Music

Olander Music Creates a Community!

We Sing!     We Dance!    We Create!    We Listen !    We Move!      We play musical games!    We play instruments!       We read music!

Music is a world packed full of singing, dancing, moving, playing instruments, listening, creating.  We can joyfully experience our cultural heritage when we learn special songs, games, and dances that have been enjoyed by many generations of American families.  Music gives us the gift of personally sharing the cultures of others, bringing the far corners of the earth into our lives.  Music can change our emotions and foster empathy - from funny songs to soothing lullabies, from happy to serious, from sadness to joy.   Music can energize us, pick up our spirits to get our work done or calm and focus our thoughts.  Music creates a common bond when we share the movements of dance or create harmonies by singing in rounds or simply by sharing an abundance of songs.  Ask the students what songs they’ve been singing on the bus!

How do you make music with your family?  To make the time fly by on those long car trips, try singing songs and rounds.  When the children get the jitters at the doctor’s office or waiting in long lines, try fingerplays, nursery rhymes, even lullabies.  To change the recalcitrant mood of a toddler, try singing “Toys away, toys away, time to put the toys away.”  Or pretend to have the shoes singing, “Where are my feet?  I need to find my feet so I can go and play.”  Holding a young child in your lap while you read or sing song-story books is a wonderful time for both of you.  Do it everyday!

There are so many ways that music builds skills in reading (syllables, tracking, rhyming, patterns repetition, vocabulary, sentence flow, expression), listening (following singing directions, distinguishing tone colors), and memory.  Do you remember learning the months of the year by singing that little tune?  Most children memorize the states alphabetically just by learning the song Fifty Nifty United States.  There are several exciting studies that show heightened and more extensive brain activity when one is singing and moving.

But the best part is - music can be just plain fun, and everyone can be successful. Please check this music site regularly as we add announcements, photographs of music classes, and interesting web links. 

Please contact James Falcon (jfalcon@psdschools.org) for more information about Olander's Music Program!

Click here for Mr. Falcon's Website