Carolyn's Vlog 2: Pygmy Forest, Pomeranian doggie, Mozart, and Picasso
Carolyn's Vlog 1: Intro To My YouTube "Vlog Series" About The Things I Love
SOMETIMES WE NEED TO TRY SOMETHING NEW, RIGHT?
CREATING
My eCourses are now on the Trillium Montessori site and that gives me more time to create!
Did you happen to lose touch with your kid students in 2020-21?
As a result of the pandemic, I had lost my bearings in my work and career.
Yes, I did have fun doing Zoom Music classes with some of the groups I had worked with in person before covid.
The children were so happy to "see" me again, and I did get the hang of teaching online. That was an interesting process since some of the children were piled up cozy in their beds, some were rolling around on the rug in their living rooms, and some were "glued to their parents' side" as they were still a bit scared of the zoom experience!
Gradually, we all got better at it, and it was always fun.
Children were using wooden spoons from their kitchens for Rhythm Sticks. Sometimes, we even used tissues as a substitute for movement scarves. It was an ongoing and creative process, and the teachers were so appreciative and excited to give their little "zoomers" some enrichment experiences during those unexpected and sometimes confusing times of online learning.
However, when the kids returned to in-person schooling again, I was not comfortable being in the classrooms of 24-36 young children, and so until recently, I've been a "virtual teacher" for adult educators and I've only had special times when my grandchild, god child, and their little friends have made music with me in- person in my home or theirs.
During the past year, I have been collaborating with the Trillium Montessori team to move all my eCourses over to that site, and it has been a wonderful success!
In the meantime, I realized that what I really want to do nowadays is work with a small group of local children in the afternoons making music and art, and exploring the outdoor classroom. My three favorite things to do with kids!
ENTER: Montessori Kids Studio
Fortunately, I have my entire music studio with a small Orff Instrumentarium set up in my home.
Two of my rooms are dedicated to music and art activities for a group of six children in the afternoons.
I'll be opening up my small program: "Montessori Kids Studio" in late January 2024.
It has been an exciting new endeavor that gives me a satisfying "purpose" again.
Not that teaching online eCourses isn't giving me a purpose in my work. Actually it is very satisfying...but I had to face it:
I'VE BEEN MISSING THE KIDS!
I miss the classroom experience with its routine, its "bee hive buzz" and its community of young learners.
So, I thought I'd start "Vlogging" about my old stand-by Montessori curriculum, my new small home studio setting, and my new ideas for music, the arts, and the outdoor classroom that I have been developing over recent years when I had lots of time to take eCourses and Webinars from some of my favorite creators.
Now that Trillium is handling my eCourses, I have time to develop more activities for music, the arts and especially the Outdoor Classroom. And, with my adorable Montessori Kids Studio, I have children to try out those activities and give me even more ideas!
I hope you enjoy my Vlog Series, where you can get a little glimpse of how I prepare for my music and art lessons and explore some of the beautiful places in my neighborhood in the Redwoods of Northern California. And you'll meet my sweet little companion, Gigi. My beautiful little Pomeranian doggie that was a gift from my daughter. She loves my little collection of rhythm instruments!
Musically Montessori "Nutcracker Ballet Suite for Kids" Vlog
Clara Throws Her Shoe to Scare the Mice
from Gobbling Up All The Goodies Under the Tree
Free Preview Lesson
My Blogs About Nutcracker Ballet Suite
More Nutcracker Ballet Suite Resources
Musically Montessori Tot: Where The Wild Things Are Activities "Vlog"
DO YOU HAVE A WILD THING AT YOUR HOUSE?
How The Activities Benefit the Child's Skills Development
Resources for Creating Your Own
"Wild Things" Activities
- Where The Wild Things Are picture book
- Wild Things costume
- Wild Things crown, scepter & tail
- Wild Things art papers
- Wild Things art stickers
- Hand Drum Toca Djembe
- Wild Things Story on Youtube
- Wild Things Puppets on eBay
Have you checked out my Musically Montessori eCourses?
Musically Montessori Tot: Practical Life Environment for Toddlers
ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR DAILY "AT-HOME ACTIVITIES" FOR YOUR TODDLER?
Start with an appropriate and engaging environment based on Montessori principles. And, please don't forget my secret ingredient: music!
What Do Toddlers Want?
Setting Up An Appropriate Toddler Environment
Based On Montessori Principles
This blog article features the first area of my Musically Montessori Tot Environment: Practical Life.
Here, I will present some of the ways I have set up these daily activities in my home environment.
Eating, Self-Care, and "Practical Life" Activities
Montessori Toddler Dining Activities
Preparation and Procedures
Montessori Toddler Self-Care
“The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one’s self.” The Absorbent Mind, by Maria Montessori
Montessori Toddler "Care of Environment"
The Musically Montessori Tot: "Toddlers-At-Home" Activities
Did you know that Toddlers respond to musical activities before almost any other activity? Adding music to your day is my secret to engaging your Montessori Toddler.
The Musically Montessori Tot
During our worldwide pandemic, more and more families have been asking me "What do I do all day with my young children at home?"Montessori Sensitive Period for Music Begins with Infancy
"The sense perceptions of even the tiniest infants initiate their psychic development before there can be any questions of its external expressions... Even though this development takes place in secret, it would be wrong to imagine, as in the case of speech, for example, that it is not happening... Little by little the ears pick out various sounds and the child's tongue begins to move with a new animation... The child is passing through a sensitive period: a divine command is breathing upon this helpless being and animating it with its spirit." (The Secret of Childhood, p. 37-45 by Dr. Maria Montessori)
Incorporating Musical Instruments in Your Child's Environment
Meet Joplin, my favorite little Musically Montessori Tot
A few months ago, I began working with my youngest godchild, Joplin. He and his family are members of our pandemic pod and Joplin comes to my house three days a week to make music with me. He also happens to be the child of one of my former little Montessori students from the 1990's. I first met Joplin's mom when she was a toddler herself!My Quick List of Music Resources
Suggestions
for the Musically Montessori Tot (& family)
- Mbira (thumb piano)
- Mostly wooden rhythm instruments set
- Ukelele
- Montessori style baby rattle
- Guitar, Autoharp, Flute, etc (the adults can play these for the child)
- Toddler & Infant-friendly instruments by Plan Toys
- Toddler-friendly Orff-Style barred instruments
- Recorded music from Frank Leto, also Elizabeth Mitchell, and Tamara O'Brien (just a FEW artists that I love, and will get you started)