Stereo
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At the preschool we are always
using the stereo throughout the day for music sessions, mat times and outside
when the children ask for some music. Music is a huge part of my preschools
daily activities and all the children enjoy it.
The children ask for music to be
put on frequently and will dance along to the music and have a good time with
their peers. We also have karaoke and children perform shows where they stand
up and sing along to the music or we might plug the microphone into the stereo
as the children like using the microphone. By watching the children at my
preschool you can see how the stereo is a major influence in our environment as
the children are exposed to music and they are confident to get up and sing
songs that are playing on the stereo and experiment with making up their own
songs. (Ministry of Education, 1996).
Through the use of the stereo it
allows us to play music which the children learn to develop to move to the
rhythm of the music, co-ordination, moving around in a space with their peers
(Ministry of Education, 1996). The children are also learning actions to words
and the confidence to move and dance to music.
I have noticed that our preschool
is starting to introduce the iPod in conjunction with the stereo, as technology
changes the preschool is changing to keep up to date with technology. By using
the iPod gives the teachers and children more options and more freedom but also
makes it easier for them to find songs and rhymes.
A stereo is part of technology as
it helps us to be able to listen to music as a group or individually. It allows
us to listen to the radio, use the microphone or choose our own type of music
or story book that we want to listen to. Ministry of Education (1996) states that
children use a variety of technologies for different purposes as they explore
their world
When I am using the stereo I
often let the children push the buttons and explain what each button does. Some
of the children already know about how to use the stereo as some must use them
at home and are familiar with using this type of technology. By talking to the
children about how to work a stereo and what the buttons do is developing their
understanding about how and what the buttons and stereo do. The New Zealand
Curriculum (2007) states that an understanding of material properties, uses,
and development is essential to understanding how and why products work the way
they do (p.32).
I feel that the tape recorder/
stereo has been a huge part of my growing up, as my sister and I played tapes and
listened to music all the time. I have now stepped into the children’s world of
technology and am using iPod and iPhone for my music. I can see how technology
has changed over the years and how we as teachers need to keep up with technology, as it is an important part of early childhood with children gaining new knowledge and skills (Smorti, 1999).
Reference
List
Ministry
of Education. (1996). Te whāriki, he
whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington,
New Zealand: Learning Media
Ministry of Education. (2007) Technology. Retrieved
from: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Learning-areas/Technology.
Smorti,
S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early
Education, 19, 5-10.
I also think that providing music in early childhood centres is important. Not only do the children develop movement and motor skills, but they also learn about rhythms and beats, which are so important for development in a holistic way (Isenberg & Jalongo, 2010). My centre has also recently introduced an iPod for use alongside the stereo. It was very interesting to see which teachers could work it and which ones needed some instruction. This reflects the changes in technology that you mentioned in your blog. My centre has a radio playing all day long and it is a specific radio station. I am curious as to what music you play within your centre? My personal belief is that it really needs to be appropriate for children under five and that music for children might be more appropriate than a radio station. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteIpods seem to be the new gadget in centre’s as we have recently got one too. We do still have a stereo but it is not used as much as it used to be. I believe that it is still important for children to explore how a stereo works. I agree with you, children develop a lot of skills through music, especially confidence. Through music and movement children are able to develop an ability to express themselves (Ministry of Education, 1996). Do you find that the Ipod is better to have than the stereo? At my centre, I find the Ipod better as you have a lot more freedom with it. I absolutely love the karaoke idea, which is why it is good to have the stereo so you are able to plug in microphones for children to use. I was also curious about what type of music you play? Do you use a variety or does it seem to be the same type of music?
ReplyDeleteHi kirstie I really enjoyed reading about the stereo, i really like that your centre is using the iPod in conjunction with the stereo to keep up with current technology. I would really like if my own centre was able to get I iPod as well as I think it is really useful. Do the children at the centre know how to use the iPod? I have been really surprised when having conversations with the children at my centre about how much they know about the current technology. Is there a particular song the children like listening to or do they have a top 10 on the playlist? With the use of the stereo the children are learning to express themselves through movement and gesture(Ministry of Education, 1996).I also feel that the stereo was a huge part of my growing up I used to always be listening to music and at my daycare I used to request for the teachers to put the music in also.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your story Kirstie and it actually made me think how little we use music in our centre as we have just a little stereo that is on its last legs. Therefore we don’t use it as much as I would like which is a real shame as music has so many amazing benefits for children. Through music and dance children can be informed, amused, comforted and delighted (Ministry of Education, 1996). Although we use musical instruments this has inspired me to look into this situation and the idea of an iPod is an excellent and easy idea to keep up with new technology. In your centre do you also have children play musical instruments alongside listening and dancing to the music?
ReplyDeleteI liked how you let the children push the buttons themselves which provided inclusion to the children that was part of the activity. This will help them become more familiar with technology in the centre and in their own home. I can relate to listening to tapes when I was young and just shows how technology has changed in our lives so much. Do you let the children chose what they want to listen to?