MUSIC, OUTDOOR LIFE, AESTHETIC PROCESSES, PLAY, EDUCATION
REGION: North
MUNICIPALITY: Mariagerfjord
PROCEDURE: 2022
DAILY OFFER: Children's universe
Snood Storytelling: Children's Universe (2022)
Mid-term evaluation, Oct. 6, 2022, Play fertilizer in Børneuniverset, Hobro
Participants at the meeting: Thomas (pedagogical leader), pedagogical staff, Nana (teacher from Kulturskolen), Annika (local supervisor/MFK).
How have the first four courses been:
- The older children are experienced as happy and listening during the process. There may be disruptive elements for them - e.g. restless child, having to be in the common room, access to the play area with the ship, etc., difficult for some of the older children to sit down, sit in a circle, but otherwise it works.
- The younger ones are more engaged, they are more on it, it really captures them, they are brave and confident in the group, really comfortable.
- The educator is an observer in one of the groups - it's very rewarding.
- Recognizability - they know the egg - start, middle and end are the same.
- The little ones need a little more help.
- Create a framework where you can follow them quite far.
- Educator: would like the children to use their imagination a little more - good with a framework, but more of the children's imagination.
- Reflections after each time - it works well - we take it as it comes.
- Lifestyles - rhythm - some children catch the rhythm immediately, develop.
Changes or ideas to try out:
- Find drumsticks in the forest.
- The group is too big - smaller groups and maybe a different structure - now they are over 20 in both groups. Preferably groups of 10 in the future - half a room - it would also give a calmness in the group.
- Maybe go to and from as they want - it also gives a different flow. It gives the children a lot, and they are in the room together. A way to be involved anyway and then maybe be ready next time or the next time again.
- The first four courses have been 'start-up', now we can take it in a new direction with smaller groups.
- How will the preschool structure it to make it work afterwards?
o Starts in the same way in the 'common room' - Nana can stay there and then the educators take over.
o Take it room by room - it makes sense and matches the culture of the house, and it stays in the living room itself.
o It's important that educators address what they want to work with - it can be elements of what Nana has shown that they want to work with or something else.
o Singing while eating - we'll try that. For example, they like to have a story while they eat.
- Important for the kindergarten to find a way to do it where it's nice for everyone to be in
- Difference between being in the big room and then in the living room - benefit of being in the living room
Practical
- It's about making things accessible, but not that it's on display all the time, has to be on display and adults have to 'make the offer' and that the children know it's available - some children get started themselves, teach other children
- 'Music cart', 'music box' either in the living room or multiple boxes in the hallway/common room
- Create novelty for kids, be ready all the time
- Toy Day - someone who brings a guitar
- Thomas: is there anything else we need to get hold of? Guitar - researching about Rosenhaven.
- Ukulele - concert size, soprano size is just a little too small for adults. Guitar tuna - instrument tuning app.
- Nana sends sheet music etc.
Follow-up reflection Nov 14, 2022, Hobro
Practicalities, experiences, etc.
- Difficult to fit in two groups per day as the 9-12 time slot is difficult. Too massive with 3 hours
- Vulnerable to understaffing, e.g. due to illness.
- 'Killed it a little' - wrong starting point because desire doesn't drive it
- Monday is a really bad day - you don't know what sick days there are.
- The concept of 'Monday babies'
- Don't feel prepared for it, it's kind of gone too fast
Process
- Very framework-oriented at first, but gradually work more loosely with it
- Accessibility and starting small
- The most important thing is for the nursery to find their own way of doing it, grab some simple elements and work with them, e.g. 'I'm going to bring in the instrument box' and then see what happens. Take it much more loosely. But it's important to keep each other up to speed on getting it done, Thomas is ready for that - for example, bring it up at staff meetings - share knowledge there and inspire each other there.
- Nana: 'You have a lot of resources within the walls' - use each other's experiences more across the rooms and share with each other there. Bring it more into play.
- Thomas: have the ideas and have the equipment. We're on it, on the way.
- 75% 25% - has been more open or Nana has started up, 'Monday panic', been around the rooms
- How do you take over from here?
- Nana can feel a determination in the house to grab it and run with it.
- It's important that the house does what comes naturally to them - educators already have the relationship.
- 'Open music café' - it worked really well - kids came and went.
- Age-based segregation - it works well
Last course
- Last chunk of the process - it will be more room by room, not as intense, not on a Monday, reflect and talk about it at staff meetings
- December is busy, the last courses are spread out over a longer period of time
- Christmas material - the house of song - Annika sends out a link
- End of year meeting - February, Thomas will find out
What has puzzled, how have the children been in it
- The children's perspective - that the children are more involved, get more involved than you might initially think
- How brave they were - from the first time to now.
- If it's difficult for 1-2 children, it takes up space for the whole group - disruptive. They should be able to come when they are ready, they will come
Going forward
- Thomas: can we make an agreement that the rooms take turns with the 'duty' - e.g. Friday music café. Can't do it alone, but it can be a start and can be the last 4 courses and the rest is so mundane. Tanja gets the task on the schedule for the music café - sparring with the others and into the meeting schedule. -
- Helle: when you know, you can be prepared.
- Nana: maybe do something for those who are struggling - take them along in a different way.
- Sound drum. It's relaxing, recognizable.
- Thomas: how do we make it accessible? The drums shouldn't be here in the office. Have some boxes for drums out on the playground. Inside - how? Wherever it is should be where you play the music.
- Can we have something else, some more instruments outside - play on fences, bottles of rice or pasta, different things to hit with, use a dish brush to hit buckets with,
- The line between music and noise - but then frame it - 'say we're going to play music'.
- Is there anything to play for - Annika and Nana investigate. Otherwise, just use stones and plastic plates outdoors for some of the games Nana has brought along.
- Rytmedille - on YouTube - great material - books. Tine Pattern
- Nana: In the week leading up to the living room music café - the living room music box.
- Kirsa - have something on the outside of the cabinet that illustrates that the musical instruments are in there.
- 'We really want to'.
