2018 Kansas Music Educators Association Convention

VOCAL DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN   For young children, tuneful singing is the marriage of tuneful thinking and physiological awareness. The child must be able to first “catch the tune” and then reproduce it in head voice. Young children must be given opportunities to experience and develop both of these important skills. The window of opportunity for the development of this lifelong gift is in early childhood, kindergarten and first grade. We must help the child explore the sensation of singing and then give them guided opportunities to reproduce the sound. To engage this age group we must use strategies and techniques that are developmentally appropriate while remaining wonderfully child like; playful, imaginary and fun.  This session will share activities that can offer this opportunity to a young child. Once they are able to do this they will be on their way to a lifetime of tuneful singing.

 

INTENTIONAL MOVEMENT IN THE MUSIC CLASSROOM      Movement is an integral part of being musical.  Think of your favorite activity in the music classroom; chances are there is some type of movement to enhance the experience. This is no surprise; children learn best when they are able to use their bodies. The movement component is worthy of the same explicit and intentional instruction that we devote to the literacy component of our curriculum. Participants will be introduced to strategies and techniques that will enhance the movement component while involving them in our rich folk music heritage of songs, dances, and singing games.