clothes or wear it on our back, but it is tattooed forever into our skin. First names first. Who were you named for? Tracing it back, you learn something about your parents. You discover their favourite aunts and uncles, old school chums, heroes and heroines from the movies, books, sports, and arts. You enter the thinking of Mom and Dad and reveal something of their character. Were they whimsical? "We named you Jasmine because we were under a trellis of that fragrant flower when we first kissed." Traditional? "My father was George, his father was George, and I want my grandson to be George." Inventive? "Because you are a blend of us, Joe and Donna, we named you Joeonna. "Boring? "You're Sally because it was the most popular name at that time." Alliterative? "We thought Frederick Frederickson flowed nicely." Humorous (and perhaps a bit cruel)? "With a last name like Kent, Clark was just too good to resist." Nicknames. If first names carry the past of our parents forward to the future - the character they might wish for us - nicknames speak of our character as it unfolds over time. We are given our first name by parents, but our nickname tells who we are in our community of family and friends, changing through time as our relationships change. To his mother, he is Jonathan; to his childhood friends, Johnny; to his colleagues, John; to his drinking buddies, Johnster; to his wife, John darling. Nicknames speak of affection (my daughter Kerala became "Ker bear") or ridicule (my wife, Karen, and her brother, Barclay, were "Carrot and Broccoli"), and sometimes both at once (Louis Armstrong's derogatory nickname "Satchelmouth" became the endearing "Satchmo"). The best nicknames reveal informally what other cultures practice formally. Native American Jamake Highwater writes: One of the most significant features of Indian tribal custom is the giving of individuated names. Such Indian names denote personal qualities, heroic exploits, uncommon abilities, unique physical characteristics, visionary experiences, and other designations that point specifically to the singularity of the person being named. . . every North American Indian is given, in a tribal ceremony, a name that recognizes his uniqueness. From that tradition, we find Rolling Thunder, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse-names that connect with the natural world. From another tradition, one of informal initiation, we find the jazz royalty of Duke, Count, Prez, King, and Lady Day. Other people give us nicknames, but we may change our given names to announce a new identity. Our motivation may be religious: Richard Alpert became Baba Ram Dass, and Cassius Clay became Mohammed Ali. We may try to conceal our identity by dropping the "stein" in Goldstein, or we may create a popular persona with a new name the way Roy Scherer Jr. (Rock Hudson), or Annie Mae Bullock (Tina Turner) did. By changing our name, we take a step out of our given identity towards our chosen one. Middle names. An opportunity to preserve a family name (John Beswick Shultz), a second chance to honour someone (we named our daughter Talia Jane Goodkin for my wife's college friend), or a security blanket in case the first names don't fit (my father, wife, and brother-in-law all chose to be known by their middle names). Middle names also help distinguish two people with similar names - John Smith from John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith. Last names. To some people, a surname proclaims ethnic identity and conjures up ancestors. To others, it tells a very different story . For example, African-Americans lost their ancestral names when they were enslaved and renamed by their oppressors, and women often relinquish their family name when they marry . Bill Bryson reports in his book, Mother Tongue, that last names in England were at one time less fixed. When an English poll tax was passed in 1379, the government required a census of names. To distinguish one Peter from another, Peter Johnson (Peter, son of John) and Peter Robertson were created. Patriarchy was not the only source of surnames. Some came from occupations: Smith, Carpenter, Miller, Weaver, Singer, Harper, Cook, Taylor, Shearer, Shepherd, Hunter; while others came from nicknames: Armstrong, Whitehead, Richman, Redman. Place was a significant part of identity in more stable cultures and gave us names like St. Francis of Assisi, Hildegard von Bingen, and Leonardo da Vinci. (Nowadays, "Doug of New Jersey" doesn't have quite the same ring.) Some surnames refer to a landmark: Wells, Bush, Stone, Bridges. Time also enters into the naming process in some cultures. The Akan people of West Africa mark the day of the week a child is born - a boy born on Sunday is named Kwasi, a girl, Akosuwa. In Spain, children are named for the patron saint of their birth date, either directly (José) or indirectly (María-José). In Bali, it is the birth order that counts - Wayan means the first born male, Made, the second, and so on. (I often wonder what it must be like to teach there - "Wayan, pay attention!" would bring half the class to order!) A journey into names is an exploration of past, present, and future, as well as a glimpse of family, ancestors, culture, place, and time. It tells a bit of who we are by revealing where we came from. By sharing that journey, and telling our stories, we begin to know each other and feel known in a special way. The 20 name games presented here can be the first step on that journey.

Each one has a name, some are short, some are long When you put them all together, it's a song. Avon Gillespie, my first Orff teacher, often began his classes with that little chant. The words are simple, but the message profound: In this class, the unique you is one note in the polyphony of the group we. Our song shaped from the elemental material of word and gesture, will grow from the joining of our individual selves. The alchemy of this approach creates the gold of aesthetic expression from the base metal of the elements. The experiment begins with a single spoken word--0ur name. Every music teacher uses name games, and each has his or her own favorite game. Even those of us who from class to class teaching hundreds of children attempt to learn the names of our students. On a personal level, we indeed want to get to know each of them and on a philosophical level, we want each them to feel known. Knowing their names is a starting point for both. On a practical level, a name is powerful method of control - "Gerry!" will get a better result than "Hey, you!" As music (and movement) specialists, everything we do in class should overflow with musicality - the means should support the ends. If we are to learn each other's names in music class, how can we do it in a musical way? How can the process help teach the skills and concepts of our subject? How can we set the tone for all succeeding classes? How can we directly involve the children in their own learning? The games herein are 20 different answers to these questions. These games grew out of many years of teaching both children and adults. Each game has its own little story arising from a particular need. As I put them in order for this collection, I was delighted to see an overall pattern naturally emerge. What seemed at first to be an interesting way to learn students' names grew to a full-blown approach for developing musicality and musical understanding. These games reveal many of the principles of Orff-Schulwerk - its expressive media, its unique path to rhythmic development, its organic approach to composition, and its model of communal learning. Those already versed in this approach may find familiar processes aimed in new directions; those new to it may be intrigued by its imaginative pedagogy. In either case, it may be helpful to consider how these principles come alive in these name games. Expressive Media Orff-Schulwerk begins with that which is closest to us - the various sounds, gestures, and movements of our bodies in combination with the sounds, speech, and song of our voices. All of these games begin in the body and voice and so require nothing more than a group of people, a space to work in, and an active imagination. This democratic approach makes the material equally accessible to teachers of all subjects and music programs of all economic levels. Because the games are based on ideas rather than repertoire for specific instruments, all of the material may be extended to any combination of instruments. The Orff music class generally uses a variety of unpitched percussion and xylophones, but the same pieces transferred to school supplies (paper struck with a pencil, a ruler twanged on the edge of a desk, and a pen scraping the edge of a spiral notebook), band instruments (tubas, trumpets, and saxophones), or orchestral instruments (violins, cellos, and flutes) will enliven any class. Rhythmic Development "The speech exercise comes at the beginning of all musical practice," according to Carl Orrf and his colleague Gunild Keetman, and these games follow that path to rhythmic competency. Experinces in steady beat, tempo, meter, duration, accent, phrasing, ostinati, polyrhythm, and other rhythmic elements help develop the child's innate rhythmic sense. Some children come to music class with a polyrhythmicity learned in the womb and in their first few years of life; others may have missed out on the rhythmic lessons that nursing, knee-bouncing, and rhyme chanting teach. But whether it's building from a solid rhythmic base or remediating missed opportunities, the repetition in these games helps teach what some think is unteachable - a sense of rhythm. Composition One of the best questions I was ever asked at a workshop came after we played a name game. "Is that a piece or an exercise?" My answer was, "Yes." Each activity presented here might be called an exercise because it is designed for a specific end, i.e., learning people's names or warming up the group. Yet it also should have the quality of a piece, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Whether we enjoy them as a one-time activity or decide to follow the ideas that emerge and work them into a full-blown composition, we should aim for a sense of musical performance. We begin with a moment of expectant silence and focused state of readiness, keep the energy moving through all the transitions and end with another markedly different, moment of silence before relaxing. Regardless of the content, we have lived a musi cal piece, a journey in sound framed at each end. With this approach, the students are present for every step in the building of the composition. They can see it emerge from the seed of a single idea and watch how it grows, watered by their collective contributions. The result may not be as pleasing as a piece from a master composer, but what it lacks in sophistication, it makes up for in involvement. Instead of imitating the result of a composer's creative process it allows students to get inside that process itself, to begin to think and hear as a composer, but at thei own level. Such an approach also provides an entry point into the repertoire of existing compositions. Exploring the variations of timbre in clapping, snapping, and patting names opens a door to orchestration. The upbeats in the name Isabel lead us to the rhythm of the "William Tell Overture" and the name Kamila helps us learn the jazz ride cymbal pattern. Spelling names opens the door to mixed meters while the various games with simultaneous ostinati prepare us for the polyrhythmic texture of most music. What seems a first like a mere "warm-up" activity soon shifts to the center, opening up a marvelous musical world just right for each developmental stage of the child. Community building Music has always served acommunity function. Kids playing ring games, clapping hadn-jive, and jumping rope while chanting are actively engaged in the trials and erros of socialization; kids singing in the church or school choir get practice in the rewards and difficulties of group endeavours; kids playing in the school or neighborhood band are learning further lessons -- come on time, tune your instrument with the others, learn how your part fits in with the whole. Nowadays these experiences are endangered. TV, the Internet, video games, and adult-organized competitive sports have largely replaced the old neighborhood children's culture. As teachers encounter an ever-growing number of students lacking basic social and emotional skills once taken for granted, we will see the rise of more and more techniques for remediating loss of social intelligence. Yet most will be contrived and artificial compared to the tried-and-true practice of music-making. These games help develop community not only by singing, dancing, and playing together, but by creating together in each of these mediums. The difficulties and victories of co-creation enhance the community effort by bringing aesthetics into the process - when we make something beautiful together, we rise to a new level. Children need these activities more than ever. We may not be able to revive the old neighborhood children's culture, but we can bring a bit of its spirit into the classroom. Though these games are adult-supervised, they bring an attentive ear to the child's world. Adults likewise need these experiences. Though these games came from and are offered back to the children in the music classroom, they are equally relevant to the business team-building workshop, the New Age drum circle, the school parent meeting, and just plain old neighborhood get-togethers. We all want to be named and be known, to sing, dance, play, and create together

Formation The games herein are played in a circle, seated or standing, unless otherwise noted. To "take turns" means to go around the circle one at a time. Age Level These games are adaptable across all age levels. In general, the games proceed from simple to complex. Activities for the very young (two to six years old) need to be simple, in unison (not parts), and taught by aural imitation. Activities dependent on multiple parts and notation are best reserved for ages seven and up. I've resisted designating age groups for the games because there are so many variables. The children will clearly communicate by their energy level whether a game is too easy or too hard and you can adjust accordingly. Sequential Development This potpourri of games is not a precisely ordered curriculum, but it is arranged so that anyone ambitious enough to play them all would discover a progression. Those interested in trying a number of games might consider a different one for each age level (a good way to prepare for the final activity, "Rumpelstiltskin"). Class Size Games that require a response from each student-saying names one at a time-usually reach a critical mass at 15 or so students; kids get restless, interest wanes. For larger groups (say 30), you may choose to form two groups, one for the beginning of class and one for the end. Some games may be played in more than one group simultaneously once the principle has been demonstrated and understood. Older children, who have made the connection between speech and rhythm and can hold their own parts amidst many layers, can go directly to games that require simultaneous expression or that move quickly around the circle. Skills The skills listed at the beginning of each game indicate which are required for successful playing and which can be developed through repeated playing. They also serve as a list of symptoms that help you diagnose problems. Do the children need more work with steady beat? Are they having trouble tracking? Can they hear it but lack the physical coordination to express it or do they have the motor skills, but lack aural comprehension? After playing the games, have a discussion about the skills employed. Affirming your students, improvements and recognizing their next challenge helps them become more aware of their learning process. Concepts The question of which game to play can be answered partly by the concept it highlights. If your class is learning basic note values, the games emphasizing syllables serve well; if the focus is meter, the spelling game can demonstrate the grouping of beats. Like skills, the concepts are markers on the musical path that help students see their progress. Classroom Adaptations Classroom teachers may use these games with a different conceptual emphasis-defining syllables, substituting spelling words for names, graphing math patterns, teaching alliteration in poetry, discussing origins of names. (Music teachers, share this book with your classroom colleagues!) How exciting it would be for the child to play the same game in maths class, language arts class, history class, and music class with each teacher highlighting a different aspect &endash; a truly integrated curriculum.

Review by Suzanne Gerozisis, NSW Orff Association Book Review from the New South Wales Orff Schulwerk Bulletin October 2000 An entire book using names; first names, nicknames, middles names and last names as source material for rhythmic development? Overkill? Not at all in the hands of Doug Goodkin, a consummate Orff practitioner and familiar to those who attended the National Orff conference in Sydney in 1994. As with all his publications, the activities in this book are the direct result of work with children and adults, and there is a wide variety of skill development and concept focus in these name-based activities. Each of the 20 games/lessons is presented in the format of a sequence of activities, suggestions for variation and a particularly informative "comments" section. The Introduction and How to Use This Book sections provide useful guidelines for teachers, particularly those less familiar with Orff-based speech activities and will help to both inspire and avoid possible pitfalls. For example, in observations about class size, the author suggests that for games that require an individual response from each student - saying names one at a time - there is an optimum number of 15 or so. He then suggests different ways of working with larger groups. Although the games are not strictly sequential, there is an obvious progression which may be useful for teachers. It is also possible to choose an activity based on the concept level a class is working on. Games 1 - 4 use the voice, together with body percussion and movement. Games 5 - 20 incorporate melodic and non-melodic percussion and several of the games include a song. There is an impressive variety of approaches and uses to which the basic vocabulary of names is applied. Game 3 requires students to maintain their own part in a multi-layered texture, and with the addition of body percussion is the first game to introduce a polyrhythmic texture. Game 7, entitled Positive and Negative requires students to internalise one part while playing another. With the use of complementary rhythms created by both voice and body, and then omitting one or the other part, the the focus of the activity is to develop an awareness of the interplay between sound and silence, which, as the author states "is vital to the art of making music". For teachers working in the K-6 classroom, there is a wealth of material in this resource.

Contents - 43 pages INTRODUCTION 6 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK. 9 GAME 1. NAME RHYTHM 10 GAME 2. NAME PHRASES 11 GAME 3. LAYERING NAME RHYTHMS 13 GAME 4. LAYERING NAME RHYTHMS-EXTENSIONS 15 GAME 5. SYLLABLE GROUPING 16 GAME 6. SYLLABLE GROUPING-EXTENSIONS 19 GAME 7. POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE 21 GAME 8 SPELLING NAME 23 GAME 9. SOUND OF FIRST LETTER 25 GAME 10. NAME STORIES 26 GAME 11. DRAMATIC ALLITERATION 28 GAME 12. NAME AND GESTURE 29 GAME 13. RHYTHMIC NOTATION 30 GAME14. FIRST AND LAST NAME 32 GAME 15. FULL NAME AND BIRTHDAY 34 GAME 16. BIRTHDAY GROUPS 36 GAME 17. PERSONAL FAVORITE 38 GAME18. RHYMED COUPLETS 40 GAME 19. ICKY BICKY SODA CRACKER 41 GAME 20. RUMPELSTILTSKIN 42

The Author Doug Goodkin teaches music and movement to children between three years old and the eighth grade at The San Francisco School, where he has taught since 1975. He is an internationally recognized practitioner of Orff-Schulwerk, teaching Orff courses throughout North America, Europe and Australia. He is the director of the Mills College Orff Certification Course in Oakland, CA and teaches his own course on Jazz and Orff-Schulwerk through San Francisco State University. Doug has published numerous articles on Orff in contemporary culture and is an author of the Macmillan/McGraw-Hill textbook series Share the Music. He is a founding member of the Orff-based adult performing group Xephyr. Doug is known for his innovative application of Orff-Schulwerk across various disciplines, particularly language arts, jazz, and multi-cultural music.

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