ECME July 2013

ECME July 2013

At the end of a busy semester of work as an Early Childhood Music Educator in a number of settings, I find myself reflecting on the different responses to music I have encountered over the past six months.

 

First there is Stevie, aged 1.8 years, who attends a university Early Childhood centre , at which I am currently gathering research data. To Stevie, music means sharing in his favourite nursery songs in relaxed singing sessions every day, and having his carers regularly accompany his play and care-giving routines with snippets of song. Stevie's language is rapidly expanding into 2 and 3 word phrases, and he regularly sings short phrases of songs spontaneously as he plays.

 

Next there is Marco, aged 4, who recently joined the family music group I lead at an Early Intervention centre, and to whom new situations can be quite confusing and distressing. To Marco, music means playing 'go and stop' games with songs about trains and cars. Marco has limited communication and joint attention skills, but has shown great enthusiasm for singing and moving with songs about his favourite play interests. While at first he was not keen to stay in the room for more than a few minutes, as the semester ends, Marco now runs happily into the room and is beginning to sing along with us, smiling, laughing and matching pitch perfectly.

 

Then there is Kerin, a pre-service early childhood student, who thanked me effusively for my lecture on music, disability and young children. To Kerin, music means new inspiration to develop her skills and knowledge in singing to use in her future desired career as a play therapist.

 

Next there is Jeannie, also a pre-service teacher education student, who attended my tutorials in a compulsory Creative Arts curriculum subject this semester. To Jeannie, music means occasionally dragging her fingers and gaze away from her smart phone to join in with a song, showing awkwardness and uncertainty as a singer.  Jeannie and her peers attend 3 tutorials each for music, drama and visual arts – hardly time to develop any deep understandings or skills about the art forms, let alone any confidence as music makers.

 

And finally there is Diane, parent of a child with Autism and convenor of a playgroup for children with a disability and their families, who attended an Early Intervention conference music workshop I presented. To Diane, music means inviting me to come and sing at her playgroup, to help the adults there, who lack confidence in singing, to learn some new songs to sing with their children.

 

For Stevie and Marco, music is a joyful part of their lives. They happily and confidently participate in playful songs, and in their own ways are gradually developing their skills as musicians. For Kerin and Diane, music is something that they see has value for children, but they lack the confidence to lead children in singing and musical play. For Jeannie, confidence is also the issue, but whether or not she sees the value of sharing music with young children is not evident.

 

How is it, that in Australia, and I would guess in many other parts of the world as well, we begin life as enthusiastic and confident music makers, but by the time we reach adulthood many of us have not developed the musical skills we were born with, and have lost the confidence to try? The answer would seem to lie in the provision of music education, by well-trained educators, in both prior-to-school and school settings. Music (and the other creative arts) should be as integral to the curriculum as literacy and numeracy, at every stage of education.

 

In the Early Intervention music group I run, I work with an early childhood educator who grew up in Hungary, and had a Kodaly-based music education throughout her schooling. It is such a joy to work with someone who loves to sing, sings beautifully, and understands both the aesthetic and developmental value of songs and singing for young children. She is an inspirational example of the power of universal music education.

 

I am sometimes downhearted about the value of the work my creative arts colleagues and I are doing with pre-service teachers. However every time I share in songs and musical play with young children, I am encouraged by their love of music to keep on advocating for music education.

 

Dr Amanda Niland

Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University

and

Pathways Early Childhood Intervention

Australia

Commissioner ECME 2010-2016

 

 

Margré van Gestel
 
Muziekpedagoge
www.zingendoemaarmee.nl  www.ukkepuk-concerten.nl www.singandplay.nl

Chair Early Childhood Music Education 2012-2014 (ISME) www.isme.org
Voorzitter Stichting Muziek op Schoot www.muziekmethetjongekind.nl
Secretaris Gehrels Muziekeducatie www.gehrelsonline.nl

 

ECME April 2013

Chloe was new to our preschool music class; the other 3-and 4-year-olds had participated in toddler music classes in previous semesters. She came into the room a bit shy and hesitant, not knowing what to expect. "We have a new friend," I exclaimed to the six other children. After 15 minutes or so of free-play with instruments, we gathered up the simple percussion instruments; Chloe rushed to be helpful, too, as she brought me two of the small rainbow drums from the floor. Gathering in the singing circle, we sang our "hello song." Chloe commented, "I don't know that song."

The following week, Chloe brought a collection of stickers that she had received after having visited the dentist. She had asked for extras so she could share them with her music buddies. She explained to the children that they could pick any sticker they would like. "Now it's your turn, Patricia!" she exclaimed as she enthusiastically invited me to choose a sticker, too.

When it came time to "sweep" as we danced to The Broom Man song, Chloe asked for a pink scarf, which would function as a pretend broom. As she looked around, she noticed that three other girls as well as I also had a pink scarf. Chloe suggested, "How 'bout everyone who has a pink scarf is best friends forever?"

Chloe likes to bring things from home to share with her new music learning community. This week she brought a photo: "Here's a picture of me at my very first birthday party!"

Last week, Chloe came to music class without her home-made sculpture. (We are creating our own City Square engaging in 1) vocal play as vendors, shoppers, street cleaners; 2) movement as we embody possible statues and bring them to life; and 3) instrument-play as we create the cacophony of city sounds.) "I couldn't get it done because I had to go to court; my dad was being mean and yelling really loud. He was poking me in the chest and saying, 'you got a problem?' I was afraid and so was Grammy."

After our free-play with instruments, the children gathered around the singing circle. Chloe made her way next to me and leaned into my arm. She knew all the words to the "hello song" now and had found a safe place to make music with friends.

The above scenarios depict a variety of teachable moments offered to me by Chloe. Each child brings diverse cultural experiences to the music learning environment that offer insight to unique personal and musical needs. In these vignettes, Chloe reveals her emotional poverty, her need to belong, and her effort to make friends. The early childhood music classroom seems to provide that relational context from which Chloe can draw to fulfill her needs. Attentive to her strengths and capabilities AND the power of collective music-making, I can scaffold Chloe's learning and provide the time and space she needs to find not only the place to be, but the person(s) with whom to be to make music together.

The ECME Seminars provide a rich forum to share ideas, to experience diverse musical expression, and to cultivate treasured friendships. Our next conference in Brazilia (2014) promises to create a unique counterpoint of musical expression from a polyphony of voices across cultures and contexts as we explore the many venues in which young children make music together and the multiple functions that music provides them. I hope to see you there!

 

                                     Patricia A. St. John, Ed. D., Commissioner 2012-2018

Listening to diverse musical beginnings

Listening to Diverse Musical Beginnings.

 

A nursery school offers a stimulating environment with all kinds of toys. Most of the toys have beautiful colors and they are safe and, above all, easy to clean.

Another place in the world where children are playing together: Using materials they found in the neighborhood: some wooden sticks, some stones and a self made ball.

 

When we read this we instantly create a "picture" using our own "backpack" of knowledge and experiences. Most of the time we instantly have "an opinion" about the pictures we created in our mind.

 

All over the world young children experiment with objects, voices and sounds. In some people's opinion this is just "producing a lot of noise".  Other people support this form of sound exploration and tell: "This is a way for children to explore themselves and to learn."

And above all, we, as music teachers/practitioners and/or researchers also have an opinion about the best way we, as adults, can support these young children in their (musical) learning and development…………… Time to share ideas and communicate!!

 

We would like to listen, in a respectful way, to the diverse musical beginnings of young children 0-8 world wide during the ECME seminar in July 14-18, 2014 in Brasilia.  Participants, coming from all over the world, have rather different ideas and experiences regarding music education, depending on their cultural background and educational level. This makes an ECME seminar a wonderful experience and we are sure you will make a lot of new friends!

 

ECME desires to promote music in the lives of all young children 0-8 years and we would like to provide an international forum for the exchange of ideas. At the seminar in Corfu in 2012 special interest groups were formed and we would like you to take part in the discussion.

Interested in: Pre- Postnatal, Parent-child music classes, Educating nursery teachers to work with music and young children or Intergenerational experiences?  Contact the ECME commission!

 

Margré van Gestel

Chair Early Childhood Music Education commission 2012-2014

v_gestel@hotmail.com

 

 

ECME BLOG April 2012

15^th Early Childhood Music Education (ECME)

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR, 9–13 July 2012, Corfu, Greece

Passing on the flame:

Reflecting on the Past

Envisioning towards the Future of Early Childhood Music Education

 

We would like to welcome you at the beautiful island of Corfu!

 

Sunday: welcome reception: 19.00

Monday:  start of the academic programme: 9.00

Monday evening: special event: Shadow play

 

The building of the IONIAN University is situated opposite of the Old Fortress and is situated next to a park and at the opposite site of the street you can "jump into the sea". The park is also the start point of the sightseeing trips.

 

The academic programme will include 15 papers, 4 workshops and 18 posters. Each day there will be moments for singing together and moments for discussion groups. We will adjust the timetable to Corfu temperature! This means long lunch breaks, minimum 3 hours, so you can go to the beach and have a swim or stay at your hotel for a nap, and start the program again around 16.00 until 18.30/ 19.00. The long breaks will also be perfect to get in touch with a lot of specialists in early childhood music education and early childhood music research.

Wednesday afternoon: excursion to the art Gallery, workshop Greek dances and diner at Paleokastritsa.

Paleokastritsa is located on the northwest coast of Corfu, 25 km from the airport and Corfu town. The resort is hilly and nestles beneath the folds of steep verdant slopes of olive groves and citrus orchards. It has long been considered one of the most beautiful villages in Corfu as a renowned Greek beauty spot.

Magnificent views are obtained from both the monastery and the hills above, particularly from the village of Lakones.

Paleokastritsa is chiefly memorable for the exceptional scenery along with the superb beaches. The cool crystal waters are ideal for swimming, water sports, sailing and diving as it is the greatest point in the island

At the northern side lies the 12th century Monastery of Vergin Maria (Theotokos). The Monastery stands on a sheer hillside full of wild and olive trees facing the deep blue sea.

The monastery was founded in the 13th century, but there is little to been seen today which is more than 200 years old. Inside however, the modern building is an excellent example of Greek monastic architecture.

There is an arched inner courtyard, and a small museum with Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons. The view from the Monastery is superb, with in the foreground the boat of Odysseus.

Thursday evening: Conference diner with Greek music. By boat to: Vitos Island:

Friday: Closing session: 13.00

 

We hope you will join us!

 

Margré van Gestel
 
Chair 2010-2012 Early Childhood Music Education (ISME)

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

 

 

v_gestel@hotmail.com
 

www.zingendoemaarmee.nl
http://www.voorschoolsemuziekeducatie.nl/
www.muziekopschoot.org

ECME blog December 2012

ECME BLOG December 2011

 

Music: parents and children always love it! It looks "easy", "cute" and everybody has fun. But music education for young children needs professionalism, musicality, knowledge, flexibility, structure, …….

 

This is perhaps why we have a great amount of papers, workshops and poster proposals our next seminar at Corfu. Music and young children is the most fabulous job for many teachers. Also researchers realize that music and young children are very interesting.

So… the six ECME commission members have work to do and are reviewing all the submissions.

 

In my home country, The Netherlands, the interest in music education for children between 0-4 is still growing. The idea to stimulate innate musical possibilities before the children would enter elementary school arose "ages ago". Already in 1981 the Dutch Annie Langelaar – who stood at the cradle of general music education for children in the Netherlands – created the Foundation for Toddlers and Music (Stichting Peuters en Muziek). The aims were to investigate how musical influence in the first years of life could be of importance for future general development.  A second aim was to stimulate research in the field of early childhood music education, and to expand the gained knowledge.

 

Annie Langelaar wrote the following:

"Every child is born with a large number of very different talents, amongst which music. These talents need to be given the change to develop otherwise they will shrivel" (Langelaar, 1977, p. 14).

The quest anno 2012 has not changed a lot and music teachers want to develop the inherent capabilities of young children according to the children's own level of possibilities. We want to offer activities and songs that can be used in the home situation to continue the musical learning process. Activities that can be easily transferred to the home situation (like brushing your teeth) are a vital part of Early Childhood Music Education lessons.

 

I guess more countries have their "Annie's". People with vision, who are often "far ahead of time". Let's hope we can all share our knowledge during the next seminar and world conference in July 2012 and create more "master early childhood music teachers and researchers" for the benefit of all children all over the world!

 

Hope to see you in Greece.

 

The picture shows the activity belonging to the song "raindrops" and will be presented in Greece! Sing and play!

 

Margré van Gestel, chair ECME 2010-2012

Margré van Gestel

 

Muziekpedagoge

Chair Early Childhood Music Education (ISME)

Voorzitter Stichting Muziek op schoot

Secretaris Gehrels Muziek Educatie

 

Zevenhuizen
0180-632829
v_gestel@hotmail.com
 

www.zingendoemaarmee.nl
http://www.voorschoolsemuziekeducatie.nl/
www.muziekopschoot.org

ecme blog july 2011

ECME Blog July 2011

 

In about a year the Early Childhood Music Education seminar will be finished and we shall be enjoying the ISME world conference in Thessaloniki, July 15-20, 2012.

 

The visit to Greece opens a new musical window

and gives you the change to take a look in the world of art,

culture and music of many countries.

 

The conference venue is situated along the water

 and is a perfect place to stay. It has many possibilities for indoor and outdoor concerts.

 

 

Every musician or music pedagogue is very welcome to hear presentations about the role music plays in the development and talk about music environments and music teaching. As the international society of music Education exists for almost 60 years we will look back to the past of music education but also have lots op opportunities to make education "ready for the future".

 

The theme of the Early Childhood Music education seminar

at Corfu, 9-13 July 2012: "Passing on the Flame",

is closely related to the theme of the world conference:

 "Music Paedeia:

From Ancient Greek Philosophers

Towards Global Music Communities".

 

The first ECME commission seminars started in 1982.

In the beginning years it was an exchange of practise and knowledge linked to practise. During the years the amount of research presentations expanded. In the past years the commission formulated a vision and a mission and now it is the time to reflect on the past but also to create new organizational structures and perhaps to create new world wide special interest groups within ECME. 

Envisioning towards the future we would like to invite you to write a paper or send ECME a workshop proposal.

We would like to share research and best practise in the field of music with young children 0-8 years.

 

The programme of the seminar will give participants time to discuss, but there are also lots of moments to discover the island of Corfu: going to the beach, having a swim, enjoying the music from Corfu and having a wonderful time.

 

Don't be too late with registration!

 

There are many hotels in different price-brackets.

Next to the booking fee (this seminar to be paid by all the presenter and observers but which will be kept as low as possible)

the island of Corfu is a perfect place to stay.

Lovely restaurants, good food, lots of sun and nice places to be.

Bring your bathing suit, sunglasses, sunburn-lotion and a hat!

 

The seminar will be hosted in the IONIAN University and in the building of the Department of Music. The department is situated in a very special place: "the Old Fortress". Standing in front of the building of the IONIAN University you have a marvellous view over the sea and the old fortress.

 

  

The commission wants to promote and advocate for every child's right on music education in order to enhance the quality of children's live.

We hope to see your submission and registration and we are looking forward to see you July 2012 at Corfu and afterwards in Thessaloniki!

 

As the website is a perfect place to share stories about the importance of music in the lives of young children, I would like to invite you to send your stories to me to place them on the website.

 

Send your story to v_gestel@hotmail.com

 

Margré van Gestel, chair ECME 2010-2012