Update 133: There's a kind of hush
- Howie Gordon
- Oct 15, 2025
- 5 min read
At the top of the world tonight
Where no one ever has to hide
At the top of the world tonight
You're sittin' safe and starry-eyed
There is treasure you can find
In somethin’ someone left behind
At the top of the world tonight
It can stay this way at least until the mornin' light
A message to you - my loyal listeners
I feel the need to write and share. This broadcast was started as the hostages were being released. The news of the hostage release brought a mix of emotions that’s hard to name — relief, gratitude, confusion, and a heaviness that lingers. Like many others, I felt both joy for the families reunited and sorrow for all that remains broken. Today there’s a kind of hush — a bittersweet stillness that asks for gentleness and reflection.
In moments like these, I turn to music. It consoles me, helps me listen more deeply, and gives shape to feelings that words alone can’t express. Music has a way of crossing borders and softening boundaries, reminding us that despite our differences, we share rhythm, emotion, and pulse. It brings people together in ways that politics and headlines cannot.
As we move forward — as individuals, communities, and educators — I find myself thinking about how music, and the harmonies that carry it, can help us rebuild connection. Whether through a shared song, a virtual classroom performance, or a digital collaboration across languages and cultures, music continues to show us who we are, and who we might become.
There’s something almost miraculous about the way music travels — how a melody born in one language can move hearts in another. Music slips past borders, politics, and even words themselves. It reminds us that beneath accents and flags, we share rhythm, emotion, and pulse. A song sung in Arabic, Hebrew, or English can awaken the same ache, joy, or hope. In classrooms and communities, music becomes a common space — a bridge where difference softens and curiosity grows. It’s not just sound; it’s shared humanity, vibrating in harmony for a moment. And now, back to our educational reality. The Jewish holidays are behind us, and it’s time to return to the rhythm of the classroom. We do this work because we’ve chosen it — because we believe in the power of teaching, and we know our students depend on us.
Through these broadcasts, we’ll explore ideas and practical methodologies for using music, movement, and technology to enrich learning. I’m excited to see how you bring these ideas to life in your classrooms, and I look forward to sharing your successes and innovations with other teachers so that we can continue learning — together.
On that positive note - here is one of my favourite songs by The Carpenters
I have created a worksheet for 6th grade with the help of Magic School
I am adding this version as well to show how appropriate it would be to sing the song with your pupils.
My happy corner — smile of the week
Here I will share humorous, music and movement moments that spark joy.
Never too young to be a rocker
Who would have thought - from Bach to the Beatles?
Taking Medicine - Easy https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wT8gsRM3U-g?feature=share
Eek it's a mouse!
Learn in Tune Site
Please check out the updated Learn In Tune Site. Numerous new songs have been added with a special update to Anti-Bullying. While you are browsing the site you will find songs and activities for each song. If you want to add activities that you have created for songs please let me know.
Musical Joke of the Week
My pet mouse Elvis died last night It was caught in a trap!
Digital tool of the week
Listen to this tab New in Google Docs - You can add an option for your document to be read to you. Look at the example on the Top of the World Worksheet
This can be a game changer when you need texts to be read to your students. The students can alter the speed and the voices to make it more realistic. Take a look at the example video.
From the Field - Throwback form Yesteryear
This was sent to me in December 2023
During these days we are teaching the 5th +6th graders two songs. The songs : "Coming Home + My Own Superhero". The pupils are singing them in the English and music lessons. We are teaching them new words and phrases, making activities...
We are going to make a video and share with you!
I thought it was appropriate to reshare now and hoping for the release of ALL the hostages
Voices Up
Elementary Teachers | Junior High Teachers |
🎉 Let’s Make Speaking FUN! Are you looking for new, exciting ways to get your students speaking more English in class? 🎶 From chants and songs to games, videos, and digital tools – join a national community of teachers bringing spoken English to life in fun, engaging ways! 🌟 Join the "Voices Up!" WhatsApp group – a vibrant space for elementary teachers across Israel to connect, share, and grow together. 👩🏫 What you’ll get: ✅ Ready-to-use speaking games and warm-ups ✅ Student-friendly chants, cheers, and songs ✅ Ongoing correlation to national programs like Speak Up, U-Star, Learn in Tune, and more ✅ Ideas for Reader’s Theater, U-Star video projects, and creative speaking tasks ✅ A support network of enthusiastic teachers, mentors, and inspectors ✅ Invitations to student showcases and end-of-year celebrations! 🎤 Let’s raise student voices – and their confidence – one sentence at a time! 📲 Drop a 👋 and click to join: | 🎙️ Let’s Get Our Students Talking! Are you ready to energize your English classroom with speaking games, Reader’s Theater, music, and tech tools? Want access to ready-to-use materials, AI scripts, and a supportive teacher community? Join the "Voices Up!" WhatsApp group – a national initiative to boost English speaking fluency in junior high schools across Israel. 👩🏫 What you’ll get: ✅ Ready-to-use speaking games and warm-ups ✅ Student-friendly chants, cheers, and songs ✅ Ongoing correlation to national programs like Speak Up, U-Star, Learn in Tune, and more ✅ Ideas for Reader’s Theater, U-Star video projects, and creative speaking tasks ✅ A support network of enthusiastic teachers, mentors, and inspectors ✅ Invitations to student showcases and end-of-year celebrations! 🎤 Let’s raise student voices – and their confidence – one sentence at a time! 👉 https://chat.whatsapp.com/IZavz4xA8J5K7WpFVanEkh
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Your voice matters.
These broadcasts are admin-controlled, and I treasure your feedback. Drop ideas, needs, and requests here (topics, grade. bands, songs, tools):
Send me your clips or finds—let’s feature classrooms across Israel this year! This is your chance to be noticed.
Guess the song 🎶🎤🎧📢
Each broadcast I will add a new Guess the Song picture. Some will be easy and some more difficult. Let’s see how well you do.
Well Done to Romi Gal for solving the last riddle - Coldplay - Viva la Vida
Click on the link to the Padlet to try out this week's question.
P.S. My friend TONY begged me not to spell his name backwards - I said Y not?
Stay connected
P.P.S. If you know of a colleague, friend, relative or parent that is not part of
these broadcasts, invite them in via this link. They can thank you later.
You can access these broadcasts via the WhatsApp group
You can join the Email list by sending me an email to learnntune@gmail.com and I will add you to the mailing list.
You can access our site at http://bit.ly/learnintune and past broadcasts here https://learnntune.wixsite.com/my-site
Just one more
Make it a good year—and a year that counts.
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