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EARLY CHILDHOOD Jennifer Wetzel-Thomas, Chairperson


Creativity Through Music and Movement


When children move to music, they are able to experience sound in a way that allows them to internalize the music. Movement allows children the freedom to develop creativity through a different modality. Lily Levinowitz, an early child- hood music development specialist, says of movement, “We experience rhythm as the flow of our movement through space. From the developmental perspective, chil- dren must experience rhythm in their bodies before they can successfully audi- ate rhythm in their minds. Real musical instruments, like tools, can then become simply extension or amplifications of the body’s ability to be musically expressive.” Movement is a necessary foundation of musical development.


Divergent problem solving is a critical thinking skill necessary for creativity. When children are moving with music, they are able to imagine, express them- selves, and solve problems. Music teach- ers have a unique position to help chil- dren meet developmental steps in the formation of each child’s creativity.


Music movement lessons for young chil- dren typically involve two different types of teaching styles. Teachers either model the movement for their students to imi- tate, or allow children to explore and cre- ate movements to reflect the music. At times, teachers might choose to imple- ment both methods. Young children can benefit from first imitating a teacher’s actions, so they are able to develop a working knowledge of movement op- tions. Tese types of activities are essen-


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tial to help children develop motor skills, body awareness, and creative movement. Songs that dictate movement should be used sparingly, as their overuse can hinder the creative musical process. Tese types of songs cause most children to process the verbal directions ahead of the music. Children mimic the language of the di- rections rather than style of the music.


Teachers are highly effective when they demonstrate and model movement ideas rather than give verbal instructions. When teachers use limited verbal direc- tions in their lessons, children have more time to listen to the music and audiate. Tis ultimately provides time for children to process and show their understanding of the music. Our students’ musical expe- riences shine when they move. Teachers can determine each child’s musical de- velopmental level during movement les- sons by watching for musical responses. A few examples are tempo, macro/micro beat, and melodic line. If a teacher uses frequent movement imitation, she might set an ultimate goal for her students to move from imitating to creating and ex- periencing music in their own way.


Tese are a few phrases and methods that might assist your students in developing independence in movement:


• “Now move your own way!”


• “Show me how the music tells you to move.” • Ask the students to show you a differ-


ent way to move, and then another.


• “Use all of your body to fill all of the space.”


• Use deliberate phrases when you want your students to imitate you (ie. “Copycat time”).


• Imitate your students by following their lead. Randomly change imita- tion from one student to another. (No verbal directions are necessary.)


Students will be most successful when they start out small. Rather than begin- ning with all students running around the music room, have the students first wiggle their fingers to the music while seated. Next, the students use their arms to move to the music. Te teacher is modeling the beginning of each step and then begins imitating random students.


After the students demonstrate the abil- ity to comfortably move in this man- ner, they move their entire body with their feet frozen in one spot. Te phrase, “Plant your feet in the ground like a tree,” can be helpful. Spots marked around the room and spread out to teach children the concept of personal space, are also beneficial for this type of lesson.


Lastly, students can move around the room in shared space using their entire bodies to show how the music moves. Tese steps could be used and reviewed as time allows with your class. Tey do not need to be completed in one class period.


Illinois Music Educator | Volume 72 Number 1


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