Layers

We've been enjoying the warm weather. February is one of my favorite times of the year in Laredo--just starting to warm up (before we have our really hot days) and finally over the cold season (well, what passes for cold here). I've finally had to shelf one of my favorite sweaters, the big brown one, that I only get to wear a month or two out of the year. It feels odd to not have my arms covered up.

Noah and I have been doing lots of outdoorsy stuff. He likes to feed the birds, especially the grackles. He can do a good imitation of a grackle call. In fact, he is really into doing imitations of all kinds of sounds--the sound the car makes when I open the door but leave the keys in the ignition, the sound the refrigerator makes because it is old, the sound of unraked leaves crunching in the front yard. I like to think that his ability to notice and replicate even the tiniest, most mundane sounds is a product of all the active (read:intentional) listening we do in music class.

And, that really has been my theme this semester--how everything we do rests inside our children, waiting for the right time to emerge, for the last piece of information that makes the connection happen.

How dancing with a baby turns into that "baby" joyfully clapping along to the music...

How toddlers learning to wait for a drum turns into making sure that everyone has a turn...

How preschoolers laughing and being silly together turns into thoughtful collaboration and confident singing...

How big kids playing body percussion and drum patterns turn into a real ensemble...

What an honor to be part of that process.

Back to School

Been firming up professional development plans for this summer so that I can set the summer camp schedule.

I love taking classes. As a friend put it the other day, going back to school gives moms a chance to "have some uninterrupted time to concentrate on something other than being a mom." Plus, I always have been kind of a nerd.

It looks like we'll be traveling to east Tennessee at the end of May (via New Orleans and Chattanooga, two of my favorite places). I'll be doing an Orff level somewhere--haven't decided which program yet. And, I really want to participate in an intensive trombone workshop in Las Vegas but haven't figured out a way to fit that one in yet.

Encouraging Reading & Writing

Some resources for helping your child learn to read and write:

Reading With Your Baby, Toddler, or Preschooler

Write On! Three Learn to Write Games

Helping Your Child Become A Reader

A Child Becomes A Reader

Write & Talk, Too

Kindermusik classes are more than just music. One of the ways we nurture your child’s total development is through providing an environment that supports and encourages skills that eventually lead to reading and writing. Some examples:

Through reading together--Village (Babies), Our Time (Toddlers), Imagine That! (preschoolers), and Family Time (mixed-ages) classes all include two story books as part of the home materials. These books are written especially for each Kindermusik unit. Story time is a cherished part of Kindermusik class.

Labeling-- Though there is no pressure to have a child repeat the names of objects and concepts, we give them the names linked to the source to help increase their vocabulary and to help them make connections between the word and the action , concept, or object.

Providing a Literature-Rich Environment--Starting with Imagine That! Classes and continuing in Young Child classes, we often make use of a white board or posterboard to write down ideas from the children. This both affirms the importance of what the child says and also helps reinforce that words have meaning. Young Child students are often encouraged to write for themselves, and the pressure-free classroom is the perfect safe place to try out writing skills.

Muscle Development--Through finger plays (rhymes acted out through the use of the fingers) and playing rhythm instruments such as sticks and bells, we help develop the finger muscles and control that will be useful later for writing. In the Village classes, we encourage the babies to follow objects with their eyes, which is useful for reading.

Funny, I don’t remember writing when I was three.

In January, Noah was moved to the 3.5 to 4 year old classroom at his school. Noah didn’t mind the change because it meant he could play on the big playground with the big kids (ahh, if all changes were that easy!). The change has been a little bit tougher on me because now we have to do “homework.”

I like crafty-type things--those of you in my Kindermusik summer camps may remember me getting just as much paint & glue & glitter on me as the kids do. And, I have no problem spending time on projects with Noah (just look at the airplane Noah & I painted over Christmas break). But the homework at his school has evolved from doing crafty projects (“glue green objects to a piece of paper”) to things like “draw something that is purple.” And, Noah’s typical response when we start to work on these type of projects is to say “okay, mama” and then draw whatever he wants, which is usually a rocket ship. Not even a purple rocket ship because, as he tells me in a reasonable voice, “Rocket ships are blue, Mama, not purple.”

I kind of like his independence.

Anyway, the toughest piece of homework assigned lately has been to practice writing his name. (By the way, I’m so happy we picked a first name with only four letters.) I remember learning to write my name, but that was back in the Dark Ages when preschool & kindergarten were for playing, and reading & writing weren’t really an issue until 1st grade. Yes, I’m that old.
We sat together at the dining room table, me patiently demonstrating over and over and over again how to make those four letters, and Noah gleefully grabbing the crayon or pen or pencil and writing “chicken scratch chicken scratch ‘o’ chicken scratch chicken scratch.” If his name was Oooo Ooooo we would have it made. Alas, his name contains letters other than ‘o,’ none of which Noah was in the least bit interested in making.

So, if you ever visit his school and notice a blue rocket ship in a sea of purple grapes and purple dinosaurs or a picture signed by a child who has a lot of o’s in his name, you’ve found my wonderfully unique child.

More on Talking With a Preschooler

It's been communication week around here--a post about talking with a preschooler, lots of information in class about the use of vocal play to help with language development, and an American Sign Language (ASL) Sign & Sing Preview class last night.

Communication has been on my mind lately, maybe because Noah's style of conversation has become so much more sophisticated (one of those parenting moments where you just have to stop and think "When did he learn to do that?") and also because I'm involved in Week Two of an online class (which is wonderful in many ways, but the format--e-mails & online chats--provides plenty of opportunity for answers and questions to be misunderstood).

So, to continue the theme, here is part two of "Talking with a Preschooler."

Though Noah likes to ask "why" questions, his true love in life is to ask "what" questions, preferably as many times as possible in one conversation. He is skillful in his use of "what" wielding it in just the particular way likely to cause the greatest amount of confusion and frustration on the part of his tired mommy. A recent discussion:

Me: Noah, look at that dog. That's an Afghan Hound like the one at the dog show.
Noah:What dog?
Me: The dog that you said you liked because it was big.
Noah: What dog?
Me: The dog right outside your window. That man is walking the dog.
Noah:What window?

The trick is to figure out just the point when Noah has stopped caring about the answers to his question and is instead trying to drive me crazy.

Conversations with a Preschooler

Living with a preschooler is a great way to remind yourself of all the things that you don't know. So far this week, I've been asked a multitude of "why" questions (mostly pertaining to the motivations of various people/animals), such as: "Why is that cat trying to catch that bird?," "Why is that man standing there?," "Why is that big boy running?". I'm able to answer these questions with varying degrees of success. But, I'll admit, most of the time our conversations sounds something like this:

"Mama, why is Dada at work?"
"Dad works so that we have money."
"Mama, why do we need money?
"We need money so that we can pay for our house and car and pizza."
"Why pay for it, Mama?"
"Because we aren't allowed to just take things without paying for them."
"Why, Mama?"
"Because that's stealing, and it's not nice to steal."
"Why, Mama?"
"Because it makes other people sad."
"Why sad, Mama?"
"Wouldn't it make you sad if someone took all your toys?"
"Why they take my toys, Mama?"

I usually do okay with the first, oh, I don't know, fifteen or so "why" questions of the day. Sometimes I even get lucky and Noah says "Oh." before moving on to other activities or questions. I've found myself studying the world a little bit more closely, trying to anticipate Noah's questions, and framing suitable responses so that I don't end up resorting to "Because I said so." or "Let's ask Dada." (at least not too often!)

Sign & Sing Preview Class Tonight

If you could give your pre-verbal child the tools to communicate with you, would you?

If you could give your verbal child the tools to communicate with you on a deeper level, would you?

American Sign Language (ASL) is just that--a tool for enhancing the way you and your hearing child communicate. And, Sign & Sing is a great place to begin to make ASL part of your daily life.

Sign & Sing is a Kindermusik class created to help you and your baby or toddler learn ASL signs that will be useful for your family. Through a combination of singing, instrument and object play, high quality Kindermusik materials, and fun one-on-one time in class, you'll also learn strategies to help you remember and teach those signs to your child.

We'll be having a FREE preview Sign & Sing class at our 10 E Del Mar Blvd studio (First Baptist Church on the campus of Mary Help) tonight at 6 PM. Activities are most fun for ages 6 mths to 3 yrs but older siblings are welcome. For more information, contact Sarah Flack at 753-8199 or by e-mail.

Welcome, Missy Mey!

A truly cool mom, someone I met through Kindermusik, has recently started blogging (well, I just recently found out that she blogs). I've posted a link to her blog, Missy Mey, here & there on the right, so be sure to go check her out!

The Bulletin Board

I tried to come up with a snazzy name like, "The Magnificent Board of Sharing," but for obvious reasons just decided to call it the Bulletin Board. You may have noticed it in the classroom this week, artfully concealing the incredibly-alluring-to-toddlers water fountain.

This is the place to look for suggestions for home activities for all our age groups, the latest schedules for and weekly thoughts about our Village, Our Time, Imagine That!, Young Child, Family Time, and Sign & Sing classes, our birthday list, and other studio information.

If you ever have something you want to share with the other studio families, feel free to give it to me to post.

Thanks, Sarah Beth!

Our February Family Fun Event Saturday was lots of fun! Sarah Beth did a great job planning the event and teaching a wonderful mini-Kindermusik class. I especially enjoyed the chance to be a Kindermusik mommy (and I know Noah liked having my attention), since Sarah Beth took care of all the details.

It was also nice to have all of our Kindermusik by Sarah Flack educators together for an event--Nicole, Sarah Beth, and myself.

And, a special thank you to all the families that joined us as we decorated cookies, made valentines, and spent time with one another.

Have You Met My Baby?

I recently purchased this Baby Taylor Mahogany so that I could have a guitar that is a little easier to take places. This isn't my first guitar; I also have a beloved vintage Gibson that my dad gave me (it was his from before I was born).

Expect to see this guy in class in the next couple of weeks.

Kindermusik February Family Fun Event

Join us at our February Family Fun Event, sponsored by Kindermusik by Sarah Flack, as we make Valentine's Day cards, decorate cookies, and more. We'll even have a Kindermusik mini-class. Activities are fun for children up to age seven and meant to be shared with a parent or other adult. In other words, bring your babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and young children, and spend some special time together! All activities are free. For more information, call Sarah at 753-8199 or e-mail at kmbysarahf@aol.com.

When: Saturday, February 10, 2007
Time: 4 PM to 5 PM
Where: 10 E Del Mar Blvd (First Baptist Church Bldg on the campus of Mary Help of Christians
Cost: FREE

Where, Oh Where, Is Teacher Sarah?

Is she near? Is she far? Is she riding on a horse? Is she riding in a car?
Is she hiding under the bed? Is she standing on her head?
Is she in a swimming pool? Is she someplace cool?
Where, oh where, is Teacher Sarah?

I'm still here, just (happily) busy with beginning of the semester Kindermusik "stuff"--getting to know all my new families, catching up with my returning families, teaching lots of classes (more than ever--thanks, Kindermusik families!).

The World According to Noah

Probably most families with young children have words and phrases that are only intelligible/meaningful to that family. We're no exception. Some of our favorite "Noah-isms" are:

k-noun (playground)
cacos (tacos)
Northpuss Drive (Northpoint Drive)
Wishy-Wishy Dare (Enter if you dare)
mamoons (balloons)

And, if he turns up with a little scrape or bruise, his inevitable answer, when asked what happened, is that "Pumpkin did it" (one of our cats) even if he has been away from Pumpkin all day. He also likes to stage mock-battles with pirates and robots ("I'm going to hit those pirates and robots!") despite never seeing a pirate or robot movie--well, unless Peter Pan counts, though I don't remember any robots in that one. Oh, and, apparently, in Noah-land, monsters don't live under the bed or in the closet; they live in trees.

I love being able to see the pretend play and speech development we discussed in all those early childhood classes up close. Nothing like real life to help a person really understand the finer points of early childhood development.