[HANASHIR:16337] Re: dinosaur song

[Singalong2 <Singalong2...>]

I too, agree with Carol. Having taught both public school, religious school 
and in a day school, I have many many years of experience with kids aged 2-14. 
As a music educator, and a Jewish educator, I feel that my primary goal is to 
expose my students to a variety of music and musical ideas, and, of course, 
experiences so that they will have a natural appreciation for and (hopefully) 
love for music, dance, movement, instrumental work, etc. 

As a Jewish educator, through music, I seek to instill a love of Judaism in 
my students, as well as a connection to music and culture so that they can 
appreciate Jewish music and dance in many of the same ways my students in 
secular 
school do.

I think the key is to teach a variety of music and dance, both traditional 
and non traditional. Smiles, laughter, puppets  (or other hands on props)and 
comfort is key to working with young children. In my preschool classes, I often 
get kids to sing hello with the use of a puppet, and most of them will 
communicate with a puppet before they will talk to me, or participate in class. 
Sharing Shabbat with a puppet or stuffed animal is connecting to young children 
in a 
way they can relate to, and most likely, in a way they will remember .

We all have to be flexible and creative in our work with kids, and 
non-judgemental of others and how they choose to communicate with kids, if the 
goal is a 
love of Judaism and connection with our culture and traditions. I have taught 
several workshops to public school teachers on the use of Jewish music and 
dance, and feel strongly that music of the culture should be used and not 
"written for Chanukah (the token Chanukah song in a December concert). At the 
same 
time though, we have to customize our material to the age that we're working 
with.