by Liz Arrington love the first day of school! One of the highlights of the back to school season is seeing my Facebook feed fill up with pictures of my friends’ kids with fresh haircuts, new outfits, and backpacks that are way too big for little bodies, proudly holding up some kind of sign declaring the first day of a new school year. Full of excitement, a little nervous, feeling so proud and grown.
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This month, I was so excited to be able to share my own “back to school” photo as I returned to teaching in a preschool setting. I happily announced my new position as the new Music and Creative Movement teacher at the Copperfield Church Preschool. With my own fresh haircut, new outfit, and oversized teacher bags; I’ve jumped, danced, clapped, laughed, and sang my way into a new school year with a fabulous group of cheerful toddlers and preschoolers. Music is such a natural component to early childhood education, we are all born musical! In my classes, even the most shy and reserved child is receiving the rich developmental benefits of musical learning. Music supports cognitive 18 November | December 2020
development, language processing, emotional and social development, even physical growth and development. With all of the research that supports our understanding of the benefits in educational settings, there is such a strong argument for keeping music and the arts present in our schools. Especially in this period of time where we are creating new ways of interacting and teaching, music is there to support our teachers and our little ones through new ways of doing school. I am lucky enough to witness these benefits firsthand. In the first weeks of school, we’ve used music to ease first day jitters, help us remember to wash our hands and keep them away from our faces, we learn important skills of self control, learn and remember names, we’ve gotten silly, and burned off much needed energy on rainy days. We have one song that is literally the only effective way to gather a group of very curious and energetic 2 year olds. I get to see the smiles and hear the laughter, and see the learning that has already taken place in just a few weeks. I’m so lucky to get to share these moments with these little ones.
