Singing as a pedagogical strategy:

In several of the lessons in this book, the writers have encouraged an application (“Took”) activity where small groups of students work together to turn the main point of the lesson into a verse that they write in order to sing it with a traditional Maasai song tune. This is a strong pedagogical strategy for many reasons.

• First, it reviews the main point of the lesson.
• Second, music is a great way to remember, because singing involves using more and different brain functions.
• Third, putting the content into their own words is an important part of reflective learning.
• Furthermore, putting words to a traditional Maasai tune is not only an effective use of limited lesson time, but it also affirms the Maasai culture.

As part of the research project, the students developed songs to traditional Maasai tunes, which were presented at two music competitions. 
 

Rev. Dr. Seth Sululu, Principal of the Makumira Training Institute, and lecturer at both the Faculty of Theology and Faculty of Education, Humanities, and Science at Tumaini University Makumira, is a leading expert on Maasai music, holding a PhD in ethnomusicology from University of Hildesheim, Germany. He graciously served as the adjudicator for the special choir competitions that integrated main teaching points into traditional Maasai tunes. He also was the managing producer of these music videos sung by the winners of the music competitions.