Friday 3 February 2012

ECME BLOG February 2012

ECME blog February 2012

 

The aim "ensuring the development of the child…… to the maximum extend possible" is one of the goals we can find in the convention on the Rights of the child (United Nations, 1989, Article 6).  

How culture takes part in this is one of the questions that rise. Are development process everywhere the same or vary these processes between communities and societies?

Each child has its right to develop and development begins prenatally and learning is occurring before birth. The development of young children is nowadays well documented. We know a lot about sensory, emotional, social, physical, language, musical and cognitive development.

All children grow up in a culture and culture means social-relationships, making meaning of the surroundings, hearing your cultures music and learning the language of your culture. Culture has its influence on early childhood settings, early childhood music and early childhood development.

 

Development and learning occur continuously as a learning child interacts with a changing environment. Also children learn in many ways: by playing and exploring, by using all their senses, by imagining, by interacting socially. When adults are emotional responsive to children this helps children to develop. So we all should support children's development taking into account all aspects of children's growth, all aspects of their family's social, cultural and economic circumstances. Music education benefits children, parents, communities and countries.

 

So coming to Corfu from 9-13 July 2012 and being present at the ECME seminar will give you possibilities to discuss what is required to insure quality music education. We talk about respect for cultural diversity and exchange knowledge about how professional development and training for early year's music practitioners can support the development of all children in the community.

Contemporary early childhood pedagogy, the importance of historical reflection, philosophical and methodological aspects, musical literacy, influence of modern media on child development and music program.

You can enjoy listening to lots of interesting research and best practice papers. You may attend workshops, discuss with the presenters of  posters and be part of lively discussions.

 

Let's make music and music education with young children the best thing we ever did!

 

Hope to meet you during the ECME seminar at Corfu

and ISME World Conference in Thessaloniki in Greece.

 

Margré van Gestel


Chair Early Childhood Music Education (ISME) 2010-2012