Thanks for the reminder!

I've been teaching for over 15 years now. It's a challenge. There are different learning styles to consider, various levels of understanding, and the challenge of keeping things interesting for my students. It's easy to get burnt out and forget that teaching offers so many rewards too. I love it when a student gains something from their studies that they would never have understood without my help. I love seeing the look of wonder and amazement in a young child's eyes as they open their mind to new concepts and ideas. It's amazing to think that I may play some small role in helping to form tomorrow's memorable, world changers.

During my time in the classroom, I am usually so consumed with my work that I don't get the chance to reflect on the learning as it takes place. This week, however, I was afforded a unique glance at that process. A mom in one of my Kindermusik classes graciously agreed to snap some photos during class while I taught. I sat and studied the photos when I got home, and I found myself thinking- thinking about the impact we have on others when we are completely unaware, thinking about how much thanks I owe to those who taught me and those who have taught my children, and thinking about how special my students are to me. I hope you take the time this week to thank those who have had a positive influence in your life and helped to shape the person you have become!

Meet me in Kindermusik!

I was sitting in traffic the other day, and I began to think about the car in front of me at the light. She was a single mom with two daughters. One daughter attended Randall Middle School . She enjoyed yoga and long distance running, and she lived in Fish Hawk Ranch. I knew all of this not from personal knowledge, but simply by reading all of the magnets and stickers on the back of her car. We are definitely a society that likes to connect with others through labels and interests. How else do you account for the massive success of websites like Pinterest, Meetup, and the like?
Connecting with those around us and feeling a part of something are important to your little ones as well. In fact, the Institute for Early Childhood Education and Research states, "a body of research has been building to suggest that there is a strong link between young children's socioemotional competence and their chances of early school success (Raver, 2002). In fact, studies demonstrated that social emotional knowledge has a critical role in improving children's academic performance and life long learning (Zins, Bloodworth, Weissberg, & Walberg, 2004)." As a parent, I tend to focus on activities that I believe will enhance academic success for my children. It's nice to be reminded that having fun in a group setting is important for their academic success as well! What kind of social activities have you enjoyed lately with your children? We are now enrolling in our Kindermusik classes! Click here for a free preview pass.

Featured Artist - Mister G

Mister G

After 20 years as a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter playing for grown-ups, Ben Gundersheimer (aka Mister G) burst onto the children's music scene with his debut CD, "Pizza for Breakfast." A former classroom teacher with a Masters in Education, Ben was dubbed Mister G by his elementary school students. His recent bilingual CD, "BUGS," has garnered rave reviews from music critics, educators, and national media.

Several of Mister G's environmentally-themed songs, "Mister Chubby Pants" and "Squirrels," have been made into videos. "Squirrels" was recently featured on national television,along with "Vamos a la Playa," which was filmed on location in Mexico and Colombia and highlighted as part of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Over the past several years, Mister G has performed for children in the US, Europe and Latin America. He's played to packed audiences in settings as diverse as the Children's Museum of Manhattan, the Coolidge Corner Theater, Horizons for Homeless Children, and Atitlan Multicultural Academy in Guatemala. A riveting performer equally capable of captivating a 1000 people in a large theater or writing songs with a class of first-grade students, Mister G is a unique figure in the children's music world.

Featured Artist - Janie Next Door

Janie Next Door

is also known as musician, entertainer, singer, songwriter, Jane Christison. A graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, Jane is known for her Music With A Smile®, playing and singing many styles of music. She is the founder/owner of Music With A Smile Productions, LLC, which produces her CD's and videos,  www.janienextdoor.com.

Jane's newest musical venture is performing asJanie Next Door, playing live, Come Sing Along With Janie Next Door performances for children. These upbeat programs are getting rave reviews and include songs from her CD,"Come Sing Along With Janie Next Door," as well as some traditional children’s favorites. Audiences find themselves singing along, marching, clapping their hands and joining in on the fun.

Her smile and enthusiasm are contagious. Her original songs are so catchy that they'll stick in your head, and you won't want them to leave. You're sure to enjoy the music of Janie Next Door!

What's in store for today?

Familiarity... It's such a simple thing, and yet knowing what to expect can bring such a sense of security and comfort. If you look at your daily routine, and you'll find there is usually a sequence that your day follows. Now picture someone coming in and messing with that routine. You have to come in to work 2 hours earlier tomorrow morning. Your job responsibilities change, but no one can tell you exactly what is expected of you. You go to the grocery store, and they have changed all the aisles around. I'm guessing you would feel pretty frustrated by the end of the day. Now picture that same frustration in the body of a young child.

Children like to know what to expect and thrive on routine. If you think about it, a young child has very little control over what happens to him throughout the day. They depend on us to feed and bath them. We are responsible to put them to bed and ensure their daily care. If you don't have an established routine in your home, it may leave your young child just as frustrated and out of control as you would have felt in the above scenario. Familiarity brings a level of comfort and security that allows your child to freely explore their world and comfortably transition from one activity to the next. It also benefits your child as he learns more about sequencing. Here are a few ideas to help with your routine.

• Sing a song when it's time to change activities. You can use a favorite song or even make one up for bath time, dinner time, or a favorite lullaby for bed time.
• Use a picture chart to map out what to expect each day. As each item is finished, remove it from the chart using tape or velcro. You can find some free pictures here.
• Use sequencing activities and songs, such as "B-I-N-G-O", to strengthen the "what comes next" concept for your little one.

Featured Artist - David Jack

David Jack is an award-winning children’s recording artist who brings originality, upbeat humor and a refreshingly hip musical energy to his concert audiences nationwide. He is that rare children’s performer who appeals both to kids and to their parents, and he is rarest of all, a fresh, new and important voice in the children’s music field.

All of the songs David performs are original–which is very unusual in the children’s field–with music composed by him and lyrics written by his older sister, Susan Jack Cooper, a former “Captain Kangaroo” staff writer. David grew up in Levittown, Pennsylvania but graduated from UCLA with a degree in Music Education.

David Jack has given concerts and has entertained at Children’s Festivals all over the United States. He appears frequently on TV and radio. David was invited for two consecutive years by President and Mrs. Clinton to perform at The White House Easter Egg Celebration as well as performing the National Anthem at the Oriole Stadium in Baltimore for an audience of 30,000. He is probably best known for his eleven (11) years of performing an exclusive daily performance engagement at Ph iladelphia’s Anheuser-Busch theme park, Sesame Place. Sesame Place is the only theme park in the country based on the hit TV show Sesame Street.

A.K.B.F. is a D-O-G (A Kids’ Best Friend is a Dog) earned him the highest honor in children’s music, the coveted Parent’s Choice Gold Seal Award. David’s previous album Gotta Hop! And Dance In Your Pants also earned Parent’s Choice Honors Awards as well as the “1993 Best Product Pick” awarded by Early Childhood News. His We Love Saturday and Snuggle Up Cozy recordings are both winners of the “Best Kids’ Music” National Parenting Publications Award. His sixth recording entitled Bop-Along Songs! can now be found in major retailers across the United States and on the Internet.

I heard that!

Recently on our Facebook page, we focused on the parenting topic of multi-sensory learning. Using all of the senses for learning helps your child to better retain the information gained from the experience. It requires active participation in the learning process and engages the whole child. There are lots of great ways to use this approach to enhance listening skills with your children. This vital skill helps your child develop social skills such as conversational skills, new vocabulary or proper word pronounciation, or listening to directions in a classroom setting. Music has been found to greatly enhance listening skills in young children. Try a few of these ideas out at home!

• Go on a sound hunt with your child. As you "spy" different sounds, see if your child can identify the sound and mimic it.
• Sing silly songs with your child and encourage them to make up new silly words that would rhyme. 
• Leave out a word or phrase in a familiar song and enocurage your child to fill in the blanks as they sing along.
• Encourage your baby to listen by allowing him to watch your face when talking to him. Sing simple songs and mimic his sounds if he tries to "sing" back to you.
• Sing echo songs together. You can even make them up as you go along.

Performing Arts Exchange

Here is the link to the Performing Arts Exchange for artist showcases:

http://pae.southarts.org/site/c.kfIQKZOwFkG/b.4693165/k.5664/Performing_Arts_Exchange.htm