The Children's Music Network
2012 New England
Annual Gathering

Place:    The Rashi School
               15 Walnut Park
                Newton, MA
Date:     Saturday, March 24, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Workshop Fee:    
               Early Bird Through March 15th:  Only $20 for CMN members, $25 for all others
                March 16-March 24:   $25 for CMN members; $30 for all others.

*If money is a concern, please contact Tina Stone at tunesntales@comcast.net briefly describing your situation.

** CASH AND CHECKS ONLY IF YOU ARE PAYING AT THE DOOR

Childcare:  Children welcome, but  no childcare will be provided at the Gathering.

Lunch: Please bring your own or visit a local establishment.  If you’d like to bring a snack to share, please do! 

Vendors:  A table will be set up to allow conference participants to sell CDs and other related items. We’ll have a few raffle items as well! (cash or checks only).

Professional Development:    While we cannot offer official CEU’s, CMN is happy to supply teachers with a certificate or letter of completion for attending workshops. Please check with us ahead if possible or first thing at the conference for more information.

Schedule for the Day:
  8:30 - 9:00   Registration and Informal Networking
  9:00 - 9:30   Opening
  9:30 -10:45  Workshop for All with Eve Kodiak
10:55 -12:25  Workshops 1
12:25 - 1:40   Lunch/Networking
  1:40 - 3:10   Workshops 2
  3:15 - 3:30   Business Meeting
  3:30 - 5:00   Round Robin Song Swap
                    Our Closing will immediately follow the Round Robin
5:00…Clean-up = Fun (because we can enjoy each other’s company a little longer!)                                                                

Register Now! 

9:30-10:45 - A workshop for us all to enjoy:

If You’re Happy and You Know It, Integrate a Reflex – Eve Kodiak
Infant reflexes are the "Rosetta stone" of movement development. Knowing how to recognize and use these simple, powerful movement patterns in your songs can help with everything from classroom management to musical competency, gross and fine motor skills to social awareness. We'll explore some of the basic reflex movements, what they mean, and how to use them in songs we already know.

Eve Kodiak, M.M., has made a career of turning movement for children into music. Rappin’ on the Reflexes and Feelin’ Free, her CD/Book sets, choreograph developmental movement into songs and raps which are being used by teachers, parents, practitioners and, of course, children, all over the world. A frequent presenter at conferences (American Orff-Schulwerk Assosciation, Brain Gym International, ECMMA), Eve specializes in giving participants an understanding of the neurological basis for their work. She practices at The Lydian Center for Innovative Medicine in Cambridge, MA, where she works with people of all ages with Brain Gym, reflex integration, craniosacral therapy, and music. She also is a performing and recording pianist, her most recent album being The Return of Desire with Grammy-winning cellist David Darling. Eve Kodiak holds degrees from Harvard University and The New England Conservatory of Music, and a license from the Educational Kinesiology Foundation. Visit her blog for the ECMMA website, Movement Matters and  www.evekodiak.com.

- Please come prepared to choose one workshop for each time slot -

Workshop 1 (Choose among A, B, or C) - 10:55 AM - 12:25 PM

A      Songs and Singing Games - Deborah Stuart and Will Cabel
This workshop will explore the rich repertoire of early childhood music, rhymes, counting out chants, finger plays and circle and playground games, and the way that this traditional material promotes the social skills of group participation, cooperation, self-concept and self-esteem, and awareness of the needs and interests of others.  We will examine and share a wide array of music and movement possibilities for pre-school and early elementary teachers, child care providers, parents, community program leaders and children's librarians. Participants will learn by doing and will take back to their children lots of new ways to introduce rhythm and music into the school day and to use these for community-building and social development as well as for self-expression and language learning. We will also be paying special attention to ways in which to facilitate the inclusion of children with developmental delays and special learning needs, and look at the ways that these songs and games. (Preschool and early elementary ages)

Will Cabell has been an actor, puppeteer, musician and teaching artist in New England for over thirty years. He began his career as a company member of The Barnstormers Theater, Tamworth, NH, and went on to found Starbird Puppet Theatre. He has conducted numerous school residencies through the NH State Arts Council Artist-in-Residence program and VSA NH. Will has taught in Montessori settings, Waterville Academy and Tamworth Learning Circles. Currently he teaches art and music at the Monarch School in Rochester, NH for youngsters with disabilities. Will holds a Master of Education in Integrated Arts from Plymouth State University.

Deborah Stuart is a children's musician from Wentworth, NH. She has a M Ed from Lesley University in Traditional Children's Music and Dance. Deborah has been working with children and music for many decades as a teaching artist and performer. She is the Editor of the federal DOE funded early childhood resource, Start with the Arts and its companion book for parents and caregivers. Deborah is active as a presenter, writer and trainer in the area of the arts in learning, both in the US and abroad. She is core faculty for the VSA International Institutes on the Arts and Education. http://www.vsaartsnh.org/workshop-materials/arts-in-early-learning

B      Sing Me a Story - Liz Buchanan
Use music to help children learn more about sequence, stories and narrative! From finger-plays to singing games that help children act out classic tales, we’ll exchange ideas about how to teach story-knowledge through music. I’ll bring a hand-out and some ideas to get things started. Participants are encouraged but not required to bring a finger-play or singing game that tells a story – both small motor & gross motor story activities are welcome! This workshop will be geared to early childhood songs and stories. (Age 6 and under)

Liz Buchanan holds an MFA in fiction writing from Vermont College and an M.Ed. from Lesley University, with a focus on early literacy. She teaches music to young children in a variety of settings in the Boston area, including two programs linking music to the reading/literacy curriculum. Liz has just become CMN’s new president! www.antelopedance.com

C      Rock 'n Roll Kids' Songs Parents Will Love – Andy Morse
In this Song Swap, the main focus will be interactive songs for early childhood through early elementary in the genres of rock 'n roll, blues, funk, rap and jazz. Let's have some fun! (Crowd-surfing optional).  (Ages 2 – 8)

Andy Morse, Andy "The Music Man," based in Albany, NY's capital region, has been a member of CMN since 1995, the year he left his day-care teaching job to pursue a full-time career in music. Loved by parents, kids and colleagues alike, he is celebrating the release of his third CD, "Sing & Dance with Andy!" Andy is a membr of the rock' n roll band, "The Wheel," and director of children's activity tents at large rock festivals across the country.  www.andysings.com

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12:25 – 1:40 PM - LET’S HAVE LUNCH

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Workshop 2 (Choose among D, E, and F) - 1:40 PM - 3:10 PM  
 
E     Shake It Up, Baby! Using Props to Expand Your Repertoire for Music and Movement with Young Children – Betsy Zahniser

Shaker eggs! Bean Bags! Scarves! Rhythm Instruments! Stretchy Band! Young children get right into music and movement when you use props playfully and effectively. In this session we will get moving with a number of successful, multi-song “routines” that you can incorporate into your next teaching session. As we go, we will explore the Laban-inspired principles of “Flow –Weight – Space – Time” that underlie musical movement activities, and how to weave “songs without words” into lesson planning, to enhance the development of audiation. (Ages 3-6)

Betsy Zahniser has taught singing with children and teachers in preschool, elementary school, and Sunday school for over 20 years. She is the music specialist at The Wellesley Nursery School in the Hills, Wellesley, MA. In 2006, she compiled and published the collection The Music Box: Songs, Rhymes, and Games for Young Children. Betsy has conducted numerous teacher training workshops at conferences, preschools, child care centers, libraries, and regional associations. www.elzpublishing.com

F    Spanish Songs for the Bilingual Classroom – Nancy Hershatter

This workshop is geared for both classroom teachers and music specialists. Learn some simple songs and games in Spanish to take back to your classroom on Monday. Come prepared to move and have fun-- and bring a recording device, as lyrics will be provided but not song sheets. (Ages 3-8)

Nancy Hershatter, M.Ed., has been a member of The Children's Music Network since 1993. She taught preschool music all over the tri-state area as an independent music specialist for 18 years, and is now teaching pre-kindergarten and early childhood music at the Wooster School in Danbury Ct. She’s also one of CMN’s board of directors!

G    World Music & Movement - Amy Conley and Julia Priest

 We will sing and dance to songs/pieces from around the globe that can be used in any setting with children ages 5-12 but are also fun for teens/adults and adaptable for preschool children. Then we will open up the floor for participants to share more music and movement songs that they use, with live singing/playing or to recorded music. These can be dances, with or without props or rhythm instruments, fingerplays or singing games (hand drums, egg shakers, scarves, streamers and ipod speakers/cord will be available).  (Ages 5-12; but also for teens/adults/adaptable for preschool)

Julia Priest, M.Mus.(Voice Performance), M.S. (Speech and Language Pathology). Besides singing and teaching since 1987, Julia is the Director and lead teacher of Music & Movement of Newton, LLC.  She holds Level I certification in Orff-Schulwerk and Level II certification from the Center for Music and Young Children/Music Together.  She also studies dancing and Thai yoga bodywork.  www.MusicAndMovementOfNewton.com

Amy Conley, M.Ed., has been performing and teaching music for children since 1986.   She directs Music Together of Milford & Greater Manchester/Nashua (NH) and enjoys performing for children, seniors or mixed ages with her guitar and banjo or with the band “Calico Toad.”  Amy leads teacher workshops in music and movement in MA and NH.   Her passion for world music is evident in the many instruments she dabbles in and her exciting family concerts.  www.AmyConleyMusic.com  

 

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Getting to the Rashi School – Call Sammie’s cell if you’re lost: 207-351-0134
*TWO IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW…

1. This is the old Rashi School. There has been a brand new building built in another location which they still call the Rashi, so…make sure you are looking for the old Rashi School building on 15 Walnut Park, Newton.
2. The address is Walnut Park but we will be using the parking lot and the back entrance which is on Jackson Rd, Newton.

Coming North or South – get onto the MA Pike and follow directions below:
 

Coming West
Take the MA Pike to exit #17. Follow onto Washington Street at Newton Corner. Pass through 2 full sets of lights and at the next light take a right onto Jackson Road (Jackson Homestead is on your right at this turn). Pass the Jackson School on your right and you will see the parking lot of the Rashi. (If you get to a stop sign, you went too far) Look for CMN signs on the entrance.

Coming East
Take the MA Pike to exit #17. As you leave the ramp, stay to the middle of the road and turn left over the bridge at Newton Corner. After crossing the bridge bear left onto Washington Street and follow along Washington Street through 2 full sets of lights and at the next light take a right onto Jackson Road (Jackson Homestead is on your right at this turn). Pass the Jackson School on your right and you will see the parking lot of the Rashi. (If you get to a stop sign, you went too far) Look for CMN signs on the entrance.