Music is an International Language

The second week got off to a great start with requests for "Sticky Bubblegum" and "The Wheels on the Bus" as soon as the "Hello" song was over.  And we had quite a group again with 22 mothers and children in attendance, singing, clapping and even a couple kids dancing.  Other numbers sung included "I Shut the Door", "BINGO", "Alice the Camel" and "Three Little Birds".  I was also asked if I had brought my blanket - the parachute.  And to prove that music is the international language, one smiling mother watching her child dance informed me that her daughter only knew a few words of English.

Brian Starts at Birkdale Residence

Wow!!  What a start.  There were over 25 mothers, children and babies singing, clapping and dancing.  Songs partied to included "Sticky Bubblegum", "I Shut the Door", "Wheels on the Bus", "If You're Happy and You Know It", and "Jamaica Farewell".  The jam session and parachute were particular favourites, both producing lots of happy noise.  I was sorry to tell a couple of thankful parents that I wouldn't be back for two weeks.  Looking forward to when the party continues.

Fall 2011 - Brian at Birkdale

September 28, 2011

Wow!!  What a start.  There were over 25 mothers, children and babies singing, clapping and dancing.  Songs partied to included "Sticky Bubblegum", "I Shut the Door", "Wheels on the Bus", "If You're Happy and You Know It", and "Jamaica Farewell".  The jam session and parachute were particular favourites, both producing lots of happy noise.  I was sorry to tell a couple of thankful parents that I wouldn't be back for two weeks.  Looking forward to when the party continues.

October 12, 2011

The second week got off to a great start with requests for "Sticky Bubblegum" and "The Wheels on the Bus" as soon as the "Hello" song was over.  And we had quite a group again with 22 mothers and children in attendance, singing, clapping and even a couple kids dancing.  Other numbers sung included "I Shut the Door", "BINGO", "Alice the Camel" and "Three Little Birds".  I was also asked if I had brought my blanket - the parachute.  And to prove that music is the international language, one smiling mother watching her child dance informed me that her daughter only knew a few words of English.

October 19, 2011

Another fun, and well-attended day at Birkdale.  20 children and 7 adults laughed, clapped and sang through the morning session to songs such as "What Are You Wearing?", "Little Green Frog", "Johnny Works with One Hammer", and "Sleeping Bunnies".  8 of the children and 2 adults were new.  And 10 children and 4 of the adults have been there for all three sessions.  The gonkogui fascinated them, and of course, the parachute was a hit once again.

Spring 2011 - Danica at the Redwood

Week 1

I was very excited to begin my session at Redwood Shelther, and so I arrived at Redwood Shelther approximately 20 minutes before class. After a quick meet and greet with both RSF co-ordinator Amelia and shelter co-ordinator Ngasseu, I was introduced to 4 volunteers who spend Monday evenings at the shelter participating in the various children's programs. Ngassue slowly gathered the children (5 in total) and we began class about 10 minutes late. As soon as we began, I realized that one problem which had been previously discussed in an email was still present: the majority of parents were NOT in attendance. There was only one parent who participated for the entire class, and while the volunteers were amazing, there is clearly a disconnect in regards to the rules regarding parental attendance. Seeing as I had already begun, I decided to bring this issue up with Ngasseu and RSF at another time. We started singing the Hello Song and due to the relatively small number of children in attendance, I decided to sing to ALL the volunteers by name as well (this is similar to Parents Week in our sessions outside of RSF). It was a sunny day so we began by singing songs inspired by the wonderful weather (Mr. Sun, Love Grows). Body part songs were a huge hit with the young ones (I Wake Up My Hands, Where Is Thumbkin, Finger In The Air, Hands Together Hands Apart) as were songs about opposites (Roly Poly) and various animals and the sounds they make (Listen To The  Water, Little Green Frog). We stood up to get some movement into our bodies and after a little persuading we launched into an RS favourite, "Zoom Zoom Zoom"! The first week of the session is a good time to introduce the Dumbek as IOTW, so we took turns making the sounds “dum” and “tek” with our hands, while passing the drum around the circle. Following IOTW, the jam is my favourite part of the class as I get a chance to see little bits of each personality shine (whether its that they find joy in sharing an instrument with a friend, or that they look for the approval of a grownup when playing an instrument correctly). After singing our cleanup song (indeed a very important song in encouraging all hands to help), I brought out the parachute for some last minute fun! Towards the end of the goodbye song I realized that I had made a special connection with an older participate, and after chatting after class, she confessed that she had never tried strumming a guitar before. I responded “there is no better time than the present!”, and so after a little convincing, I gave her a quick lesson on securing the strap, holding the pick and strumming up and down. These moments make any teacher feel like they have made a special connection, and indeed it is a wonderful feeling! Easter Monday was the following week and with no class scheduled, I was hoping that all the young participates would remember how much fun we had and return in two weeks! Until then...

Week Two

When I returned to the Redwood shelter this week, I was greeted by my faithful volunteers, sitting in a circle ready to sing, and 2 new faces to the class.  I decided to have an entire theme to connect each song during this class. Starting with waking up all over again (Wake Up); pretending to brush our teeth (Brush Your Teeth); making sure to count all fingers (10 Little Fingers) before cleaning all body parts (Clean-O); getting dressed (What Are You Wearing), so we could leave the house and Shut The Door behind us. After walking to the bus stop, climbing the bus steps and singing The Wheels On The Bus, we finally reached our destination otherwise known as The Grocery Store! It was fun to have a narrative and because 3 of the 4 children were over the age of 5, I was hoping it would be a little more challenging. I decided to bring a Chinese gong for IOTW, and it was really fun explaining the musical idea of “dynamics” to such an intelligent group of children! They were asking many questions like “why does this sound seem to go on FOREVER??” and “when I hit it around the OUTSIDE of the centre, it doesn't sound the same...why??”.  I LOVE questions like this! It means that they are interested. We reviewed our jam song from the previous week (Three Little Birds), and this time due to the confidence of my young singers, I fed them each line slowly before adding the melody. The parachute was a huge hit with the 2 new participants, and I even convinced them to hold and strum my guitar after class like the young girl the previous week! All in all, great connections were made between teacher and student.

Week 3

There were 12 children in class today, so needless to say, it was a much different experience from last week!  I started the class a bit late, relying on my 4 volunteers (and Ngasseu) to help control the large group. I noticed immediately that the average age was approximately 8 years old, and so I changed the "Hello Song" to the version we use in the older age group (We're All Here Today). After introductions, I noticed that there were 2 boys who were clearly very bright, but capable of being extremely disruptive. After going over some rules, I launched into a series of songs that required a particular level of focus in an attempt to keep the energy flowing in a positive direction (Wake Up, 10 Little Fingers) however due to the rambunctious energy it was difficult to hold their attention. So I tried standing up and incorporating more movement (as a way of perhaps releasing some of this energy) singing songs like I've Been Working On The Railroad (which was a success because many of them knew the words). But by this time, some of the children had been taken to time out and I realized that the only way I could keep everyone interested would be to bring out the IOTW earlier than planned. This part of class is a wonderful way to bring excitement to the group in a different way. I told the group that they had to sit on their bums and close their eyes in order to hear the instrument. Thank goodness I brought the perfect IOTW for this energetic group: Tingshaw Bells! I rang the bells loud for all to hear. The group started giggling and many asked if they could open their eyes. I said "No! Listen closely, what does it SOUND like?" Some yelled out answers and many were correct! I told them to open their eyes so we could play a game, which consisted of each child raising their hand and holding it up until they could no longer hear the sound of the bells. Although it was a little competitive amongst the two older boys, I was encouraged by the dedicated group of listeners. As I passed the instrument around the circle, I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I felt that I was finally able to make a connection with each and every child. For the jam I decided to choose songs that were familiar in order to encourage more singing (Alphabet Song, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Bah Bah Black Sheep). During the jam, I was deliberating whether or not I should bring out the parachute. Sometimes it works really well in smaller groups, while in larger groups it overstimulates the children. However, I decided that due to how well things were going, I would bring it out if the group agreed to lie down on their backs and look up at the colours. No running or jumping was allowed. Wheew, it was a success! After many requests to touch my guitar, I told them that if we sang the Goodbye Song all together, they could each have a turn strumming. Sometimes a little bribery goes a long way! We made it through the Goodbye Song in one piece and I made sure to give each and every child a chance strumming my guitar. I also made a point to ask who was returning the following week and I got a resounding "Me!" from almost everyone in the room! Sweet!

Spring 2011 - Travis at Birkdale

Week 1

We got off to a great start today at Birkdale Residence.  The children are very enthusiastic, the parents seem appreciative and the staff are very supportive.  In many ways, this was a typical first class, in which the focus of learning is primarily on participation —that is, everyone needs to learn how to participate in a Rainbow Songs class.  Coaching the participants in the call and response of "Hello" was the first step.  Then, since most of the kids are over 3, we did "Here Today" with each kid getting a chance to stand up, turn around and sit back down.  Several of the children did not do the actions the first class.  I then decided to do "What are you wearing" and the level of participation increased dramatically.  "I Had a Rooster" got some of the parents doing the signing and the kids loved the animal sounds as always.  "Old MacDonald" was then a good way to get each of the kids to name their favourite animal.  We then did "Sleeping Bunnies" and that was a big hit, which got us off the floor and into "Elephants Have Wrinkles".  Once we were on our feet we did the "Hello" scales moving in and out of the centre of the circle.  "Come On Everybody" allowed us to really get into a groove.  Then we got out the instruments and that was a blast.  The kids were mostly able to remember not to bang the other instruments against the drums!

All in all, this was a solid beginning.

Week 2

This was the last class for our contact person, Jason, who really gave it his all and helped us keep up the level of participation.  As far as the songs were concerned, this was basically a review of the first class.  Most of the children were able to participate in the class much more, with several more of them doing the actions for "Here Today" and "What Are You Wearing?"  For the jam session, we did a marching band version of "Elephants Marching", marching all around the classroom in single file.  This definitely helped some of the more rambunctious kids focus on the group activity and participate more fully.  One of the kids requested "Sleeping Bunnies" and we did this as a parachute song.

Winter 2011 - Joel at Beatrice House

January 13 Today was the first class of the Winter 2011 session at Beatrice House. It was great to be back. I was greeted with big smiles from the mothers and hugs from several children. Five weeks had passed since we were last together, and the children were very excited to get back to making music.

There was a seemingly unending stream of children. It felt like there must have been 20 kids. It was rambunctious to say the least! I remembered quickly that if I want to keep everyone sitting down during the jam session, I need to stay seated, myself. As soon as I stood up, so did ALL of the children. Which only amped the craziness even more. The boardroom we are in has four, hard smooth walls and the carpet has just been replaced with hardwood - making for a very reverberant room. The tambourines and hand drums really zing in that room!

The children really go wild under the parachute. I remind myself that even while it may seem that they are going crazy, we are providing a safe place for them to let out a lot of steam, and noise, and energy in a group environment. But we also practice sharing, listening, learning new songs and actions. The wild moments are a counterpoint to moments of focus and attentiveness. (And some weeks the balance shifts more heavily from one to the other.)

January 17th

We were in a completely new room tonight and it went super awesome. The room was a bit smaller than the boardroom, but didn't have any furniture in it. For the first time ever, there was a carpet shape that perfectly defined the circle. In my year at Beatrice House, I have yet to find a consistent way to get everyone sitting in a circle. But tonight, it was so easy to ask people to sit the perimeter of the rug. I think it helped us gel. And it certainly makes it easier to keep track of names during the hello and goodbye songs.

A few new people, and a few people visiting the shelter who used to live here. It was a great vibe. Medium size. We did lots of rhythm and clapping. It was great to watch a first timer as he caught on, and his whole face lit up.

We had 2 older sisters present (probably 10 yrs old) and I asked them right off the top if they wanted to participate or sit it out - I was pleased that they both wanted to be sung hello to. And they were on board. It was great; I really feel that that kind of example helps set an example for the younger kids. This program really soars in that it is not just about kids releasing energy - although that is part of it, it is a chance to create joyful moments, in sync and in harmony with a community of friends and family. January 27th

As with last week, there were three older sisters in attendance. Sometimes older kids are so afraid of looking "uncool" that they can be more of a distraction to a Rainbow Songs class. So before we began I asked the three of them specifically if they were going to sing all of the songs. "Yes," and can I sing hello to you by name, too? "Yes." Alright then. And with them on board, it ended up being a great class. If anything, the more adults (or even just older siblings) who are present and participating, the more focused the children are. Kids see all of these big people doing the actions and playing along with the songs, and it makes them want to be a part of the group.

If I am ready a few minutes early, I like to ask the kids what their favorite songs are. And while we wait for the rest of the group, sometimes we might even have a little pre-class sing-along. Invariably, kids request the Alphabet song. This is one that I like to save for the end of class when all of the maracas and tambourines are out. Tonight we sang a nice version of the ABCs with minimal guitar. I wanted to encourage the kids that were there to really sing out and let their voices fill the room. Next request: one little boy enthusiastically cried out, "I want to Sticky Sticky Bubblegum!" Ha! How can I say no to that?

February 3rd

Today the special instrument of the week was the Cabasa, which was a huge success. The kids were very quick learning how to play it, and were able to play it independently. It is a great instrument because there are so many different ways to make a sound with it, the kids can each find their own unique way of playing it while the rest of the group sang songs such as "Clean-O" and "The Banana Boat Song".

There was a different Beatrice staffer than usual, and she was AWESOME with the mothers. She brought a different vibe to the classroom. The mothers really trust her, and she can quickly draw them into dancing and clapping throughout the class. She kept them comfortable and laughing, and even poked fun at them to hurry up and get on their feet for the next activity. (I still get a lot of whinging about making the mothers sit on the floor.) She even brought a new twist to one of my songs. During Sleeping Bunnies, she operated "light FX," by switching the lights in the room off during the lullaby part, and then flicking them on during the hopping.

The vibe in the room was a little restless. I get the feeling some of these kids are starting to feel the drain of winter. They've got lots of energy, but are a little more grumpy and agitated than they were in the summer. I noticed this primarily before class and during the first couple of songs. I find they've long since shaken this off by the second half of class. And when the instruments and parachute come out, it's all giggles and jumping and spinning and laughing.

February 10th Today was a smaller group than usual. There were five mothers and seven children. But as I have said before, sometimes a smaller group can allow me a deeper connection with the those that are there. The special instrument can be a little more special, as each child gets a longer turn, and I am able to put my hands on each child's if they need help finding the technique to play the instrument. This week I shared the wooden frogs from Thailand. We sang "Five Green and Speckled Frogs", and "The Little Green Frog."

There was a lovely moment during the parachute section of the class. Parachute time is a chance for the kids to dance and jump (sometimes even just lie) beneath a parachute as the grown-ups shake the rainbow coloured parachute to the rhythm of the music. This week, one of the mothers decided that she wanted to go under the parachute, and she committed to it with complete enthusiasm. She lay on her back under the parachute and shook her arms and legs while we sang, "Shake it, Baby, Shake it." The kids thought it was the funniest thing ever, some joined in, while the others helped by holding the parachute.

It was a really touching moment to see how much the children enjoy it when a mother totally releases her inhibitions and can be silly for the sake of fun.

February 15th

What a great class tonight! We were a medium sized class with about 8 moms and 12 kids. It was the first class that I have brought out the red, rhythm sticks: a pair of drum sticks per child, one smooth and one with ridges. In the first class, we sang several rhythm based songs to get the kids warmed up with clapping, toe-tapping, and knee-slapping. The group was very focused, and so I knew that they were ready for the sticks.

The rhythm stick activities serve many purposes. First, they create a sense of unity and togetherness. "Everyone put both sticks up in the air! Okay, now everyone put both sticks down! One stick up, one stick down!" The kids can look around and see that everyone is participating, and everyone is doing the same gestures in (relative) synchronicity. Awesome.

Secondly, the sticks give the children a chance to feel the pulse of the music we are singing as we tap on our knees, our toes, the floor, etc. This gives tactile feedback of the rhythm, and teaches how to play together.

And one of the children's favorite parts is when I countdown "Three, two, one," and everyone plays their own 'crazy' rhythm on the carpet. And then I call "Sticks up!" and everyone (eventually) freezes. It makes for a loud fast drumming event punctuated with nice clean pauses. Then we drum s-l-o-w-l-y. Pause. Then we drum quickly, but softly. It's very theatrical, and the children really get into it. (So do I. Ha!)

Winter 2011 - Travis at Family Residence

Week 1

It was a great first class today at Family Residence! I'd say there were about 8 kids and 8 adults participating.  The children were of all ages, from new babies to around 6 or 7 years old.  We sang a wide variety of songs, from "Open Them, Shut Them", to "Come On Everybody", to "Zoom Zoom Zoom!" "Clean-O", "Brown Cow Medley" and "Old MacDonald Had a Band" were particularly big hits.  Everyone seemed to have a great time and participated really well.  The group really got into "Shake it Baby Shake It" and "Old MacDonald Had A Band" during the jam session, playing all of the instruments right on queue and they also sang along for "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", which I played as a parachute song.  I was really happy to have folks from what seemed to be a wide variety of cultural backgrounds and ages participating in and enjoying all of the songs.  Thanks to everybody who was there for making it a wonderful experience—I look forward to seeing my new friends again next week!

Week 2

On Thursday, 3 February, we had a lively kick-off class at Family Residence.  12 children participated, ranging in age from under 1 to over 5 years old.  Since some of the children were in the program last time and were familiar with the songs, I had some great help and there was much cheering for favourites such as "What are you wearing?" and "Sleeping bunnies".  I look forward to having more of the parents participating in the weeks to come, as this adds an essential aspect to the Rainbow Songs method.  Despite low adult turn-out, we were able to hold it together in the jam session, which was actually quite rockin'.

Week 3

We had two new kids joining us today, which was great.  To draw them in, I used highly participatory songs like "What are you wearing?", as well as "Listen to the water" which helped to include each child individually.  We then did an extended movement section consisting of "Brown Cow Medley", including airplane and an extra addition of "She'd like to ride an elephant..." which led into the song "Elephants have wrinkles".  By the time we were a few rounds into "Elephants", everyone was in full participation mode and I was pleased to see smiles and laughter from everyone.  We rode that out for a good jam session, consisting of cowbell as instrument of the week which was a nice progression from the Brown Cow Medley.

Week 4

The group seems have have reached a milestone and turned a corner.  There were more parents today and some of the children who initially had a difficult time participating—some very quiet, some distracted by the toys in the room—have become much more engaged in the class—singing, smiling, making eye contact, doing the actions, etc.  The grown-ups are demonstrating similarly increased participation.  One little girl who just sat and stared at me for the first two classes even came to say goodbye to me when I was leaving!  It is definitely starting to feel more like a Rainbow Songs class, due mostly part to the increased attendance and participation of the grown-ups thanks to the ongoing encouragement and support of the staff.  For the kids, the difference in the quality of their experience is like night and day.

Week 5

Our 5th session at Family residence was by far our best to date!  There is an excitement in the air now when I arrive and several of the children jump up and announce my arrival—"Travis is HEEERE!  Travis is BAAACK!". The level of participation of children and adults reached a new level and it seems like we have hit our stride.  Several of the parents are now coming with their children, singing with them, encouraging them to participate.  There are many more smiles all around and everyone seems to be really enjoying themselves.  The children are remembering more and more of the words and the actions to the songs and are becoming well-versed in the structure of the class.  This week, I showed them the ocean drum everyone seemed fascinated.  We sang "Four White Horses" while they passed it around, and almost everyone joined in with slapping and clapping to keep the beat.

Week 6

As this was our last class together for this session, I decided to follow Rainbow Songs tradition and make it a request class.  Each child had a favourite song to sing and they all seemed enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute in that way.  Some of the children had made a card for me with their little handprints in different colours of paint and were excited to present it to me at the end of class.  One of the children, who had been the most reserved at the beginning of the session (the one who sat and stared at me for the first 3 classes) was the one who engaged me the most about the card and it seemed as though her mother had been instrumental in helping the kids to prepare it.  I know this may seem like a little thing, but it really had a big impact on me.  Here was a very young child who had succeeded not only in coming out of her own shell, but who was also able to engage her mother in the class and make something with the other children to show her gratitude.  Even after the class, when I was packing up, she came up to me on her own to make sure that I didn't forget the card!  I was really, deeply touched.

Winter 2011 - Brian at Redwood

Week 1

A fun start for the winter session at the Redwood Shelter.  There were eight children, but I was a little disappointed at first when there were only two parents.  Come to find out, four kids belonged to one mother, and four to the other.  And a good time was had by all.  If we get another family or two of similar size we'll be happily overcrowded.

Songs included "Clap Your Hands, Now Sing 1, 2, 3", "Apples and Bananas", "Sticky Bubblegum", and "Listen to the Water".  And the bag of instruments and parachute proved to be big hits.  Looking forward to next week.

Week 2

One of the two families from the previous week attended, then a mother and her baby came in toward the end of the class.  The four children who returned remember the songs that they did last week, and enjoyed some new material.  They have a way of keeping things interesting, especially when it comes to naming animals that required sound effects for "Old McDonald", like a T-rex and a yak.  They also provided a challenge of trying to find rhymes for apples and oranges in "Corner Grocery Store".  Other songs included "Mama Don' Allow"/"Oh When the Kids" and "What are You Wearing?".  Everyone also enjoyed the Thunder Tube.  Being an older group, everyone, including the mother, was very adapt at producing the louder and softer sounds.

Week 3   

The family that was present at the first two sessions has gone on to other things.  But the other family that attended the first week was back again.  And they brought friends!!  So we had 4 adults and 9 children singing and carrying on.  The enthusiasm from the family that had missed last week quickly spread to everyone there.  We did several songs in preparation for animal week, including, "Itsy, Bitsy Spider", "Listen to the Water", "We're Going to the Zoo", and "Three Little Birds".  We even had time to fulfill a request from one of the children who remembered doing "Sticky Bubblegum" the first week.  With this momentum, Animal Week is going to be a blast.

Week 4

We were smaller in number with only one parent and three children, but we still had lots of fun.  One child was a veteran while the parent and other two children were new.  After a brief geography lesson with one boy, we sang and clapped our way through songs which included "Sticky Bubblegum", "All de Nations Like Bananas", and "Corner Grocery Store".  The jam session included songs "Jamaica Farewell" and "Three Little Birds" for a Caribbean flavour adding to the warmth of the class on a cold winter day.

Week 5

Was greeted by my geography student from last week, who immediately made a request from "Sticky Bubblegum".  There were also two other children and two adults who were back for more.  As well, a new child joined the festivities.  Other songs included "I Shut the Door", "All de Nations Like Bananas", "BINGO", "Corner Grocery Store", and "Jamaica Farewell" and "3 Little Birds" for the jam session.  The instrument of the week continues to be of great interest to both adults and children, this week being the clave sticks.  They really enjoy hearing about them and trying them out

Week 6

Turnover at Redwood again reduced our numbers.  There was one mother and baby who had attended previously accompanied by two ladies and one child who were new.  The young boy who had been there before continues to stare in fascination at the goings on while the young girl wiggled and danced to the music in her mother's arms.  Gearing toward the babies, we sang, "I Wake Up My Hands with a Clap, Clap, Clap", "Hands Together", "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "I Had a Rooster", "Elephants Are Marching", "I'm in the Mood for Jammin'", and "Twist 'n' Shout".  While glad that families have the opportunity to move forward with their lives, one does miss those who had become regulars over the first few weeks.  But we'll all continue to have fun with the ones who do show up.

Winter 2010 - Brian at Family Residence

Week 1

A great start for a new programme with 8 kids and an equal number of adults, both Moms and Dads.  Despite the fact that a lot of material was new to them, everyone had lots of fun with songs for Animal Week.  There was occasional dancing, lots of laughter, and some even had some toy animals to play with.  But the most noise occured when the parachute came out.  Even those children who were not quite sure what had been going on before, or what the class was all about were up laughing and dancing, and screaming with delight.  Adults and children were very appreciative at the end of the session...

Week 2

After the frenzy of Animal Week, we dove into some of the regular Rainbow Songs material this week.  And the response of the 8 children and 6 adults was just as enthusiastic with lots of clapping, stomping and laughing.   Most of those in attendance had been there last week, and led the fun parade.  And what higher form of 'thanks' is there than that displayed by one mother who expressed her appreciation by offering to assist me with putting my stuff away at the end of class?

Week 3

A rock star welcome from young smiling faces, and repeated good-byes from the same at the end.  In between, enthusiastic laughing, singing and dancing as the children become better acquainted with the songs.  While the parents were fewer in number than previous weeks, the children will no doubt let them know what a great time they ha

Week 4

A couple of new 'customers' among the 10 or so children along with the 8 adults.  The returning children alternate between encouraging the newcomers, and snuggling up with their friends.  They quickly helped turn the uncertainty of those newcomers to full participants.  Even the adults got a bang out of hitting the Chinese opera gong.

Week 5

Nothing like ending with a bang!!  Over 15 children, the highest number of the session, and about 8 adults finished out the mini-session.  In the short time, favourites have been developed, and the newcomers quickly got caught up in the enthusiasm displayed by the regulars as they sang and danced to them.  With no set return date, it is uncertain how many will get the chance to participate again, which made the 'good-byes' and expressions of thanks resonate more deeply.

Winter 2010 - Brian at Robertson House

Week 1

A good feeling.  It started before the class began.  While I was warming up my hands and the guitar from the cold by playing a couple of songs, a mother and baby came in.  The mother smiled as the baby danced in her arms.  That feeling also was seen in the faces, and in the participation of about a dozen children, their mothers and the staff through the next forty-five minutes, especially a young toddler who danced in front of me through several songs.  The children ranged in age from a few months to about 10.  Although the programme is designed for pre-schoolers, even the older ones happily participated, especially when they helped to demonstrate how to play the drums.  And that feeling was expressed at the end of the class by the mother who asked if the programme was going to continue every week, and the two mothers who were very thankful, because as one said, "My daughter always cries when I sing."   I promised her there'd be more songs to learn next week to teach her daughter.

Week 2

It was nice to see many familiar faces from the previous week with about a dozen children, and an even greater number of women and staff present.  The young dancer was back, but this time he wanted to play the guitar.  Once the music got going, he did get back to dancing.  The older children got a kick out of helping to teach how to play the maracas, and really became enthusiastic when it was time to shake the parachute.  The adults weren't to be outdone.  One woman got into the spirit of "Shake It Baby, Shake It", by really shaking "what her mama gave her".  Another gave a tambourine a good workout during the Jam session.  And as last week, appreciation was not only displayed through the high level of participation, but by a mother who stopped to express her thanks as I waited for the bus to go home.

Week 3

There were a few less children (about 10 or 11), but no reduction in the amount of fun.  The good times started before the singing did when my 'dancer' immediately got his feet moving upon seeing me going to get the instrument bag. The class itself included excellent use of the "Tickle Song", and enthusiastic ringing of the chime bars during "Hurry, Drive That Firetruck".  But once again, the parachute really got the children going.  Where last week it was enthusiastic shaking, this week they were dancing, rolling on the floor and SCREAMING with delight. And kids coming regularly means that their mothers are attending regularly as well.  It seems they are enjoying coming out as much as the children.

Week 4

Some familiar faces, some new ones, about 8 children and 6 mothers.  I had a new dancer, so I didn't miss the other one as much.  And the new one got into the spirit of things just as well as the first one did, practically dancing on my back at one point.  There was a new baby who wasn't too sure what to make of  me.  By the end of the class, she was really into the music, but still not sure what to make of me.  Not to be outdone, the returnees enthusiastically took part, delighting in songs that they had heard before.  And then there was the mother who got on the bus with me as she went to do her shopping, smiling and thankful from the lift the programme had given her.

Week 5

The 'thanks' from the lady last week was bookended by a big 'hello' as she was the first person to see me when I entered.  She was really looking forward to the class, but unfortunately, her baby was too restless to let her stay for the entire class.  Had two dancers rocking through the class to go along with lots of silliness which was very appropriate for Animal Week.  A new twist was added by the presence of a couple of new mothers.  The 'veterans' took great delight in pointing out the nutty things that were coming up as songs that they recognized were introduced, especially if they knew it was something over the top that I'd be doing.

Week 6

It is so nice to see regulars returning weekly, and taking part in songs that they have heard several times now.  And new faces, of course are always welcome.  With about 8 children and the same number of adults, it was another fun Tuesday afternoon.  The hi-light this week was a child who proved that whatever difficulties one may have, everyone is always good at something.  I wish I could pound on the drums with my hands with the degree of accuracy, timing and enthusiasm that this child displayed.  Outstanding!

Week 7

My drum player from last week was dancing on my back for several songs, and delighted in the Tickle Song with an uplifting laugh perfectly timed with the introductory notes.  A happy, bouncing baby, and smiling grateful parents added to another week of fun at the shelter.  And that fun is illustrated by the regular returnees who respond favourably to songs that are now familiar to them.

Week 8

A smiling member of the custodial staff encouraging  another member to hurry up and finish getting the room ready because "the music man is here".  That was my greeting this week showing that the importance to the clients is being noted throughout the staff at the shelter.  About 8 mothers and the same number of children spent another afternoon clapping, singing and dancing, and of course, having a good time.  And the Chinese opera gong rang loudly each time someone had an opportunity to play it.

Week 9

What a great time it's been!!  While not having the full length of session of a regular class or multiple sessions, children and mothers were still able to come up with several suggestions for the 'all request class'.  And based on their enthusiastic response to material from earlier classes, the time was rounded out with lots of singing, movement and laughter.  While hoping some will have the opportunity to go on to bigger and better things, I look forward to seeing familiar faces at the end of March when the spring session begins.