Two expatriate teachers in Berlin found the best way to convey the message about Corona rules to school children. They produced a Rap video entitled ‘Covid Who!?’.
In Corona times, the message about the right behavior needs to be brought across. How does that work, especially when it comes to kids? Posting lists of rules on bulletin boards is one way, but it might not motivate school children to do anything. That is why Brodie White and Trevor Wood chose an alternative approach.
New Zealand and Canada
“Welcome back to school, boys and girls. Here we all are, in this brand new world.” This is where kids find themselves now that they are returning to Berlin Cosmopolitan School, where Brodie White works as an ‘extracurricular teacher’. Making them follow the distance and hygiene rules is the purpose of his Rap tune ‘Covid Who!?’ (see video below).
“We’re coming in hot with a couple of rules to keep Covid out and everybody in school.” The lyrics say it all without boring the kids. Brodie White, who is from New Zealand, and his Canadian colleague Trevor Wood edited dancing students and kids with instruments into their video clip. Of course the students got their parents’ permission to appear.
Nurturing Environment
“We gotta play along. Postpone that hug. Keep it cool and don’t spread that bug.” White and Wood, who are also known as ‘Musical Friends’, included some of Berlin’s sightseeing spots. For instance, they did some shooting at East Side Gallery, where a big chunk of the Berlin Wall is on display. But making adhering to the Corona rules seem ‘cool’ is what the video clip is mainly about.
Brodie White, who is a guitar teacher as well, came to Berlin in 2008. He is fond of the international school he “teamed up with” for his message song. “The Berlin Cosmopolitan School is a very nurturing environment for educators too”, he says. “They are very supportive of us exploring different ways of communicating with students.” Obviously.
Killing the Germs
Trevor Woods was responsible for directing, shooting and editing the ‘Covid Who!?’ video clip. He primarily works with third-graders and runs after-school art and drama clubs for students. The man who wrote, performed and recorded the Rap tune is Brodie White. As a guitarist, he tours with Rock bands when he finds the time and when the Coronavirus lets him.
With another colleague, White has recorded several educational songs for kids in a pure audio format, including ‘Alphabet Soup’, ‘There Ain’t No Monsters Under My Bed!’ and ‘Wyatt the Whale’. And he is the person behind the Skeleton Steve Show, a series of animated videos, podcasts and songs.
A followup for the new ‘Covid Who!?’ Rap video clip is already in the works. Reminding kids, but also adults, of the Corona rules cannot happen often enough these days. Here is one rule everyone seems to be forgetting: “To kill all the germs – they can be dirty – when you’re soaping up you gotta count to thirty.”
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