More brain on the brain

This I found as I was poking around on Daniel Pink's website.

Better Minds Through Music

If you are bringing your child to Kindermusik maybe you are doing it because it's a fun thing to do together....or even with your friend and her little one. Maybe you are wanting your child to take piano lessons or violin lessons in a couple years so you know Kindermusik will help with musical requirements of keeping a steady beat, having a good ear, and actually reading music. And some of you are discovering more benefits, like this new research from the DANA Foundation that states musical study positively affects a child's cognitive development....and can affect even the babies.

It's an investment that's so worth it.

But hey, we knew that!
Come on in, you're in the right place. New families can join anytime.

Thanks Jim for the tip.

Nurturing the "Right Brain"

Don't you think we should be nurturing our children wisely when it comes to right brain-ness and left brain-ness? Our youngest students (Kindermusik Village birth to 18months) haven't yet decided on hemispheric domination. They still don't cross the "midline" and they pick up items with one hand as readily as the other hand.

Can a parent make a difference in how they will think when they are mature? Do you WANT to? I believe in Kindermusik we include the right brain where as most of the education our children will receive from here on out is much more likely to promote left brain thinkers. Where will they end up as adults?

Considering what this national speaker has to say, the future may be shifting to the favor of the right brained thinkers!

Best selling author/Wired contributor will speak in our area on creativity in business.
Save The Date!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Daniel Pink
Author of best selling book:
A Whole New Mind
(Why Right-Brainers Will Rule The Future)

Pink is a contributing editor at Wired magazine, and has written influential business books. He'll be in the area speaking about his latest book, A Whole New Mind. The subject is the importance of using both our creative and analytical sides in our everyday business lives, and how this will be integral to success.
West Ottawa Public School
Performing Arts Center, Harbor Lights
1024 136th Ave.
Holland, MI 49424 - map
4:00 - 5:30 PM
Cost: $35 per person Reserve tickets at the Holland Area Arts Council
150 E. 8th St.
Holland, MI 49423 - map
616.396.3278
or online at www.hollandarts.org
Read Dan Pink's blog and more about the book on danpink.com

Language Development in Kindermusik class

How do children grow their vocabulary? When do babies really learn words? When do babies understand words?

If you want a child with a big vocabulary you have to use your words! Talk to your baby morning, noon, and night!

Last week in our Kindermusik Village class we worked with little nursery rhymes: Hey diddle diddle, This little cow eats grass, (and more). The home activity was to play with words, tell stories, recite more rhymes, play with your voice (squeaky or low, fast or slow etc) . What does all this mean to a 5 month old?

Well, they are making brain connections for language from the day they are born. Drawing conclusions on the rhythm and melodies of what is spoken. Patterns of phrases, repeated words, the connections of words to your facial expression and body language. The give and take of conversation. So much going on here.

First time parents may feel awkward having one way conversations about diaper changes, folding laundry and reading the newspaper but that's the key for helping a child figure out this whole language thing! When you take this seriously, they take it as positive reinforcement for being curious and communicative. (What's important to you is definitely important to them.)

In class last week for the Kindermusik Our Time children (18 months to 3 1/2 yo) we introduced "scaffolding" which is a parenting technique for encouraging exploration and also for getting children to do what YOU want them to do. First you observe and affirm what they are already doing (we were working with the rhythm sticks and the musical element of fast and slow), we imitated them (imitation is a sure form of affirmation for children) and describe and label everything, giving informational feedback. Then we suggest a variation to their action...we challenge. The whole activity is dependent on conversation. Talk, talk, talk.....

Click on the picture above to watch a video from How Stuff Works about some of the research they've done on the language-IQ connection. I'm not advocating a word counting assessment software...I'd rather talk to my babies because I love them not because my goal is a certain IQ. But I do want to give my babies what I can to increase their potential...who doesn't want the best for their baby?

So....snow day today (no classes).

Hey, Baby! Talk some, sing some!
Reminds me of a song I haven't sung in ages:

Chatter with the angels, soon in the morning.
Chatter with the angels all day long!
Chatter with the angels, soon in the morning.
Chatter with the angels all day long!
I want to join that band and chatter with the angels all day long.

Have fun,
Yvette

Memory, Emotions and the Brain

Understanding how children learn has been a continuing education passion for me. I'm reading, attending workshops, watching children (my own and those who come to my Kindermusik classes) and I am nearly always thinking about this. So, from my experience, I have some ideas to share. Here's one about memory and emotions.

Have you experienced an emotion that was recalled along with remembering something? Sometimes I think that is what happens when certain child behaviors can make me angry...they are the same ones that brought up anger in my parents! I had to work much harder to be patient and creative when my babies were stubborn!

I look forward to your comments!
Yvette

More Important Brain Developments....

Today Emma, in my Kindermusik Our Time class watched me carefully as I sang our good-bye song. I reached out and touched each child on the arm and looked into their eyes. When I was finished and about to turn away I saw her go around the circle, touch each child on the arm, look into their eyes and sing good-bye.

"According to neuroscience and child development research, brain development proceeds at a faster pace between conception and the first day of kindergarten than during any subsequent stage of life. In the early years, basic capacities such as trust, self-confidence, empathy, and curiosity are established. How people think, learn, reason, and relate to others throughout their lives is rooted in their early relationships, experiences, and environments."

Common Vision, Different Paths: Five States' Journeys toward Comprehensive Prenatal-to-Five Systems"

Where will children find early relationships, experiences and environments that will lead them to be the kind of people we dearly wish our children to be?

With people they love and who love them...unconditionally.

Kindermusik is a great place to BE together.

Thank you for sharing your children with me. I take it seriously. I know this is important work and that we are shaping the future.

More Music on the Brain

Daniel J. Levitin, Ph.D. Associate Professor, James McGill University, was a keynote speaker at the October Kindermusik Convention. We enjoyed his talk about music and the brain and his pop music quizzes where we could identify a piece of music and artist by hearing less than a second of the recording. Today I found an article written by Scott LaFee for the Union-Tribune, which sourced Levitin. This is what caught my eye:

Music does appear to improve brain function, according to scientists. "Early exposure to and learning of music and instruments seems to have clear benefits," Levitin said. "Such children often have improved visual perception, analytical thinking skills and physical coordination. Music helps them focus their attention."

Singing in the Brain .
The Union-Tribune , November 15, 2007


I am also noticing how the students in my classes have shown such growth in their self control and social skills. Taking turns, trading instruments, responding to auditory cues, stopping their excited fast and slow horse trotting and galloping....

I've heard more children using their singing voices, seen more amazing creativity in movement ideas....So many times I wished for my camera!

And sequencing and predicting....memory work....(I'm thinking of the 2 year olds who can tell me what's next in the Watch Me! story book.

Parents, you are doing great work. Keep up the steady beat....keep singing...keep dancing....
Love,
Yvette

When Should You Enroll Your Baby In Kindermusik?

How young is too young? If that's your question I think you will enjoy reading this entry from Eliott's mom. Eliott fell asleep in the middle of most classes but I know he still got an infinite amount of goodness from his experience in the summer class.....

His mom writes:

I had always planned on getting Eliott involved in Kindermusik eventually. I thought I would have to wait until he was 6 months old just like everything else that is fun for parents and their babies. I was happy to find a class to take with my 2 month old. I was surprised to learn that Kindermusik is more than the songs. The music is just one of the tools for building up my son's brain and strengthening our bond. There are so many opportunities around every day life we take for granted to teach our little ones. Things that I had at one time done begrudgingly with my baby, I now do happily. I love opening junk mail! Eliott likes the feel of the envelopes on his hands and to see the colors and the sound of the crackling paper. Putting away laundry is FUN! I unload the dryer and my son gets a laundry basket train trip from the laundry room to where ever I need to put away the laundry. Then we have a fun game of peek-a-boo with the clothes as we identify the colors, textures, and what body part they cover. Doing the dishes is fun too! There are lots if musical instruments in the kitchen.

I love all of the silly songs and dances because it is fun and it is laying the foundation for reading and math. There is a good sound rational explanation for every silly move and song. I love all of the little extra tid bits of information worked into the classes. I love the socialization aspects of the class too. It makes me feel good to know my son is going to know how to greet a friend and to respect boundaries and structure.

.... Eliott really is a good happy boy! I hope he lets you see more of that in the next round of classes!

Thanks again!
Kate (Eliott's Mom)

And the DEAL is still on: For babies 5 months and younger you can register for 5 weeks tuition free. Don't wait for them to grow up any more!

Sign of the Times

Heather Honeck and I are team teaching Sign and Sing this month. Those are some lucky families that are getting two teachers for the price of one! And Heather is a speach and language pathologist too! We've been singing and signing about bears....and little Haley's favorite book is Brown Bear! What a great opportunity to take some highly motivating signs and some attention getting strategies to jump start the children in signing!! I'm seeing signs all over the class. And I must say the moms and both Nannas are extra great students! You are so open, creative and gentle. I can tell that you are enjoying this precious time with your children.

I thought you all would enjoy listening to the author, Bill Martin, Jr. read his book. He tells how he was inspired to write it too. I believe this one came to him complete with melody and rhythm...just listen to him sing it! Brown Bear Brown Bear

One other thought for today is about conceptualizing. This is what we call grouping different words under one sign. By that I mean in class we use the sign for music also when we want to sign "sing" and "song" or we use the same sign for quack as duck or the super handy sign for icky or yucky which is really the sign for dirty. It struck me that grouping words together may help little children's brains grow creatively. Our brains are programmed to search for patterns, make connections and "fill in the blanks". We are really showing them how to do this with conceptualizing our signs in our Kindermusik Sign and Sing class. We help them create categories for words that are related in meaning, pointing it out in an obvious way: with signs.

Here is the link for the American Sign Language dictionary that I really like a lot.

Thank you Sharon for the Brown Bear link.

Why music?

Music should be a daily requirement in every facility...every home!

Brain Dance!

I worry, worry, worry about the babies who spend so much of their day in the carseat. In and out of the car, into the grocery cart, back in the house, back in the car, in church, out to lunch, back in the car, back in the house and never leaving the car seat except for a quick change. Does that sound even a little bit familiar?

"Movement is the key to learning! Movement and dance activities such as crawling, creeping, rolling, turning, walking, skipping, reaching, and swinging are essential for baby's brain development. These specific and intensive motor activities make full use of babys complicated nervous system and follow a plan. The nervous system of each new human being must go through a series of developmental stages before the brain can operate at its full potential. Using her whole body, her movements, and all her senses, the baby "programs" her motor/perceptual equipment, her nerves, and brain cells."

Please click on this link http://www.llli.org/NB/NBMarApr01p44.html and read the rest of this fascinating article! Author Anne Green Gilbert is a creative movement specialist consulted by Kindermusik for the creation of several units of curriculum. She explains the developmental stages and gives ideas for fundamental movement activities for baby. We are so mobile baby doesn't have a chance to do the floor work they need to develop. Their drive to move is constant, that is their need!

Sometimes we need a prescription for the simplest action for our health and well being and that of our children. Your perscription for babies newborn to 18 months: holland.kindermusik.net