Reviews

Learning through Music & Movement  Structured Programme  Reviews

Kids Music Company has been leading programmes in the area of Music & Movement Education, producing its original, recorded music, and facilitating workshops for adults and children for many years, both in New Zealand and overseas. Their zest, enthusiasm, and commitment for spreading the message of the power of music in enabling brain and body development is one I have experienced first-hand over the past 10 years by taking groups of students to their workshops to experience the programme.

The Learning through Music & Movement Structured Programme Introduction, Programme Guide, and Teacher's Manuals provide in depth methodology and principles which underpin the programme and also explain the concept behind the programme, rationale for approach, photos of resources, and instruments to be used with explanation, environment, teaching strategies, and a glossary of frequently used terms.

The Introduction and Programme Guide are written in great depth, providing theoretical information to explain the approach and programme. This part of the manual covers aspects related to the ways children learn, the background behind the curriculum and how each part of the programme is structured. Children's learning is covered through the ages of 2-3, 4-5 and 6+ years with documented research to support the ideas presented. This manual is carefully thought out and rigorous in terms of the rationale, learning processes, and objectives. Music theory forms a strong backbone to the document and links persuasively to the benefits of exposing children to rich musical experiences from a young age.

Kids Music Company is well known for its distinctive original music with a range of instruments, voices, and tempos. These form a stunning array of CDs that teachers and parents are able to lead and guide children's musical experiences in hands-on music and movement sessions that are relevant and accessible to young and old, with specific as well as more generic ideas and concepts, such as exploring musical concepts and perceptual motor development, size, body awareness, colour, etc.

The Learning through Music & Movement programmes are wonderful; step-by-step guidelines for teachers are set out in easy-to-follow and use format; each fully accessible and engaging lesson includes learning outcomes and objectives, songs and resources, and/or equipment. This is thoroughly thought out, well planned, and clearly set out for educators to follow and instigate.

The programme has been fastidiously written with every aspect considered in a very thorough and articulate way and, with appropriate training, teachers in other countries will be able to lead the programmes with ease.

I see Learning through Music & Movement as a well-developed programme with very accessible and engaging lessons, accompanying illustrations, diagrams, music, resources, manuals, and related materials. The Music theory is a strong feature of the programme and highlights your combined robust pedagogical frameworks and backgrounds in Music Education to a very high standard.

Nicky de Lautour

Masters in Educational Leadership, BA (Ed), Dip Teaching (ECE), PGDE, Cert Adult Teaching
Senior Lecturer, School of Education, Auckland University of Technology

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Learning through Music & Movement is a very sound programme which reflects both a strong  understanding of the needs of the whole child and a deep understanding of appropriate music and movement  experiences for young children. The structure of the programme expertly balances the need for revision to cement skills and understandings, and for new material to keep children motivated and interested. The original song material has been carefully written to fulfil the requirements for such a programme.

The principals' musical knowledge combined with their vast teaching experience has resulted in very sound music learning progressions. For example:

  • The voice takes its prime place as the first instrument with continuing focus on matching pitch and expanding the vocal range. At the same time children are encouraged to explore many non-melodic sounds, and to move and play with a feeling for the steady beat. Following this, they move to the more complex skills involved in playing melodic instruments .
  • Lyrics of songs are cleverly modified using a familiar tune to have children moving to the beat before they play instruments to the beat, thus maximizing the likelihood of success. For example, children move with Dancing with My Band then play instruments with Playing in My Band.
  • The familiar rhythms of language are used to support learning rhythm skills. For example, use of colours and vehicles with one and two syllables.

The differentiation of the enriched and general programmes allow teachers with greater personal music skills to work in more depth, while the generalist teachers, who are keen but less secure in their own music skills, are able to provide a sound basic programme for children.

Music is a powerful tool which can assist and support a child's overall development. All children should have the opportunity for musical enrichment. Extra to this, those wishing to be the musicians of tomorrow need to be the children of today, building those musical foundations at the time when their brains are hungry for learning in early childhood. The Learning through Music & Movement programme can support the building of those important foundations.

Well done Kids Music Company. I have no doubt that Learning through Music & Movement will benefit many young children. 

Shirley Harvey

BA, LTCL, Dip Tchg, Dip Education
Former Coordinator Children's' Music Centre, Auckland College of Education
Former Lecturer in Music in Early Childhood, College of Education, Auckland

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Learning through Music & Movement presents a multi-sensory programme in which children are given the opportunity to work while they play and play while they work.

I am impressed by such a programme that encompasses physical, social, intellectual and social development in a fun-loving way for children.

For all you teachers who say '... but I don't have a musical bone in my body!' Learning through Music & Movement will show you otherwise. The  user-friendly structured format of each lesson will guide you to present it with ease.

Once again, Kids Music Company have done themselves proud. This programme is a fabulous learning tool that I strongly believe will compliment all curriculum areas in the classrooms for young learners.

Desiree McGhie

TTC, BA, MedPsych, PG Dip EdPsych
NZ Registered Psychologist - Education

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The Learning through Music & Movement programme for early childhood music sessions provides very lively sequences of activity based on music and movement promoting language development.

The songs are attractive, move fast, and have infectious rhythms.  The actions that accompany many of them enhance brain development and the programme moves step by step to develop greater complexity and increased skill.

For teachers, the instructions and the provision of props and accompanying CDs and DVDs offer valuable support and professional development.

The rationale is very sound according to the latest understandings of learning in early childhood and there is rich potential for the development of children's skills and understandings well beyond the music and movement experiences which are a vehicle for the development of valuable learnings in many other areas: cognitive, physical, emotional, and social.

Helen G.M. Willberg

M.Ed, LTCL, Dip. Tchg
National Supervisor's Certificate of the NZ Playcentre Federation

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What a wonderful resource Learning through Music & Movement will be for all teachers. The strength of this programme is in the powerful way it integrates learning in all aspects of children's development through a musical context.  The information about children's learning is relevant and useful and will ensure teachers understand more fully the power of music to promote learning in every area of children's development in both brain and body. The learning is well sequenced in a way that ensures children will achieve success at every stage. Music and movement are inextricably linked promoting holistic learning and supporting children to achieve their full potential.

The songs written and presented by Kids Music Company relate to things that children love to do and love to play with, and should engage all children with their energy, simplicity and repetition. Resources required are clearly set out and instructions for teachers are clear and easy to follow. The video resource will support teachers' understanding of the activities by enabling them to see them in action.

My congratulations to Kids Music Company on this great initiative, which will be a valuable resource in promoting quality music and movement programmes in early childhood centres and schools.

Celia Stewart

M.Ed (Hons) PGDE (Music Education) TTC LTCL AIRMT

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We have had the Kids Music Company programme running in our early childhood centre for the last 2 years. During that time our staff has noticed a variety of benefits to the children.

Children are growing in confidence, even normally shy children are happy to become involved and become active participants.

The use of a variety of props and equipment helps the child become engaged as tools are used in a variety of ways, constantly challenging the children for new and different ways they can think of to use them. Children are nurtured; they feel valued and therefore are confident to contribute their ideas. And of course, when children are happy, they learn more effectively.

Being able to predict that we are having music on a weekly basis enables children to think about it (and talk about it) beforehand. This helps develop an understanding of time and builds positive anticipation of the upcoming session.

The language that Janet uses with the children is very beneficial in their learning and it adds to their vocabulary. They have better understanding about positions and what new words mean as there is normally an action that accompanies them, making the words easy to remember.

Children with English as their second language have gained hugely from these Kids Music Company lessons. Their vocabulary has been extended and they can follow instructions better. Children often relate words from the music sessions to a regular preschool day, showing their growing understanding.

Janet uses a variety of great, original songs. She introduces new songs and repeats others, while delivering them differently, making these songs exciting and requiring children to use different parts of their bodies. Children dance and move in certain ways that help develop coordination across their midlines. Janet uses such subtle and fun ways that children love the challenge and the success they gain through trying and achieving certain actions.

Teachers have also benefited by learning how to deliver music differently to children. Instead of just using the obvious actions to songs, we have learnt to explore doing the actions differently or introducing new objects or things for children to work with.

Parents appreciate the learning too, and I often hear them come in at the beginning of the day, checking if it is a 'Janet Day?'.  In a letter from a parent to our Board the parent said, 'I think you did a great thing to bring in the Kids Music program to our childcare, and my daughter benefits a lot from this program. I am very excited to find that day by day, music is changing her in a gorgeous way ...'

Even with budget cuts in NZ education settings, we will keep our music sessions with Kids Music Company. Parents hear from the children how much fun they are having, teachers notice the children are progressing and I have a happy staff. I thoroughly endorse having the Kids Music Company programme in our centre.

Liz Lupton

B.Ed, Principal Early Childhood Centre, Auckland, New Zealand

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I have watched Janet and Wendy develop as teachers over the past 30 years and noted their passion and expertise. I was delighted to take my pre-school granddaughter to Janet's class eight years ago and experience her Kids Music Company  in action. The programme with its sequenced lessons works extremely well for her classes and will, I'm sure, be similarly helpful for others.

Over my lifetime I have seen many changes in teaching young children, from focusing on what the teacher does, to considering what the child is learning; and from considering music teaching only from what musical skills and understandings are achieved, to a more holistic aim of developing the total child using music and movement. It is in this field that I see the aims of this present teaching resource directed. Young children don't fragment their world as adults do, and we do well to follow their example. Involvement in musically-centred activity is unique in its ability to develop and enjoy full personality.

Stuart Manins

MA (Hons, Music), LTCL (Tchg Sing)
Author Music Stories for Juniors and Proprietor S.M BOOKS
Former HOD Music, Auckland College of Education
Member of the Early Childhood Music Commission of the International Society for Music Education

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