Music For Kiddos Podcast
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We've been talking about the importance of repetition for kids and giving ourselves permission to repeat songs. We've also been talking about how can we personally, as music therapists and music educators, reduce the hours that we are spending prepping so that we can do the other things that are important to us too.
Repetition helps the kids
I teach music to kids and I repeat songs all the time. Every so often, I get the comment from a parent, teacher, some kind of adult asking “Didn’t we do this last week?” Because of this, I started to bring new material more frequently (mainly for the adult). The reality is that repetition is better for the kids.
I started explaining it this way:
“Music is incredibly complex and it is a lot for a child's brain to process it all, especially a young developing brain. Every single song has different layers for kids to process: melody, harmony, lyrics, tempo, volume, the emotional aspect of it; so many different things all embedded in one.
But, we aren't asking them to just listen, we are asking them to participate, too. Suddenly, participation means movement, singing, instruments, etc. So, how is a brain supposed to catch all of that information the first time we present it to them? They're not going to. They need repetition.”
Repetition HELPS THE KIDS! It supports their development, it supports learning and it really is what kids need to thrive.
Repetition is our friend
Repetition is also our friend. It helps us to not have to constantly plan something new because, logistically, this is not possible.
I used to teach Pre-K and I used to feel genuinely terrible about my teaching abilities when I didn't show up with something brand new, novel and awesome for each of my classes, which sometimes felt completely impossible to do, but I often did it anyway. I wore myself out and I will show up with all these new lesson plans, new songs and they would never go as well as I thought they would.
I realized that it was too much new. Developmentally, I was giving them too much for their brains to process, so when I started repeating songs and introducing one monthly lesson plan a little bit at a time over the course of the whole entire month, suddenly they started doing better, I could tell they were able to process more and they started to like music time much more. Not only that, repeating the same songs and only creating one lesson plan for the whole month meant that I was planning less (using less of my time to prep!) while facilitating a more meaningful, engaging and developmentally appropriate early childhood music class.
How other music teachers and music therapists use repetition
On episode 55 of the Music For Kiddos Podcast, we’re talking about reducing your planning time, using a lot of repetition, because repetition is good for the kids. Neurologically it's good for their development, but it is also very good for us as music educators and music therapists, too.
When we use a lot of repetition, is good to be completely unapologetic about it. It can also be helpful to explain about the importance of that repetition to families, if you need to, so that they understand that it is intentional and certainly not “laziness” on your end. If you are in a school setting, for example, providing that education to the other professionals that you work with can be beneficial as well.
For this episode, I invited a couple of my friends including Kathy Schumacher and Sarah Niileksela who are two seasoned music therapists. I was curious to know how they are reducing their planning time and how they are able to conserve some of their own energy by utilizing tools like repetition.
They are both also in my Community group and membership, so I'm also curious about how they're taking my songs and my resources, and utilizing them so that they're not spending a whole lot of time planning.
Listen to episode 55 of the Music For Kiddos Podcast to learn about their best tips on how to save time when planning, by embedding repetition of songs, resources, and activities in their classes and sessions.
Free Downloads
Thank you to Sarah Niileksela of Sunflower Music for these resources! (mentioned in the podcast episode).
We have partnered with West Music to offer free shipping on orders above $59.95 to Music For Kiddos Podcast’s listeners. Check out their incredible instruments and their incredible offerings at WestMusic.com or you can place your order at their customer service hotline at (800) 397-9378.
The code for free shipping is KIDDOS24. Make sure to check them out!
We've also partnered with Bear Paw Creek, who creates some of my favorite movement props for my music classes and music therapy sessions. Check them out at www.musicandmovementproducts.com
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