The Art of Living - How we guide children and build community

THE ART OF LIVING

It was a Sunday morning with our two children 

peacefully asleep...

Sam and Nick, amazing then, and amazing now

but it was unlike any other Sunday morning in my life.  On this morning I would find out if the love of my life would live.  The doctor told me she had experienced a heart attack.  

Marie Sierra, Mom, Pianist, Dancer, Friend, Love of my Life

Driving to the hospital, I thought of of this amazing woman in my life and our 2 children... and slowly and silently began to weep, from both a sense of profound love and simultaneously the fear of potentially having to let go.  Today Marie is 100% recovered and after 23 years of marriage we are completely and madly in love.

It was a moment of opportunity... for both of us. When Marie suffered her heart attack, I was much heavier, weighing 300 lbs., and Marie was in very good shape.  

300lb Enrique on the left

Neither of us were eating in a healthy manner. On our first visit to her heart doctor, he looked at me and said, "You should have been the one with the heart attack," and I nodded in agreement. Since then, Marie and I have embraced life at a new level. Part of this journey includes cooking with coconut oil, and creating healthy and delicious meals with super foods. We both feel so much younger.

 Prior to that moment, if someone had asked me, “Do you embrace living?” I would have responded… “absolutely!”  Today I can tell that back then I was on my journey of developing my potential to reveal my own purpose to myself, and I continue on this journey. Today I can also share with you that I have, with the support of many, including Marie, truly embraced the Art of Living.  

 Many people have experienced being afraid of being alone, but can we ever really be alone?  We may sense loneliness, but can we ever truly be alone?  I ask you to consider, “To truly live, do we not need to at least recognize our connection to our community?”  The community we are born into, the community we choose, and the community we create.

Does community create a sense of unity?

Does unity create momentum?

What do you choose to create?

How do you choose to live?

My Mentor, Dr. Carroll Rinehart, on the left and on the right, my colleague and friend, Corey Ferrugia

Marie has taught me a lot, as have my  many mentors, including my Nana, Victoria Cañez.  There was no such thing as an “ordinary moment” with her.  With my brother in spirit, Corey Ferrugia, founder of MyTown Music, our shared mentor Dr. Carroll Rinehart, and our inner circle of colleagues, we have taken this idea to new heights.  In 2000, I founded the non-profit education organization, the Fostering Arts-Mind Education Foundation.  Today its new name is the Global Learning Foundation and my closest circle of colleagues, artists, educators and thought leaders have reverse engineered the Art of Living.  

I’m sharing the first 3 steps with you right now.  Enjoy and consider living, loving, and learning like a child!

THE ART OF THE QUESTION

When do feel the most connected?  What prompts this?

An example of The Art of the Question with Preschool children from the Benson Center of Child-Parent Centers Inc.

What kinds of questions do you ask your friends?  
Your colleagues?  Your family?  

Perhaps even more important, 
“What kinds of questions do you ask yourself?”  

Are they questions with a specific answer in mind or are they questions that truly seek to find out what the person across from you has experienced and would like to experience?

For those of us who work directly with children, the use of great questions leads to breathtaking results related to improved creative and critical thinking. Above you see one simple example of a question, a positive provocation, that was used with preschool children. This led to children learning a great many things about life and learning via the creating of maps.

A map drawn by a preschool child at the Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers Inc.

A map of home and school drawn by a preschool child at the Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

As the former Associate Director of Bands at the University of Arizona, I made a lot of statements.  Little did I realize that statements didn’t create the kind of response I was hoping for, no matter how dramatic the delivery. After I left the University of Arizona, I received a call from educational icon Dr. Carroll Rinehart.  He offered me an invitation…. To have coffee with him and talk.  I met him for an early breakfast and kept doing so for many years.  He told me stories and asked me questions...three questions… over and over again and over time, I began to realize why. While I founded the Foundation, I am not the Foundation.  The Global Learning Foundation is a hub of thought leaders who seek to not only think, but to take action, and we already have.  With over 100,000 children and families impacted by our educational approach, the Context Method®, we are now poised to expand our sphere of guidance in the world of learning, business, and entertainment. Here are some questions for you :)

I invite you to experience this 15 second video and allow yourself a moment to consider your thoughts on:

“When are you most engaged, and why?”

                                                 

THE ART OF INSPIRATION

When are we most energized by what we are doing?

4 yr old creating a piece of Art based on quarter notes, half notes and whole notes...he was definitely inspired!  I remember because I was there! From the Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

• When we are able to inspire ourselves, can we inspire others to inspire themselves?
• When others inspire themselves, can a community be inspired?
• When a community is inspired, can a nation be inspired?
• When nations are inspired, can a civilization be inspired?

I used to wake up knowing which day of the week it was.  Today, most everyday feels like a weekend to me.  “How do you do that?” I am asked.  I have shifted from the idea of surviving to thriving… from staying grounded to flying…. from trusting only in others to trusting in myself.  It has taken some time, and what I have figured out is…

It’s not the thing, it’s how you do the thing.

A self-portrait by a 5 yr old... what is amazing is how the child when about creating the portrait, which began with a very good teacher asking some very good questions.  In other words, what this is a real self-portrait by the child. Taken from the Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

Whether it be conducting an orchestra, guiding young children in play-based learning environments or creating innovative technology to impact learning, inspiration can be found when we realize it is our intent that can leave legacy.  What is your intent with every action you take, and from how many perspectives?  Do you realize you can choose your intent, and multiple perspectives? Below you see a couple of images from the behind the scenes making of the children's album "Kaleidoscope." It was inspired because we asked so many wonderful questions of ourselves and we at all times thought about the intent of the music.

Alice Pringle on the right, Enrique and Ricardo creating inspired music for children.

Matt Mitchell on Guitar for album "Kaleidoscope"

Enjoy this 30 second video and contemplate your response to 

“When am I most connected to the inner energy of any activity?”

                                       
                                                 THE ART OF STRIVING

When do we strive?  
Why do we strive? 
When do we sense community and how does this impact our emotional bucket?

Find a child's interest and that road will lead to striving. Image taken at the Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

An original Clay piece of Art by a preschool child. Image taken at the Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

A description of the clay home and family above. Image taken at the Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

Where is your energy level at today?  
What makes it so?  
Who decides?

In your life would you… 

*prefer to wake up needing that cup of coffee to energize you

*prefer to wake up already feeling energized

possible is everywhere when we are striving...
an original piece of clay Art by a preschool child. Image taken
at Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

When I sense community being elevated, connected to thoughts and actions I am a part of, to strive becomes as natural as breathing.

"Creating" creates a community of those who strive. Image taken from the Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

Everyone has the capacity to strive... here is a child striving in the creating of an original doll with wire and other materials. Image taken at Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

When I used to think about the word community, I would think about my city or my neighborhood.  Today I think about my own internal sense of community and the community that I build with other individual, groups, and with the natural world.  The result in my life is that I have noticed a direct correlation between my energy and how much community I choose to build.  The relationship is a very positive one and whether I am involved in the creating of Art, the creating of business ideas or the creating of entertainment ideas, the overarching concept is always related to “What kind of community will result from this idea?”   Below is a study preschool children created that was focused on creating Art from dried flowers. While the product is certainly beautiful, the process included the building of community with discussion with others and an awareness that we live in a larger community that includes nature. A huge thank you to the Sunnyside Center from Child-Parent Centers Inc. for their continued partnership... truly inspired!

Dried Flowers put into categories by preschool children. Image taken at Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

One category of dried flowers. Image taken at Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

Sunnyside Head Start preschool child begins to crush the dried flowers. Image taken at Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers. Inc.

Sunnyside Head Start preschool child begins to place the dried flowers onto their "canvas". Image taken at Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

Sunnyside Head Start preschool child's finished work of dried flower Art. Image taken at Sunnyside Center of Child-Parent Centers, Inc.

I encourage you to ask yourself questions like:

• Do I create a sense of internal community with myself?  Or is there an internal struggle between my actions and thoughts?
• Do I take advantage of the moments in my life to build community with others?
• What does it mean to build community?
• Are you willing to first attempt to build community and then think about your  definition of community?

Click here to see the full 3 minute video and consider your own thoughts related to how you embrace your own life…  and the fostering of community.

Enrique C. Feldman

Founder, Global Learning Foundation

Public Speaker

Performing Artist and Composer

Co-Author, Sam the Ant Children's Book Series

Creator, iBG (Intellectual Brainwave Games)

Co-Creator, The Inner Journey Theatrical Show

Author, Living Like a Child

Producer, Kaleidoscope

Inspiring Others to Inspire Themselves... the Art of the Question

WHAT WOULD THE WORLD LOOK LIKE IF WE INSPIRED OTHERS TO INSPIRE THEMSELVES?

THE ART OF THE QUESTION

• ASK
• EMBRACE THE SILENCE THAT FOLLOWS (the sound of thinking!)
• ASK AGAIN
• BE PHYSICALLY ENGAGED WHEN YOU LISTEN
• ASK AGAIN
• EMBRACE THIS PROCESS (the byproducts will astound you!)

I used to use many more periods and !'s than the empowering ?  I finally started using more questions when I was re-introduced to my mentor Dr. Carroll Rinehart.  I asked questions and I THOUGHT I was listening.  I was listening... technically.... but I was uncomfortable with the silence that followed the question.  I thought that was a sign of confusion.  In fact, it was the sound of thinking.  When I read to children I ask many questions.  When I meet with colleagues, I ask lots of questions.  When I see my kids, I ask lots of questions... and the result has been truly wonderful.

At the early childhood program, Child-Parent Centers, Inc. in Southern Arizona, they ask lots of questions as well.  Whether we use the word inquiry, prompt or any other word, it is the quality and intent of the question which is critical.  Above you see a lovely "Snow Angel" made from wire that a preschool child made.  As beautiful as this product is, what is even more stunning is the process of learning that led to this product being made.... and it all started with a question.  Perhaps the question was "What is wire?"  "What can you do with wire?" After that question was asked, their was silence, followed by more questions.  It took patience and an engaged teacher who was willing to have an authentic moment or two with a young child.  I wonder if we realize how important not only questions are, but the quality of those questions?

What was the question that led to 7 leafs being posted on a board, with the written number "Seven" and the number "7" drawn as well?  What additional questions can you think of asking?

Above is a piece of artwork made with flower parts...amazing, right?  What was the question that led to this creation?  Ask yourself, what questions have I asked that led to the learners being so engaged, they couldn't wait for what was about to happen or what they were about to do?  When the learned is that engaged, there was a great question that led to it.

I wonder if the question that preceded the above painting was, "What is your favorite food?"  I wonder if the answer was "Pizza" or "Chili's?"  Or perhaps the first question was "What is your favorite shape?"  Either way, the question, followed by silence, authentic conversation and more questions leads to all manner of creations, along with a beautiful balance of critical thinking and creativity.

A Rocket ship made out of wire! What question was asked?  I bet it initially had little to do with a Rocket.  Our minds are super computers and yet, so often, we ask only linear questions of young learners...what?!?!  We need to remind ourselves of the simple, yet empowering, act of asking not only questions, but OPEN ENDED questions of our young learners.  The results remind us of how much the learner brings to the table of education.

Ah... the SUN!!!  We know all about that in Arizona, my home state, and the home of the national non profit organization, the F.A.M.E. Foundation.  Through the Context Method® we look for contextual ways of learning with young children all the way through high school students.  Above is the sun.  The question might have been "What do trees need to grow? or "What is summer like" or "How do you feel when you are at school?"  As guides of young children, we need to become masters of the question.

We also need to ask ourselves questions!  Above are two of my colleagues, the incredible bass vocalist and Artist, Juan Aguirre (left), and Rick Wamer, Program Director of Arts Integration Solutions and world famous Mime and Actor.  I know what question was asked because... I ASKED IT...lol...  The question was, "Can you show me everything you know about lines and curves?"  Their willingness to live and learn like a child, makes them both excellent when it comes to connecting with children...Bravo!

The creation of the doll above may have not happened without questions being asked first.

One of my favorite questions to ask is "What do you see?" Above you see the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus in China.  When we are encourage to see for ourselves, we can see both differences and similarities.  A city is city in many ways, but culturally there are also differences.

Here's one for you, the reader of this blog... look at the image above and write down everything you see.  Now that you've done that, look at the image and and write down some more things you didn't notice the first time.  Inspiration is in part related to looking for and expressing depth of meaning along with depth of being.  Sometimes we have to look more than once... sometimes we have to ask more than once.

In the above photo, we would not have witnessed the artistic process unfold in front of our very eyes if I had not asked this preschooler the question, "Can you draw some quarter notes?"  When we ask questions openly, without one particular answer in mind, we open the door to creativity.

Many days when I visit an early childhood classroom, I bring a small suitcase on wheels and inside are all sorts of things from puppets to books and more.  If I hadn't asked the question, "What do you think is in my suitcase?" and continued to ask questions as I slowly took out puppet Eddie the Elephant foot by foot, the above scenario might never had taken place; a child inspired to create an elephant out of clay!

Those children aren't sleeping... they are creating geometric shapes with their bodies.  This was preceded by all manner of questions, including:

• "Can you make a line with your body?"
• "How many ways can you make a line with your body?"
• "What else can you make with your body?"

We have to model what we teach in our own lives.  To the left is Dr. Carroll Rinehart, to the right Corey Ferrugia of MyTown Music, and myself in the middle and we are asking each other questions. Some of our answers were even questions.  This simple act has transformed my life and I hope you use it to transform yours.  When I ask my teenage kids questions, I receive responses.  It's quite different when I make statement...lol.

Asking a child "Who are you?" or "What do you look like?"  can lead to self-portraits and more!

Questions can lead to creation of objects and turning dreams into reality. 

Questions help us find and/or create paths to knowledge.  Questions help the learner create their own path to knowledge and the use of the knowledge.

"What can you make with a shadow?" is a simple question.  Simple questions can lead to complex understanding.

Another self-portrait... what is a question worth?  Certainly, more than any statement.  Think about it... how many questions do you ask and how many are open-ended.  I invite you to join me on November 4th on Twitter for a one hour intellectual jam on "Inspiring Learners".  My colleague Debbie Clement will post some questions and we can go back and forth on ideas.  Chat with you then!

Enrique

Founder/Director of Education, F.A.M.E. Foundation

2-Time Grammy Nominated Artist

Co-Founder, Context Method®

Redleaf Author

FILM MUSIC FOR READING TO CHILDREN

USING ORIGINAL FILM MUSIC TO ENGAGE CHILDREN

Hello and welcome back!  For those who are new to this collaborative blog, I'm Enrique and I direct the national non profit educational F.A.M.E. Foundation.   I'm also a film composer and author.  My organization collaborates with lots of very talented folks and organizations like Arts Integration Solutions and MyTown Music to help teachers and parents of children improve how they can elevate the learning experience.

Today's blog is about how to "Surf the Words", a technique that my foundation created in 2001.  It involves reading with music and keeping in mind three things:

• Changing the volume of your voice to match the music.
• Changing the pace of your voice to match the pace and rhythm of the music.
• Changing the inflection of your voice to match the music.

As you can see in the image above, the response is a level of engagement from the learners!  However, I am quite often asked by the many who cannot make it to my workshops and/or conferences, "Enrique.... what kind of music should I use and can you suggest a specific book with specific music?" How do you surf the words?

Much like someone who surfs waves, you need to be willing to improvise.  Hold on though.... I have great news!  I've begun to release original film music I've composed and I've begun the process of matching it to books I love.  You can now actually buy these music/tips on how to use the music (surfing the words, breath breaks and more) at prekandksharing, the brain child of none other than Debbie Clement, my long time friend and colleague.

So, how did this come to be?  I looked at music I've either recently composed, am composing currently or composed some time ago.  Below is an image from the short film "Last Night at Angelo's."  The main theme is called "Amore."

I started reading different books with the song "Amore" in the background.  There are plenty that work beautifully, but there was one where the energy of the music matched the beauty of the story.

The book I'm referring to is "Tarra and Bella: The Elephant and Dog who became Best Friends."  In case you don't know the story, it's the real deal.  It REALLY happened!  Long story short, it's about compassion, love and friendship and how two unlikely animals became life long friends.  The story is poignant and so is the the music "Amore" for piano and cello.

Even if you decide not to pick up the music, pick up the book.  It's truly something to behold.  Children love the story and it brings up all sort of great conversation related to the social-emotional development of young children and ourselves as adults.

Enjoy!

Enrique