November Happies with Dr Jean

Happies - http://bit.ly/Happies_Order_Page

Our Song

We used to sing and play outside.
We’d hold hands and we’d dance.
Now we do worksheets and take tests.
They’ve taken away our song.
We used to build with blocks.
We’d finger paint and play pretend games.
Now we sit and look at videos.
They’ve taken away our song.
We used to play in the sand,
Do puzzles, play chase, and swing.
Now we sit in front of computers.
They’ve taken away our song.
.... ....
We wish "they" hadn't taken away the song.
Monthly Happies will help you to put
songs and joy back in your classroom for
your students while helping them continue
to learn.

Tooty Ta is another favorite among Dr. Jean's fans, but she has many popular songs on her 17 CD's and 2 DVD's.

Kids, parents and teachers could improve learning by singing every day in class and at home.

Here are the top ten reasons to SING every day!

1. When you sing your brain emits endorphins, and endorphins make you happy! Emotions are critical to learning.

2. Music is multi-sensory. The more senses you get going to the brain, the more likely the message will get there.

3. Music is powerful for prior-learning. If children are exposed to concepts while singing, it is easier for them to learn when formally introduced.

4. Music nurtures phonemic awareness (alliteration, rhyme, etc.).

5. Songs and chants are a natural way to develop oral language and auditory memory.

6. Poems and songs lay a foundation for fluency and enhance short term memory.

7. Children are able to use their imaginations and create pictures in their brains when they sing. This is an important part of reading comprehension.

8. Repetition is a key to learning. It is much more fun to repeat songs than worksheets!

9. Singing and dancing relieve stress and oxygenate the brain.

10. Through music and movement ALL children can feel successful. A “community of learners” is enhanced when teachers and children enjoy something together!