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‘Sing What You Mean, Mean What You Play’
Our project, ‘Sing What You Mean, Mean What You Play’, is an inclusive and innovative music programme designed to provide opportunities for neurodivergent young people to engage with, explore, and express themselves through the power of music.
The children will direct and be instrumental in their own learning to help shape the way they learn most effectively.
Whilst we (Buzzing Roots) always strive to be inclusive with our sessions (and our staff and artists are trained in working with SEND children), we now feel that we as an organisation we need to deepen and strengthen the work we do that is specifically tailored for / by individual neurodivergent children. We recognise that it is important for our development and that we want to be able to offer the best possible opportunities to support all children in a way that is best for them.
Since December 2023 we have been working with children from Queensmead Primary Academy and Folville Junior Schools in Leicester leading fortnightly sessions with musicians Akshay (Mr Shay) Sharma, Tatenta Chitsamba and Project Manager, Nicola Middler.
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Liz Lathem, Headteacher of Queensmead Academy shared:
“This is an absolutely phenomenal idea - a wonderful opportunity for our pupils with specific needs and challenges and would be a great chance for them to gain potentially life- changing experiences.”
Within each session, the children are being encouraged to think about the theme of ‘Sing What You Mean, Mean What You Play’ as throughout this project, one of our key aims is to help neurodivergent young people express themselves, find their voices and speak (or sing!) up about what is important to them. Mr Shay and Tatenda are guiding the children through the exploration of a range of instruments, from different cultures and countries, which make different sounds and have different levels of complexity to play. They have also introduced them to some digital tools, such as loop pedals and recording equipment. Within the project grant we included a bursary fund to enable each child to choose their own instrument or piece of musical equipment to own and use throughout the project (and to keep forever, to encourage a continuation of their musicality).
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At the end of the project, in July 2024, the children chose to put on Celebration Events to showcase the music and work they had created with their friends, family, teachers and peers. We listened to, valued and respected the choices made by each child and celebrated their journey, learning and achievements equally. All of the children willingly and joyfully took part on the event, which was a phenomenal achievement for them. We hope the project helped to highlight and better understand the abilities and potential of neurodivergent individuals, rather than seeing neurodivergence as a disadvantage, and that it will continue to support better ways of empowering all young people to achieve and be creative.
The ‘Sing What You Mean, Mean What You Play’ project aimed to create a comprehensive and accessible music programme that not only empowers neurodivergent children through music but also fosters a more inclusive and understanding community for all. We are in the process of evaluating the project and collating all of our research and learning in order to facilitate some CPD sessions in September 2024 to share our learning with teachers and the children's carers.