Sound = Touch from a distance

Yep, this is another blog about that episode, Musical Language, on Radio Lab the other night. (When I blogged on it before, I was in a wee bit of a hurry, and didn't really finish.) In the second segment, they talked at length--fascinatingly so, I thought--about the scientific explanation for how we hear. What happens, electrically speaking, in our ears and then in our brains when we hear something. When our babies hear our voices, we are literally touching the mechanisms of the ear with our sound waves.

Imagine when we sing to them.

Anyway, ya gotta hear this show! http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2006/04/21

Harmonica, play it

The families enrolled in a Kindermusik Our Time class this semester have the pleasure of watching their little ones jam out with one of two harmonicas included in your home materials. My memories are very sweet of watching and hearing my two children work out their own crazy toddler melodies on their harmonicas. For a little mouth harp inspiration, check out this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTCCbdzb_Jw&feature=related

Addictive Radio Lab

WNYC, New York Public Radio, puts out its own fabulous radio show. It's called Radio Lab, and every time I've had the good fortune to be in my car when it's been on, I've not been able to get out when I got to my destination--I HAD to sit right there and HEAR it. Thus was the situation Sunday evening, when Radio Lab occasionally airs on WAMU, 88.5. The topic this time, if you can believe it, was musical language. A whole show about the intrinsic connection between how we learn music and how we learn language.

I was a bit annoyed, because I had obligations and, you know, life, so I did finally have to get out of the car, long before the show was over. Later it finally dawned on me that I didn't live in the dark ages anymore, and I could listen to that show anytime I want. So I did, and you can too, right here. Enjoy!

It's interesting to me that I use the web every single day, in so many ways, but I'm still capable of an oversight like that. The habits of mind I formed before the web took over how we get information is still very much with me, even though I've learned the new system. I'm still amazed.

My children are not amazed. They just know, as a matter of basic fact, that they can find out (and listen to) anything they want to know, at any time.

Science in the Kitchen

The McKinley science fair is coming up, and my two researchers are at work. There has been lots of stuff going on with timers, ice cubes, red food dye, lettuce leaves, apples, lemon juice, and water. Not all for the same project, mind you.

I wanted to do an experiment where we made simple sugar cookies, then we systematically make them a few more times, each time leaving out one ingredient, to see what it does to the finished product. What's not to love about that? Cookies, plus cooking, plus very sensory results. That would be great.

But that idea was resoundingly refused. Mysterious.

Well, no, not mysterious. I made the mistake of showing too much enthusiasm for that idea, so it became my idea, hence it could no longer be their idea. Because they are busy becoming separate people from me.

I totally understand that. I remember creating the same distance with my own parents.

I get it, but it still makes me sigh.

The load on that camel's back? BOOKS

I am so glad to know that this is going on in the world....

There is a Bookmobile delivering books to the most remote and impoverished corner of Northeastern Kenya. This I already love, but get this: the "mobile" parts are camels. Here's a description from their website http://camelbookdrive.wordpress.com/:

"Though The Camel Bookmobile (HarperCollins, April 2007, a Booksense pick) is a novel, the camel-borne library actually exists. It operates from Garissa in Kenya’s isolated Northeastern Province near the unstable border with Somalia. Initially launched with three camels on Oct. 14, 1996, the library now uses 12 camels traveling to four settlements per day, four days per week. The camels bring books to a semi-nomadic people who live with drought, famine and chronic poverty. The books are spread out on grass mats beneath an acacia tree, and the library patrons, often barefoot, sometimes joined by goats or donkeys, gather with great excitement to choose their books until the next visit. The books are written in English or Swahili, the two official languages of Kenya."

I gotta read that novel, too.

YogaKids!

A friend of mine, Louise Ott (she goes by Lou) is a certified massage therapist, and a certified instructor through YogaKids. She is just about to start a new yoga class for tweens, and it sounds wonderful. Check it out:

Yoga for Tweens

6 Tuesdays
Feb 5 thru Mar 11
5:30 to 6:30 pm

First Class is Free - Try it out!!


£

Strength
Flexibility
Balance

£




Facilitator - Louise Ott
CYKT, YogaKids International

Cost - $60

Questions or to Register contact
Louise
elott@verizon.net
703-299-3513


Classes will be held at:
Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington.
4444 Arlington Blvd, Arlington VA
(Rt 50 and George Mason Drive)
(www.uucava.org)

And Lois Lenske illustrations, to boot

I've already posted about this book, but here I am again. Betsy-Tacy, by Maud Hart Lovelace, first published in 1940. Right now, this is my heart's own book. I find myself reading it very slowly to Leah, because I just don't want it to end, and she seems to feel exactly the same way. I'm trying to figure out how it could have been possible that I missed this series when I was little. How could that be? Where was the grown-up who should have thrust this into my hands, saying, you MUST read this. Well, I'm reading it now, and the long-ago little girl within me seems to be reading it too, along with my daughter and my all-grown-up self. We're having a lovely time.

Quote of the Day

Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.

Lao Tzu

Take a long look at this photo

This photo was in a mailing I got today from The Sun magazine, edited by Sy Safransky. Every issue has unbelievably poignant photos like this, and incredibly intimate writing. There's also a feature in which the readers, anonymously, write in, talking about the topic for the month, such as: the kitchen table, mothers and daughters, locked doors, the phone call, redemption. I'm not a subscriber right now, but I have been in the past, and every issue is an amazing and slightly exhausting universe. The very best part about it is that there is not a single advertisment, ever.

Right now, I feel like this photo says everything I've ever wanted to say and couldn't find the words.

Arlington County, Boundaries, and Public Schools

Tonight was a School Board hearing. They are trying to decide how to relieve some over crowding in one of our schools, and one proposal on the table is to shift almost every elementary school's boundaries, moving 650 school children to a new school in the fall. Many at my school would not only change schools, but were walkers (within three blocks) and would now be bussed.

I gave a two minutes speech tonight. Here it is:

Overcrowding. Problem. Portables, noise, crowded hallways and classrooms. Not a pretty picture. Worse than moving 650 Arlington school children?

Well, let’s look at that. Researchers at Purdue University in a 2007 study found the average moved child loses 4 months to a year, both academically and socially. He or she loses time, loses ground. Schools with high rates of transition start over creating a nurturing place for children to learn. The surrounding community loses some of its communal identity, losing time and ground.


I was a military brat. For 12 grades I went to 8 schools. My children are military brats—my son is on his 3rd school already. I know what I am talking about—I speak from the soles of my shoes—when I say that moving schools is so hard. Hard on the child, the school, and the community. We all lose time and ground.

But kids are resilient, right? They’ll be fine. Yes, shift the ground from under a child and he’ll survive. But here in Arlington we’re used to seeing our children thrive. Our schools have a culture of community that other schools I’ve seen first hand can only dream of.

Yes, overcrowding is an ugly problem. Moving massive numbers of school children in order to shave a few percentage points off the crowding? Much uglier.

The solution is total grandfathering. Make change that will truly relieve overcrowding. Apply those changes to the families about to enter public school. Let this current group of school children play out their fleeting childhoods where they began. Members of the board, we still have time to keep our collective feet on the ground.

Did you hear that?

An important part of the Kindermusik experience is practicing active listening. In class we've listened to environmental sounds, animal sounds, and parts of songs, and then we talk about what we heard.

“Active listening is a process that goes beyond the physical act of hearing. It is an intellectual and emotional process that integrates a full range of inputs in a search for the meaning of and an understanding of a sender’s message. It involves listening between the lines to hear what is not said as well as what is said.” Early Childhood Education: Blending Theory, Blending Practice by Lawrence J. Johnson, M.J. LaMontagne, Peggy M. Elgas and Anne M. Bauer.

The following thoughts on listening skills from Danielle, another Kindermusik educator made me laugh:

"I was just thinking about the necessity for developing our children’s listening skills. As I sit in my living room and hear a beep or chime, I ask my husband: Is that my phone? Is that your phone? Is that my phone’s battery dying? Your phone’s battery dying? Is that the answering machine beeping? Or is that the microwave? Is that the oven timer? Is that the security sensor? Is that the smoke detector? Or the smoke detector battery dying? Could that be the signal to change the filter of refrigerator, air purifier, coffeemaker? Or is that someone’s phone on the TV? Is that the front doorbell? The back doorbell? Could that be a construction truck backing up outside? Is that the ringing in my ears?

"Our little ones have lived with these sounds all their lives. And now they need to recognize different ringtones for persons on their phone lists. We’d better get busy honing their listening skills so they can make it through life without catastrophes!"

I like to talk about the difference between hearing, which is passive, and listening, which is active. It takes practice to be a good listener.

Jacob's latest joke

Since there is an eight-year-old in our household, we are on the receiving end of lots and lots of jokes. Great jokes--clean and silly and funny. The best part is the joy, the glee, with which Jacob tells his latest. Then, once you laugh and he laughs with you, he dashes off to find another family member and tells it again.

Why wasn't Cinderella very good at soccer?

Because her coach was a pumpkin.

another book to love

When Leah, my 5-year-old daughter, really loves a book, she takes it with her where ever she goes. And the book she just took with her to the grocery store with her daddy is Betsy-Tacy, by Maud Hart Lovelace (gotta love that name), originially published in 1940. Leah's right--it's wonderful, one of those books that captures a small, shimmering piece of childhood and holds it up to the light. It's a chapter book, a read-aloud for Leah and me, with very sweet illustrations at each chapter head. Two little girls, Betsy and Tacy, meet and become fast friends when Tacy moves into the house right across the street from Betsy, and lots of little-girl adventures ensue. This is even more magical for Leah, because she is right now watching the building of a new house on the lot right across the street. Will a little girl just her age move in? We all certainly hope so.

What's more, this is a series, so if you fall in love with Betsy and Tacy, you can read them through adulthood. Available at the Westover Library. Enjoy!

Your musical quote for the day

Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. ~Charlie Parker

The kind of dolls who immediately become friends

Please go say hi to Hillary Lang and her creations over at this blog: http://weewonderfuls.typepad.com/wee_wonderfuls/

I predict you will be glad you did. Love 'em!

We are the music

This from Kindermusik Educator Wendy Jones, via the blog of another Kindermusik educator and good friend of mine, Heidi Day (Hi, Heidi!)

"A Kindermusik class involves body, mind and soul. Too many people think of music as something that needs to be provided for them, and the whole point of Kindermusik is to help children AND families realize that music is something which everyone can make and that doesn't require all sorts of special instruments and professional, 'already made' music. Beat-keeping and instrumental ensemble play to a recorded sound source is only one of the ways music happens. Music should be coming from the children to prepare them for the next step, when they are ready to sing whole songs on pitch, read rhythms and notes, and play both percussion and melodic instruments. A child who sings only with a recording is not relying on their own internal pitch sense, and the same child singing unaccompanied with their peers is developing a much better sense of listening to the group to match pitch, tempo, and style. Movements need to be labelled, discussed, and explored to develop competency and range before adding them into dances--otherwise, a child tends to stick with a much smaller range of expressive movements when moving to a recording. Most importantly, the child who is constantly given the message that 'real music' is the recorded type is receiving a very powerful message about the worth of his or her own musicality, which WILL affect their later willingness to create and develop as musicians. Rhymes ARE music training- how else can we later understand the rhythmic patterns we read? Singing IS music training- we need to produce pitch ourselves in order to hear and feel its motion. Movement IS musical- all musical concepts can be explored through body movement, and a child needs concrete experience and labels to understand abstract musical concepts.Lastly, in this age of children's videos, CDs, and computer games, we need to send a strong message to the children we reach that YOU CAN DO THIS, and that what you are doing is the 'real thing', not just a makeshift version or 'make-do' in the absence of something. It has broken my heart a few times in classes over the years to see puzzled looks on the faces of a few 3-4's as we sang, played instruments with our singing, and then heard them say, "but when will the music start?" or "when will you turn on the tape so we can make music?" We ARE the music.

Now that's a symphony

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury; and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable; and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babies and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasion, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony."

William Ellery Channing

Thank you for this one, to Ali at this blog: http://aliedwards.typepad.com/

Where learning through purposeful play is a family affair

Cooperative Preschools. I'm a huge fan. This is the kind of preschool where the parents rotate being the assistant teacher to the lead teacher right in the child's classroom. It's an absolutely wonderful way to enjoy and benefit from your child's first school experiences.

Here are some of the benefits, courtesy of the Virginia Cooperative Preschool Council:

What Are the Benefits for Children?
School is special when a parent is there to share it
Children develop a positive attitude toward school
Children see the value their parents place on education
School is more easily extended beyond the classroom, leading to a lifelong habit of learning
Children develop an increased sense of pride and self-esteem when they are the helper and get to show off their parent
Children enjoy friendly adults who accept each child in a safe and nurturing environment

What Are the Benefits for Parents?
Participation in all aspects of your child's education
Education in child development and parenting skills are found in the classroom, at parent meetings, and throughout the school
A support network of friends with the same interests and concerns
A chance to observe how your child manages his or her first years of school
A chance to discover new and hidden talents and contribute your abilities
A voice in school decisions and policy making
Ease of communication with teachers
A chance to learn to effectively advocate on behalf of children

I had both of my children in Cooperative preschools, quite different ones in different states, and I strongly recommend the experience to you and your child. There are MANY co-ops in the neighborhood. Check out this link to find them: http://www.geocities.com/vcpc1/

A lot of their open houses are coming up in the next few weeks. Enjoy!

Introducing two good friends...

Alfie and Annie Rose.

If you haven't met the two children who star in several of Shirley Hughes' books, run, don't walk to get yourself a copy. Arlington libraries has several. I can't think of another author/illustrator who captures childhood, both the way it feels to the child and the parent, so poignantly without the slightest trace of sticky-sweetness. Absolutely wonderful. Fair warning--once these books come into your house, they will be requested again and again. A couple of these, The Big Alfie Out of Doors Book, and The Big Alphie and Annie Rose Storybook, rotate as my daughter's favorites. Enjoy!

I Love You, I Love You, is what she said

A wonderful woman lived in a shoe
She had so many children,
and she knew exactly what to do.
She hugged them, and rocked them,
and tucked them in bed,
I love you, I love you, is what she said.

So goes the re-imagined nursery rhyme (remember the original? yikes!) by Becky Bailey, Ph.D., from her book I Love You Rituals. Scores of rhymes, interactive finger plays, soothing games, and physically active games for newborns through age eight.

I Love You rituals:
- Prime a child's brain for learning (by raising their dopamine levels)
- enhance attention, cooperation, and self-esteem
- help children cope with change
- help busy families stay close


I participated in a workshop with Dr. Bailey at the Kindermusik International conference in Chicago in October. I was blown away by her presentation--wonderful ideas supported by in-depth research into child development, child psychology, and human neurobiology.

By all means, get yourself a copy of this book!

Let your light so shine

Hi, Readers, a correction! I learned today that I had incorrectly attributed this quote to Nelson Mandela. This quote is actually from Marianne Williamson, author on spirituality. Apparently one sentence from this quote sounds a lot like a part of Mandela's 1994 inaugural address, so this is incorrect all over the internet. But no longer here!


Here, a quote. This feels timely to me right now, in the dawn of our new year, while we're still thinking about what we're going to make of this year and what we'll make of ourselves in it.





"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other peole won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory...that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."





- Marianne Williamson

My favorite part is the egg

Thanks to Molly McGinn, I found this artist, who is making whimsical little worlds with needle and thread. Flickr apparently won't allow me to post one of the pictures here, so please click and look for yourself. It's a smile, for sure.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/merwing/55734084/

The Power of Play

Great new book by author David Elkind. You may know him from one of his previous books, such as The Hurried Child. I just read The Power of Play over the holidays, and I definitely recommend it. Well-written treatise on why to protect children's free time for spontaneous creativity, and how, both at home and in school. The last chapter delves into comparing some early childhood education methodologies, an area close to my heart.

As we haul the post-Christmas trash to the curb....

Please watch this.

http://www.storyofstuff.com/?gclid=CIThwIzi4JACFQKkHgodQFJ6Pw