Its important for teachers to be creative for their students during the Corona-virus pandemic. Wearing a mask all day has been a challenge. My thoughts about wearing them are that doctors and nurses wear them because it keeps them and their patients safe. If they can do this, so can I as a teacher. Do I like wearing a mask? No, not at all. But in fact because I am a music teacher I not only wear a cloth mask, but also a face shield. It makes me feel trapped. It’s hard to breath and talk and sing. I do so hoping that this has helped me stay healthy and safe so I can continue doing what I love, which is teaching children. I think its working.
I am among the more fortunate ones during this Covid crisis, in that the school where I work has been completely operational since September with only a few interruptions. I think we are having success because we can keep our classes small, to about ten students per classroom. We keep our classes separated for the most part all day. We play outside whenever possible. Our students do not wear masks, however our all teachers do. We also have spray sanitizers we use every day.
In my music room I have a box of instruments for each class so no one touches another classes items. Then they are sprayed at the end of each day so another class can use. I prepare music that some can use tambourines and drums or ukuleles, maracas and bells.
When it comes to teaching music to children you have to be highly creative to hold their interest. I utilize puppets that tell stories to introduce new songs. I think the children enjoy looking at colorful paintings while they are learning the words and meanings to other music. Of course they always like marching with flags while singing our patriotic numbers or wearing butterfly wings while dancing.
Me wearing a mask and a face shield at my school. My sister, who is a military nurse made a dozen different masks for me. This one is because I wrote a children’s storybook called “Butterfly Dreams, a Friendship Takes Flight” it is published by Et Alia Press if you want to take a look at my children’s story and art. https://www.etaliapress.com/authors#/carol-dabney/
When the pandemic first happened, all school shut down. March 12 is a day I will always remember. I was at the Children’s library in Little Rock and my publisher Erin Wood and I were there going over what was going to be a big author and book release party to happen in April. I was so excited. I had written several books before, but this one was special because I now had a publisher and this book showed off my art and the editing was wonderful. But as you know the world shut down. The big readings at libraries and bookstores would have to be put all hold.
We had to once again be creative. So we turned to multimedia. I starting reading my story to libraries online through Zoom, Facetime and Youtube. I created my own Youtube channel and started singing and reading lots of my stories. You can find me at Dabohana on Youtube. All summer long along with my music partner Rod Ragsdale we stay home in our little apt and made lots of videos for children on Youtube. We used themed shower curtains as backdrops and made out own little video production studio. Check out the fun. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDluLLAyEJVzyrsCelEjvDw
I had tea parties zoomed to my grandchildren and small children’s groups.
Rod and I had a blast. We hope you will go to our Dabohana Youtube and subscribe. Share and little little ones watch our fun music videos.
Story time with bible valuespuppets and songs and imaginary trips to Hawaii Farm animal songs and real trips out in the countrySharing my art from my balcony in the summer.In the winter I even started teaching beginner piano from my room. Virtual Piano lessons are not easy, but we found a way. Rod and I Serenading on the balconyHaving fun during a time of isolation and sharing music, art and stories helped keep us sane during the Coriv-19 pandemic. We also hoped that we entertained a few families along the way.
Stay safe. Be creative. Love from our little place to yours. -Rod and Carol
Carol Dabney and Rod Ragsdale are singing from their apartment balcony and uploading to their Dabohana YouTube channel and Facebook in order to stay connected to the dozens of senior communities they used to sing for each afternoon. Before the Coronavirus Pandemic brought it all to a halt, you could find them singing across the state of Arkansas entertaining with music and stories. Usually in Central Arkansas, but some days traveling to Star City, Camden and Hot Springs, and had plans to continue expanding up to Madison County this summer.
If you know someone in a nursing home who has a commuter and loves music that will takes them down memory lane, have them subscribe to Dabohana YouTube for a new song every day. Hopefully we will get to meet them in person for a live performance soon. Carol and Rod enjoy singing a variety show which includes the roaring twenties, country, folk, show tunes, gospel and patriotic.
If you are a senior community director looking for a way to Zoom a live show, It can happen. Contact by email at carol.dabney@yahoo.com.
Serenading on the balcony with Rod and Carol. #SingingForSeniors #CoronavirusSingingSolutions #SerenadingFor Seniors #MemoryLane #Music #FamilyMusic
If you enjoy our music please share and subscribe on YouTube. Thank you for your support.
Carol and Rod are both children’s authors. You can find their storybooks on Amazon.
Carol’s newest story “Butterfly Dreams, A Friendship Takes Flight” can be found at etaliapress.com for extra special deals right now, check out the details.
Carol and Rod also have music videos for children on their DabohanaYoutube channel. Hope you will share with families.
Carol is a music teacher who is staying connected with her students with music, tea time stories and puppets.
Come join Carol, Rod and Cindy at the Arkansas State Capital in Little Rock Saturday December 2 for the annual Christmas tree lighting from 6-8pm to welcome Santa coming to town. Carol, Rod and Cindy will be reading their Christmas storybooks and singing Christmas carols.
Story-tellers share children’s storybook “Twas The Mouse Before Christmas” written and illustrated by Carol Dabney. In English and Spanish. Spanish translation by teacher Cindy Reyes. Available in audiobook with song online at http://www.amazon.com write ‘Carol Dabney Music’ in the search. or click the links below:
This is Carol’s first Christmas storybook published in 2013. It has a cookie recipe and an original song on sheet music in the book. The audiobook has character voices read by Cindy, Carol and Rod along with the song “Christmas in Your Heart”
Hear the story and see the illustrations on UTUBE on the link below: So much fun. Thank you for supporting teacher-artist Carol Dabney.
Thanks for listening. Hope you enjoy this very fun story. Please leave a message. Send to a friend with children.
From our house to yours… Merry Christmas…-Carol Dabney
Also enjoy being a part of the Santa’s North Pole Holiday magical Adventureland each year in Jonesboro.
We have enjoyed sharing our story over the past 4 years at schools, libraries, festivals, nursing homes, annual Holiday House Santa event and the annual Christmas tree lighting at the Arkansas State Capital.
The first time I read it was for a classroom at Schofield Army barracks in Hawaii. I also read at Ft. Lee when my daughter was stationed there. At home in Arkansas I travel the state and read with Cindy and Rod. Cindy and I are both teachers and love the classroom or school assembly events. Rod is a wonderful story-teller and has fun as the Singing Santa.
We will be presenting our story and music at the Clinton Children’s Library and Learning Center Saturday December 16, 2017 at the 10am family story hour. You can get a book and we will personally sign it with your child’s name in it. Please share this with your friends and thank you for supporting local artist. It helps us continue our work.
This year 2017, my canvas paintings and stationary cards for Arkansas cotton was selected to be displayed in the Plantation Agricultural State Museum in Scott, Arkansas.
These are are some of the artwork that is displayed. My father’s first job as a young boy was picking cotton. This state attraction is located south of Little Rock, Arkansas at 4815 AR-161 in Scott.
Rod and I also sang there for the tractor expo, and sold some books, paintings and music.
Then it was time for story-telling and “The Happy Pumpkin” storybook, which I revised this year into a BIG BOOK and added some more art.
I have a great deal of fun reading this story and singing through harvest time, Halloween and into Thanksgiving about a Pilgrim named Jack who sails to the new world to plant a pumpkin seed with a big idea about sharing his pumpkin seeds. A tribute to the American farmer. Oh my, Jack must water through the intense heat and watch over that little sprout through wind and weather till it finally grows to be a huge happy pumpkin. Thank you American farmers for all you do. Jack, like you, had a desire to feed a nation. Then, in his sharing, he receives what he hoped for most, someone to share his life with. Oh the simple pleasures of life- FAMILY! A wonderful book about hard work, sharing and faith. Book also has some healthy pumpkin treats, and see the seeds come out and a jack-o-lantern with a candle made into this happy pumpkin. Celebrate Thanksgiving by reading this book to your family year after year.
There were fall festivals and schools and libraries to read and sing at.
I teach music at my school in the mornings, but if you live in central Arkansas, I am available to come and read for your child’s classroom, school assembly or event in the afternoons. Let me know. Have a bless fall.
Holiday Books written and illustrated by Carol Dabney.
Carol Dabney cooking up something good for pioneer days at Scott’s Pioneer Settlement
Carol Dabney singing for the folks at the Scott’s fall festival
Rod Ragsdale playing his guitar and harmonica at the Plantation Festival 2015
Playing our music. Original songs, plus country and gospel and patriotic music
We got some local honey
We admired local handsewn quilts
tasted honey butter freshly churnned
Canned goods by local gardeners
There was Hayrides for the kids. Viewed other nteresting automobiles of the past
The beautiful white cotton grows in the south
The baked goods were amazing
Blacksmith demonstration was really neat
tours of the train station and about the cotton and other older buildings
pioneer homes on the settlement in Scott Arkansas
making something sweet naturally
Of course there was a horse
My cotton field watercolor painting
My pup and pumpkin watercolor painting. I will be reading the Happy Pumpkin, Patch story at the Good Earth Garden Center Pooches and Pumpkins Festival on Cantrell in Little Rock Arkansas Oct 17 2015 from 11-3Â
Pumpkin books by local children’s authors
My watercolor pumpkins
My Razorback Arkansas watercolor (Sold)
Rod Ragsdale book one of The Adventures of Andrew on the golf course 2015
Only in our imagination can we go from Hawaii to Mexico in 30 minutes
Rod sharing a joke upclose
My reading team Rod Ragsdale, Cindy Reyes and myself at a children’s library event in Little Rock
Cindy Reyes has translated Bows and Butterflies in the beautiful Spanish language and it is in both the book and children can hear the bilingual story of Bows and Butterflies on the audiobook music CD as well.
Children’s authors Donna Watkins and Carol Dabney working together on audiobook adventures for children.
Donna Watkins wrote the words to On The Wings of Dreams for her story The Duck Adventures of Cheese and Quackers
Rod Ragsdale composed the music and we recorded the music at Blue Chair Recording Studio. Donna’s song went so well with my story Bows and Butterflies that she is sharing this beautiful song on my audiobook as well as hers. Her audiobook will be published soon. Go to Amazon.com and look at Donna Watkins children’s books.
Bows and Butterflies is a book and an audiobook with a song by Donna Watkins called On The Wings Of Dreams… recorded by Rod and Carol find it online at amazon write in the search box Carol Dabney music to find the audiobook story and song.
Now children can listen to our stories and music as you drive in the car, on the way to school, on a trip. Read along with our books or just listen. Its fun and educational. Bows and Butterflies – book or audiobook CD. Your support helps us continue our work as local authors, artist and musicians.
We have enjoyed entertaining reading stories and playing music with children this summer at many libraries around the Little Rock area. If you have a party or event for children and want us to sing, read a fun story, and want to encourage children to read more, we can bring and sign our books personally to your children and its a gift your can give to each child at the end of the party that they can have in their home library. connect by emailing us at carol.dabney@yahoo.com
Rod Ragsdale and Carol Dabney play music for children’s hour at the Hillary Clinton Children’s Library and Learning Center
Carol Dabney and Rod Ragsdale will be playing music during children’s story hour Monday August 3 and Monday August 10th at 10am and 11am Summer Children’s programs at the Hillary Clinton Children’s Library and Learning Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Dabney and Ragsdale compose and record music and audiobooks for children. They also teach music on request guitar, piano, harmonica and ukulele. They sing at private birthday parties, luaus and special events.
Children enjoy interactive music time with Carol Dabney and Rod Ragsdale June 30
children singing and dancing with Miss Carol
Carol Dabney and Rod Ragsdale having fun playing music for children
Carol Dabney and Rod Ragsdale having fun playing games during story hour at the Children’s Library June 30, 2015
Carol Dabney and Rod Ragsdale will be playing interactive music with children again August 3 and August 10th and 10am and 11am at the Hillary Clinton Children’s Library.
I will be reading and singing for a meet the author event with several other local authors at the Hillary Clinton Children’s library Saturday June 6 from 10-noon. Mark your calendars if you live near by and have children that love to go to the library for story hour, music, crafts and snacks. They will be allowing me to sell and autograph books with your child’s name at this event. That’s new. So if you have been wanting my newest spring book “Bows and Butterflies” about Carlos the Caterpillar, this is the place. See a butterfly habitat and learn about the stages of a butterfly’s life. A special friendship with Jane who encourages Carlos to believe in his dreams to fly. Hear a new song “On The Wings of Dreams” composed by Donna Watkins and Rod Ragsdale.
Bows and Butterflies by Carol Dabney in English and Spanish. Spanish by Cindy Reyes
New 2015 book Bows and Butterflies by Carol Dabney
Speaking for the young author workshop in Little Rock April 2015
My story time and singing team Rod Ragsdale, Cindy Reyes and myself at a children’s event in Little Rock.Â
Author and composer Carol Dabney will join Senior Moments Magazine editor Dustin Hood as Barnes and Nobles host the Arkansas Alzheimer’s Association panel and author event Saturday August 9, 2014 from 4-6pm at the Jonesboro, Arkansas. Come and get an autographed copy of Dance Me Home by Carol Dabney in this special appearance at Turtle Creek Mall in Northeast Arkansas.
Military biography during the WWII era of the life of Robert Jones Junior and an inspirational love story. A Texas farm boy and his experiences fighting overseas. He returns to the love of his life, a beautiful young girl he met at a USO dance, thus the name Dance me Home. A family struggles with alcoholism, with an inspirational triumph discovery of faith. An unusual Alzheimer’s patient and the humorous way he handled what came his way. American history weaved into a wonderful love story of “True Grit.”
Dance Me Home and other books written by Carol Dabney also available online at Amazon.com and Amazon Kindle. caroldabney.com
Soldier music composed by Carol Dabney a tribute to the American Soldier
hear on KSSN DJ Taylor and his Homegrown country radio show out of Little Rock. Soldier music disc – a tribute to the American Soldier.
Barnes and Nobles Event August 2014. Dustin Hood -Editor of Senior Moments magazine and host of meet the author Carol Dabney and her book Dance Me Home at barnes and Nobles along with Alzheimer’s informative panel
Northeast Arkansas Writers Linda Nance and Donna Watkins supportive writers
Barnes and Nobles Composer Carol Dabney presents her song SOLDIER which plays on KSSN radio Homegrown show in Little Rock
musician/businessman and friend Jerry Webb is one a several to support Carol at event in Aug 2014 Turtle Creek Mall Jonesboro Arkansas
Grandson Noah Dabney Armstrong is the first to step up and receive an autographed copy of DANCE ME HOME
Singer – author Carol Dabney visits schools in the Hawaiian Islands from Jan to march 2013 to present her Patriotic program and share a preview of her new holiday books coming this fall. Students at Hale Kula Army Barracks and Stg Yano Library children’s story hour, Kaumana Keikiland, and Ewa Beach Elementary’s Read Aloud America all enjoyed Harold the Christmas Mouse in “Twas The Mouse Before Christmas” “The Happy Pumpkin, Patch” and “Military Mommy” (pictures provided with permission
Author and singer Carol Dabney reads for Army families in Hawaii March 2013
Author Carol Dabney reads her new bedtime storybook “Twas The Mouse before Christmas” for a classroom at Hale Kula in Feb (6 months before it’s launch date) and introduces Harold, the adorable mouse who stars in the book. He was a big hit with the kids.
Students meet Harold, author Carol Dabney’s Christmas Mouse in her new bedtime Christmas book, “Twas The Mouse Before Christmas”. Learning about writing and illustrations.
Author and singer Carol Dabney using her ukulele to sing “Imagine That America” and a few other fun songs for students at hale kula school March 2013
Lt Melissa Dabney when she was just a cadet graduating from bootcamp in 2006. Her son, Noah came to help her celebrate and show her that he was walking.
Another Military Mommy stops by at the school to pick up her children and enjoys reading Military Mommy
Author Carol Dabney read to students at Schofield Army Barracks about her grandson Noah, who now attends Hale Kula, about his own true story “Military Mommy”
Thanksgiving holiday bedtime story by author illustrator Carol Dabney for elementary school age children. The Happy Pumpkin, Patch about sharing… to be published this fall. Shared a preview with classes at Hale Kula classes.
Learning sign-language to God Bless America
Janet, Hale Kula Librian. Love this wonderful lady. She became my good friend and had a hand in helping me produce “The Happy Pumpkin, Patch” Jan-March 2013
Playing ukulele at Hale Kula School
“Christmas In Your Heart” song produced in the Hawaiian Islands. Composer and Recording Artist Carol Dabney, arranged by Alwyn Erub. on the Picture of You album. available at https://www.amazon.com/author/dabneycdbooks and CdBaby.com
From Janurary through the month of March 2013 I read from classroom to classroom in the Hawaiian Islands. Hale Kula at Schofield Army base in Oahu, and Kaumana Keikiland in Hilo. I read with the Read Aloud America program at Ewa Beach Elementary.
I wanted to thank all the teachers for asking me to read for their classrooms. Thank you also to all the children who wrote cards of thanks to me along with their own artwork.
Every classroom has their own personality set mostly by the teacher in the way she helps her students learn, enjoy and deals with discipline. It’s not easy being a teacher. I know I have been a sub teacher and a resource teacher for over 20 years. Oh the things that can happen when you enter the world of children. I read and I sing a veteran song on my ukulele and show them how to do sign language to “God Bless America”.
I presented my story of Military Mommy at the Army base at Hale Kula school and shared about my grandson Noah and his mom and what its like to be a military family. Of course no child at Hale Kula is a stranger to military life. Some of them have moms, some have dads and yet others have both parents in the military. I express how important the children of military families are. The sacrifice and committment to their American Soldier is their contribution to our country, and they should be proud. The book Military Mommy is about my daughter LT Melissa Dabney and her son. It begins when she leaves for bootcamp at Fort Jackson South Carolina in the summer of 2006. I sent her a picture of Noah every day for 12 weeks. She missed his first steps and his first birthday. Sacrifice, its a big part of an American Soldiers life, as well as their families. The cover photo is of Cadet Melissa Dabney graduating from bootcamp and her getting to see Noah walk for the first time. Then she headed off to AIT for 27 more weeks. At the end of that she returned to Arkansas and finished college, graduating and commissioned a second lieutenant. Then she Noah and I headed off to their first duty station in Hawaii.
I have to say a high praise to the transitional teacher Kelley Jeans and other transitional counselors for helping Noah cope with all the changes of moving from his southern roots to the Pacific Islands. They help children on a daily bases who are coming into the base. With the military, the kids are moving around alot, and it’s tough. Noah and I walked 30 minutes to school every day and walked past Army tanks at the Tropical Lighting Museum, as well as soldiers marching in Army gear. We created the Military Mommy story together on those walks. I read at the schools about Noah, at the end they will often asked, “Where is Noah now?” well he is in second grade at Hale Kula. Because of those questions I wrote a series called “The Adventures of Noah” Cadet Dabney has been LT Dabney and working as rear support for the unit while they went Afghanistan. Soon Melissa will be captain and she and Noah will be moving to their next duty station.
I got alot of great advise from Hale Kula’s librarian Janet. She and I just hit it off and she suggested a smaller chapter book size for my newest holiday Thanksgiving bedtime story book “The Happy Pumpkin, Patch”
I brought my little Christmas mouse into the classrooms to showed the children my Christmas book “Twas The Mouse Before Christmas” Harold was a hit! In Fact the children asked me to read it, so I previewed the story in Feb (6 months before the launch date) Imagine that, Christmas in Feb. it was fun for all. The kids loved touching Harold and taking pictures wuth Harold too. When I left I received mail asking me, “How is Harold doing?”
Harold came to me at my sister’s cabin in Northern California during Christmas time and he was sitting next to my bed stand when I woke up one morning. It was snowing outside my window and it was magical. My sister barbara and I helped Harold bake the chocolate chip cookie recipe that is in the back of the book and I must say they turned out delicious. The book is bilingual written in Spanish, translated by my sister in law Cindy Reyes. The book also has a wonderfully fun original Christmas song I released several years ago. The song “Christmas in your Heart” is doing well in Europe and plays in Germany all year round. It’s very exciting.
I retunred back to the studio in Honolulu to record audiobooks of my Christmas bedtime storybook with old friend arranger Alwyn Erub, who will be the musician and engineer on the project.
