Canada Day in California

Sacramento Choral Society on the steps of the Capital Building







































I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the governor but I didn't even see his shadow... Guess he had more important things to do...

Playing Music Makes You Smart

Kindermusik educators' community has been abuzz with this new article, but I'm proud to point out that Brenna Taylor, an Our Time and Imagine That! parent tipped me off way before I heard about it from my colleagues!

Sorry for the delay in posting it-- I've been a bit busy with getting the summer schedule ready...
"Playing Music Makes Your Smart"

Look What We Made for Our City Sculptures!

"Charlotte"

"The Snowman"

"Cake, Snake & Flower


With a Little Help from Moms...

Object Exploration

We know babies love to explore but what would happen if we put velcro covered mittens on their little hands?

A team of researchers at Duke University set out to find out. The results are quite interesting! One of their findings indicates that babies who have had opportunties to explore using this niffy tool displayed greater capacity to explore both visually and orally! There are still many unanswered questions, but the experiment supports the notion that early experience and learning are a good thing.

"Experience is the best sculptor." --Charles Dickens, David Copperfield

You can read this full article here: 'Sticky Mittens' Give Babies A Head Start

Baby Sign

Translated from Korean:
A child is born not knowing anything about the world.
A mother is born not knowing anything about a child.

A child who is unable to balance his own head,
Possesses the strength to support his own weight.

He may cry out for milk,
But he has the ability to distinguish between his mother’s milk and that of another.

A newborn sleeps 14 hours a day,
And during that time, his neural development progresses at an astonishing rate.

Though a baby puts everything in his mouth,
He does so because of his limited eye sight so he can see and feel these objects.

A baby imitates his mother and this is the very first learned skill a baby possesses.

And then a baby speaks... using nonverbal gestures.

Children who learn to sign score an average of 12 points higher on IQ tests. -- USA Today
Baby signing facilitates speech development. -- Linda Acredolo

But most importantly, signing with children nurtures a stronger family bond.

Dog, cat, milk..

A child is born.
A mother is born.
Baby signing is born to help us communicate with our babies.

Sculptures for the Imaginative Child

The Kenny Scharf Madgladtree from the Sculpture Garden at Frieze Art Fair in Regents Park by Purestar

"A sculpture is a three-dimensional object, which for the purposes of this article is man-made and selected for special recognition as art. A person who creates sculpture is called a sculptor."
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Imagine That! Preschoolers have been assigned to be sculptors this week! Here a some fun websites you and your child may want to visit for ideas on your sculpture project. Don't forget to bring your masterpieces to class next week:

Tate Kids : Junky Funky Sculpture

Lizzy visits the Sculpture Garden: Interactive Story

Create a sculpture: Interactive Sculptures

Can't wait to see your children's sculpted creations!

Wondertime: The Sound of Music

I just received my April/May Wondertime magazine, and found an article relating to a topic near and dear to my heart: Kindermusik!
The Sound of Music is an article about one musician mom's and her 2 1/2 year old son's first experience in early childhood music programs-- Kindermusik and Music Together, and the lessons learned. I think you'll find the article a joy to read, resonating a tone of familiarity!

Here's an excerpt from the article:
"We were late for our first Kindermusik class, so I carried Quinn into the community center. We were greeted by the teacher and half a dozen mothers with children on their laps, tapping knees and singing a melodious "Hello" song. I thought it was lovely, but Quinn clung to me and refused to let me sit down..."

Click here to enjoy the full article: The Sound of Music by Rani Arbo

How to Find Quality Children's Programs

Quality Programs Nurture Relationships to Enhance Young Children's Learning

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has developed 10 standards that outline what all preschools, child care centers, kindergartens, and other early childhood education programs should provide to nurture young children. One of the new standards focuses on the relationships that young children develop with adults and other children, which are crucial to early learning and development.

Positive relationships formed through warm, sensitive, and responsive care help children feel valued and gain more from their learning experiences. Children need positive relationships so that they feel comfortable and learn how to cooperate with others. Relationships between teachers and families are also important, and help build environments that nurture children's growth and development.

There are many ways that quality early childhood programs build relationships with children and among adults. When you visit a program, watch how teachers interact with the children, and look for evidence that teachers are fostering positive relationships, such as:

* Classrooms are welcoming to all children, and children are encouraged to join the group.
* Teachers communicate with children in a warm manner, including laughing and showing affection, and respond to their needs. Teachers use a gentle tone of voice with children, and bend down to speak with them at eye level.
* Infants get individual attention from teachers, who communicate with smiles and other nonverbal behavior, and also talk with them, so that infants start to recognize and understand words.
* Teachers provide a balance of group activities and one-on-one activities, to encourage children to develop both group and individual relationships.
* Children have opportunities to play and interact with other children, which helps them build friendships and develop social skills, such as working together and taking turns.
* Teachers and families develop relationships and share information about the children, including family background such as religion and home language.

Quality early childhood programs foster positive relationships - among the children, between children and adults, and among teachers and families - to help children get a great start on learning. To learn more about the NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standard on relationships, the NAEYC Accreditation system, and other signs of quality early childhood programs, visit www.rightchoiceforkids.org.

Reprinted with permission from National Association for the Education of Young Children. Promoting excellence in early childhood education 1313 L St. N.W. Suite 500, Washington DC 20005 (202) 232-8777 || (800) 424-2460

Statue Poses

Euphoria

Euphoria: a state of very intense happiness. --From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

"Euphoria" comes very close to how I felt after Saturday night’s concert performance of Verdi’s Requiem at the Sacramento Community Theater! It was thrilling! The hour and forty-five minute production with no intermission flew by and before I knew it, we were on the last page of 211 score book singing the final note in the key of middle c, the same note we started at the beginning of the performance.

But the euphoria I experienced personally quickly transformed into that of unity and solidarity among people at the concert. From the jubilant hugs and smiles in the backstage to the congratulatory handshakes of audience members in the main hall, there was an unmistakable sense of unity present in the building. Through music, we were united and connected! Verdi would have been so proud of us!

Here's what Edward Ortiz - Bee Arts Critic – March 5, 2007 had to say about Saturday's Requiem performance: Concert review: 'Requiem's' passion resonates with audience