Music Together has long been a supporter of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and this year we are proud to be a Bronze Sponsor of the 2012 NAEYC Annual Conference and Expo. The conference, being held this year from November 7–10 in Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest gathering of thought leaders, classroom teachers and faculty, administrators, researchers, and other important practitioners in early childhood education.
If you are attending NAEYC’s annual event, we hope you will plan to come to one of our sessions and stop by our booth. You can talk to our representatives about the innovative Music Together curriculum, learn about teacher training opportunities, and be among the first to purchase copies of our brand new “Singalong Storybooks,” children’s books based on popular Music Together songs. We’ll also be commemorating Music Together’s twenty-fifth anniversary with live music and cupcakes!
Visit Our Booth in the Exhibit Hall
Drop by our booth in the Expo Exhibit Hall! We will have special events at the booth, including book signings, live music, and cupcakes. And, of course, you can always drop by to chat with a Music Together representative and grab a reusable tote bag with information to take home.
Attend One of Our Five Conference Sessions
We are honored to have been asked to present five sessions on early childhood music at NAEYC 2012. Attendees will learn how to incorporate music into their classrooms and how music both supports children’s learning and enhances staff development as early childhood educators. All sessions will be led by senior members of the Music Together staff, including curriculum coauthors Kenneth K. Guilmartin and Lili M. Levinowitz, Ph.D.
If you have questions about which session would be best for you to attend (session information below), please contact the Music Together In-school department:
in-school@musictogether.com.
Session 1:
Benefits of a Musical Community: Songs and Movement Activities Are an
Essential Part of Education, Enriching Both Preschool and the Home
Presented by:
Kenneth K. Guilmartin, Founder/Director and Coauthor of Music Together;
Lyn Ransom, D.M.A., Coauthor of Music Together Preschool.
Wednesday, November 7 • 8:30-11:30 AM • Room B301 GWCC
Experience songs, fingerplays, instrument play, and large-movement activities geared towards supporting children’s development and creating an enjoyable child-parent-school community. Examine the ways that songs and movement activities support school readiness—including social growth, spatial awareness, pre-number, sequencing, phonemic awareness, pre-literacy, and expressive language.
Track: Music
Session 2:
A Catalyst for Family Engagement: How Music Can Build
Home-school Relationships and Enrich the Home Environment,
Benefitting the Whole Child
Presented by:
Sally Woodson, Early Childhood Music Specialist;
Kenneth K. Guilmartin, Founder/Director and Coauthor of Music Together;
Lyn Ransom, D.M.A., Coauthor of Music Together Preschool.
Thursday, November 8 • 8:00-9:30 AM • Room B213 GWCC
From Head Start to Reggio Emilia, preschool curricula have long emphasized the importance of parental involvement in children’s education and school experiences. During this session, participants will explore how a participatory preschool music and movement curriculum can play a significant role in fostering family involvement in school, as well as enriching the home learning environment. You will learn how music and movement activities can connect children, teachers, and parents, and will be provided with easy and fun ways to engage parents in their children’s learning.
Track: Family Engagement and Support
Session 3:
Music and Readiness: How Songs, Fingerplays, Instruments, and
Movement Activities Support the Skills and Learning Dispositions
Essential for School Success
Presented by:
Lili Levinowitz, Ph.D., Professor of Music, Rowan University,
Coauthor of Music Together;
Lauren Guilmartin, Music Together Research and Development Project Manager.
Friday, November 9 • 8:00-9:30 AM • Room B214 GWCC
In this session, participants will be introduced to the ways in which an enjoyable and developmentally appropriate music and movement curriculum can support the attributes and skills young children need for school success. We will provide fun and engaging music activities appropriate for use with children that teachers can explore in the classroom and parents can use at home. An overview of current research on school readiness, along with a review of classroom footage from the Music Together Preschool program model, will demonstrate connections between music and movement activities and children’s development in key school-readiness domains (physical, socio-emotional, language, cognition, and approaches to learning). We will also review research evaluating the significant effects of the Music Together Preschool program on the development of school-readiness skills among children from an at-risk, urban population. Participants will gain an understanding of the wide range of developmental benefits that music and movement instruction brings to the preschool classroom and will learn how to integrate activities into their classrooms in order to enhance current curricula and achieve the greatest developmental benefits for their students.
Track: Child Development and Learning
Session 4:
The Importance of Music and Movement for Preschoolers
with Special Needs
Presented by:
Natalie Vecchione, MT-BC, Music Together Within Therapy™ Provider.
Friday, November 9 • 3:00-4:30 PM • Room B213 GWCC
Children develop musically in the same ways that they develop in other domains (cognitive, social/emotional, communication, physical, and sensory). This session will review the music development milestones for children ages three through five years old, providing a context for teachers to notice how a developmental challenge may be impacting a child’s ability to access classroom music-making experiences. Participants will learn how to present songs, chants, movement, and instrument-play in ways that make music accessible to all children, including those with developmental challenges such as autism, Down syndrome, sensory processing disorder, and other physical or neurological concerns. Come see what a developmentally appropriate approach to music learning looks like in a preschool setting that includes children with special needs. You can implement what you learn with your students on Monday morning!
Track: Children with Disabilities/Early Intervention
Session 5:
The Power of Music to Create a Focused Learning Environment:
Exploring Daily Opportunities to Facilitate Focus, Flow,
Content Learning, and Community
Presented by:
Lyn Ransom, D.M.A., Coauthor of Music Together Preschool.
Saturday, November 10 • 1:00-2:30 PM • Room A405 GWCC
Explore five key times during the daily routine when music can facilitate developmentally appropriate practice and learning enjoyment: transitions, clean-up, center time, large-group time, and naptime. Identify ways that music facilitates classroom management while also supporting children’s cognitive development and language learning.
Track: Teaching and Instructional Practices