Video Transcript for Following Children's Interests
Children (singing): I love pizza. Yes, I do! Yes, I do!
Sydney Rodriguez, Student Teacher, Child and Family Development Resource Center: The idea came from the children. They were in the block center, and they began building a stage out of all the blocks, and then they were using some of the blocks as microphones, and they started singing a song. And some were pretending to be the audience, and the idea just grew from there. “Hey, yeah; let’s have a purple room band!”
The children prepared a lot. We read different books: what goes into a band; what goes into being on stage. We started brainstorming ideas of what we would need, like instruments and microphones and sunglasses and scarves. We used tissue boxes, paper towel rolls. Some made guitars. Then for the microphones, we had very tall paper towel rolls, and they decorated them with streamers and crepe papers.
We had a group writing activity where everyone gave a song that they thought that we should sing. We practiced the songs in the classroom; we practiced the songs on the stage. We sent out invitations, and gave a performance to the center.
The children prepared a lot. We read different books: what goes into a band; what goes into being on stage. We started brainstorming ideas of what we would need, like instruments and microphones and sunglasses and scarves. We used tissue boxes, paper towel rolls. Some made guitars. Then for the microphones, we had very tall paper towel rolls, and they decorated them with streamers and crepe papers.
We had a group writing activity where everyone gave a song that they thought that we should sing. We practiced the songs in the classroom; we practiced the songs on the stage. We sent out invitations, and gave a performance to the center.
Children (singing): If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know and you really want to show it; if you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
Sydney Rodriguez: I learned how much goes into an experience like this. The concert was ten minutes long, but it took about two weeks to really prepare the children and to do everything else that went along with it. Every day that I would go in, there would be at least one child,
“Are we going to do the band today?” Like, “Nope, we’re going to do this today; we have to do this before we can have the performance.”
As teachers, or out in the field at all, it’s important to follow your children’s interest in anything. I think music in the classroom is just so important. Preschoolers can express themselves through music in a way that they might not be able to using their words. So if they were a little shy, and they weren’t comfortable singing, they were comfortable strumming on their guitar, shaking their maracas—which is the best part about being in the classroom and about doing experiences like that. To see how happy they are, how happy their parents are. They just had a great time doing it, and I think that’s what’s important.
Sydney: We want to thank everyone for coming, and we’ll take a bow! You want to take a bow guys?
Audience: Yay!
Audience: Yay!
© 2017 Center for Early Childhood Education at Eastern Connecticut State University
May be reprinted for educational purposes.
May be reprinted for educational purposes.
