TRANSITIONS: UNSUNG HEROES OF THE MUSICAL CLASSROOM

Ms. Brigid here, from Merit School of Music  in Chicago. Thank you for joining me. On a hot summer night in Chicago – and we’re having a lot of them all of a sudden – I met with a group of Pre-K teachers to conduct a workshop on  “Musical Building Blocks” focusing on elements and techniques for successfully integrating music into the classroom and circle time. We discussed fast and slow, high and low, piano and forte, sound and no sound, stopping and starting, how to teach a song and sing a book. Woven throughout were transition chants and songs to facilitate movement and change levels from sitting to standing. Here are a few of my favorites. Please share yours below in "Comments" or email them directly to me (gardengoddess1@comcast.net). I will post them to our community so we can all benefit!

Down Is the Earth (chant)

Down is the earth.                    (Drum the floor)

 Up is the sky.                            (Fling arms up in air, above head. Voice rises) 

Here are my friends,                  (Both hands gesture to friends on either side)

And here am I.                           (Both hands touch chest)

I found this chant on one of my down the rabbit hole internet searches, purely by accident, and have not as yet been able to track down the provenance. Thank you to whomever penned it! My 2-3s and 3-5 year old children loved this from the beginning of the  year to the end. It’s extremely flexible – and can be performed sitting or standing. Use of comparatives (high/low, piano/forte, etc.) are especially effective. When children are comfortable, try the chant using opposite movements, e.g. standing and reaching up to the sky while chanting "down is the earth," etc.

*A chant merely means that the words are spoken, not sung.

Two Little Hands (chant)

Two little hands go clap, clap, clap. (Clap hands simultaneously with “clap”)

Two little feet go tap, tap, tap. (Stamp feet – more fun than tapping!)

One little body turns around. (Turn body around one time)

 Everyone here sits right down. (Everyone sits down)

The rhythm and rhyming words make this a fun and easy group activity to move from high to low, or standing to sitting. Eventually, my kiddos “audiate” the chant, i.e., they hide the words in their heads and perform the motions, all together, entirely in silence. Silent round of applause! Many of you may be familiar with some version of this rhyme that uses “one little child turns around.” I changed it after the umpteenth child – over many years – rightfully pointed out that I was not a child.

Everybody Have a Seat 

Piggyback tune: Shortnin’ Bread

Everybody have a seat, have a seat, have a seat,

Everybody have a seat on the floor.

Not on the ceiling, not on the door,

Everybody have a seat on the floor.

Everybody have a seat, have a seat, have a seat,

Everybody have a seat on your chair.

Not on the ceiling, not on the stair,

Everybody have a seat on your chair.

A favorite with both children and teachers, this is a great way to get from high to low, from standing to seated. Encourage other rhyming pairs – the sillier the better.

Some ideas: Everybody have a seat… on the rug. Not on a ___, not on a bug,… or

Everybody have a seat…at the circle. Not at a ___, no at a birkel,… and etc. This chant can also be used to line kiddos up at the end of the day (Everybody line up… at the door) – really, there are no limits to the way it can be used. Pre-K and K teachers are the champions of creative “piggybacking” – adapting words to known melodies for their own purposes!        

Tall As A Tree (chant)   

Tall as a tree.                                    (Stand and stretch arms as high as possible)

Wide as a house.                                    (Stretch arms and legs out wide)

Thin as a pin.                                    (Jump body back, arms glued to body)

Small as a mouse. (x2)                           (Curl into small ball)

Movement is key to learning! The similes used employ the whole body – so it’s an effective way to bring a dose of gross motor after an period of inactivity. Repeat the chant more than once to wake up the body. Comparatives may also be used.

Per friend Allison Ashley:  To transition to lining up, end with “quiet as a mouse.”

Thanks for reading!

Please share your transitions chants and songs below in “Comments” or

email me: gardengoddess1@comcast.net.

I hope you’ll join me next month for musical musings.

Until then, happy singing!

Merit School of Music, Chicago

Call on Merit School of Music! Our onsite school is in the West Loop. We work in the schools throughout the area providing band, orchestra, percussion, choir, early childhood, and general music instruction with project based units including Recorder, Music and Storytelling and Songwriting. We do great work! YoYo Ma is a supporter!

Chicago Families

Please come to Merit’s Storytime sessions – the 2^nd and 4^th Mondays of the month. It’s free, fun, and facilitated by singers and storytellers Amy Lowe, Irica Baurer & me. Stories and songs start at 11am, and we end with instrument exploration and family networking. Storytime will continue through the summer months, so come on down!

The next session is July 27.

I am continually inspired by The Children’s Music Network (CMN) community. an international group of socially conscious musicians, educators, librarians, families, songwriters and good people, who “celebrate the positive power of music in the lives of children by sharing songs, exchanging ideas, and creating community.” Please visit CMN, and find a gathering in your region.

©2015 Brigid Finucane  * 847-213-0713 * gardengoddess1@comcast.net

http://prekandksharing.blogspot.com

@booksinger1

Blog History

June 2015. Summer Songs

May 2015.  Crescendo II! Chants & Games for Music Foundation

April 2015. Crescendo -And Sites to Sigh For: edWeb & CMN

March 2015. Piano and Forte! Songs and Books for Investigating Music Fundamentals

Feb.2015. Chinese New Year – Looking for Year of the Sheep & A Good Friend

Jan.2015. Multicultural Children’s Book Day - The Lions of Gir

Dec.2014. Singing a Storybook – Wintertime / A Winter’s Tale

Nov. 2014. Singing a Story – The Magic of Musical Books: Part II

Oct.2104. Singing a Story – The Magic of Musical Books: Part I

Sept. 2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs from the Heartland Part III: From the Midwest & Great Lakes Regions (Listening Locally)

Aug. 2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs – Part II: Midwest & Great Lakes (Listening Locally)          

July 2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs Part I: Midwest & Ontario (Listening Locally)

June 2014. Garden Lessons, Typographic Art Apps and Thank You Notes

May 2014. Spring! Songs, Chants & Apps to Welcome the Season

April 2014. Part II. Dancing, Singing & Drawing Legato and Staccato

March 2014. Part I. From “Hush Little Baby” to Yo-Yo Ma – Using Books, Apps and YouTube Videos to Introduce Legato and Staccato

Feb.2014. Pete Seeger – A Time to Thank

Jan.2014. Gung Hay Fat Choy! Stories, Books & Apps to Celebrate the Chinese New Year

Dec.2013. Singing Time! Embracing Appadiction

On The First Day of Pre-K....

Hi! I'm Ayn and I am a Ga. Pre-K teacher, serving 4 and 5 year olds in an inclusive setting. I share my classroom adventures on my blog, little illuminations. 

**Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.**

Yesterday was our first day of Pre-K. I know, I know, we go back EARLY!!!! Our new little batch of friends heads into our classroom for the first time. Some of the friends have been in our school since birth, some have come from other childcare settings and others are leaving their parents for the very first time. Where ever they are coming from, they are coming to me and my classroom for the first time. It's a new setting for everyone. My classroom is humongous! It is about the size of 3 regular classrooms. And, it is filled with centers and materials. There is just so much to do that it can be overwhelming. During the first few days, the main goal is to get to know each other, the environment and our expectations of each other. 

Because the room is so big I take a few baskets of materials in each center and leave them out and cover the rest. We learn how to take things out and put them away and add a little more daily until the room is fully revealed and all materials are accessible. 

At parent orientation (usually a night or two before the first day) I give the parents and children each a little gift. I wish I knew the source---it was shared with me many years ago from another teacher and can now be found all over the internet. My thanks and appreciation to whomever it is!

In the parent gift sack, I have a cottonball, a tissue and a teabag with the following poem:

Dearest Pre K Parents,
Here is a little "gift" for you as you leave your precious one with us on the first day of school. As you hold this cotton ball in your hand, the softness will help you to remember the gentle spirit of your child. After you've gone home and dried your tears, make yourself a hot cup of tea. Put up your feet and relax. Remember that we will work together to help your child to be the best they can be.
Thank you for entrusting your child to us for the coming school year. We will do our very best every day to be your child's guide in learning and exploring this bright, new world they've just stepped into.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Ayn 

And for the children, I fill a gift sack with the following poem and the items listed.

Dear New Pre-K Friend:

These are some things you may need for our classroom this year. Each of the items in this bag has a special meaning:
* The cotton ball is to remind you that this room is full of kind words and warm feelings.
* The Hersey’s Hug is to comfort you when you are feeling sad and to remind you that friendship holds our hearts together.
* The bandage is to heal hurt feelings in your friends and in yourself.

* The tissue is to remind you to help dry someone's tears.
* The sticker is to remind you that we all stick together and help each other.
* The star is to remind you to shine and always try your best.
* The pencil is to help you “use your words”.

* The eraser is to remind you that we all make mistakes and that is okay.
* The penny is to remind you that you are valuable and special

*The puzzle piece is to remind you that without you our class wouldn’t be complete!

Love,

Mrs. Ayn 

On the first morning, I set out paper and crayons for children to use as they arrive. They can draw whatever they like, I label it with their dictation and I save it for the scrapbook I give them at the end of the year. This also gives them something to do as we help settle new parents and students as they arrive. 

Many of the kids have been in our school forever, and know that the Pre-K class takes field trips on the bus. It is one of the things they've been looking forward to as they've moved up from the youger classes that do not take trips. Several of them asked immediately upon arrival about taking field trips. "Mrs. Ayn, do we get to ride on the bus today?" "When are we going on our first field trip?" "Do we get to take a trip on the bus today?"I felt like such a Grinch telling them that we would go on a trip soon, but not today! 

After the parents have left, we headed over to the rug for a story before breakfast. I usually read Kevin Henke's "Wemberly Worried", but the stars aligned perfectly and our plan was changed. One of the kids saw "First Day Jitters" by Julie Danneberg on our bookshelf and asked if we could read it that morning. I had planned on reading it at some point during the day, anyway. Just after that, our cook came in and said that one of the other teachers had planned on making "Jitter Juice", but there had been a mix up with getting the ingredients. Our sweet cook offered to whip up a special "Jitter Juice" of her own recipe for the other teacher and offered to make us some, as well! We read the story and finished just in time for our morning snack of muffins and "Jitter Juice". (And we still had time to read "Wemberly Worried" later in the day!)

After breakfast, we take a tour of the school and get to know our surroundings (kitchen, director's offices, other classrooms, etc.) and a tour of our classroom. After touring the learning centers they are pretty eager to play. It's time to explore centers! 

(The red is the part of the center that we will reveal later.)

While the children are busily exploring, I call them over for individual "First Day of Pre-K" pictures. These will be used in projects, name cards, as well as becoming a special memento in our end of the year scrapbook and slideshow. By the end of the year, it is always really surprising to see how much they've grown!

At some point during the first day or two, we set the expectations for the classroom behavior. And by "we", I mean the class, not me. The children suggest rules that they think are important to keep our classroom a safe and happy place to be. Later, I type up the list and post it at eye level.

Over the next several days, we will be introducing small groups, new materials and how to care for them, classroom jobs and many other things that will eventually become part of our school family life. And soon we'll take our first of many fun and exciting field trips. We'll take things slow and let the children guide us on how fast or slow we progress.

Here are some of my favorite "First Day of School" books. 




If you'd like to read more about getting ready for Pre-K, you might be interested in reading some of my other back to school posts on PreK+K Sharing : "Going To Preschool: Tips For An Almost Tearless Transition" and "The First Few Days of School: Getting To Know Each Other"  or "Signing In And Out in Preschool" on little illuminations.  

 

Do you have a favorite "First Day of School" memory? Or "First Day of School" book? I'd love for you to share it in the comments! 

Stop by and visit me anytime at littleilluminations.blogspot.com or visit the little illuminations fanpage on facebook! And be sure to check out PreK+K Sharing EEE!

 

Going To Preschool: Tips for an Almost Tearless Transition

Hi! I'm Ayn and I am a Ga. Pre-K teacher, serving 4 and 5 year olds in an inclusive setting. I share my classroom adventures on my blog, little illuminations. 
 
Today is our first day of school. I will have 22 little 4 year olds coming to spend the day with me, some of them leaving their parents for the very first time. One important thing to remember is that not all kids transition the same way. There will be some children who walk right in and get right into the thick of it. Some children will be apprehensive about this strange new environment. Today, I'm sharing some tips to help ease the transition for both parents and kids.

Before school starts:

***Visit the school and meet the teacher. Tour the classroom and locate bathrooms, cubbies and centers that will spark interest. There are so many new experiences in the first few days that it really helps if the child is familiar with the room layout and the caregivers. Forming a bond between teacher and student can really help alleviate some of the child's fears.

    

***Take some pictures and make a social story powerpoint or book. Read it together often before the big day.

Free slideshow design generated with Smilebox

***Talk it up! Talk to your child about what to expect. Remember that you may know all about what kids do in preschool, but to them, it's all new! Ask them if they have any fears, and discuss them. 
A few great books about worrying about going to school are:

   

On the first day:

***Send in family pictures. Bringing a few familiar faces to keep in the cubby or displayed in the classroom can ease the transition considerably.

***Don't let the child see you upset. Often leaving little ones on the first day is more upsetting for parents than it is for the children. Children can sense when parents are upset and this will heighten their anxiety, making them uneasy about staying.

***Find a friend. As adults, we are always more comfortable when we have a friend along when in an uncomfortable situation. The same holds true for children.

***Find an engaging activity. A child who is engaged will likely focus on the activity and not the worry of separation.

***Use a picture schedule. Most preschool  teachers have them in the classroom, but if not, you can easily make a small version to be put in your child's cubby. This will help your child visualize how much longer they have until they see Mom or Dad. "After snack, you'll have a story and then its time to go home!"

***Always say good-bye and reassure that you will be back. (This is an excellent time to use that picture schedule!)


At pick-up time:

***Pick up on time! Even a few minutes of anxiety worrying about Mom or Dad not being there can have a lasting effect. 

***Plug in when picking up. Your child has spent an eternity (in their eyes :) without you and has so much to tell you about. Share the excitement with them. It will be contagious and they will be excited about returning the next day!


Transition tips for children in childcare moving to a new class:
The start of the school year is the time in our center when many of the kids transition to a new class. I thought I'd share a few tips for kids who are transitioning from one class to another in the same childcare center.

***Let the child visit the new class several times, increasing the amount of time each day. The first few times should be at a time when engaging activities are going on.

***Don't start the transition at drop off time. It's hard enough to transition to a new class, with added separation anxiety added in. 

***If possible, have one of the current teachers visit with the children to the new class. Having a familiar caregiver helps when trying a new class filled with new teachers, classmates and surroundings.

Again, it's to remember is that there is no "magic formula" to determine the exact amount of time each child needs for transitioning. Some children will make a transition smoothly, while others will take longer. I hope these tips help provide a few tools to help make the best of this (sometimes) tough time. 

Stop by and visit me anytime at littleilluminations.blogspot.com or visit the little illuminations fanpage on facebook!