After writing the last blog post, “Am I an Artist?” I looked for picture books that explore different obstacles one might find on the creative path.  Different things can make it a challenge to grow as an artist – lack of self-confidence, poverty, bullying, limited resources, and misguided beliefs about the value of the arts in children’s lives.  The following books introduce us to some artists, dancers and musicians – children who are faced with various obstacles, but who get the help they need to believe in their abilities and to follow their creative dreams.

Isadora, Rachel. Ben’s Trumpet. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1979

Rachel Isadora’s beautifully illustrated book is about a boy who dreams of playing the trumpet but lacks the means to do it.  He plays an imaginary instrument out on his front steps each day, eventually capturing the attention and approval of the trumpeter from the Zig Zag Jazz Club.  When neighbourhood boys make fun of him, the boy is faced with the understanding that his dream is one that will not be realized.  It is through the help of the jazz musician that he has an opportunity to discover that dreams can come true. This book will speak to caring adults and educators who are in a unique position to help children flourish through arts education.

DePaola, Tomie. Oliver Button is a Sissy. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1979

This book addresses with sensitivity how it feels to be made fun of for being creative.  Oliver Button is a boy who prefers dancing to participating in sports activities.  He is constantly teased by his peers at school, and eventually they write ‘Oliver Button is a sissy’ on the wall.  Still, he continues with his dance lessons, practises each day, and soon participates in a local talent show.  Though he does not win a prize, he discovers that he has won something more important – the respect of his classmates.  The story describes the effort and risks involved in following one’s creative path, and the inner reserve it takes to believe in yourself regardless of what others think.

Rylant, Cynthia. All I See. New York: Orchard Books, 1988

This poignant story is about how a shy child’s desire to paint is awakened one summer as he watches an artist paint blue whales by a lake.  In time, the two develop a friendship, and the artist teaches the boy the skills he needs to use the canvas, paints and brushes, and to understand things like shadows, light and line.  The artist steps aside while the boy practices and gains confidence, until they can work side by side, each creating his own unique painting.  This book is a lovely reminder that in addition to art materials and lessons, children need their own space and time in order to feel their creativity unfold, and to see their own ideas take flight.

DePaola, Tomie. The Art Lesson.  New York: Putnam, 1989

In this story, a little boy who wants to be an artist when he grows up discovers the difference between drawing at home and at school.  At home he draws constantly, using sixty-four crayons in amazing colours, and he is told that real artists never copy anyone
else’s pictures.  At school, access to art lessons and quality drawing materials is limited, and children are taught that copying the teacher and making identical pictures is the way to learn to draw.  Though the boy and the art teacher find a way to compromise (i.e., after he follows the rules and can draw what he wants), the story paints a sad picture of how “the rules” can stifle the creativity of both children and their teachers.  This book provides an interesting contrast with Rylant’s All I See and speaks to the challenges of integrating the arts into the school curriculum in meaningful ways.

Reynolds, Peter. The Dot. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2003

At the end of art class, Vashti is frustrated because she was unable to draw a picture.  When her teacher says, “Make a mark and see where it takes you” she draws a dot on the paper, then signs it.  It is when her teacher frames the signed dot that Vashti realizes she is capable of much more, and begins to experiment with paints, creating dots of different colours and sizes.  Soon she displays her collection of dots at her school’s art exhibition.  When a little boy admires her work and says he could never draw like that, she understands how he feels and is able to give him the gift she received from her art teacher – the ability to see herself as an artist, and to make her mark.

“Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” ~ Joshua J. Marine

On November 29, 2011 I attended a second colloquy at the University of Toronto on Music in Health and Medicine.  Here I learned about current research on such topics as enabling people to enjoy music, the health of musicians, and music in the treatment of illness.  It is exciting to know that different fields will collaborate to generate music research, and to consider Toronto’s role in creating a centre for music and health research.  A recent article in the Toronto Star describes, among other things, how research generated by this centre can lead to the improvement of such conditions as strokes, Alzheimer’s, chronic pain and Parkinson’s. 

http://www.thestar.com/living/article/1102258–new-toronto-centre-hopes-to-lead-the-way-in-music-and-medicine-research#.TuySXfkvuF4.facebook

A related article in the Globe and Mail links readers to further stories about music therapy, how music is being used therapeutically with children in hospitals, and how music can improve our mood or aid in the recovery of stroke victims.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/new-health/paul-taylor/music-can-enhance-your-health-researchers-say/article2279533/?utm_medium=Feeds%3A%20RSS%2FAtom&utm_source=Life&utm_content=2279533

The world’s awareness of the benefits of music therapy has been raised, as we have followed the recovery of U.S. congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the left hemisphere last January.  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/11/18/f-vp-bambury.html .  My eyes filled with tears when I watched a therapy session on YouTube in which Congresswoman Giffords worked so hard to regain her voice through music.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiJ9X_wLSWM .  I could only feel inspired by her courage, and motivated to try to learn more about how music can have such an amazing impact on our health, well-being and our lives.

It follows then to want to learn more about the health benefits of music in early childhood.  My own studies in early childhood music education allowed me to see the positive effects on children when music is enjoyed in the classroom on a daily basis (e.g., increased confidence and happiness).  Music therapy can be used in early childhood classrooms to help children with special needs to learn concepts and be more engaged in activities, to express emotions or to feel calmer.  A very interesting article discusses how educators can integrate music into their classrooms and curriculum to enhance learning and development and to improve behaviour.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ronna-kaplan-ma/music-therapy-children_b_1188226.html.

There is so much current research worth exploring, that can inform our practices as educators and care providers.  Take a moment to look at information that is attracting media attention, influencing our thinking – both as citizens and as educators – and making us more aware of some of the healthful benefits of music.

I really love those old animated holiday programs from the sixties and seventies that are shown on television at this time of year.  They bring back a lot of fond memories for me – but especially the excitement I felt as I watched the first snow falling and how beautiful and peaceful it looked. I loved the anticipation of what winter had in store for me.  Something about the music that forms the foundation of these cartoons conjures up pictures of the last reds and golds of autumn being replaced by a blanket of white, of spinning on a skating rink, of building a snowman and of soaring across a snowy sky.

Those cartoons are wonderful to watch, and I marvel at the imagery captured by the artists who created them.  Still, just closing your eyes while you listen to the music can ignite your imagination, and let you see what those artists could see and dream of skating, making snow angels and sipping hot chocolate. I want to share three short animated films and the music that makes them so vibrant and wonderful.  In my opinion these films and pieces of music truly capture everything winter – the cold, the wind, the snow, the excitement and the joy.  Take a moment to listen to the compositions of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Vince Guaraldi and Howard Blake and hear the magic of winter.

Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers

Charlie Brown Christmas – Skating

Walking in the Air

On November 1^st, I attended the Colloquy on Music Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Toronto.  This event was very exciting because it put a spotlight on important research being conducted on music and brain development and the benefits of music experiences for the very young.  I was particularly interested in the work of Dr. Sandra Trehub(http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/strehub.0.html), who has studied infant listening skills as they relate to music, and maternal singing as part of care giving.  Dr. Laurel Trainor (http://www.psychology.mcmaster.ca/ljt/index.htm) has studied (among many other topics) the effects of early music programs with infants and parents in high-risk populations, and she is a strong advocate of promoting music education and community engagement in music studies.  Research papers of Dr. Trehub and Dr. Trainor can be viewed at the websites provided.  These resources are well worth exploring!

While I greatly enjoyed the event, I found myself wondering how, and how much of this important research finds its way into the hands of pre-service educators and in-service early childhood professionals who teach and care for infants on a daily basis.  My courses and workshops on music in early childhood have provided educators with practical strategies for teaching music to young children, and examples of songs, rhymes and lullabies etc., though I also have emphasized the developmental benefits of music experiences in the early years.  At the colloquy I was reminded that it is vital to draw the attention of educators to current research that can provide deeper insights into the value of such experiences for children and recommendations for optimal teaching practices.  Too often there seems to be a disconnection between research and practice, though where music in the early years is concerned this should not be the case, given the position early childhood educators are in to make a positive impact on children and families.

That evening I wish the auditorium had been filled with early childhood educators -  those working in day cares, parenting and family resource programs, centres for teen mothers.  They would have benefitted from the information shared at this event, as I did.  Ideas discussed included: the natural music skills of infants, how infants attend to music, whether infants notice transpositions, the impact of socio-economic status on children’s music acquisition, the benefits of real experiences with a music teacher compared to listening to recorded music in the background.  What educators learn and practice in their classrooms not only effects children in their care, but also parents, as information and resources are shared forward.  The Colloquy on Music Psychology and Neuroscience is an event that I learned about quite by luck and certainly one that I would have been sorry to miss.   Exposure to current research is so vital to the work and  professional development of early childhood educators.  Finding out about such an important learning opportunity should not be left up to chance.

Just as children need invitations to learn new information and practice new skills, so do their parents and teachers.  But needed research and knowledge must make its way into their hands.  As Dr. Sandra Trehub states, “Music making creates contexts in which children, teachers, and families thrive….infants perceive music in much the same way adults do…adults who observe very young children carefully, learn to recognize ways in which they invite us to be musical with them…”.   I hope the future holds more opportunities that create a context in which early childhood educators can thrive, discover research that provides ever more ways to support children’s development and learn to be musical with the children and families they serve.

Recently I participated in an inspiring workshop entitled Music of the Story with Luigi Rignanese, a storyteller visiting from France, as part of Toronto’s FOOL festival (Festival or Oral Literatures).  I stumbled into the world of storytelling some years ago, mainly hoping to weave more stories into my work as an educator.  What I discovered was a rich and diverse community of storytellers that included teachers, librarians, musicians, authors, actors, therapists and others, all sharing the beauty and magic of words and stories.  Their message was clear – everyone has a story and stories have the power to transform both tellers and listeners.  I knew the world of storytelling would open up new inner and outer worlds for me.

It is hard to describe all that I learned at the workshop.  Some ideas included: the craft and art of storytelling; the musical and expressive quality of the voice; moving and physically responding to music; using instruments effectively as part of a story; finding and telling stories that are meaningful to you; engaging each of the senses in storytelling; bringing stories to life for listeners….  Each participant had the opportunity to tell part of a story and receive constructive feedback, to consider new possibilities for their storytelling.   It was amazing to see people leave their comfort zone, take artistic risks and let the experience move them in a different direction.  After taking part in the workshop, I had the opportunity to see Luigi Rignanese perform and to see in action the ideas he shared so generously.  This You Tube video will provide a taste of what I experienced in the past few days.

Le Dragon

Storytelling is a wonderful art – one that I would like to explore more deeply, for reasons both personal and professional.  As the workshop reminded me, there are steps involved in learning skills needed for telling stories, in developing a repertoire, and in learning from established storytellers.  Over time I hope to share more resources that I find, but for those interested in learning where to start, here are a few suggestions to help you.  One article entitled ‘Effective Storytelling:  A Manual for Beginners’ can be found at http://www.eldrbarry.net/roos/eest.htm.  Tim Sheppard’s Story Links (http://www.timsheppard.co.uk/story/storylinks.html ) is a great place to look for legends, fables, folk tales, myths anecdotes and more.  In Toronto, those wanting to learn more about the community of storytellers,and opportunities for learning how to tell stories should become acquainted with Storytelling Toronto (http://www.storytellingtoronto.org/site/) , the Toronto Storytelling Festival (http://www.storytellingtoronto.org/toronto-storytelling-festival/), and the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program (http://www.nald.ca/mothergooseprogram/).  Remember:

“Because there is a natural storytelling urge and ability in all human beings, even just a little nurturing of this impulse can bring about astonishing and delightful results.”              ~ Nancy Mellon, The Art of Storytelling