Some of the children were not keen on this idea at first while others seemed thrilled at the idea. One of the children even asked if I we could upload the finished videos to you tube! This statement made me stop and think about how much the children in the centre know about technology and how the world works in this day and age. Another child then told me that if they were going to put on a performance they would also need a stage to dance on and some different songs to choose from.
This was a stage of this process that I did not envision, so again I had to get my thinking cap on. We are lucky enough to have some very helpful families in the centre and in two short days a small stage was built, with the help of the tamariki of course. Looking back the construction of the stage was actually just as technology based as the music and videoing components. The children were helping people (one another) and solving problems, after all this is technology in it's simplest form (Smorti, 1999). I made a new cd with the help of the children that compiled the songs that they had chosen to dance to and we were ready to go...
The cd player was set up inside, next to the stage and the children and staff sat around the stage as the children who chose to participate got up and danced. The children were encouraged to praise their peers efforts and clap when they had finished. It was difficult to keep some of the children off the stage, especially the two year olds who just wanted to keep dancing!
The children all wanted to see their videos right away when they had finished, which looking back now would have been better. We did however burn their videos to a dvd, which the children enjoyed watching the next day.
References
Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, No. 19 Autumn 1999.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whaariki: He whaariki maatauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa.Wellington: Learning media.
Kia ora Carly,
ReplyDeleteA great reflection on how you extended the children in music ,dance and song and then giving them the opportunity to be on video. Indeed the confidence that they would have gained for this in addition to the skill and knowledge about how to interact would further enhance learning.Great to see there is continuity between home and school and involving community,
http://unknown-luanasspot.blogspot.com/
Hi Carly
ReplyDeleteA great reflection on dance and movement and the use of music on a CD player. Music and dance always seem to be the best part of any centre. With the fast paced movement of technology, it is amazing to know that children as young as these know how to use the different electronic devices.
Reading about the extension on the dancing session to performing on a stage whilst been video-taped, just goes to show that the creative process is well and truely underway.
I agree that linking the video to the TV will definitely bring out the excitement and wonder in these enquiring minds.
Great reflection.
Cheers
Rosie
www.rlandsberg.blogspot.com
What a great learning experiences for your children, Carly. We all know that children love music and dancing. That’s how they express their feelings and develop their imagination and creativity in music and dance movement. I agree with you Carly, it is amazing how much these days’ children know about information and communication technology. It was awesome that your centre listened to the children’s voice, and built on their interests so well. I like the way your centre involved the parents and families in your big construction project with the children. I believe it must be a fantastic experience for your children to be able to work with the adults (teachers, parents and families) and learn problem solving in a collaborative way. Were your children involved in the planning of how they wanted their singing stage to be?
ReplyDeleteGood on you Carly, for reflecting on your practice and thinking about what you can do better next time. Experience which builds on children’s own interests really means a lot for them in their learning and development. This experience will go with them to their next step to help them acquire new interests. It gives them a positive attitude towards learning too.
http://ninalovesjesus.blogspot.com
I have learned two pieces of important information from Carly’s ‘Dancing Dynamite’. The first one is that Carly, you are a wonderful ECE teacher, as you always listen to children’s ideas and work with others (the children, the teaching team and the parents) to support the children’s interests as well as extend their learning. Secondly, your centre follows the children’s interests, which is creating an interesting musical environment which integrates a lot of technological learning opportunities and phenomenon to help the children gain new skills and knowledge confidently.
ReplyDeleteKassner (2002) stated that technology includes all kinds of communication devices and products (radios, televisions, tape recorders, CD players and computers etc.) which can help the teachers to decide on different kinds of musical experiences for children who have different needs and capabilities. Most importantly, Carly’s reflection indicated that the teaching team in her centre keeps on developing their knowledge and skills of music technology to assist the children’s exploration and enhance their sense of well-being and contributes in their learning.
Well done to Carly and your centre’s team members and prarents.
Reference:
Kassner, K., (2002). Technology for music instruction. In P. S. Campbell & C. Scott-Kassner (Eds.), Music in childhood: from preschool through the elementary grades (2nd ed.). p.337-353). U.S.A.: Thomson Learning.