Professional Development In-Service Training, Keynote, Workshops

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WHAT? ME, TEACH MUSIC?
One can have the best of materials, but without the confidence and skills necessary to present them, they may not be utilized. Let me help your staff learn the value of music in a young child's life along with the how and why of presenting music and movement with young children everyday, all year long.

ABOUT THE CLINICIAN

Gari Stein is the founder and director of Music For Little Folks: a music school in Ann Arbor Michigan for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and the grown-ups who love them. She also takes her program, based in Traditional Folk Music into local daycare homes, center, preschools, K-2nd Grade, conducts staff development for teachers, administrators, therapists, librarians & parents and leads interactive concerts and family programming.

Educated in Child Development, Psychology and Dance, Gari has been working with young children & their families, therapists, social workers and educators since 1966. An enthusiastic clinician and grandmother, she is passionate about providing a rich musical environment for every child.

Bringing a wealth of knowledge about child development and numerous activities to her trainings, Gari's interactive presentations and unique style also address the comfort level of the attendees. "You can have the best materials available, but if you aren't comfortable in presenting them, what good are they? Many professionals, regardless of their education or expertise, tell me that music is their weakest area." Gari helps participants find their singing voices and dancing feet, offers encouragement and instills confidence in their ability to incorporate music into their programs, everyday, all year long.

A popular and inspiring keynote and clinician, Gari presents at national, state and regional conferences that include, NAEYC, AEYC, Early On, Great Start, Head Start, Infant Mental Health, Family Day Care, Young Authors, Michigan Reading and Michigan Library Associations.

WHY DO WE NEED THIS TRAINING?
All children are born with the potential to be musical and seem to be pre-wired for music. Hearing has been shown to be the 2nd sense to develop in utero. Along with the motion and rhythms of the prenatal environment, infants enter the world ready to move. Music affects all aspects of total development and is part of a child's everyday life, even if they do not have planned music time. Early musical experiences are now considered to be intuitive and the current research is bursting with the positive impact on children's cognition, emotional well-being and social success. You will often hear children singing to themselves to self-comfort starting at a very young age.

Music and movement for young children are indispensable teaching tools and should be part of every teacher and provider's training. But except in rare cases, they are not. Many professionals are often afraid to be musical, afraid of their singing voices or of losing control of the group. Classroom management is covered in depth.

The search for materials can be frustrating and often educators rely on recorded music that may not be appropriate for young children. Much of the commercial music geared to our youngest population is too busy, too loud, too fast. Educational workshops are often entertaining, but may be lacking in age appropriate developmental curriculum. A step-by-step approach is provided for teachers to easily incorporate a comprehensive musical program everyday, all year long, whether a non-musician or seasoned singer.

WHY DO MUSIC EVERYDAY?
Music is an art form and should be enjoyed for its aesthetic and enriching contribution. It can also positively affect learning, literacy and listening. Research supports the early years as an optimal time for developing ones musical potential. Studies tell us musical experiences positively affect cognition, as well as emotional well-being and social success. For some children music may be their only form of self-expression. Why appropriate musical experiences are so important in every early childhood program and what appropriate musical activities can do for young children, will also be covered in depth.

By providing musical experiences everyday, staff can also benefit by reduction in stress, while being renewed, rejuvenated and re-energized with heightened efficiency and productivity. Based in the richness of Traditional Folk Music, user friendly and easy to learn, Gari's Sing With Me comprehensive curriculum, provides additional staff support.

OBJECTIVES

• acquaint attendees with research findings...
• provide appropriate musical materials....
• address attendees comfort level in implementing program...
• help in getting started...
• keeping children engaged...
• value of individual learning styles...
• identify ways to manage/not lose control of group...
• emphasize acquisition of listening skills-even in infants...

CONTENT

• goals of making music...
• importance of doing music everyday...
• components of music/movement curriculum...
• developmental characteristics of children...
• impact of music on total development...
• effect on brain development...
• relevance of research findings...
• support of phonemic awareness...
• steady beat and continuous flow...
• appropriate materials/implementation...
• emotional and social success...
• basic format/lesson plan-sample session
• using music spontaneously and for transitions...
• enhancement of listening skills...
• preservation of traditional folk music...

INTENDED OUTCOMES

• realize impact of music on children/staff...
• find one's singing voice/comfort with movement...
• inspired to try more music on daily basis...
• implement curriculum/use spontaneously/transitionally...
• enhance sense of community/incorporate parents & grandparents...
• be conscious of teaching style...
• use music as teaching tool...
• provide rich musical environment...
• feel confident with group management...
• give all children the gift of making music...

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
Music Matters. Music and movement lay the foundation for learning, social success, and emotional well being. Music is powerful. A rich musical environment can strengthen the child-adult bond, build community and create lifelong memories.

Much more than singing and dancing happens at music time. Gari’s enthusiasm will inspire the novice to seasoned singer, as she shares how music can be the teacher and caregiver’s best friend. All presentations are research based and show how music and movement offer unique opportunities to nourish brain development, sharpen listening skills and help children self-regulate. Literacy experiences will be enhanced with new elements and dimension.

From the following titles a keynote, workshop, seminar, evening activity or family program can be tailored to meet individual needs. Educational sessions include extensive handouts, short lecture segments with overhead and lots of fun, hands-on, easy to learn, interactive activities.

Activities emphasize listening and include bounces, chants, continuous flow, creative & structured movement, finger plays, lullabies, melodies, percussion instruments, rhythmic & tonal patterns, rock & row, songs, steady beat, stories and more. Tips for group management, ideas for transitions, adult’s comfort level, lots of movement and books to sing are a part of every presentation.

1. KEYNOTE-What! Me Teach Music? Infants to 8s. Research studies will be cited, family anecdotes and classroom experiences will be shared, numerous hands-on ideas, emphasizing movement, will be presented. Toes will tap and spirits will be lifted.
2. KEYNOTE-Just For You and Singing Games for the Children Too! We take care of children, but often forget about ourselves. Explore obstacles that may get in our way. Learn winning stress busters for you and listening activities to take back to the children. Renew and rejuvenate. Get ready for lots of laughter and too much fun. See Workshop Handouts for keynote outline.
3. The More We Get Together: Our hurry up dot com world provides less time to share hugs and special moments. Explore materials to nurture relationships through music, play, books, art and more.
4. But I Can't Sing A Note!!! Preschoolers or Preschool-Kindergarten... Strengthen learning, listening, literacy & child development with a research based & easy to learn curriculum from Hello to Goodbye.
5. Rock-A-Bye Babies: Research supports the importance of movement as a foundation for learning. Music helps to build trust and security, strengthen the infant-caregiver bond and impacts self-regulation in toddlers. Frustrated by the lack of appropriate materials for your little ones? Explore daily routines with hugs for infants and lots of movement for toddlers.
6. Rock-A-Bye Grandbaby: A very special workshop for grandparents & parents of infants to pre-crawlers. Help to enhance the bond & create lifelong memories while experiencing the joy of making music together. Learn simple activities that include dancing to Mozart, shaking maracas, tunes for daily routines, swaying with scarves, rocking to lullabies, sharing hugs, laughter and more.
7. Moving & Learning …PreK to 8s. Research supports how movement nourishes the brain, enriches language, learning, literacy, creativity and impacts all domains of development. Explore musical materials and methodology for transitions, group management, listening, singing games, books to sing, and more.
8. Classical Moves: Classical music provides creative opportunities for moving, listening & learning. Expose children to great works of music and sample simple to learn, engaging, fun & unique activities.
9. Mommy, Daddy Sing With Me: Parent child enrichment for teachers and therapists. In our hurry up dot com world, a simple song can help slow things down & create a lifetime memory.
10. Musical Morning to Bedtime Good Nights: Care giving, family and bedtime rituals influence the lives of young children. Routines can impact emotional well-being, self-regulation, and stability during times of stress, transitions and learning readiness. Explore the role that music and books can play to nurture family rituals and enhance these experiences.
11. Put on Your Listening Ears: Our visual oriented society provides few opportunities for young children to develop critical listening skills necessary for learning & social success. Explore simple activities that will even get the babies listening.
12. Songs, Stories & Singing Games: Enhance circle time or anytime. Support learning, listening, literacy & creativity. Capture attention & stimulate imaginations with simple activities through literature, music & movement.
13. So Many Books-So Little Time: Books offer a unique opportunity to help young children focus, listen and learn. By incorporating props, song and movement, literacy experiences are enhanced with new elements and dimension.
14. Sing A-Song & Dance A-long... Family Program: As part of conference evening program or special event, seasonal celebration, music enrichment for children, families, seniors, inter-generational, community sing and dance a-longs.
15. Songs of the Seasons: As buds bloom, sun shines, leaves change or snow falls, children are filled with wonderment. Celebrate the seasons through music & stories.
16. Just For You: Designed for conference or workshop attendees as an early morning warm up, after lunch, end of day wakeup or evening activity to help relieve stress, relax, rejuvenate and just have fun.

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