North Shore Music Together

I often wonder how my little graduates are doing.

Here's an update on me. :)Ms. App

Below is an inserted article from North Shore News - Dec. 14, 2011.

Music Together instructor Caroline App helps toddlers and children under five make music with their parents. The Music Together program began in New Jersey in 1987 and has spawned an international movement of intergenerational music teaching. App brought it to the North Shore earlier this year.

Photograph by: NEWS photo, Mike Wakefield

HANDS wave in the air as the sound of drums and music fills the room.

But this isn't your typical musical show. The Highlands United Church has been taken over by a group of parents and children bouncing to the melodies of Music Together, a program that introduces kids under five years old to the joys of music.

While the babies and toddlers singing and playing in this class might not be masters of piano or guitar, instructor Caroline App says the course is the foundation to a lifelong appreciation of making and enjoying all kinds of music.

"We're dancing, we're singing, we're playing instruments: egg shakers, drums, tambourines, triangles," says App, a kindergarten teacher currently taking a break from full-time teaching to raise her four boys.

"You're building in music skills at a young age when it's still the best time to get the kids, they are learning their pitch, how to do their tonalities and their rhythms."

She first became aware of the Music Together program attending the class in Vancouver herself, but on moving to the North Shore she realized there's a big gap in the offerings in North Vancouver. That lead her to start the Music Together program in September this year, and in January she's adding an extra class to bring in more kids.

The Music Together program began in New Jersey in 1987 and has spawned an international movement of intergenerational music teaching. All instructors, including App, have taken a course on the specific program.

The classes mix ages up to five years old, and give parents or caregivers the chance to play with their kids, as App says that's the best way for the young ones to learn. It means parents with multiple children can bring both to the same class, and "the younger kids are also learning from the older kids," she adds.

"It's a lovely beginning because it's informal and it addresses or reaches all learning styles and it's multi-sensory, and as a kindergarten teacher I love that."

Included in the price, parents get to take home a songbook with CDs that can be played at home.

The classes are available Monday and Wednesday mornings and last 45 minutes each. The cost for the winter session - three months starting in January - is $140 for the first child and $90 for any siblings over six months old. Siblings under six months are free, and the primary caregiver can bring another parent, aunt, uncle or family friend at no cost.

To register or for more information, visit www.northshoremusictogether.com or by phoning App at 7788995004.

tholloway@nsnews.com

© Copyright (c) North Shore News

Read more: http://www.nsnews.com/Parents+tots+make+music+together/5858022/story.html#ixzz1hEV6Ej6w

The School Year is Over!

Summer's Here! Summer's here!

Another year of school is at an end.

We've learned a lot and grown a lot and made a lot of friends.

We read books, wrote cards, and counted all year long.

We even put on a show or two with lots of catchy songs!

Now it's time for the final goodbye; it's time for us to part.

But we'll remember our experiences and keep each other in our hearts.

I hope everyone enjoys the summer. Please send me any other photos you wish to share and I'll post them on the blog.

I miss you all.

Love Mrs. App

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers reading this. Yes, I mean my mom too! The kindies enjoyed making special gifts for their moms this week. I hope everyone has a joyful weekend. Perhaps some of you will even have a rest!
Love Mrs. App

There Is So Much Going On!

The Walkathon was a great success! Both classes made the long treck to Almond Park. Thank you to the parents who sent me some wonderful pictures. Stay tuned...I will will add other photos from our adventure soon.
Here's what's been going on this week:

1) Goodbye Calendars. Hello Morning Activities.
Now that the children have learned the skill of using a morning calendar, next year's grade one teachers are thrilled. Now it's time for us to have some Spring Fun. We will start the morning with desk activities that develop finger strength, but are more engaging. It's our last two months in kindergarten and we want the start of the day to be inviting and welcoming.

2) THE BIG ONE AT TWO.
The entire school is having an Earthquake drill at 2:00 pm on Thursday, May 8.
We will be sitting outside for up to an hour during the drill. Please make sure your child brings appropriate clothing for the weather, a sun hat, and sun screen. At nice big snack and a bottle of water or drink is essential. We will not be able to access a drinking fountain during the drill.

3) Friday Jazz Performance.
On Friday, the morning class will go to the 11:00 am music performance in the gymnasium. If we are a little tardy getting back to class, you know where we are!

4) Are you mother picking up your kindergarten child on Friday? Be prepared to close your eyes while helping your child bring home their Mother's day project for you. It could be tricky!

Don't stop reading yet.
Next week is a BIG ANOTHER ONE!

1) Wednesday, May 14 is a regular Kindergarten day. As usual, there is NO class in the afternoon. Families with older siblings will know that this is different for the older grades. Our change will be on Friday. So, Wednesday the same as always for us.

2) SPORTS DAY!
Believe it or not it is almost here! The Day of Sport is on Friday, May 16.
BOTH CLASSES will attend the morning session. There is NOT school in the afternoon. Division 14 will make up their extra minutes for the week by attending the morning class.

Division 14 and 15 will arrive at school 8:45 am. Come to class and read posted information. The classes will be divided into teams and one class will meet in the carpeted area to avoid chaos in Rm 002. PLEASE do not roll in late on sports day since the day gets going quickly.

We aim to finish at 11:15 am. We will return to the class and carpeted area for pick up.

WE NEED AS MANY PARENT VOLUNTEERS AS POSSIBLE!!!

Please let me know if you can help out. It is great fun. The children love to share the day with parents.
Let's all hope for good weather!
Love Mrs. App

VERY IMPORTANT!

A couple times this year, I've seen products with peanuts slip into lunches in the classroom. It's been a long time since September when parents were told about allergies in the class. We also have four new students who joined Kindergarten since January. I've noticed the children share food more than they did in the past. It nice to see them genuinely wanting to share, but it does raise the danger for an allergic child. With that in mind, I believe it's my responsibility to post the following.

This is an important reminder that one of our students has a severe allergy to peanuts and other nuts that could result in a life-threatening situation. Any contact with even a small trace of nuts, tasting, touching or smelling, could be life threatening to this child. Because of the seriousness of this allergy, PLEASE DO NOT SEND PEANUTS, PEANUT BUTTER, NUT PRODUCTS OR FOODS WHICH MAY CONTAIN NUTS in your child's snacks or lunches or party foods. In addition, if your child has eaten peanut butter (or other nut or nut product) prior to coming to school, please assure that they have brushed their teeth and washed their hands and faces. Thank you for keeping all of our kids safe!

In hindsight, I realize I was less worried when Michelle was in the classroom. Since we no longer have our own paramedic, I will have to be more alert!

Thank you,
Caroline

Principal Days

My three days as principal were busy, yet delightful. It was a wonderful chance to move around and see the entire school in action. All the children we kind and welcoming whenever I passed them outside, in the halls, or in their classes. Make sure to take a peek below at the serenade by the intermediate students. Enjoy the clip above and view the school through my eyes. It's no secret what a special group of students we have.
Love Mrs. App

Class News - April 28

Hello everyone! I'm excited to be back in the class this week. I'm sure Ms. Hardie explained the Walk-A-Thon to everyone. Still, I need to point out that the PLEDGE FORMS ARE DUE ON MONDAY APRIL 28. That's now! Please pledge a flat amount rather than a per km amount.
Our walk-a-thon will be done as a class on Friday, 2. We will do two big walks separately with each class. We will not be able to do the HUGE walk that the rest of the school is doing for two reasons.
1) The morning class would miss it all together.
2) It is FAR too long for our kindergarten children. Even the walk to the starting point at Jericho is too far for us!

Here is the present walk-a-thon plan. We hope to have the school cheer the both the morning and afternoon class cheer us on as we leave. The morning class will aim to depart at 9:00 am. The afternoon class will aim to leave at 1:00 pm. We will walk with volunteers mostly along side streets all the way up to Almond Park. We will stay about 20 minutes at the playground. Children who are exhausted can rest up before we return for the second leg of the walk. Children will have a chance to eat their snack at the park. Any children with lots of energy, can take full advantage of the playground. We will then return to school taking the same route.

REMEMBER: We need as many volunteers as possible to walk with the class for safety reasons. Please send a snack with your child on Friday. Thank you.
Love Mrs. App

An Afternoon Performance

On Thursday, April 24, the afternoon class had a chance to see a musical performance called Honk! The Arts Umbrella Musical Theatre Troop performed it for us in the gymnasium. It was an variation of the The Ugly Duckling story.
It was a little long for our little ones, but they seemed to enjoy the music and dancing. Ask them about it? I think my favourite part was the frog dance.
Love Mrs. App

Parent Matters

Thank you to Deborah MacNamara who donated her time last week to speak to a group of our parents. Deb is wealth of knowledge with anecdotes that ring true for all parents and teachers. I always find her words help me see the world through the eyes of a child, and in turn increase my patience and understanding.

During the workshop, I suspect most parents found that learning about counterwill was like finding a secret map to children's behaviour. Once we understand a child's instinctive and developmentally healthy need to refuse to do what adults ask when they are not collected, our frustration dissolves. (Well, at least a little.) Yet, at the same time, when a child begins to rebuke a no and the adult changes circumstances to avoid a struggle or disappointment, the child is then placed in the lead. Research shows that children who are placed in the lead have increasing anxieties which leads to more challenging behaviour. There is a message of safety and being taken care of when parents take the lead and assure the child that they know what they are doing - they are the child's best bet. So as parents and teachers we act as a double agent, being both the wall of futility and the angel of comfort. Through this support and guidance, our children may have tears around not getting what they want, yet the comfort gives birth to acceptance and resilience.
How do we avoid soliciting counterwill?
By coming along side a child, collecting them, and guiding them, our children are eager to do our bidding. (I can best explain this in person.) As Deb mentioned, chapter seven in Hold on to Your Kids goes over strategies that don't divide or damage relationships with parents. (I could elaborate here, but it's not wise to let children read about the "magic.") Do check her blog for workshop dates for Neufeld's Relationship Matters Presentation and Deb's The Trouble with Time Outs presentation. www.deborahmacnamara.blogspot.com


I am continually amazed at all the parents of the kindergarten students. Every day I see how you strive to do the best for your children and reach into your hearts for caring and warmth to address inquiries or quivering lips, help with calendar activities, read books, and even tend to stuck shoes and zippers. You send your children off with great hugs and I love yous. Then you open your arms wide at the end of the day for them to rush in. (This is indeed the case, for parents picking their children up in K class or next door at JKC.) I must also add, that you have all been wonderful matchmakers for me and your children. You take the time to make sure they have a chance for my eye contact, hand, or voice, before you ever leave. Since they know you like and trust me, they instinctively feel the same way and turn to me for answers in your absence. It is your graciousness and wisdom to do this that gives me the power to teach.
Thank you.
Love Mrs. App
(I'd be lying if I didn't admit I'm a little teary after printing that. I truly do love my job and teaching these two classes.)

Serenade

I had the wonderful chance to hear the intermediate grades in Ms. Bailey's class sing today. When When I arrived they sang, "You're Beautiful to Me." Play the clip above and enjoy what I heard.
It's heart-warming song with a message close to my heart. Hopefully, our children will develop this sense of self-worth independent of peer actions. Indeed, it is what leads to strength in adulthood. I will soon be teaching my sons and kindergarten students the same song.
Thank you boys and girls for sharing it with me!
Love Mrs. App

Here's the words.

You're Beautiful to Me
You don't have to dress a certain way. Change your hair, your style, your face.
Or play the games some people play.
You're beautiful to me.

When it seems that life just knocks you down. And you don't measure up somehow.
Remember what I tell you now.
You're beautiful to me.

Oh, you're a shining star.
Oh, just the way you are.

You don't have to wear your mask today. Just be yourself in every way.
No matter what this world may .
You're beautiful to me.

Oh, you're a shining star.
Oh, just the way you are.

Don't you know you're worthy to be loved. Not for what, but who you are.
A pure and precious child of ____.
You're beautiful to me.
You're beautiful to me.

International Day was GREAT!

Our International Day was a great success. Thank you to all the families for bringing food to share with the rest of the class. We enjoyed looking at each other's pictures, listening to musics, seeing favourite clothes, and of course tasting new food! In the slide show above, you will see the Kokomo African group performing Somalia music for the school. Look closely, can you see some of our classmates dancing? Wait a minute.... Is that Mrs. App? Yes. See how many teachers and children you recognize dancing. There was also a Kids Write performance in the afternoon. We enjoyed it, but I do not have pictures in our slide show.

Thank you to all the parents who helped make this event possible.
Love Mrs. App

Spring Fever!

The sun came out today and it finally started to feel like Spring! The children are getting excited about the change in weather.

After 8 months of routines, I need to point out that some are starting to forget a few. Guess what? I'm referring to the parents, not the children! Please remember the following class start and pick-up times.

Morning Class:

8:45 am. start (9:00 am on Wed.)

11:25 am dismissal

(This means the last 10 minutes of class the children are putting on their clothes and waiting to be picked up. JKC kids go next door at 11:25 am.)

Afternoon Class:

12:30 pm. start

3:00 dismissal (JKC students go next door at 3:00 pm. The other students have the last 10 minutes to gather their belongings and leave.)

It's fine to be late every now and then, but I have noticed that people are drizzling in later and many children are missing the start of the day. The end of class is a difficult transition time for many children and some start regressing if they have too much wait time. I noticed the trend is leaning towards coming or leaving at the last minute, and it is changing the class times. Stephanie and I then struggle to meet our other school, job, and family obligations.

Thanks for your support.

Love Mrs. App

Telugu New Year

This week one of our students is performing a dance at UBC for a Telugu New Year Party. We were fortunate to watch M practice his performance in our class. The song and the dance has lots of jumping and kicking to illustrate that a child at this age has great promise and energy to work towards achieving something. Thank you for sharing this dance with us. Good luck at your UBC performance!


Remember: We are valuing various cultural foods and traditions on Thursday. Bring a family food and explanation to class.
Love Mrs. App

Class News - April 14

This is going to be a busy week! This morning we had 4 students from Ms. Quinlan's class come in to talk to us about bears. They also read us the Bear Hunt story with the felt board. Click above to see this class activity.
Here's important reminders for this week.

1) Gymnastics is over. Children need proper shoes for the gym again.

2) Class International Day. On Thursday, the children will wear their favourite clothes or culturally traditional clothes to school. Children may also bring an object that has a significant meaning to their family or culture. This does not mean stuffed animals. It is meant to give children a chance to share a part of their culture with the class if they wish to. Many children may not know what to bring and that is fine. HERE'S THE BIG PART. We will be having food tasting stations during class time. Please send some food with your child to share with the rest of the class. Some families may easily think of something that reflects their cultural background. An other option is to bring something to share that is a favourite food for your family. Please have the food labeled with a title and explanation of why it is important to your family. If there is a tradition around the food or special time of the year you eat it, please explain that information too. Remember to have enough food for all students to try a sample. The left over food will go into the fridge to be served at the evening parent social.

3) Two performances. On Thursday, we will also have a performance for each class. The morning class will watch an African Dance by Kokomo. I'm very pleased that this falls on our International Day. The afternoon class will watch the Vancouver Youth Theatre performance.

4) Parent Night. Yes, our social with Deb MacNamara speaking is on the same day as International Day. Come to the library at 6:15 pm. It is over at 8:30 pm. I hope to see as many people as possible. We are so fortunate to have Deb donate her time for us. She will talk to us about "counterwill" - Why Children Say No. It's a fascinating (and life-changing) topic. You are welcome to bring any friends that you would like. The more the merrier. I would like you to let me know so we have enough hand-outs. Child-care will be provided by donation in the carpeted area. Our adult function will be in the library. Remember to check out the links on the right for more information about Deb MacNamara or Gordon Neufeld. As always, you can ask me any questions. See you there.

5) No School on Friday. Remember, it is a professional development day for teachers. Teachers have workshops. Children do not come to school. Regular classes will resume on the Monday.

See you soon.
Love Mrs. App

Class News Update - April 7

Wacky Hair and Pajama day was a blast last week. Here's some upcoming information for this week.
1) COINS FOR CARING will begin Monday, April 7th and run through Friday, April 11th. As a part of their Social Studies Action projects, the Grade 6 students in Ms. Quinlan’s class are collecting money to support an orphanage in Africa. Coins for Caring will be a one week coin drive: on Monday, they are collecting nickels; Tuesday is dimes; Wednesday is quarters; Thursday is loonies; and Friday is toonies. We will set up collection jars. I strongly encourage the children to participate in this great show of social responsibility. The class with the most money raised gets a Pizza Party. Of course, this is not the reason to give, but it would be fun!

2) Gymnastics. This week is our last week of gymnastics. The children need to be able to take their socks off to go on the equipment. Ms. Veda would like to remind parents to avoid sending your child in stocking or a skirt on gym day. They need appropriate clothing for climbing and rolling etc. We had two parent volunteers help the morning class last week. The afternoon class struggled without any parent volunteers. Due to all the equipment, please let me know or just show up if you can volunteer to help with the afternoon gym class on Friday. It starts at 12:55 pm.

3) April 17 Parent Social. Information went home to the afternoon class on Friday. The morning class will take home the reminder on Monday. I am still tracking down the PAC chair for confirmation on child care. We are VERY fortunate to have Deb come to share her wisdom with us. I can't tell you how amazing she is. Of course, it's all based on the Neufeld paradigm. Please check the Deb blog in right column for her background and to read recent comments on parent matters. Our night is included in her public speaking schedule.

Must run,
See you tomorrow!
Love Mrs. App

Class News - April 1

Division 15 enjoyed a performance today about water conservation. Look closely at the actors. Do you recognize the "sizzle" sun?

Here's more NEWS.

1) Division 14 welcomes our new student to the class! B is a delightful boy from sunny California. I'm sure his family was scratching their heads as it hailed three days in a row last week!

2) Tomorrow is April Fools Day! Just for Fun the whole school will be coming to school in Pajamas and Wacky Hair. This is not a joke. I'm sure the morning class will enjoy not having to bother getting dressed. The afternoon class may or may not find it convenient. We still need coats to go outside!

3) It turns out I will not be away for Tuesday or Wednesday this week. I was able to reschedule appointments. However, the school is giving me 3 missed prep periods on Tuesday afternoon. This means I am around, but there will be a TOC teaching most of the afternoon class.

4) Gymanastics starts tomorrow (Tues.)
Both classes will have their gym classes on Tuesday this week. Ms. Veda would like to invite as many extra parents as possible to help the kindergartens on the equipment. The morning class by period is at 10:35 am. The afternoon class period is at 2:20 pm.

5) We are not going to the public library this week for a field trip. You don't know what I'm talking about? Well, apparently our May trip to the public library was booked for April 3rd. The presenter is on sick leave. I called today to say the date doesn't work for us and we will postpone the trip. Stay tuned for the final date.

6) The Bare Necessities. While my sons have watched the DVD of the play over and over, there are many students in the class who haven't seen it. Div. 15 will watch the DVD performance on Tuesday. Division 14 will watch the DVD performance on Friday. If you want your own copy, they are available in the office for $3.

7) Wish List. Wow! Thank to Shannon and Paul who donated a tv and dvd player to the classroom just days after I mentioned the need. I'll say it again and again... I don't think any other teacher has class parents as fabulous as mine!

8) April 17. The kids will have an international day during class. The parents will have a Parent Social from 6:15 - 8:30 pm. We will bring extra food from international day as well as additional yummies. Dr. Deb MacNamara will be speaking on "Why Children Say NO." Some parents from other classes who want a chance to hear Deb speak (for free!) will also join us. All are welcome. I will post a sign up outside the class soon. Just keep the day set aside for the event.

Must run,
Love Mrs. App

Term 3 Begins!

Welcome back, everyone! It's great to see all my little bears again. I hope you all had a restful and relaxing Spring Break. It sure went by fast despite the cold and rainy weather. Some families are still on vacation soaking up the sun and haven't returned yet!



Here's some news updates.

1) Please sign and return report card envelopes. You may keep all attachments and files for your own records.

2) We will be doing gymnastics in P.E for the next 2 weeks. Please send your child dressed in appropriate clothes for climbing, jumping, and tumbling. Also, the children will be required to take off their socks and work in bare feet. My regular volunteers can help with safety supervision while the children are working on the equipment.

2) BARE NECESSITIES DVDs are available for purchase ($3 each) from the office. It's really well done with both performances on the menu. The audio is strong and there is lots of close ups. My sons and I watched it tonight and loved it. James was dancing along and Ryan cheers for the wolves whenever they come on stage! Of course, they both love our singing bears. Who wouldn't!

3) It’s going to be Pajamas and Crazy Hair day on Tuesday, April 1 (no, this is not an April Fool’s joke!). I won't be here on that day, so I suspect the TOC will be in for a surprise!

4) Keep your eyes (and ears) opened for "Coins for Caring" which will be happening every day during the week of April 7th - this will be introduced and explained at our assembly this Friday.

5) Library. Many parents have been asking about additional times when the children can visit the library for book exchange, other than their scheduled Monday time with Ms. Leung. The library is opened a bit earlier on Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Friday’s at 8:35. It is also opened after school from Monday to Thursday from 3:10 to 3:30. I strongly encourage you to encourage your children to exchange their books for new ones as soon as they have finished with them, instead of waiting for each Monday. We have an awesome book collection in our school library--one of the best in the district--and I hope the children take full advantage of it!

6) Wish List. I'll try to add an ongoing wish list in the right column. Until I do that, does anyone have an extra tv or dvd player to donate to the classroom. The ground floor no longer has working televisions. I want to show our class the Bare Necessities DVD, but our little tv only has VHS. The colour is hilarious too. I'll tell you that story another time! Also, our staplers are mostly out of order too. Just in case anyone has an extra one?

7) Parent Social and International Food Day. Stay tuned for more information about this combo on Thursday April 17. April 18 is a pro-D, but please don't leave town on Thursday evening. Our evening will be great. It looks like we will have child care so both parents can attend. Remember Dr. MacNamara will be doing the workshop, "Why Children Say No." It's amazing.

8) More about Dr. MacNamara. Go to her link in right column. Her recent blog updates are really good.

See you soon,
Love Mrs. App

Happy Easter

I hope everyone enjoyed their Easter holiday. I'm sure the Easter Bunny made lots of visits. Here's a little song for you all to enjoy. Want more computer activities for the break? Don't forget the podcasts in the right column. See you soon!
Love Mrs. App

Mrs. Riedl Visits

The last week of term 2 was very busy with the play and report cards. Some children may not have told their parents that we also had a very special visitor on Wed. March 12. My mother, Mrs. Riedl, came to volunteer for the whole day. Besides many prep. tasks, she also enjoyed reading The Three Pigs in Alaska to both classes. The children were delighted! Thank you Mom. We hope to see you again soon.

Stay tuned for an Easter Message and and more play visuals.

Love Mrs. App

We did it!

The Bare Necessities was a hit! Our little bear cubs were fantastic. Click here to go to the slide show.
(You can also get there by clicking the link to the school play in the right column.)

Thanks for a wonderful Term 2.

I'll see you all after the break.

Love Mrs. App