It has been a while since I blogged ~ I've been so busy singing and dancing with my favorite families that I haven't had a minute to spare!
When I say I sing and dance with children for a living, there is a moment when I think "sounds fun, but what's the big deal?"
HERE'S THE BIG DEAL~ These are some of the reasons that what I do is serious business!
1) Music is a birthright - humans are wired to be musical, but in our math and science minded, sports minded, tech minded world, it seems like music is often seen as an "extra". Being musical ~ MAKING MUSIC, not just consuming it ~ is one of the things that makes us unique as a species!
2) Making music together creates community - when I spend time singing and dancing with a group of families, they begin to make connections to other families in the community. Friendships are created, bonds are forged. In a world that increasingly isolates us, taking the opportunity to play with others is critically important to keep us connected as a community.
3) Music learning supports all learning - Research demonstrates time and again that grown ups who excel in math and science related fields have music in their lives! The links between music and literacy, music and math, music and science, music and movement are powerful. When one thing supports so many, why wouldn't we want our children to have access to it as a core part of their learning??
4) Music is emotional - Music brings out so many feelings in us - joy, sadness, excitement! Different songs elicit different emotions giving us access to a range of feelings and experiences. A colleague once told a story about a little boy who kept playing the same song (a lullaby in a minor key) over and over again and crying. His mom suggested he listen to a new song, but he was persistent. After several times he wiped his eyes turned off his music and went on with his day. In his young wisdom, he just needed a little help getting through some feelings and he knew music would help him do this. POWERFUL
5) Music is fun - If there is an activity that is as fun for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, school age kids, up through senior citizens, why wouldn't anyone want to participate??? Music is a truly INTERGENERATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
So this all says that music is important, but not necessarily why WHAT I DO as an Early Childhood Music and Movement Specialist is important. Here it is - Children learn music much the same way they learn language. If we wait to immerse them in music making until they are school age, we have failed. Infancy and early childhood is when all those key connections are being made in young brains, wiring them to sing in tune and keep a steady beat. When music making has been fully integrated back into our lives at home, in schools and in the community so that children are immersed in music from day one, I will be out of a job and I will be glad. Until then, I will continue bringing families together to make music and I will continue advocating for music in the schools and in the community.
I will also continue to have a wonderful time while I'm doing it! Now, don't you want my job?
