TINGHA Public School has continued to make music in a very personal way with the continuation of the Mini Minstrels program.
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Mini Minstrels is an early childhood music program run through the New England Conservatorium (NECOM) at Armidale.
Former teacher Ros Oliver has taken a new position as kindergarten teacher at Ross Hill Public School. In her place is music therapist, Wendy Chatterton who is completing her first term this week.
Wendy sat down with the kindergarten and year 1 children last Tuesday, and began the session by passing around a cuddly toy bee. The little singers clapped and patted their knees while they trilled out their names, with Wendy singing a welcoming response.
Every activity is structured to be fun while passing on the lessons of musicality, developing an ear for high and low tones, remembering music, rhythm and confidence.
“Really, my passion is they know that they are musical beings. So they can make music with lots and lots of different parts of their bodies,” she said.
Children learn to use their voices in many ways, pat their legs, clap their hands, snap their fingers, tap their feet, jump in rhythm, all in different volumes and speed.
“All that, that we are precious, beautiful people and we can make music. We are so musical,” Wendy said.
Wendy said some just watch, but others jump in “boots and all”.
The Tingha year 2 class are her oldest students, and she showed them a video of Take 5 last week.
“Oh, they loved it, so really, I’m wanting to expose them to good beautiful music to inspire them,” she said.
Wendy also teaches at Ross Hill School, Kindamindi and has three morning classes at the NECOM campus on Moore Street for infants, families and preschool-aged children. For more information phone Wendy on 0438 788 599 or NECOM on 6773 6419.