In This Issue - Early Childhood Music and Movement Association
Transcription
In This Issue - Early Childhood Music and Movement Association
ISSN 2375-3374 (PRINT) ISSN 2375-3382 (ONLINE) Volume 10, Number 2 - 2015 In This Issue “Space is a Really Big Place”: Life Cycle of a Song Making Music With Joy! Active Listening, Singing, Playing and Dancing with Children Research Review Rhythmic Engagement with Music in Early Childhood: A Replication and Extension. Journal of Research in Music Education. Book Review Original Mind: Uncovering Your Natural Brilliance Research Within Reach 805 Mill Avenue, Snohomish, WA 98290 Southwest Regional Conference June 12 – 13 North Central Regional Conference August 8 Pasadena, California Keynote Presenter: Mary Louise Wilson Other Presenters Include: Diane Plaster, Thom Borden, and Rachael Doudrick Chicago, Illinois Presenters Include: Kim Schefelbein, Erin Flynn, Sara Stambaugh, Ellyzabeth Adler, Mary Sue Miller and Kathryn Humphreys Northeast Regional Conference June 12 – 13 Northwest Regional Conference October 16 – 17 Buffalo, New York Keynote Presenter: Jill Hannagan Featured Research Session: Donna Brink Fox, PhD Other Presenters Include: Alexia Buono, Kary Dobbs and Holley Haynes Calgary, Alberta, Canada Keynote Presenters: Catherine Glaser-Climie and Jennifer Buchanan Other Presenters Include: Amoriza Gunnink, Alexandra May, Janet Runnals and Holly Hykawy Southeast Regional Conference July 24 -25 South Central Regional Conference October 24 – 25 Miami, Florida Keynote Presenter: Joy Galliford Other Presenters Include: Rachele Obregon, Leslie Cooper and Suzanne Suris Wichita, Kansas Keynote Presenter: Jo Kirk Perspectives Send articles, photos, and suggestions to Editor—Beatriz Ilari [email protected] or ECMMA Administrative Office 805 Mill Avenue, Snohomish, WA 98290 360-568-5635 Journal of the Early Childhood Music & Movement Association Volume 10 Number 2, 2015 Features 3 Perspectives is the journal of the Early Childhood Music & Movement Association, Inc. “Space is a Really Big Place”: Life Cycle of a Song By Amanda Niland ECMMA Vice President, Editorial Chair–Diana Dansereau; Perspectives Editor – Beatriz Ilari; Graphic Artist–Margaret Perrin. Unless otherwise noted, photos within the publication are property of ECMMA or are from a royalty-free stock photo service. 10 Making Music With Joy! Active Listening, Singing, Playing and Dancing with Children By Graça Boal Palheiros Through this journal, the ECMMA (1) provides a network of communication, support, and information among the members of ECMMA, (2) encourages teacher development by fostering a free exchange between professionals in the field of music and other professionals in the field of early childhood development, and (3) advocates education of parents, classroom teachers, and administrators. 18 Research Review Rhythmic Engagement with Music in Early Childhood: A Replication and Extention. Journal of Research in Music Education. Reviewed by Judith A. Sullivan 24 Book Review Original Mind: Uncovering Your Natural Brilliance by D.J. Coulter Reviewed by Leilani Miranda 26 28 Submission Guidelines for Perspectives Articles © 2014 Early Childhood Music & Movement Association, Inc. All rights reserved. All quoted and reprinted material and music must be cleared with copyright holders before submission to this journal. Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts that apply to: 1) all phases of music and movement education for young children, 2) the professional needs and best teaching practices of early childhood music and movement educators, and 3) practice-based research topics that are relevant to early childhood music and movement education. Send manuscripts via email to the Perspectives Editor, Beatriz Ilari, at [email protected] as text in MS Word (.doc) and all images in either .gif or .jpg format. For a detailed list of submission requirements, please refer to the guidelines published in the print and online versions of Perspectives. All submissions must include the author’s name, address, phone number, and email address. All articles are reviewed by the ECMMA Editorial Review Board and are subject to editing for size and content by the Editor. For current non-member subscription rates, back issues and reprints contact adminoffice@ecmma. org. Six weeks notice required for change of address. Copies misdirected due to failure to provide timely change of address information will not be replaced. Postmaster, please send address changes to: Early Childhood Music & Movement Association Victoria Stratton, Office Administrator 805 Mill Avenue, Snohomish, WA 98290 USA Phone/fax: 360-568-5635 [email protected] INFORMATION CHANGES: The subscription price for print Perspectives is now $30; the cost of back issues is $7.50 per issue. Submission Guidelines for Notable Notes Departments 1 2 25 21 Letter from the Editor President’s Letter ECMMA New Members & Certifications Research Within Reach klmnon Letter from the Editor Beatriz Ilari, PhD Perspectives Editor—[email protected] Welcome to the Spring 2015 issue of Perspectives! I like to think of an editor as a puzzle maker. Each issue of a journal is a different puzzle that the editor puts together. But the puzzle could never be completed if it weren’t for its “pieces”, or the many people that make it exist. That is, editing a journal offers many opportunities for one to learn about the profession while meeting some wonderful colleagues – authors, reviewers, proofreaders, translators, editorial assistants of all kinds, and graphic designers, to name a few. Aside from learning the ropes of the job, in the past few months I have been working closely with the Chair of the Editorial Committee, Dr. Diana Dansereau, to implement changes to Perspectives, as our journal continues to grow. The first important change that we have implemented refers to our peer review board, which has been expanded. Please join me in welcoming Drs. Elizabeth Andang’o, Angela Barker, Lily Chen-Hafteck, Claudia Gluschankof, Lisa Koops and Diane Persellin to our team of reviewers. They bring with them expertise in different subareas of early childhood music education, as well as different worldviews, which will enrich our journal. And please stay tuned for more changes in the forthcoming months! This issue of Perspectives brings forward two articles on the theme “Music for, with and by young children”. In the first featured article, Dr. Amanda Niland, Chair of ISME’s Early Childhood Music Education Commission and lecturer in the Institute of Early Childhood of Macquarie University in Australia, discusses the life cycle of songs in early childhood. The second featured article, by Dr. Graça Boal Palheiros from the Escola Superior de Educação of the Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Portugal, celebrates the work of Belgian music educator, Jos Wuytack, who, in his lifetime, has taught more than 1000 workshops and courses for music educators, spanning more than 50 countries. Jos Wuytack has influenced an entire generation of music educators across the globe, and many of his ideas can be applied to the education of young children. I am certain that fellow early childhood music educators will find some worthwhile ideas in the article that can be adapted and applied into their own teaching. Diana Greene invites us to ponder the “difficult child” in early childhood music education in her inspiring Notable Notes. In research review, Judith Sullivan discusses a recent study on rhythmic entrainment in infancy and toddlerhood. Angela Barker, reviews 3 recent studies on young children’s perception and production of music, and Leilani Miranda shares her impressions of Original Mind by Dee Coulter. I look forward to many more excellent papers on a wide range of topics flowing in over the next few months. Please remember that your work is vital as we assemble these “puzzles” in the near future. Beatriz Ilari Editor, Perspectives ISSN 2375-3374 (PRINT) ISSN 2375-3382 (ONLINE) 1—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 President’s Letter Jennie Mulqueen President, ECMMA—[email protected] Dear ECMMA Friends, I cannot remember a time when I have been so grateful for spring’s re-awakening. It is has been a long, hard winter for many of us in New England; in my town alone, we got 150” of snow. As truly “snowpressive” as it was, I can’t help but noticed some good come of it. Perhaps it was that life slowed just enough for us to gain some perspective on the slow life and its advantages. Insistent on resisting the lure of extra screen time for our kids and for ourselves, I turned to board games, reading, journaling, and music to fill the space in a way they are not able to do when we are living “crazy busy” lives. Suddenly, I heard my kids singing in the shower with gusto. Suddenly, my son began noodling just a bit more on the piano. Boredom brought time and inclination to truly play musically and otherwise. And I am realizing it was a gift, this snowpressive slowness that began at the end of January and did not let up until the end of February. Life changed. I was blessed to reconnect with my family in a simple, primal way, blessed to pause and take note of personalities emerging inside the cocoon of home. As teachers of early childhood music and movement, we can spread this music Gospel, this good news about how families can share one of life’s greatest gifts - music - in the sanctity and simplicity of their homes. I urge you all to take a look at the new web page announcing regional conferences in your area. Do carve the time to connect with colleagues and renew your spirit with fresh ideas, then go home and stay there for a while, giving yourselves the time to process and play. Growth and learning need not be harried. Everyone needs snow days, all year long. Jennie Mulqueen ECMMA President 2—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 “SPACE IS A REALLY BIG PLACE”: LIFE CYCLE OF A SONG Amanda Niland Introduction Amanda Niland is an early childhood music educator and researcher. She has taught in early childhood and school classrooms for more than 20 years, as both a generalist teacher and music specialist. Amanda is a lecturer at the Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, and also works with children with disabilities in several Early Intervention services. She has presented at national and international conferences, and has published her work in peer reviewed journals. Her research focuses on role of music, particularly singing, in the lives and identities of young children, and the value of music for social inclusion. Amanda is the current chair of the Early Childhood commission of the International Society for Music Education. Amanda enjoys writing songs, poems and picture books for young children and has published two picture books. During many years of singing with children as an early childhood educator, I have experienced the process through which songs become part of the life and musical culture of an early childhood setting. In recent years, as a songwriter, I have gained a new perspective on this process, seeing it as a form of life cycle, and a song as something that only truly ‘lives’ when it is sung and shared. This insight inspired me to undertake doctoral research to investigate the lives of a group of my songs within the musical culture of one early childhood setting. My research was aimed at developing a deeper understanding of how songs are born, develop and bloom in the context of relationships – between songwriters, songs and singers. These musical relationships in turn exist within multilayered social and cultural relationships. I sought to explore all these connections, to enrich my musical relationships and practice with children as a music educator and songwriter. My doctoral thesis focused on six of my original songs. Four were written prior to the research, and two were written collaboratively with children during the research. This article explores the ‘life cycle’ of one of the songs that was written with children. Background Music and children seem to go together. Anyone who spends time with young children will attest to their interest in singing, dancing and exploring musical instruments. Music, including songs, has been a part of cultures throughout history (Blacking, 1976). It is now widely argued that humans are innately musical and that music is a necessary part of life (Dissanayake, 2006; Malloch & Trevarthen, 2009). Recent study of mother/infant communication supports this, as it shows the inherently musical nature of these interactions (Cross, 2003; Malloch & Trevarthen). Young children’s innate musicality is often expressed through singing (Campbell, 1998) and their songs generally play a role in the cultures of early childhood educational settings. Songs are central to early childhood music education, and can be used in many different ways and for many different purposes (Barrett, 2003). Though styles and contexts vary, songs are an integral part of most young children’s days. Theoretical framework The literature that informed the research came from a range of traditions, including early childhood, music education, music psychology, ethnomusicology, sociology and creative arts. The innately communicative and interactive nature of singing made the theory of communicative musicality (Malloch & Trevarthen, 2009) central. Although Malloch and Trevarthen developed their theory through research with infant/adult dyads, the instinctive musical synchronisation of rhythm narratives, arguably continues to underpin children’s singing as they grow. - Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—3 munities, local and global digital media, is evident in the musical cultures of any early childhood setting. Ethnomusicologist Slobin (1993) argues that musical cultures exist at macro and micro levels: for example across large geographic or ethnic regions, as well as in villages, families or even educational settings. In his A variety of musical cultures underpin the singing and music-making of the children in my research setting. The social interactions and peer social cultures of children are very important in shaping their responses to songs. William Corsaro, a key contributor to the sociology of childhood (2005), showed in his research that children are not passive recipients of culture, but actively shape their social cultures through a process he termed interpretive reproduction. This is where children share their existing cultural understandings and together explore and elaborate on these to create their own supporting each other’s empowerment in their social environments. Corsaro’s work provided a valuable perspective in my research for interpreting the children’s responses to my songs as these became integrated into their collective musical culture. In keeping with the sociology of childhood (Corsaro, 2005), my theoretical framework was informed by a view of children as not only inherently musical, but also capable and resourceful (Clark & Moss, 2005; Nutbrown & Clough, 2009; UN, 1989), with voices to be heard and the right to take part in decision-making that affects their lives. Thus I drew on research literature on participatory approaches to researching with young children in developing the methodology and design (Clark & Moss; O’Kane, 2000). these I also drew on portraiture (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Hoffman Davies, 1997), a form of narrative research with similarities to ethnography, as both seek deep understanding of a particular context. The researcher, the portraitist, creates a portrait in words, using creative writing techniques such as metaphor to create aesthetic resonance. In my research I chose from the outset to explore the lives of my songs through the metaphor of a human life cycle (see table 1), in keeping with my aim of studying the creation and the sharing of the songs. The metaphorical life cycle stages formed a frame for both data generation and analysis. In this article I present a portrait of the life cycle of one of the six songs whose lives were investigated in the larger research project. While writing the songs I was simultaneously researcher and participant, analyzing my creative decisions and the emerging melodies and lyrics. My knowledge of early childhood pedamy song writing. I continually shifted perspectives or “changed hats” - from creative artist to educator to researcher - during “pre-birth” stages of the song life cycles. For the conception and gestation stages, I documented my song writing by journaling. I used this to both formulate and analyze my creative decisions about lyrics and melodies. My notes explored the way in which I used my knowledge of young children’s musical development in selecting appropriate keys and creating “singable” melodies, for example with repeated melodic phrases and limited pitch ranges (Hedden, 2012). They ests and support their language and literacy development in the song lyrics, as well as to conceptualize the songs to incorporate opportunities for children’s creativity and play (Barrett, 2003). months of twice-weekly visits to the Eager Beavers’ room, a Methodology and design The design of this research into the lives of my composed songs was derived from ethnography (Chambers, 2002), participatory research with children as mentioned above, and arts-informed research (Barrett, 2007). My research question was “how do new songs become part of children’s existing musical cultures?” (Niland, 2012). The research had two strands: writing songs and singing them with children. To integrate 4—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 Table 1: The life of songs playroom for children aged between three and six years in a child care center in the outer suburbs of an Australian city. Data generated included journal notes, written observations, scribed conversations, audio- and videorecordings, photos and children’s drawings. ting was that of participant observer (Macionis & Plummer, 2005). I became a temporary member of the ‘Eager Beavers’ community, interacting with the children during play, routines and group times. On most visits I led singing sessions. I had several identities at the center: researcher, songwriter, singer and (in the eyes of children) teractions was needed. My training and experience as an The portrait shows many instances of interpretive reproduction (Corsaro, 2005): children collaboratively using knowledge and ideas from their lives to adapt and extend the song. Several themes generally dominated the children’s singing, and were evident in the life cycle of “Space is a Really Big Place”. relation to this song, in the form of an aesthetic narrative, framed metaphorically as the stages of a life cycle. The stages were also used as a tool for narrative analysis of data (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Hoffman Davies, 1997) (See table 1). Aspects of the children’s musical, social and playful engagement responses were used to categorise data in the ‘post-birth’ stages of the life cycle. The portrait covers a and skills in interacting with the children. In order to involve them as active participants in the research, and to spectives and wishes, I adopted a least adult role (Corsaro & Molinari, 2000; Mandell, 1991). This involved waiting for children to approach me before interacting with them, and generally allowing them to lead interactions. Maintaining this role was challenging. Overall however, it proved a valuable research strategy and enabled me to gain a new perspective on interacting with young children. The least adult role (Corsaro & Molinari; Mandell) involves changing the power dynamic in favour of the I normally held in my interactions with children, and how valuable it is to relinquish some of this. Findings In the next section I use portraiture (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Hoffman Davis, 1997) to trace the life cycle of one song: “Space is a really big place”. This portrait provides examples of children’s innate communicative musicality (Malloch & Trevarthen, 2009) through their synchronization of pitch and vocal quality with each other and their creation of shared narratives around the song. Features of the musical culture of the center – an intercultural blend derived from family, community and media (Slobin, 1993) - were evident in the children’s styles of engagement with the song. These were: an interest in social interaction, in loud and fast music, in performance to an audience, in energetic physical movement and in mass market, adult pop-style, recorded music for children. Peer interactions Conception The opportunity to write a song for or with the Eager Beavers was something I hoped would arise, so I was always looking out for topics of interest to the children. One taken the day before of several of the oldest children playing in a huge box, pretending it was a rocket. Apparently this had been a fascinating scenario, and educators Dana and Jeannie were keen to build on the children’s interest. The enthusiasm of many children for space that I observed over my next few visits was obvious in their pretend play scenarios as well as their artwork. These inspired me to start writing a space song. The drawings below reveal how much information about space the children had gleaned from sources such as books, TV or conversations with adults, and how they had used their imaginations to pose ideas or theories about space. The themes evident in the children’s play, conversations and drawings over several weeks were clear examples of their use of interpretive reproduction (Corsaro, 2005) as together they extended their understandings about space through conversations and social play interactions. Gestation As I gathered ideas for a space song from children’s play, drawings and conversations, some dominant interests emerged: the size of space, the special equipment needed by astronauts, travel by rocket, stars and planets. Because the children showed such imaginative fascination with what Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—5 they saw as super-natural features, I decided to use expressive their interest in numbers, I incorporated mathematical language space is a really big place”. “Space is a really big place” is repeated in the song. The internal rhyme in this line is also effective, making it easy to remember and musically satisfying. The song’s melody is in major tonality and can be sung in the keys of either C or D to accommodate young children’s vocal range (Hedden, 2012). I chose a major key to create a feeling of wonder and excitement at the thought of space travel. The verse has repeated lines and a ternary structure. The bridge section, a narrative of dramatized space travel leading to a countdown, differs rhythmically and melodically from the verse, involving repeated notes that climb stepwise, to build tension in anticipation of an imaginary lift off. The song concludes with an Figure 2 Figure 3 Birth Journal extract Figure 1 6—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 It was a cool, showery day, so the children stayed indoors. Ethan suggested to Cory that they build a rocket. They moved to the block area and got started. This play lasted quite a long time. Phil and Kai joined them to ‘travel’ to space. Dana, noticing, fetched a parachute, which she pretended was a space ship. All the children sat on it and Dana led them on an exciting voyage into space. She asked many open-ended questions so that the children guided their journey, which several did with great enthusiasm. “Look I can see Mars! I can see Jupiter! I can see aliens!” Space conversations continued through lunch and excitement was so palpable that it seemed a good day to introduce a new song about space. After lunch I led our usual sing-along. Following a few requests for familiar favorites I began to sing my new space song. Because it is quite repetitive several older children memorized it quickly and joined in. I sang the verse I had written and then asked the children what else we might see in space. “Planets,” said Ethan. “Moons,” said Gemma. So the second verse became “There are planets and moons, in space, ‘cause space is a really big place”. where the children can dramatize setting out into space. There was lots of noisy enthusiasm about this: “10! 9! 8!....” Infancy The second time I led the children in singing my space song (the following week), quite a few of them remembered it and joined in singing from the beginning. The line “space is a really big place” seemed easy to remember, so their singthat I had written many of the songs we sang, and a few of them asked me where I “got” my songs. “She made them up,” was Gemma’s answer. A few children, such as Ethan, showed an interest in making up songs too. Journal extract On my arrival today, the children were all seated around Dana. Ethan was standing next to her, holding the karaoke microphone that lives in the room. “Ethan has made up a space song,” Dana told me, and taking the microphone she announced dramatically: “Here is Ethan, singing his space song!” The children clapped and some staff members cheered, as did Cory. My audio recorder caught the song, although the recording wasn’t very clear. Some of his lyrics were as follows: “There was an astronaut. He went to heaps of planets. He didn’t just go to planets; he went to the sun and the moon. He went up and down, up and down. And that rocket ship went to Jupiter. …..stars like diamonds in the sky…” Ethan was chanting rather than singing, but there was a sense of beat and 4/4 metre in his rendition. I was interested to hear the line about stars like diamonds in the sky, an example of Ethan using ideas from a known song in creating his spontaneous song (Barrett, 2006). At group sing-along that day, I asked the children if they’d like to sing the space song. “Yes” said Gemma emphatically, lions of stars….”, “planets and moons….”) and the children had more suggestions about what else might be in space. “The sun” called Madeleine, “it’s really hot”. So a third verse was created (“there’s a really hot sun, in space...”). Childhood my absence, the children’s interest in space continued, culminating in a family space night. However when I resumed back, and the children gathered around with enthusiasm, arguing about which songs to choose. After several requests, which didn’t include “Space is a really big place”, I started singing it. Gemma, Ethan and Kai joined in with great enthusiasm and several other children chimed in with “space is a really big place”. There was a feeling of familiarity in the way the children participated in the actions and snippets of singing. Over the next few weeks I waited to see if anyone would request the space song. Eventually, about three up with interest and joined in. Several of the oldest chilrocket ships?” “What else is in space that we could sing about?” I mic structure of the song. Kai thought for a moment: “Astronauts. They go in the rocket ships”. So we sang “There are astronauts in rocket ships, in space”. I asked the children what else is in space, and Cory said: “There are hundreds of satellites”, which became the start of another verse. Although we didn’t sing “Space is a really big place” very often after this occasion, the children who had been most involved in space investigations retained a keen interest in the song. Journal extract Ethan, noticing me using my voice recorder, asked if he could sing his own songs into my ‘space recorder’. I agreed and also told him I’d made a CD of my songs for all the children. “What songs are on it?” he asked, “is the space song? That’s my favorite.” “Space is a really big place” didn’t develop beyond song for Ethan as it inspired him to create his own songs. Refcections: Songs for, with or by children? The songs children sing can be divided into three categories: songs for children, with children or by children (Barrett, 2003). As an early childhood educator who believes that children play an active role in co-constructing learning through relationships (Vygotsky, 1978), I have sought to write songs that have potential to be more than simply songs for children. I concur with Barrett’s view that children’s musical development is best served by songs Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—7 that provide opportunities for children to be active and Corsaro’s conceptualization of children as active agents in the creation of their peer cultures (2005). Therefore it was valuable for me as a researcher, songwriter and educator, to analyze my songs in relation to the three categories outlined by Barrett. The lyrics of “Space is a Really Big Place” incorporated ideas provided by the children, although I created veloped with the children. The song was especially signif- composed songs for children in their lives, cultures and music education. While there is considerable rich and valuable research into improvised song and traditional singing games that links music education with ethnomusicology and sociology, there is little research into the writing of songs for children. This research brought new songs, opportunities for musical and social creativity, and increased pleasure in singing to a group of children. This was resoundingly conveyed to me by Ethan’s greeting one morning: Journal extract inspired Ethan to create his own space song. Analysis of provides a way of viewing songs from the perspective of children’s engagement with them. It is relevant to an exploration of the way new songs become part of existing musical cultures as this integration happens through interactive processes. Songs that have the potential for music making with and by children are those which invite active engagement, allowing children not just to sing along, but to interact creatively with the song and each other. Conclusion Singing and songs add richness to our lives, whether through listening or participation. Contemporary research into the foundations of musicality (Cross & Morley, 2009; Dissanayake, 2009; Malloch & Trevarthen, 2009), as well as research in ethnomusicology (Blacking, 1976) and music therapy (Baker & Wigram, 2005), show that music is a necessary part of life. The exploration of the life of one song in this article presents an alternative perspective on children’s engagement with songs to that often taken by music educators. Rather than concentrating on musical aspects of children’s development it focuses holistically on children’s interactions and meaning-making (Barrett, 2003) around a song. It provides evidence of the centrality of communication, relationships and play to young children’s singing, and by implication, the centrality of singing and music to their lives. The research focus on these aspects of children’s singing can hopefully inspire music educators, as well as those who write songs for children, to be responsive to children’s creativity and their competence as communicators, creators of their social cultures and musical beings. It will perhaps also show the need for further research into the place of 8—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 After a little while Ethan came running up, draped his arms around my neck and placed his chin on my shoulder. “Did you bring your guitar today?” he murmured in my ear, “because I REALLY need to sing a song.” References Baker, F. & Wigram, T. (2005). Introduction: Songwriting as therapy. In F. Baker & T. Wigram (Eds.), Songwriting: Methods, techniques and clinical applications for music therapy clinicians, educators and students (pp. 11-23). London: Jessica Kingsley. Barrett, E. (2007). Introduction. In E. Barrett & B. Bolt (Eds.), Practice as research: Approaches to creative arts enquiry (pp. 1-14). 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(2000). Entering and observing children’s worlds: A reflection on a longitudinal ethnography of early education in Italy. In P. Christensen & A. James (Eds.), Research with children: Perspectives and practices (pp. 179-200). London: Routledge Falmer. Cross, I. (2003). Music and biocultural evolution. In M. Clayton, T. Herbert & R. Middleton (Eds.), The cultural study of music: A critical introduction (pp. 19-30). New York: Routledge. Cross, I. & Morley, I. (2009). The evolution of music: Theories, definitions and the nature of the evidence. In S. Malloch & C. Trevarthen (Eds.), Communicative Musicality (pp. 61-82). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Dissanayake, E. (2006). Ritual and ritualization: Musical means of conveying and shaping emotion in humans and other animals. In S. Brown & U. Voglsten (Eds.), Music and manipulation: On the social uses and social control of music (pp. 31-56). Oxford & New York: Berghahn books. Hedden, D. (2012). 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Nutbrown, C. & Clough, P. (2009). Citizenship and inclusion in the early years: understanding and responding to children’s perspectives on ‘belonging’. International Journal of Early Years Education, 17 (3), 191-206. doi: 10.1080/0966903424523. O’Kane, C. (2000). The development of participatory techniques: Facilitating children’s views about decisions which affect them. In P. Christensen & A. James (Eds.), Research with children: Perspectives and practices (pp. 136-159). London: Routledge Falmer. Slobin, M. (1993). Subcultural sounds: Micromusics of the west. Hanover NH: University Press of New England. United Nations. (1989). Convention on the rights of the child. Geneva: UNICEF. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/crc/ Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—9 MAKING MUSIC WITH JOY! ACTIVE LISTENING, SINGING, PLAYING AND DANCING WITH CHILDREN Graça Boal Palheiros Graça Boal Palheiros is Adjunct-Professor at the Porto Polytechnic School of Education (Portugal), where she teaches both graduate and master courses and coordinates the Master in Music Education. She received a PhD in Music Psychology (University of Surrey, London), an MA in Music Education (University of London Institute of Education), and degrees in Music Pedagogy (University of Louvain, Belgium) and Psychology (University of Porto, Portugal). Co-chair of the Research Commission of the International Society for Music Education (2010-2016), previous member of the ISME Board and Executive (2008-2012), president of the APEM - Portuguese Association of Music Education and editor of the APEM Journal (2006-2012). Cofounder and president of the Wuytack Association of Music Pedagogy, she coordinates both its Teacher Education Centre and editorial and musical projects. She is a member of Research Centers CIPEM/ INET-md (Porto Polytechnic) and CIEC (University of Minho), and serves in Editorial Boards of international journals. Her research includes children’s music listening, music teacher education and social inclusion. She has published in several countries and presents regularly at Portuguese and international conferences. She has taught at universities in Brazil, Canada and recently in Japan, invited by the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science. 10—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 Introduction In recent decades, extensive research has been carried out into musical development suggesting not only that humans are born with strong music potential but also that, from early childhood onwards, they display remarkable musical abilities and competences that are similar to those of adults (Trehub, 2006). Children’s musical development occurs through acculturation, or, regular exposure to the music of their culture, but also involves training (Sloboda, 1985). Music educators and researchers alike have emphasized the importance of offering children the best possible music education during their early years. Children’s learning potential proves very high (Gordon, 2000) and their musical development may be accelerated by practice. Singing nursery rhymes, songs with actions, moving, and playing musical games develop language, motor co-ordination, and communication skills. Numerous studies show abilities (Rauscher, 2009; Schellenberg, 2003). Other studies emphasize its impact on the development of concentration, creativity, emotional sensitivity, self-discipline, tellectual, personal and social development as well as to their physical development, health and well-being (Hallam, 2010). There are many different pedagogies and teaching strategies in music education. This paper presents the Wuytack music pedagogy, its pedagogical principles, methodologies, and teaching strategies for a music education based on activity, creativity and community. The examples suggested are designed for children about 4 to 8 years-old but may easily be adapted to younger children. The Wuytack music pedagogy Based on the ideas of the Orff-Schulwerk, the Wuytack music pedagogy has been developed by Belgium composer and music educator Jos Wuytack in more than States, Portugal and Spain (Boal-Palheiros, 1998). As a premise, music education should be accessible to all children rather than just to the most gifted. Children learn music better when making music with joy, actively and creatively and in community. Wuytack (1993) departs from both the Ancient Greek concept of Musikae, representing the unity of word, sound and movement, and from Carl Orff’s elemental music (Orff, 1964), which combines movement, dance, and language to involve children as participants. Wuytack’s (1982) music education integrates three forms of artistic expression: verbal (poetry, theatre, drama), musical – vocal and instrumental (singing, playing, creating, improvising) and bodily expression (movement, mime, and dance). Children’s voice and body prove natural instruments, and therefore, correspondingly, their primary means of musical expression. Musical instruments are an extension of the body not intended to replace but rather to enrich vocal expression (Wuytack, 1970). The model for Orff ensembles stemmed from Orff’s knowledge of the Gamelan (Dolloff, 1993). Orff instruments (glockenspiel, xylophone, metallophone and unpitched percussion – metal, wood and membranes) represent a useful resource in the classroom alongside other instruments or sound objects. They seem particularly appropriate to children because they are small, relatively easy to play, possess interesting timbres, and form a ‘multicultural’ classroom ensemble, which evokes traditional instruments from diverse world cultures (Wuytack, 1993). Pedagogical principles in music education Wuytack proposes a set of pedagogical principles for teaching music to children coupled with very clear methodologies for guiding music teachers (Wuytack, 1993). They are as follows: Activity is a key word for any musical and learning experience. Through activity, children participate in musical practice, and develop concentration and attention skills. Learning clearly proves more effective when children are actively engaged in the learning process. Creativity develops children’s imagination and understanding. Creative thinking in music occurs at various different levels, from the spontaneous songs of young children to the works of great composers (Webster, 2002). Children can create music using their voice, body and instruments in order both to express themselves musically and to communicate through music. Community music implies social participation (Blacking, 1995; Small, 1999). Group music making is encouraged by including all children in all musical activities regardless of their different abilities. Ensemble music promotes inclusive education insofar that all children contribute to the group, learn from each other and develop social skills (Wuytack, 1993). Adaptation is essential in teaching as well as in learnchanging the lesson plan according to the circumstances. Teachers need to adapt the musical repertoire to children’s ages, interests, abilities, development levels and whichever musical cultures coexist in the classroom. They also need texts, which are part of the broader educational, cultural, and social systems. Imitation is the reproduction of an act similar to that performed by a model. Infants imitate the expressive movements of others and much human behaviour is learned through observing and imitating other people. Imitation is applied widely in musical learning as a basis for musical performance and creativity. Totality is relevant when learning a musical piece. Its different parts and musical elements are better learned when related to its whole. Totality also holds relevance in music lessons. At the end of lessons, a ‘TV concert’ integrating the lesson’s activities proves highly motivating for both the children and their teachers (Wuytack, 1993). Wuytack also proposes other aspects that enhance music teaching and learning: Emotion is fundamental in music. The enjoyment of music contributes to emotional development. Children’s emotional responses to music are culturally learned and can be educated and thus helping them understand the character of music. Balance between mind and body implies relating cognitive awareness to motor co-ordination. Neurological research has pointed to the error of separating mind and body (Damásio, 1994). Psychomotor and cognitive development, focusing on the body and the mind, contribute to children’s global development. Movement is indispensable to learning, thinking, and mental processing (Blakemore, 2003). Dalcroze explored body movements in musical learning. Infants respond to Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—11 music with bodily movements and children enjoy movement, either improvised or associated to singing, playing and dancing (Wuytack, 1993). Arts are important in their own right for education and music itself contributes to children’s sensitivity and expressiveness (Winner et al, 2013). Other arts (theatre, drama, mime, dance, painting or literature) are welcome as they also enrich children’s artistic education. Figure 1: A child’s drawing: the four animals playing musical instruments: A lion playing the trombone, a giraffe playing the violin, a zebra playing the xylophone and an elephant playing the sopranio recorder. Image courtesy of Graça Boal-Palheiro. Master of Music in Music Education– Kodály Emphasis, Kodály Certificate, and Workshop Options Faculty includes Dr. John Feierabend, Dr. Frank Gallo, Dr. Donna Gallo, Dr. Brent Gault, Sister Lorna Zemke, Lynne Zimmerman Silver Lake College | Manitowoc, WI | www.SLSummerMusic.com Sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity 12—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 The pleasure of learning, the joy of making music an ancient Chinese thought, attributed to one of Confusius’ disciples, and which he practices during his courses for music teachers: Figure 2: Jos Wuytack. Image courtesy of Graça Boal Palheiros and Jos Wuytack. Tell me, I forget Show me, I remember Involve me, I understand This idea synthesizes Wuytack’s way of teaching and involving learners. For example, when teaching a Should only the explanation be provided, they will likely forget it. Secondly, the teacher shows how to dance it, and the children observe the movement and think. The visual demonstration becomes better remembered. Thirdly, the children dance, becoming independent from the teacher. They do not only know how to dance but they can dance as they have learned it well, are conscious of it and fully involved in it. After learning the dance, children perform it several times both to improve it and to enjoy it. Educators fostering the best possible quality here take on the greatest of importance. This develops children musically while giving them the satisfaction of achieving good results and having positive experiences. After training the technical aspects, children perform the piece time and again in order to fully enjoy it. The attitudes of educators are also crucial: far more than transmitting knowledge about music, they need to love music, understand children and communicate to them the pleasure of making and appreciating music. In order to develop musical understanding, starting with musical experience is essential, getting involved with music actively and creatively, learning in group, and making music with joy! teaching strategies are deployed. Being active (involved, with intentional and focused listening) increases concentration on the music (Boal-Palheiros & Wuytack, 2006). Visual materials and bodily movement also serve to enhance musical appreciation (Geringer et al., 1997; Shiobara, 1994). Active music listening through recourse to the Musicochildren to listen to classical music. His approach demands children’s physical and mental participation with visual perception serving to enhance musical perception. This undergoes development in the following phases: 1) Children learn the musical materials before listening through performing them. While listening, they recognize those musical materials and may also simultaneously perform them. 2) Children focus their attention on the music by following the teacher's indications on a musicogram – a visual representation of the totality of the musical form. 3) Children listen again whilst simultaneously indicating on their own small musicograms and thereby demonstrating their understanding of the music. system does adapt to early childhood as it incorporates learning the music through performance (e.g. moving, singing, playing or dancing). Active music listening ly to the “classical” Western repertoire because of both its musical complexity and their unfamiliarity with it (Boal-Palheiros & Hargreaves, 2001). Music unfolds in time, and its totality is therefore hard to perceive. Visual perception of art, conversely, takes place in a given moment and thus making it easier to perceive its totality (Wuytack, 1971). Children Figure 3: Jos Wuytack’s Musicogram of G. Bizet’s “The Doll” from Children’s Games Image courtesy of Jos Wuytack. understand and enjoy classical music far better when active Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—13 Teaching strategies Selecting the musical repertoire. The most suitable is instrumental music with a regular meter and a clear structure. Obviously, other genres and styles are also welcome but they might be approached with different strategies (Wuytack & Boal Palheiros, 2009). Among the rich variety of orchestral music, short fragments are recommended (about one to three minutes) in order to facilitate children’s concentration. The repertoire may include works for or about children (e.g. Ravel’s Ma Mère l’Oye, Kabalevsky’s The Comediants). Teaching the musical materials. Introducing the music may include verbal, vocal, instrumental or bodily expression: singing themes; playing rhythms; moving or dancing to the music. In order to facilitate learning, these performances should be correct and expressive. To keep children active, they are always given a task. Strategies are selected according to the music and to the children’s age: for example, movement is particularly suitable for young children. Teachers may increase the children’s motivation by introducing the music and the composer (e.g. its story, the historical context or biographical data). Listening to the music at least three times. Research has emphasised the effects of repetition and familiarity upon children’s responses to music. Nicolas (1971) also recommends listening to the music at least get a general impression, then they recognize its musical materials, and later, they understand and enjoy the music. A sample of musical activities and teaching strategies In this section, some musical activities and teaching strategies are suggested, including verbal expression, singing, dancing and listening to music. 1) Verbal expression: rhythmic ostinato “The train” by Jos Wuytack Teaching strategies - The teacher performs each ostinato; children learn the ostinati, through imitation. - The class is divided into three groups: each group performs its own ostinato. - The three ostinati are superimposed in the numbered order and then again in the reverse order. They are performed many times, This short piece draws interest for its capacity to develop rhythmical abilities, vocal expression and articulation, and for experiencing different timbres, pitch, and tempos. This helps vocal development, training breathing and the diaphragm while potentially also stimulating the creation of similar pieces by children. And last but not least, it is fun! 2) Singing: song with motions and hand puppets “I met to pet” Figure 5: I met to pet by Jos Wuytack. Image courtesy of Jos Wuytack. Motions An elephant: mime the elephant’s trunk I called: point to your self Giraffes: one arm up right mimics the giraffes’ long neck while the hand mimes the shape of the head I only met: shake hands Makes me run away: make a running motion A zebra: arms held horizontally, indicating stripes I like to pet: stroke arm Figure 4: The train by Jos Wuytack. Image courtesy of Jos Wuytack. 14—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 Form Then, they progressively substitute the words by the respective motions: they substitute one more idea each time they perform the song. After each version, children improvise over eighth measures on Orff instruments in F pentatonic: 1. Glockenspiel, 2. Xylophone, 3. Metallophone, 4. Unpitched percussion (this sequence twice), 9. Tutti. Alternatively, they may also use bodily percussion: 1. Snap, 2. Clap, 3. Knees, 4. Stamp, (this sequence twice), 9. Tutti. Dramatization Four children, each with an animal hand puppet (lion, giraffe, zebra, and elephant) hide behind the scene (a puppet theatre). Each animal appears only when its word is substituted in the song. For the last complete performance, the four animals appear and dance together. Teaching strategies - Children learn the melody, phrase by phrase, imitating the teacher. - They sing the melody on different syllables, indicating the melodic line. - They learn the text, saying it expressively, and sing the song with the text. - They learn the motions and sing the song with the motions. - They perform the song, alternating in the indicated order each time with improvisation. - They perform the whole piece with drama, using hand puppets. This piece integrates musical elements (rhythm, melody, harmony, timbre, form), and follows the principles of activity (participation), creativity (improvisation), community (group performance) and totality (vocal expression, movement and drama). Figure 7: A puppet theatre: kindergarten children playing with the four animals. Figure 6: Four hand puppets: elephant, giraffe, lion, and zebra. Image courtesy of Graça Boal-Palheiros 3) Singing: song and dance with body percussion “I like you” I Like you by Jos Wuytack in Figure 8. Image courtesy of Jos Wuytack. Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—15 Figure 10. “Children’s Games” by Pieter Breughel, the Elder (1525-1569) (Public domain, Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Children.jpg) Children’s Games is also the title of an oil-on-panel Figure 9. Kindergarten children clapping hands. Teaching strategies - Children learn the song, phrase by phrase, imitating the teacher. - They learn the body percussion and perform it individually. - They sing the song and perform the body percussion with a partner. - They improvise movement individually to the music improvised by the teacher during eight measures. On the eighth measure, they stop in front of a new partner and the game starts over. This piece develops motor coordination (singing and moving), creativity (improvisation), and sociability (meeting different partners), and the concept of form (two parts: song with body percussion, and improvised movement). 4) Active music listening – G. Bizet’s “Children’s Games” Children’s Games is a collection of twelve short pieces by Georges Bizet (1838-1875) for piano (4 hands) composed in 1871. These pieces describe different children’s games, and, therefore, evoke childhood. Five of them were also orchestrated and grouped under the name Petite Suite. 16—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 painted in 1560 by Pieter Breughel, the Elder, a Flemish renaissance artist. The painting depicts children, from toddlers to adolescents, riding hobby-horses, playing with dolls and engaged in leap-frog from among eighty games that have been Teaching strategies - Introduction to the music: children learn and sing the melody of the lullaby ‘The doll’ (transposed to F Major), while gently balancing the body. Like most lullabies, this one has a soft melody and slow tempo. Figure 11. “The doll” by G. Bizet - First listening: children listen to the piano version of ‘The Doll’, while gently rocking their real or imaginary doll. - Second listening: children listen again and recognize the timbre of the piano. - Information about the music: the teacher explains the title of this work and the title of this movement. - Children observe Breughel’s painting, and try to identify some games (e.g. children playing with dolls inside a house, below left). - Third listening: children listen to the orchestral version of ‘The Doll’, and try to recognize the instruments and their timbres while ‘miming’ them in imitation of the teacher. - Fourth listening: children listen again while visualizing and ‘playing’ the main instruments in their order of appearance. Suggestions for further activities - Listen to The top or Soap bubbles while performing the typical movements of these games. - Invent your own movements while listening to other pieces in this work. - Observe the painting Boy blowing bubbles (1869) by French artist Edouard Manet (1832-1883). - Compare the way in which the two artists (painter and musician) portray the hobby horses. - Create your own music describing one of the games composed by G. Bizet. - Make your own drawings illustrating one of the games depicted by P. Breughel. Figure 12. Edouard Manet (1832-1883) Boy Blowing bubbles (Public domain source: http:/ www.wikiart.org/en/edouarmane boy-blowing-bubbles-1869) Conclusion Wuytack’s active music pedagogy – active music listening, performing, and creating – requires children’s physical and mental participation throughout the process of music learning. His way of teaching deeply engages the children at the musical, experiences, which improve children’s musical development. The quality of musical experiences seems far more relevant than their quantity. Therefore, educators need to consider the long-lasting effects that their music teaching may have on children’s musical learning, and the importance of achieving quality, both in school music and in music teacher education. References Blacking, J. (1995). Music, culture and experience. London: University of Chicago Press. Blakemore, C.L. (2003). Movement is essential to learning. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 74(9), 22-15. Boal-Palheiros, G. & Hargreaves, D. J. (2001). Listening to music at home and at school. British Journal of Music Education, 18, 103-118. Boal-Palheiros, G. & Wuytack, J. (2006). Effects of the ‘musicogram’ on children’s musical perception and learning. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition. Bologna: ICMPC 2006. CD-ROM, pp. 1264-1271. http://www.marcocosta.it/icmpc2006/pdfs/542.pdf Boal-Palheiros, G. (1998). Jos Wuytack, músico e pedagogo. Boletim da Associação Portuguesa de Educação Musical, 98, 16-24. Damásio, A.R. (1994). Descartes’ error. Emotion, reason, and the human brain. London: Vintage Books. Dolloff, L.-A. (1993). Das Schulwerk. A foundation for the cognitive, musical, and artistic development of children. In L.R. Bartel (Ed.), Research Perspectives in Music Education. Toronto: University of Toronto, Canadian Music Education Research Centre. Geringer, J.M., Cassidy, J.W. & Byo, J.L. (1996). Effects of music with video on responses of nonmusic majors: an exploratory study. Journal of Research in Music Education, 44(3), 240-251. Gordon, E. E. (2000). Teoria de aprendizagem musical. Competências, conteúdos e padrões. (Trad. M.F. Albuquerque). Lisbon: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. Hallam, S. (2010). The power of music: Its impact on the intellectual, social and personal development of children and young people. International Journal of Music Education, 28(3), 269-289. Nicolas, F. (1997). La troisième audition est la bonne (De l’audition musicale conçue comme une intégration). Musicae Scientiae, I(2), 165181. Orff, C. (1963). Orff-Schulwerk: Past & Future. In I. MCNeill-Carley (Ed.), Orff Re-echoes (pp. 3-9). American Orff-Schulwerk Association. Rauscher, F. H. (2009). The impact of music instruction on other skills. In S. Hallam, I. Cross, & M. Thaut (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of music psychology, (pp. 244–252). Oxford: Oxford University Press. side effects? In I. Peretz & R. Zatorre (Eds.), The cognitive neuroscience of music, (pp. 430-448). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Shiobara, M. (1994). Music and movement: the effect of movement on musical comprehension. British Journal of Music Education, 11, 113127. Sloboda, J. A. (1985). The musical mind. The cognitive psychology of music. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Small, C. (1999). Musicking – the meanings of performing and listening. A lecture. Music Education Research, 1(1), 9-21. Trehub, S. E. (2006). Infants as musical connoisseurs. In G. McPherson (Ed.), The child as musician, (pp. 33-49). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Webster, P. (2002). Creative thinking in music: advancing a model. In T. Sullivan & L. Willingham (Eds.), Creativity and music education. Toronto: Canadian Music Educators Association. Winner, E., Goldstein, T. & Vincent-Lancrin, S. (2013). Art for Art’s Sake? Overview, OECD Publishing. Wuytack, J. & Boal Palheiros, G. (2009). Audición musical activa con el musicograma. Eufonia. Didáctica de la Música, 47, 43-55. Wuytack, J. (1970). Musica Viva I. Sonnez...battez. Paris: A. Leduc. Wuytack, J. (1971). Activatiemiddelen bij het muziekbeluisteren. AdemTijdschrift voor Muziekkultuur, 3, 113-123. Wuytack, J. (1982). Musica Viva. Expression rythmique. Paris: A. Leduc. Wuytack, J. (1993). Updating Carl Orff’s educational ideas. Ostinato. Music for Children, 19(2), 4-8. Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—17 Research Review Ilari, B. (2015). Rhythmic engagement with music in early childhood: A replication and extension. Journal of Research in Music Education 62(4), 332 – 343. DOI: 10.1177/0022329414555984 Judith A. Sullivan, Ph.D. Associate Professor & Coordinator of Music Education Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN not yet able to synchronize their bodily movements to While original research is important for moving forward the pulse they perceive. Age may play an important role in what we know about music and children, replications of in the development of this ability, in that entrainment is previous research are just as informative. Through replicanot evident until the preschool years (Kirschner & Tomasello, 2009; Provasi & Bobin-Bègue, 2003). The author ized or, perhaps it was a one-time occurrence that happened states, though, that age may not be the single determinwith only that particular group of children. Through replicaing factor. There are other tion we can begin to see trends or patterns of factors to consider, such behavior; or we can begin to verify what has as tasks and demand, been documented in the past. The research Judith A. Sullivan, PhD, is an tempo, training, culture presented in this article not only replicates a Associate Professor of Music and social context. previous study but also extends it into anothEducation and Coordinator of There is debate er country and culture. Music Education at Tennessee about when or how this Tech University in Cookeville, rhythmic entrainment Tennessee. A focus term here is rhythmic entrainment develops. It may be a (Merker Madison, & Eckerdal, 2009). It refers learned behavior, or it to the way human beings move to the permay be innate, i.e., a huceived beat of musical stimuli. They synchronize their moveman predisposition. The study upon which this replicaments, described, also, as coordinated rhythmic movement tion study is based found that babies 5 – 24 months old (Phillips-Silver, Aktipis & Bryant, 2010). In the review of litresponded more spontaneously to recorded music with erature, Ilari states that rhythmic entrainment is an important a regular pulse than to speech sounds (Zentner & Eecomponent to collective music making, where there is “the rola, 2010). The children were Swiss and Finnish who synchronization of voices and body movement to the pulse were most likely exposed to Western music—music that of a common, repetitive acoustic and/or audiovisual pattern” tended to have regular meters. (p. 333). In order to achieve rhythmic entrainment, beat induction must occur. It brings together the auditory, visual and vestibBecause the previous research used music that ular sensory modalities in response to rhythmic and metric might be familiar to the infants, Ilari questioned the role of structures in music that is heard. Babies have been shown culture in children’s “spontaneous movement responses to notice variations in rhythm and meter; however, they are to rhythmic regularities in musical and speech sounds” Review of Literature Research question 18—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 (p. 334). Her purpose in this study, then, was to replicate Zentner & Eerola’s 2010 study, but with babies from a nonEuropean culture—in this case, Brazilian infants—using the same musical and speech stimuli. The results would be relevant to music education, as they would address origins of meter perception and understanding, and the relationship of those origins to a child’s native culture. Method The subjects for this study were forty-three Brazilian infants who were 5, 11 and 19 months of age. They were all from middle-class families, with 40% of them in early childple was reduced to 30 infants; each of the three age groups was comprised of an equal number and similarly comprised of boys and girls. The infants were seated in a parent’s lap, facing a computer monitor that had changing colored shapes to keep their attention. The babies were then exposed to six different musical stimuli, played in six different orders. The parents wore earphones and listened to different stimuli so as music lasted approximately 12 minutes. The six stimuli included (1) a fast-paced Finnish children’s song; (2) a sample of English infant-directed speech (motherese); (3) a 4/4 rhythm pattern played on a drum with a timbre change part way through; (4-6) varied treatments Carnival of the Animals. The stimuli were also present in six different orders. Body movements of the infants were observed and coded by three independent observers. They were to look for movements of arms/legs, head and whole body that were repeated “in the same form at least three times at regular short intervals” (Zentner & Eerola, 2010). Analysis of data was done via multiple quantitative statistical analyses. Results There were two stimuli that provided the greatest rethese two, therefore the two scores were averaged into a sic composite and motherese speech; (2) rhythmic pattern and motherese speech. The music composite and rhythmic motherese responses. Discussion Findings in this replication study were similar to the or trends in spontaneous responses found in this subject sample. In agreement with previous studies, Ilari found individual differences in accuracy and the infants’ abilities to synchronize their movements. The author states that while differences in development of motor coordination and control may account for differences in these culture needs to be considered. The culture can include the child’s family and musical engagement at home. Some children may be encouraged to move and participate in music more than others. Movement to music vs motherese speech. This comparison was a particular focus during this study. Ilari found more spontaneous movements in response to music than to motherese speech. This was consistent with the Zentner & Eerola (2010) study, along with other studies (Reigado, Rocha, & Rodrigues, 2011). These forms of communication differ in their acoustical properties; music is experienced over a longer period of time; music has a clearer repetitive and regular pulse. A question that deserves further consideration the communicative and social functions of music as well as of speech. This, again, involves the child’s culture as the family. Culture vs predisposition. Both European and Brazilian babies responded to variations in tempo in the Saintat an irregular stimulus. The researchers concluded that variations in tempo are characteristic of folk music that could have produced entrainment, which is an indication of enculturation. Although the results in the replication study were very similar to the original one, the Brazilian babies exhibited higher means for spontaneous rhythmic movements, to Gottlieb (1991, 2007), development depends on interactions with: (1) genetic activity; (2) neural activity; (3) behavior; and, (4) environment. Therefore it is possible that we, as human beings, are born predisposed and able to respond to metrically organized auditory stimuli. In addition, it may be that as we grow and develop, we attain rhythmic entrainment through the interactions of Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—19 our predispositions, culture, age and experience. Impact of early childhood music programs. Zentner & Eerola (2010) found no correlations between attendance in early childhood music programs and spontaneous rhythmic responses. Ilari conceded that with her sample size, the variations in attendance, and variations in time spent in music classes, she was unable to determine such an association. She suggests that this is worthy of future investigation and advises more careful controls for quantity and quality of time spent in early childhood music programs. This is due to rather transient participation of the child and family, and the variations in curricula. She further states that it would be interesting to observe children’s/ infants’ responses in a more naturalistic environment. An additional suggestion for further study is to use a longitudinal approach to seek correlations between spontaneous movements and rhythmic synchronization at different ages, from different cultures and early childhood music programs, inside and outside of a research laboratory. Conclusion Ilari states that even though we, in the early childhood music profession, recognize the importance of movement in a child’s education and music education, and we engage in discussions of understanding rhythm, steady beat and meter, we have not truly accepted the concept of rhythmic entrainment. The investigation and concept of rhythmic entrainment is quite relevant to our work and that of anyone who works with young children. According to Ilari (p. 339), “the study of rhythmic entrainment and its developmental course has much to contribute to music education in that it offers new ways to conceptualize music perception, production, and learning. Through the lens of entrainment, these processes can be understood as integrated, embodied, and interactive” (Clayton et al., 2004). Something we, as musicians, have often encountered is the feeling we experience when making music with others. We get a sense of cohesiveness and oneness with the others in the group. This can be explained by the fact that interaction is an important feature of rhythmic entrainment. When we entrain a steady beat, we become connected through coordinated breathing rates, heart rates, brain waves, attention, and movements. This type of experience may encourage empathy, cooperation and social cohesion. Entrainment may also explain why a young child may be more accurate in playing the drum with a partner than with a machine. This addresses the possible ways to approach teaching steady beat with young children. Understanding a concept such as rhythmic entrainment provides a foundation that helps us further understand the children we work with in a music education setting, which, in turn, helps us to make educational and curricular deciman phenomenon. Investigation into rhythmic entrainment can shed light on this idea and provide us with further evidence for music education advocacy. Ilari’s final thought in her article deserves quoting: “By understanding how humans engage with musicalsounds from very early on, we also are granted opportunities to understand why, as a species, we are compelled to do so” (p. 340). References Clayton, M., Sager, R., & Will, U. (2004). In time with the music: The conESEM Counterpoint, 1, 1—84 . Gottlieb, G. (1991). Experiential canalization of behavioral development: Theory. Developmental Psychology, 1, 4—13. doi: 10.1.1.211.3410 Gottlieg, G., (2007). Probabilistic epigenesist. Developmental Science, 10, 1—11. doi: 10.111/j.1467-7687.2007.00556.x Kirschner, S., & Tomasello, M. (2009). Joint music making promotes prosocial behavior in 4-year-old children. Evolution and Human Behavior, 31, 354—364. doi: 10.1016/jevolhumbehav.2010.04.004. Merker, B. H., Madison, G. S., & Eckerdal, P. (2009). On the role and origin of isochrony in human rhythmic entrainment. Cortex, 45, 4—17. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2008.06.011. Phillips-Silver, J., Aktipis, C. A., & Bryant, G. A. (2010). The ecology of entrainment: Foundations of coordinated rhythmic movement. Music Perception, 28, 3—14. doi: 10.1525/mp.2010.28.1.3. Provasi, J., & Bobin-Bègue, A. (2003). Spontaneous motor tempo and rhythmical synchronisation in 2½- and 4-year-old children. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 27, 220—231. Doi: 10.1080/01650250244000290. Reigado, J., Rocha, A., & Rodrigues, H. (2011). Vocalizations of infants (9-11 months old) in response to musical and linguistic stimuli. International Journal of Music Education, 29(3), 241—256. doi: 10.1177/0255761411408507. Zentner, M., & Eerola, T. (2010). Rhythmic engagement with music in infancy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107, 5568—5573. doi: 10.1073/pnas.100012110. 20—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 Research Within Reach Hedden, D. G., & Baker, V. A. (2010). Perceptual and acoustical analyses of second graders’ pitch-matching ability in singing a cappella or with piano accompaniment. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 184, 35–48. Retrieved April 7, 2015. The purpose of this study was three-fold: 1) to determine whether children’s singing accuracy would be affected by singing a song a cappella (without accompaniment) or with piano accompaniment, 2) to ascertain if differences in the learning conditions—learning to sing a song a cappella vs. learning to sing a song with piano accomate the perceptual (human pitch judgments) and acoustical (measurement of frequency) analyses of the children’s singing accuracy. Two classes of second-grade children (N = 26) were taught the song “America” on a neutral syllable, “loo.” One class learned the song without accompaniment, the other with piano accompaniment. Due to a large volume of data analyses. Perceptual and acoustical analyses of the children’s singing showed a higher than expected number of singing errors: 70% and 80%, respectively. The research- By: Angela Barker, PhD (Goetze & Horii, 1989; Rutkowski, 1996) in whole-group settings to allow children to monitor their own voices and to better evaluate the level of accuracy of singing. (44) movements on children’s perception of music with an ambiguous expressive character. PLoS ONE, 8(1), e54682 (11p.). Retrieved April 28, 2014. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054682 Following the basic premise of the theory of embodied music cognition (i.e., “that the perception and cognition tion patterns associated with that music”) (Abstract). Maes and Leman investigated the shared effects that one’s body movements might have on others’ perceptions of music and the nine pitches of the song. When singing conditions were to test whether dance movements paired with expressively difference in singing accuracy under the a cappella condition; acoustical analysis did not demonstrate this difference. (Abstract) Hedden and Baker concluded, One might consider that inner and outer hearing were not necessarily optimal among the participants in this study. Overall, the degree of inaccurate singing might suggest that pitch matching is not yet in place for either condition. Perhaps maturation (Boardman, 1964; Geringer, 1983; Gould, 1969; Hornbach & Taggart, 2005; Roberts & Davies, 1976; Trollinger, 2003), and additional musical experiences will facilitate improved accuracy Thus, it may be important for the music educator to include individual and small-group singing experiences 21—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 olds’ perception of musical expressiveness. The researchers chose three classroom groups of children (N = 46) to participate in the study, and from those assigned two experimental groups and one control group. The two experimental groups repeatedly performed either happy or sad dance movements with the music. The control group listened to music but did not see or engage in any movement with the music. The results of the study indicated that children’s perception of musical expressiveness was adapted to the expressive character of the dance movements they performed to the music. Outcomes of the study supported the assertion that a strong relationship exists between action and perception. In their concluding discussion, Maes and Leman maintained that, [g]iven the fact that an experimental manipu lation of music-movement associations resulted in corresponding effects on the perception of musical expreschildren’s perception and interpretation of musical expressiveness. These results seem to support the embodied cognition theory which states that movements made in response to music can invoke an action semantics and that listening to music appeals to this semantics as a guide for meaning formation and the perception of musical expressiveness. (9) Putkinen, V., Tervaniemi, M., & Huotilainen. (2013). Informal musical activities are linked to auditory discrimination and attention in 2–3-year-old children: An event-related potential study. European Journal of Neuroscience, 37, 654–661. Retrieved March 22, 2015. doi:10.1111/ejn.12049 The researchers examined the relationship between informal musical activities (i.e., singing, dancing) at home and changes detected in the electrophysiological indices for neural sound discrimination skills of 2- and 3-year-old children (N = 25). Auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded using a multi-feature paradigm that included frequency, duration, intensity, location, and gap deviants, in addition to attention-getting novel sounds. The paradigm involved ries and novel sounds (probability = 0.08) alternated with standard tones (probability = 0.50). The order of the deviant tones and novel sounds was pseudorandom (with the restriction that two successive non-standard sounds were never from the same category). (655) Based on their results, Putkinen and colleagues found that a higher overall amount of informal musical activity in the home enhanced the children’s auditory skills, thereby making them more sensitive to temporal acoustic changes, more mature in detecting auditory changes, and less prone to distractibility. Furthermore, they suggested that this kind of enhancement of auditory abilities in early childnecessary to music perception and speech processing. WHO WE ARE ECMMA is a collaborative organization, representing all who have a vested interest in early childhood music and movement. This includes school and studio teachers and administrators, higher education, researchers, music therapists, product and curriculum providers, performers, composers, movement specialists, parents and caregivers, daycare and learning center personnel, and a host of other specialists in the field. OUR MISSION The non-profit Early Childhood Music & Movement Association (ECMMA) believes appropriate, purposeful music and movement experiences enhance early childhood development and seeks to support early childhood music and movement practitioners by providing resources, advocacy, professional development, and collaboration opportunities. Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—22 ECMMA Advisory Board Donna Brink Fox Professor Eastman School of Music University of Rochester Paul Madaule Director The Listening Centre Toronto, Ontario David Gerry Registered Teacher Trainer Suzuki Association Carol Penney Education Director Kindermusik International, Inc. Edwin Gordon Educator, Researcher, Author School of Music University of South Carolina Wendy Sims Professor School of Music University of Missouri Ken Guilmartin Composer, Author, Teacher Developer, Music Together Cynthia Taggart Professor College of Music Michigan State University Lorna Lutz Heyge Founder, President Musikgarten Joyce Jordan-DeCarbo Professor Frost School of Music University of Miami Sister Lorna Zemke Director Early Childhood & Prenatal Music Silver Lake College ECMMA Staff Perspectives Editor Dr. Beatriz Ilari - [email protected] Office Administrator Victoria Stratton - [email protected] Webmaster Heath Benedum - [email protected] ECMMA Peer Review Board Elizabeth Andang’o, PhD Kenyatta University, Kenya Angela Barker, PhD Independent Researcher, Duluth, GA Lily Chen-Hafteck, PhD University of California, Los Angeles Diana Dansereau, PhD Boston University Claudia Gluschankof, PhD Levinsky College of Education, Israel Lisa Gruenhagen, PhD Bowling Green State University Lorna Heyge, PhD Founder and President: Musikgarten Joyce Jordan-DeCarbo, PhD University of Miami Lisa Koops, PhD Case Western Reserve University Herb Marshall, PhD Baldwin-Wallace College Diane Persellin, Ed.D. Trinity University Dena Register, PhD MT-BC University of Kansas Website Content Editor Kylie Loynd - [email protected] Joanne Rutkowski, PhD Pennsylvania State University Graphic Artist Margaret Perrin - [email protected] Ashley Anderson - ashleyanderson91@ yahoo.com Cynthia Crump Taggart, PhD Michigan State University Business Manager Tami Biggerstaff - [email protected] Rick Townsend, PhD Maranatha Baptist Bible College Wendy Valerio, PhD University of South Carolina 23—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 Book Review Coulter, D.J. (2014). Original mind: Uncovering your natural brilliance. Boulder, CO: Sounds True. Reviewed by Leilani Miranda W hat an interesting challenge. To read and appreciate Dee Coulter’s book, Original Mind – Uncovering Your Natural Brilliance, you have to have an “original mind” in order to open yourself to her message. At least that was my conclusion. I am such a linear thinker, so grounded in logical, literate thinking patterns that I found myself challenged by Dr. Coulter’s intent. I resisted the gentle advice in the opening chapter to “slow down” in order to “experience the world with the freshness of a baby doe” and rushed to the end. Only now, after 3 months of living with my thoughts am I able to begin to see the overall arc that was there all along. The power of her words did stay in my daily thoughts. As I went about my life and my work, heeding her advice, I would try to slow down. I was then struck by memories of Dr. Coulter’s insights that I found myself experiencing. My work is primarily with the very young, birth to age 7 and the adults in their lives. Dr. Coulter’s book starts with the youngest minds at birth, “our earliest mind”. We “must set aside all we know in order to experience the world with the freshness a baby does…pay attention simply to light, color, motion around you before you start naming what you are seeing” I recalled this advice when I was with my young students, and it brought a calm to my time with them. It was not so important what we did with the babies as how we were with the babies, so they could relax and take in all the sensations in their surroundings. Less adult distractions, less adult prattle….let the music work its magic. My work also puts me in a position of parent education as we share the music time with the babies. My atthe child needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share this awareness…” and that “the parents can be/should be/learn to be that ‘one adult’”.….. In her book, Dr. Coulter then begins to guide us on a journey from “Sensations to Perceptions and Back sensory off, 2. sensory on, 3. motor off, and 4. motor on. According to her, these stages were necessary for the child to become a successfully functioning member of society. I began to clearly see these “switches” in the behavior of the children in my studio. I observed the babies shut down or go to sleep toward the end of the music class. This was their “sensory off” switch enabling them to withdraw from all the stimulation of the class. The toddlers some- Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—24 times come into class distracted or they might be in an after nap stupor. But they would respond (“motor on”) to the musical activities that were in store that day. One of the most interesting observations was to apply the “motor off” stage to the phenomena of the exploratory toddler growing into the phase of settling down to join the class activity. Working then with the older toddlers and preschoolers, we begin to use deliberate, expressive movements: “motor on”…. All these stages were in front of my eyes. It is our role as the adults to facilitate the child discovering and practicing these switches repeatedly and automatically. But returning to the book…Next, Dr. Coulter takes off into a chapter devoted to indigenous tribes, which allows her to contrast their orally based culture and the origins and impacts of literacy (in the subsequent chapter). from non-verbal awareness of the sensory and invisible, to a literate, sequential, logic-based, 21st century thinker. how these years shape our 21st century mind. And from there, in the last chapter, she puts forth an invitation for us to begin to think in new ways, thus gracefully aging and growing to become an embodiment of wisdom and to come full circle back to the full openness of our original mind at birth. The book is a combination of Dr. Coulter’s thought processes and her advice to the reader on how to apply the insights she is sharing. My conclusion after my mad dash through the book, and then the passage of time for of insights that time and effort are needed to reveal all it has to offer. ECMMA New Members & Certifications We welcome these new members and certifications from 11/1/14 - 1/31/15 New Members North Central: Christina Bloomquist-Korth – Omaha, NE Northeast: Anna Rita Addessi – Bologna, Italy Barbara Castellvi – Pickering, ON, Canada Robin DeLamater – Huntingtown, MD Sara Thibeault – Hopewell, NJ Northwest: Lucy Gallantine – Tai Kok Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong Rieko Koyama – Tai Kok Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong Janet Kwok – Tai Kok Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong South Central: Erin Fort - Lafayette, LA 25—Perspectives 2015 - Vol. 10 No. 2 Southeast: Katie Head - simpsonville, SC Catherine Miller - Bradenton, FL Southwest: Nidya Jaurez - Watsonville, CA Rachel Nardo - Long Beach, CA Amelia Vitarelli - San Jose, CA Certifications Level I - New Erin Fort - Lafayette, LA Level III – New Lianne Brewer - Laguna Hills, CA Submission Guidelines for Authors Beatriz Ilari, PhD - Editor, Perspectives [email protected] P erspectives offers practical, research-based articles on current topics of interest to anyone who works with young children, pre-birth through age 7. Our readers include music specialists, movement specialists, music therapists, early childhood educators, childcare providers, parents, early intervention specialists, elementary school principals, researchers, teacher educators, students, policy makers, and others. The mission of Perspectives is to • provide a network of communication, support, and information among the members of ECMMA; • encourage teacher development by fostering a free exchange between professionals in the field of music and professionals in the field of early childhood development; and • advocate for music in early childhood by supporting education of parents, classroom teachers, and administrators. Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts dealing with topics relevant to early childhood music and movement education, such as 1) all phases and areas of music and movement education for young children, 2) best teaching practices for educators, or 3) practice-based research. By submitting an article to Perspectives, the author acknowledges that the manuscript is not previously published and has not been simultaneously submitted for publication elsewhere, in print or online. The ECMMA Editorial Peer-Review Board, comprised of practicing professionals in early childhood music and movement, referees all manuscripts submitted to Perspectives for publication. Evaluative criteria for general interest, research-based articles • Usefulness and relevance to the field of early childhood music and movement • Consistency with work/research in the field • Clarity of ideas • Writing style • Grammatical construction Evaluative criteria for research studies • Design of the research • Presentation of research purpose and problem(s) • • • • • Sound methodology Presentation of results/findings Interpretation of results/findings Conclusions Discussion and implications for the profession Please submit articles written in a clear, concise conversational style and that avoid the use of unnecessary jargon, technical language, and passive voice. The excessive use of long quotations from other sources is strongly discouraged. The content of the article must be consistent with related professional literature. Authors should avoid personal commentary that is not relevant to the current topic or content that promotes a specific person, performing group, institution, or product. Submission Deadlines: February 1, May 1, August 1, November 1 Manuscript Requirements The word count for articles is 800 to 3000 words (excluding references). Each page must be numbered and formatted with 1-inch margins, and the text double-spaced throughout (including references). Submit manuscripts via email as text documents in MS Word (.doc, docx) or similar formats to Dr. Beatriz Ilari, Perspectives Editor, [email protected]. Submit images (figures, graphs, and pictures) as separate graphic files (.tif, .gif, .bmp, .jpg) and tables as MS Word documents (.doc). Please submit images that are 300 dpi or a minimum of 1 MB. All images and tables must be clearly marked as to their placement in the manuscript. Authors should follow recommendations in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) for research-based manuscripts. For questions related to publication style or manuscript submission requirements, please contact the Perspectives Editor. Please include the following with each manuscript submission: • A separate page that includes o The author’s name, credentials, and affiliation o Complete contact information with mailing address and email address o A brief, two-line biographical note (20-25 words) Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—26 • • • • Title page 150- to 250-word abstract A list of keywords: 6 to 10 words Body of article o 800-3000 words o Double-spaced text throughout o 10- or 12-point font o Numbered pages • Complete list of references and/or bibliography (APA format, double-spaced) Audio and Video The web-based version of Perspectives (www.ecmma.org/ perspectives) is capable of supporting audio and video clips with online articles. Contact the Perspectives Editor for information on recommended file formats. Obtaining Releases Authors are responsible for obtaining all releases and/or permissions necessary for the use and electronic dissemination of photographs and copyrighted materials in Perspectives. An author’s use of photographs of children or of children’s drawings requires signed parental consent forms. Authors of articles that use tables, figures, and images from other copyrighted sources must provide documentation verifying that permission has been obtained. Contact the Perspectives Editor to request appropriate forms or to ask questions about releases and permissions. ECMMA Local Chapters The Chapters listed here would enthusiastically welcome you to their group. Please consider contacting one of the chapters near you. Arizona Chapter Lyn Codier (President) [email protected] Edmonton Chapter (Canada) Joelle Dressler (President) [email protected] Greater Atlanta Chapter (Georgia) Louise Betsch (President) [email protected] Greater Chicago Chapter (Illinois) Rekha Rajan (President) [email protected] Greater Madison Area Chapter (Wisconsin) Beth Marshall (President) [email protected] Greater Washington, D.C. Chapter Regina (Gina) Lacy (President) [email protected] Illinois Chapter Mary Ellen Newsom (President) [email protected] Miami-Dade Chapter Alaina Lorenzo (President) [email protected] Southern California Chapter Sharon Mello (President) [email protected] Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—27 Submission Guidelines N otable Notes is a short commentary authored by a practicing early childhood educator on a topic related to teaching music and movement to young children. The primary purpose of Notable Notes is to inform parents, administrators, policymakers, and others about the importance of music and movement activities for the development and well-being of all children. The topics that previous Notable Notes authors have chosen to write about vary from general descriptions of effective teaching practices to small yet salient ways educators have used music and movement instruction to help children grasp a better understanding of themselves and the world in which they live. Notable Notes columns from previous issues of Perspectives can be viewed online at www. ecmma.org/perspectives. The word count for a Notable Notes column is 500-550 words. Please use a 10- or 12-point font for text. Pages must be numbered and have 1-inch margins. Manuscripts must be formatted as an MS Word document (.doc, .docx) or a comparable format. Send the document as an attachment via email to Dr. Beatriz Ilari, Perspectives Editor, [email protected]. Submission due dates: February 1 May 1 August 1 November 1 Notable Notes columns submitted for publication in ECMMA’s Perspectives are subject to copyediting by the Perspectives Editor. The Editor reserves the right to: 1) accept or reject a submission based on its relevance and/or appropriateness to the needs of Perspectives and ECMMA, 2) accept or reject a submission based on contributor’s adherence to the guidelines stated above, and 3) determine which issue of Perspectives a submission will be featured. Authors: Please provide a brief biographical statement (30-35 words) describing where you work, the subject area(s) you teach, and the age group(s) you work with. Be sure to include your first and last names and a current mailing address. Beatriz Ilari, PhD Editor, Perspectives [email protected] The Early Childhood Music & Movement Association (ECMMA) seeks to promote the best practices in all areas of early childhood music and movement for the good of children, birth through age seven. Vol. 10 No. 2 - 2015 Perspectives—30 Virtual Convention, 2014 is available for purchase! If you were not able to attend, or need some professional development hours for $99.95 ECMMA Board of Directors OFFICERS REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES President: Jennie Mulqueen ~ [email protected] Northwest Regional Representative: Holly Hykawy ~ [email protected] President Elect; Vice-President Membership Chair: Diana Greene ~ [email protected] Southwest Regional Representative: Lianne Brewer ~ [email protected] Vice President – Editorial Chair: Diana Dansereau ~ [email protected] North Central Regional Representative: Rekha Rajan ~ [email protected] Vice President – Website Chair: Sharon Mello ~ [email protected] South Central Regional Representative: Lisa Simmelink ~ [email protected] Secretary: Linda Marie (Lyn) Codier ~ [email protected] Northeast Regional Representative: Elisabeth Etopio ~ [email protected] Treasurer: Tami Biggerstaff ~ [email protected] Southeast Regional Representative: Suzanne Suris ~ [email protected] Past President: Judy Panning ~ [email protected]