Tag Archives: the power of music

Music We Love – Our “Wake-Up Song”

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Jennie

Music is part of our school day, every day.  Thank goodness!  We have many favorite songs, from rhyming to silly, classics to new discoveries, patriotic, quiet and loud, and… well, I play all kinds of music for children.  They love … Continue reading →

Posted in Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Inspiration, joy, Love, music, preschool, Singing, The Arts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 54 Comments

Halloween, Then and Now at School

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Jennie

Our classroom family event, a few years ago. Halloween is quite different this year.  There’s no trick-or-treating.  Children will be wearing pajamas to school today for ‘PJ Day’, and ‘A Day in the Dark’.  These are fun alternatives to costumes, … Continue reading →

Posted in Expressing words and feelings, Gloria, Halloween, Inspiration, jack-o-lanterns, preschool, Singing, Student alumni, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , , , | 67 Comments

Rodgers and Hammerstein, My Mother, and Me

Posted on March 14, 2020 by Jennie

It was my tenth birthday.  Ten was the age when we graduated from birthday parties with paper hats and streamers and playing ‘Pin the Tail on the Donkey’. For my birthday I had the choice of taking three friends to … Continue reading →

Posted in Death and dying, Diversity, Expressing words and feelings, Inspiration, music, Singing, The Arts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 80 Comments

Best Job Ever – Story Epilogue

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Jennie

Since that wonderful day last week, when a child asked me to sing “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles, there has been more.  The music exploded in ways I never expected. Well, it was more than the … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Review, books, children's books, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Inspiration, joy, Love, music, picture books, reading aloud, Singing, The Arts, The Beatles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 71 Comments

The Autoharp

Posted on September 2, 2018 by Jennie

I had just met the children.  The classroom was overflowing with eager parents and not-so-eager children.  New + big + different = scary. For fifteen minutes we looked at each other, me smiling and children with big worried eyes.  The … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Family, Inspiration, joy, Kindness, music, preschool, Singing, Teaching young children, The Arts, wonder, young children | Tagged , , , , , , , | 69 Comments

“The Scream”, Round 2

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Jennie

Alex liked his painting of “The Scream.”  He called it “The Yeller Who Was Lost”, because he couldn’t remember scream, and he knew the painting had been lost.  Actually, Alex liked the original art by Edvard Munch far more than … Continue reading →

Posted in art, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Imagination, Inspiration, Teaching young children, The Arts | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 78 Comments

Music Begins to Inspire Our Art.

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Jennie

“The music goes into your ears and into your brain.  Then, as you listen to the notes and sounds, it goes into your heart and shoots out of your fingers.  Like a million stars.  It’s magic.” Those are the words … Continue reading →

Posted in art, Early Education, Inspiration, music, Teaching young children, The Arts, wonder | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 103 Comments

Yet…

Posted on January 22, 2018 by Jennie

Yet.  It’s a word I use often at school with children.  When they try hard and struggle, and say, “I can’t”, I add the word “yet”.  A child might not be able to do it just now, but with practice … Continue reading →

Posted in Early Education, Mindfulness, music, Singing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 92 Comments

Noah, Music, and Children

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Jennie

Look what came in the mail for Noah, along with a pair of socks! It reads, “Dear Noah, You knocked our socks off by taking your love of music and turning it into a music program for preschool kids!  Awesome … Continue reading →

Posted in Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Giving, music, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , , , | 62 Comments

Singing Spontaneously

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Jennie

Singing is perhaps the second most important thing I do for children, right behind reading-aloud.  The biggest impact seems to come when singing is spontaneous. Lunchtime was a case in point: “You Are My Sunshine” lunchbox note. Savannah’s lunchbox often … Continue reading →

Posted in Early Education, Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 34 Comments