[HANASHIR:16564] Re: music for preschoolers

[rahel <rahel...>]

Hi - nothing personal and no offense was intended. Just engaging in 
discussion. Rahel




At 12:07 PM 1/9/2004 -0800, you wrote:
>ok,
>since rahel has used one of my emails to quote...i must say something...
>
>I think it would be greatly appreciated, I know by myself, if we wouldn't 
>nick pick every word people say as pure gospel.  I am 36 yrs old and have 
>been teaching since 1982.  I have a degree in music ed which is up to date 
>and current and take update classes to keep the degree current.  That said...
>
>I know how to teach kids.  Been there done that...in fact have written my 
>own curriculum for my religious school.  I always, if time is available 
>ask kids for movement or dance ideas etc...
>
>I don't write my own music etc...because I am not good at it and rely on 
>such talents as Fran Avni and Karnen Daniels, Rick Recht, Ken Chasen , 
>Jeff Klepper, Rabbi Joe Black, Craig Taubman etc...to "give" me what I 
>need to teach and give to "my kids".  I am sure there is a perfect world 
>where everyone sings on pitch, plays perfect instruments AND writes their 
>own music, but where I am sitting and in my life...that isn't happening.
>
>So, if we are going to nick pick every word that someone writes as 
>gospel...then I gotta tell you...I have a real problem...
>
>I thought when i joined this listserve (how ever long ago, 2yrs? maybe)
>that it was for exchanging ideas, music questions and pure and 
>simple...help.  and i have received this.  but the bickering, or what i am 
>calling bickering I think is enough.
>
>if I am over reacting...then I am sorry and forget this message.
>
>I am very good at what I do as a music educator, singer and alla round 
>entertainer whether its secular or religious (obviously typing not one of 
>them).
>
>
>
>
>rahel <rahel (at) empire(dot)net> wrote:
>>At 10:51 AM 1/8/2004 -0800, you wrote:
>>>I teach the little guys songs ranging from the classics to shticky 
>>>songs.  They are usually sponges and will sing and do just about 
>>>anything you ask them.  At that young age, they grasp language very 
>>>easily, so I make sure to do a lot of hebrew songs (ie the classics) and 
>>>add shticky songs when needed....
>>
>>
>>Shalom,
>>
>>I do not mean to insult anyone with the following. What was said above is 
>>exactly the reason why we need to be careful about what we teach, and 
>>about what we ask little kids to do. Thank you Ilana, for clarifying the 
>>issues about dinosaurs. Little kids can totally understand that our Torah 
>>is only X years old, and that dinosaurs existed in a different time 
>>period - so let's choose a Torah related figure to lead us in song! And 
>>if I may be so bold as to suggest that, rather than telling them what to 
>>do, why do we ask them instead. Give them the tools they need: make a 
>>list of words, - preferably in Hebrew - then write the songs and make up 
>>the activities. I can safely say that kids will get a lot more out of a 
>>participatory lesson where they are making up the song/activity rather 
>>than being told what to do! If you want to help a person, don't just give 
>>him the fish - teach him HOW to fish. Teach the kids how to look into our 
>>own sources. In order to do this, they need to first find the sources. So 
>>give them a Tanakh - find the stories there first. At least this way they 
>>will know that we actually have a Tanakh and they will know HOW to use 
>>it. Go from there.
>>
>>Rahel
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>ilana axel <iaxel (at) yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
>>>Perhaps I can help here, not with an opinion, but with
>>>an understanding. My sister-in-law, who became very
>>>observant in her adult life, asked my husband and I
>>>not to send dinosaur items as gifts to her children.
>>>The reason she gave was that since according to the
>>>Torah, the world was created 5764 years ago, dinosaurs
>>>could not have possibly existed. This is the only
>>>conflict I know about with regards to Judaism and
>>>dinosaurs, and I think it would concern some orthodox
>>>and Chasidic Jews. But my understanding is that the
>>>discussion here has more to do with which secular
>>>symbols we liberal Jews feel comfortable with, or not,
>>>and for what reasons. Hope this helps a tiny bit.
>>>Ilana
>>>--- Amy Fried wrote:
>>> > Could you tell us the rest of the words to "if you
>>> > see two neirot hide your
>>> > eyes??" Sounds cute.
>>> >
>>> > Also, Rahel brings up an interesting question:
>>> > what's un-Jewish about a
>>> > dinosaur? Sure, they're not mentioned in the bible,
>>> > but does that make them
>>> > secular?
>>> > -Amy
>>> > ----- Original Message -----
>>> > From: "erik contzius"
>>> > To:
>>> > Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 10:12 AM
>>> > Subject: [HANASHIR:16463] music for preschoolers
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > > wow, that was a large digest to sift through!
>>> > >
>>> > > i would only advocate that for the sake of
>>> > > preschoolers who make great affective connections
>>> > to
>>> > > their judaism at their age, that there be taught a
>>> > > BALANCE of music--that which teaches them in
>>> > English
>>> > > certain values/rituals of judaism, irrespective of
>>> > > musical form, AND that which teaches them
>>> > something
>>> > > about traditional Jewish music. I'll do silly
>>> > stuff
>>> > > like, "If you see two neirot, hide your eyes..."
>>> > (if
>>> > > you're happy and you know it) at the same time as
>>> > I
>>> > > have them all sing the traditional "Heiveinu
>>> > shalom
>>> > > aleikhem" or "zum gali gali." preschoolers will
>>> > grow
>>> > > up with positive connections to their judaism
>>> > based on
>>> > > their positive affective memories. i want to
>>> > ensure
>>> > > that those memories are both filled with
>>> > informative
>>> > > things as well as things which musically sound
>>> > jewish.
>>> > > if people want to do some dinosaur song, great.
>>> > but
>>> > > please, for the love of jewish culture, throw in
>>> > some
>>> > > simple niggunim or kick it "old school" as well.
>>> > let's
>>> > > not forget the oldies but goodies (whatever those
>>> > may
>>> > > be in your communities).
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > > =====
>>> > > Cantor Erik L. F. Contzius
>>> > > New Rochelle, New York
>>> > >
>>> > > COME TO THE ROZHINKE RETREAT: http://rozhinke.org/
>>> > > http://community.webshots.com/user/eriklfc
>>> > > http://soundswrite.com/swstore1.html#howexcellent
>>> > > http://tinr.org/
>>> > >
>>> > > __________________________________
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>>> > >
>>> >
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