It's Good To Be Back!

The Spring 2007 semester started today. It was so nice to be back with all my families, singing, dancing, and playing instruments.

We have lots of new families joining us this week, so if you see a new face be sure to say "Hello."

Kindermusik in Laredo News

The January issue of our studio newsletter is now available. To be added to the mailing list, subscribe using the box at the right of the screen or e-mail me. We even have copies available at the studio if you prefer the paper version.

What I'm Reading

Children's Play: The Roots of Reading (edited by Edward Zigler, Dorothy Singer, & Sandra Bishop-Josef)...."In Children's Play, leading experts in play research, child development, and early childhood education examine recent policy decisions and demonstrate the importance of play in helping children learn basic literacy skills, social awareness, and creative problem solving."

Why Gender Matters (Leonard Sax)...."In recent years, scientists have discover that differences between girls and boys are more profound than anybody ever guessed...These differences have major implications for best practices in education--and also for effective parenting."

What's Going On In There?(Lise Eliot)....Sub-Titled, How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life, "...what science knows about how a baby's brain grows--and how what we do makes a difference."

Also, a "lighter" book--

Stardust (Neil Gaiman)..."And beyond the safety of Wall, strange things can happen to a determined lad chasing his heart's desire into a magical world of wonders and perils--where anything that can be imagined can be found."

Let's Play

I caused a car crash today.

More than one, in fact. I might even have participated in or directly caused hundreds of car crashes today.

No, I'm not a bad driver. It's just that Noah has these Matchbox cars that he loves to play with, and the natural form of playing with Matchbox cars for Noah is to crash them, over and over and over again.

So, if I want to "play cars" with Noah, as he sometimes lets me do, I end up becoming a co-crasher. We line up the cars on the dining room table and then send them zooming over the edge. We position cars on the bathtub ledge then send them plunging into the watery depths. We even sit on opposite ends of the room and try to send the cars on the precise path that causes a collision in the middle.

Then we start over and do it all again.

It's a comforting ritual--rolling cars, making them crash into one another or fall from various places, devising new staging points for crashes. It's observation, imitation, creativity, challenge. It's scaffolding in action.

New to Laredo?

Have you heard of the Newcomers and Friends of Laredo Club?

Neither had I when we first moved to Laredo. In our first Kindermusik class, I met several ladies that were members of this club. Noah and I started attending playgroup events (play days at playgrounds, Christmas and 4th of July parties, field trips) and made lots of friends. Even though we've lived in Laredo for more than six years now, we still enjoy being a part of Newcomers.

Newcomers and Friends of Laredo is a social club comprised of new residents as well as Laredoans.There are a number of activities planned each month, including: monthly Luncheons with community speakers, Adult Socials, Family Socials, Coffees sponsored by local businesses, Bunco, Bridge, Canasta, Cooking demonstrations and recipe sharing, Scrapbooking, Golf, Bowling, Children's Play Group, Babysitting Co-op, and Moms' Night Out. Getting together and making new friends makes the adjustment much easier and more enjoyable.

For more information,call 956-753-8259 or e-mail at laredo_new@hotmail.com. Brochures and the current newsletter are also available at the studio.

View From The Back Seat

Every once in awhile, I sit in the back seat with Noah. This is incredibly exciting for him; for the rest of the day, he grins and tells his friends, "Mama sat beside me in the car."

It gives me a chance to see the world through his eyes--at least a little bit. Back seat riders are in the perfect position, unencumbered by worries about keeping eyes on the road, to spy cats and dogs, playgrounds, and McDonald's. And, believe me, Noah didn't miss anything.

And, you know how adults can be inhibited about looking into other cars? If you're a back seat rider, feel free to look all you want. We made friends at stop lights by trading smiles and waves with other back seat riders.

Being a back seat rider also gives one the chance to study the front seat riders. I got to see Noah watching his dad driving. He would carefully study what Dada was doing, then sometimes mimic him (pretending to steer the car), sometimes offer helpful comments ("Red makes us stop, Dada"), and sometimes just smile at his Dada.

Riding in the back seat has inspired me to look for other ways to see the world through Noah's eyes.

Fun for Children (And Parents!) in Laredo

Have you visited the Imaginarium yet? If not, you are missing a real treat.

The Imaginarium of South Texas (formerly known as the Laredo Children's Museum) is dedicated to providing "bicultural exhibits in a creative learning environment." What that translates to is a place for children to explore the world around them, in an friendly environment that naturally invites that exploration. It's a place for children to play, yes, but more than that, it's a place for children learn through play.

Located in Mall del Norte next to Dillards, while larger facilities are being constructed on the campus of Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), the Imaginarium includes a grocery store pretend play area, a magnet wall, a giant bubble table, a well-stocked reading area, and many other exhibits.

And, don't forget the Imaginarium hosts wonderful summer camps for children 5-12 years old. (Visit their website for the latest details and information about hours and memberships.)

Calling all Laredo Preschools!

Searching for an early childhood music specialist for your school?

Give us a try! Using ABC Music & Me, a preschool music curriculum developed specifically for preschools and early learning centers by Kindermusik International, Sarah and her team of educators will provide a professional music class for your facility.

We have a range of options that are designed to meet the schedule and budget of any school. We even offer a free trial class at your location to help make your choice easier.

Call or e-mail Sarah today for an information packet or to schedule your trial class. 753-8199

Did I mention...

that Noah is out of school tomorrow and Wednesday?

Because of cold weather? I wish that schools closed because of cold weather when I was a kid. I mean, we were expected to walk to school...on snow and ice...barefoot...okay, maybe I'm exaggerating.

I predict that Noah and I will play lots of games. Maybe have a dinosaur parade or two.

And, in other news, the Kindermusik early registration deadline for the Spring 2007 Semester is today. Remember you can register online through the studio website (credit cards accepted but not required), by phone (753-8199), or by e-mailing me with your class choice.

Preparations for the Spring Semester

The break between Kindermusik semesters is a busy time of preparation and anticipation. Some of the things on my "Countdown to Classes" list are:

• order At Home Materials. My Fed Ex man knows when a new semester is about to start because he has to carry a mountain of large boxes to my front porch.
  
• sort At Home Materials. 2 sets of carry cases, cds, and activity journals for each Village (baby class) family, assemble the "Fiddle-Dee-Dee" unit dog house carry box and fill it with books, CD, an instrument, an Family Activity Book for the toddler families, unwrap the bright blue preschool class backpacks and make sure each family has a game board, double CD, set of resonator bars, books, and family activity guide inside, label the purple Young Child (elementary age) tote bags and all the neat take home items that help them learn to read music (along with mom & dad), and unpack the Family Time bags that are jammed full of music, books, puppets, and instruments for each family member. As you can imagine, this takes a little bit of time.
  
• catch up on reading the latest research about child development, the benefits of early music education, and educational theories. I'm reading this type of thing constantly, and this break between semesters is my time to really dig in and figure out how to apply this information to the classroom.
  
• plan ahead for conferences and professional development seminars. On my agenda this year--a drumming workshop in July, the Kindermusik conference in October (Chicago, so need to start saving for a plane ticket), possibly the TX Music Educators conference, and some assorted early childhood workshops.
  
• decide which instruments to add to the studio this semester. (I love this part!) I set aside a significant amount of money each semester for professional development and expanding our instrument and prop collection. That's why we have classroom sets of nearly every early childhood instrument available, puppets, scarves, books, and parachutes galore, common and unusual world instruments, and a large variety of drums. I have my eye on some very special instruments for the Spring classes.
  
• And, of course, practice the new songs, chants, and activities for the Spring units. I'm looking forward to introducing our babies to American Sign Language and the joys of classic American nursery rhymes and folk songs, our toddlers to life on a farm with lots of animals, our preschoolers to the sights and sounds of the city, and our school-age children (and parents) to the joys of reading music.

Because A Blog Can Never Have Enough Baby News

I am fortunate to still be in contact with a dear friend from elementary school, a guy that knew me back in the days of playground games (pretending to be indians--we had a teepee on the playground & a really awesome tree with branches that sheltered all us silly kids from the view of teachers) and, later, band camp, the Cure, Doc Martens, and some spectacularly bad permed hair.

College came and went. We drifted in and out of touch as we expanded our worlds from small town America to, well, larger college town America. He called me up one night while I was in graduate school (which is becoming such a frightfully long time ago) to let me know that he and his special gal were to be parents. I remember being incredibly honored that he shared the news with me and a little in awe that someone I knew was about to be a parent.

His daughter was born and became the first baby that I ever held, sitting on his parents front porch. She was so beautiful, such a perfect blend of her mom and dad.

And, now I find myself in awe of my friend again, as he and his soulmate welcome their fourth child into this world. Congratulations to you both--a child couldn't have found a better family.

Ever Met A Baliphone?

I have. In fact, one is currently residing on my kitchen counter.

The baliphone "is similar to a xylophone but made from natural wood and small gourds in varying sizes, with hand-carved keys that produce rich, warm tones. Expertly crafted in Ghana, this fair-trade instrument is precision tuned to the western scale (do-re-mi)..."

Noah has been testing it for me--you know, just to make sure it sounds okay (one of the perks of being the child of a musician).

Nothing Better Than Kindermusik & Cupcakes

Scenes from our "Celebration Week" of classes

Game Time

"Hi-ho-cherry-o!"

You'll hear that at least once a day at our house lately. Noah's friend, Didi, introduced us to this game a week or two ago, and it's been a family favorite ever since.

Great for teaching counting, turn-taking, and reinforcing fine motor skills, this game is designed for children 3 and up. Target has the classic edition (original 1960s artwork, packaged in a metal tin) on clearance for $4.98 and the new edition for less than $10.

We also enjoy "Lucky Ducks," another Didi-inspired choice. This one, designed for ages 3 and up, is good for shape and color recognition, turn-taking, fine motor skills, memory, and even learning basic strategy. Target also has this; it's less than $10. Be warned--you do need batteries for this one.

I'm excited that Noah can play board games now. I remember playing "Candy Land" and "Clue" what seemed like every day when I was a little older than Noah. And, we have seven or so versions of Trivial Pursuit here (Star Wars Trivial Pursuit is my favorite) that used to (pre-Noah) get played a lot. It really is a fun way to spend time together.

Celebration Classes This Week

We're finishing up the last classes of our Fall semester this week. Who knew when we started back in August that time would pass so quickly? It has been a pleasure sharing this time with you--watching your children grow and watching you and your children enjoy music together.

All classes this week are Celebration Classes, meaning that we will be celebrating the fun of a great semester and celebrating the promise of more fun to come.

Classes will be a mix of favorites, old and new, and Kindermusik "graduation" certificates will be handed out this week.

We hope you can join us!

P.S.--Several people have asked me about bringing friends to class this week. The answer is "Yes." This is an excellent week for friends and relatives to participate in a Kindermusik class, and visitors are always welcome.

Here Comes the Stork!

My teaching partner and friend, Sarah Beth, announced tonight that she is pregnant!!! Congratulations to Sarah Beth and Cass!

Sarah Beth did a great job teaching classes for our Kindermusik program during the fall semester and will continue to teach for us this spring (though she might not be able to jump around as much later in the semester). Her little one is due at the beginning of July, so look for her and Cass to be members of our Village classes later this year.

Congratulations again, Sarah Beth!!

Music At My House

Noah begins each morning with a bang--literally.

We still have his door child-proofed since his room is upstairs, our room is downstairs, and the front door--the one he can unlock--is in between. This means that when he wakes up he bangs very loudly on the door to let us know that he is ready for us to let him out of his room.

Climbing the stairs this morning, I found myself singing "Who's that tapping on the window? Who's that knocking on the door?" to which Noah quite reasonably replied, "It's Noah, mama." Then he started singing the song (part of his Kindermusik class this semester), changing the "It's ______." to silly things like his dog or his nose.

We do a lot of singing around our house. Actually, we do a lot of singing pretty much anywhere we are--partly because that's our natural way of communicating as a music educator and child of a music educator, partly because it's just so much fun. Noah makes up songs, I make up songs, we sing old favorites. It gives us something that we can do together, no special equipment, degrees, education, or skills required beyond the ability to let go of worries about the quality of our singing voices and our inhibitions about singing when other people might hear us.

So be prepared if you ever see us at Target--we may be singing about a Sad Pirate or plums at the grocery store or whatever else catches our fancy--and we might ask you to join us.

Without music, life is a journey through a desert.
- Pat Conroy

The Beatles

Music has a way of transporting a person.

I’ve been enjoying a CD called All Together Now, Beatles Stuff for Kids of All Ages. (Thanks, Melissa!) This is a collection of songs from The Beatles as “sung by kids, with a little help from their friends Rachel Yamagata, Marshall Crenshaw, The Bangles and Jason Lytle of Grandaddy.” Included are some of my favorites Love Me Do, I Want to Hold Your Hand , and, of course, All Together Now.

Where does this music transport me? Back to the early ‘80s, riding around town with my dad, listening to The Beatles on cassette tape. (Remember those?) It was this special thing for me and my dad; I’m fairly certain that my mom and sister didn’t really listen to The Beatles. But give me and dad a short trip to town, and we were sure to be listening to Help! or Paperback Writer at some point in the ride.

I’m not sure when The Beatles tapes fell out of favor. Maybe it was when I discovered the Beastie Boys (dad’s reaction: “I don’t know what they are saying but it has a good beat.”) or the Cure (dad‘s reaction: silence). Maybe the tapes just snapped and weren’t replaced (we sure played them enough). Either way, the memories of time spent with my dad, sharing a mutual love for music, remained, waiting for me to remember.

I’m going to send dad a copy of this CD so he can remember, too.

Happy New Year to You!

We had a great time (and lots of Kindermusik friends) at our Noon Year's Eve Party on Saturday!

The children really enjoyed the confetti pictures--confetti & glue, a wonderfully messy combination--and chose some interesting items for their "Favorite Things 2006" collages. The party hats and noisemakers were a big hit, as was the "Little Clock, Big Clock Dance."

Thanks for celebrating the Noon Year with us! And, a special thanks to Troy, Ernesto, and Clair for cleaning up--that was such a nice surprise!

Here's hoping that this year is a good one for you all!