by Lorrie Holmes
Did you know that in Montessori classrooms the preparation for writing starts long before we ask the child to hold a pencil? Learning to write in a Montessori Preschool & Kindergarten (Casa) classroom offers an important and enriching experience that lays a solid foundation for a child’s educational journey.
When I first became a Kindermusik teacher many years ago, I asked myself where to begin with introducing littles to basic music principles such as pitch, dynamics, tempo, rhythm and solfege. Once I was ready to write my first lesson plan, I became a bit nervous. Because I had started off with teaching parent participation classes, I asked myself, as a parent, how I would like music to be introduced to my kids, then I started to relax as the answer became very obvious to me!
This Valentine’s Day, we have decided to share some Gifts Of Friendship with you told through the voices of these children’s songs. We are starting off with the duo – Bobs & Lolo. Their partnership did not begin as a business arrangement but rather, blossomed from a lifelong friendship that started at the tender age of eight, when these two met at Girl Guides. There, they shared their love for nature and music, and discovered how much they had in common. Of course, there were a lot of songs they shared around the campfires! The photo above depicts these two getting ready for a high school talent show! Yes, they also went through high school together and have been there for each other throughout all their milestones in life.
They have always been there to support each other’s dreams. After going off and pursing their own post secondary careers, they were able to come back together with their degrees in education, and combine their experiences as both teachers and child performers. Now these BFF’s travel the world together performing their own songs to children and their families – living the dream of any child performer.
We have always had each other and for that, we feel so grateful.
BOBS & LOLO
Are you looking for a fun playlist of songs to use in your classroom this Valentine’s Day? I am so excited to introduce you a very special two-part song that I used in my own classes. One version of this song starts with babies and the second part grows into the concepts for toddlers and preschoolers to practice. Next, I’ve included a list of five song recommendations that I used time and again in my own music classes.
No two children are exactly the same, and neither are any two early childhood educators. Each offers their own unique teaching style & philosophy – and what might be one’s strength could be another one’s weakness.This is why an early learning hub that supports each educator’s needs is so valuable to our industry!
Written by Lorrie Holmes
The more fulfilled our educators are, the more they have to give to our children and what could be more ideal than that, which is why we are so excited to introduce you this new Early Childhood Educators Hub – to set up these educators with success, much like the kiddos in their care. This is why we are so excited to introduce you all to this new early learning hub!
“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.”
Fred Rogers
Interviewed by Lorrie Holmes
As we share our Educational Toy Reviews here created by Discovery Toys Early Childhood Educator also known as the Burnaby Toy Lady, you will learn how when you give a child an open ended toy and they will find ways to create magic with it. Throw in some time and space for them to explore and this play now becomes an opportunity to practice their language, motor, cognitive and even social-emotional skills. The exciting part of all this is that there are so many ways we can help set up such play for our children to learn and grow.
Felt Story Created by Meg Felt Stories
Featuring early learning themes like MultiCulturalism is such a wonderful opportunity to practice diversity and equality in the classroom with our littles. Though themes were something I struggled with and pondered about for quite some time, I started thinking more about how powerful it could be for preschool aged children to be able to explore strong concepts in many different ways. This all felt potentially positive as long as after the initial introduction, children were invited to take this learning where they wanted it to go as us educators stood by, ready to support any teachable moments – especially guiding and caring them through the social-emotional ones. Considering all of this, starting off with the theme All Around The World seemed a perfect choice as there is so much diversity here to explore. Throughout the unfolding of this unit in the Junior Kindergarten classroom at Bright Horizons Early Learning Centre in South Delta, BC, it proved to be a wonderful place to begin to help support our children to embrace both their differences and similarities.
We can’t go over it.
We can’t go under it.
We have to go through it.
Written by Lorrie Holmes
This is a musical story works as the perfect Bear Hunt Story Extender in its adaption for young learners in my Creative Arts classes. Whether it be the original story concept of the bear hunt, or something a little bit different such as a dino tour, the premise of having to go through obstacles instead of around or over them remains the same along with the message that this is the only way to work through many of those unexpected challenges that life throws at us.
Interviewed by Lorrie Holmes
My book publishing journey has been chalk full of researching, learning, connecting, and growing! My goal in creating Hi It’s Me, I Have ADHD was, If my book can impact the life of one child with ADHD, then it will be worth it! Two years later, I now have a child who is diagnosed with ADHD. I have life experience with it. I am educated about it. I teach and coach children who have it. I am an author of a children’s book about it. I am also a mama to a daughter who is impacted by it! These are all of the things that have turned me into an expert on ADHD.
Katelyn Mabry, Author, Hi It’s Me, I Have ADHD
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