“I’m not a music teacher.” How using music and movement can be enjoyable for ALL early childhood educators.
Despite the many benefits and strengths of teaching STEM through the Arts, many teachers shy away from using music and movement activities in their classroom. Given how incredibly effective and efficient this tool is, why are teachers not taking advantage of the opportunity to use these intentional, active and engaging activities with their students?
The answer is complicated.
- Many teachers don’t feel qualified to lead music and movement activities with their students.
- Teachers don’t know how to choose music curriculum for their classrooms.
- They feel that it will add an additional task to their already unmanageable workload.
- Teachers are afraid of the class management challenges that come along with activities.
How Can We Empower Teachers?
Teachers who are not artistically inclined and who feel overburdened are not likely to take advantage of the benefits of interactive music and movement activities. They need an easy way to experiment with these tools, and to recognize how effective they are for creating a positive environment in their classrooms, fostering positive student/teacher interactions, and creating opportunities for creative expression, healthy development, and boosting their student’s school readiness!
Provide Support
The right training and materials, including engaging music and moment curriculum, can make all the difference. With support, the experience of leading music and movement activities becomes fun, easy, and intuitive. Teachers who receive this kind of support and training will come to regard music and movement time a highlight of their day!
The CLASS Connection
One of the greatest benefits of all is music’s ability to connect people to one another. Teachers who incorporate music and movement into their classrooms find that these sessions connect them with their students in a natural and effortless way, and that the right curriculum enhances their instruction time, rather than detracts from it. It’s a time that students relish and revel in, and it helps everyone involved to celebrate and enjoy the time they share together.
Join me for NHSA’s Music and Movement Essentials course at The Academy to learn how to select and integrate music and movement activities into your daily classroom curriculum.
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