We’re at the beach. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? Let’s escape for a moment to those deep blue chilly waters. I don’t know about you, but my toes are sinking into the grainy sand, while the cool misty water sprinkles on my sunlit face. All I want to do is splash, and that’s when the fun begins! We turn up the music, we swim, splash and surf the day away. But in case your imagination is not as vivid as mine, don’t you worry, I bring it all with me.
When I teach music and movement, not only do I bring the music, but I haul along life-sized, handmade props to make the music come alive. I want my students to feel the music using a multitude of senses. I strive to capture their attention by stimulating their minds and emotions. Each class is infused with fun, laughter and camaraderie while singing and dancing to upbeat current tunes. I refer to my music class as experiential music. Unlike a customary music class, where the lesson is relayed through the classical frontal teaching method, I employ a vastly different strategy, whereby we are embedded in the theme of the music at hand. Whether it be under the stars in a sukkah, in the Beit HaMik-dash looking for oil, planting and picking fruit, riding King Achashveirosh’s horse or feeling the freedom from Egyptian bondage, we recreate the scene and we are the characters of each story in time. The children leave each class with a wealth of knowledge, key Hebrew words related to the topic, new songs, fun dances and above all a love for Judaism.
Unlike many disciplines in a school setting, children of varied personalities, skills and backgrounds have the opportunity to flourish in a musical environment. When students enter my music class, I have no knowledge of their academic aptitude, physical prowess or religious affiliation. Every student has the ability to find an aspect of music that beats to his/her rhythm. Whether I’m teaching at the Lubavitch on the Palisades, Yeshiva Ktana of Passaic or HASC, my students feel the vibe. They feel the energy, they feel the love and they feel the unbridled passion of being a Jew.
I teach many songs, but my goal is far greater than the words of the songs I teach. Music is more than notes, lyrics and rhythm; there is feeling, meaning and understanding that embrace us at every age. I believe that when children are happy and excited to go to music class, they will have a positive association with the Jewish school they attended, and in turn they will have a positive outlook on Judaism. I’m not only in the music business, but I’m instilling in my students a love and loyalty for Judaism that they can take with them as they travel through life.
I started my music career 12 years ago teaching Bugle Babies, where moms or caretakers bond with their little ones in a warm and friendly musical environment. I have incorporated my Bugle Babies class in my newly formed specialty entertainment business, Kreative Kidz. This fall I, along with my talented staff, will be running eight mommy-and-me programs in various NY and NJ cities each week. I have also created a mad science and art curriculum that elicits child exploration, deductive reasoning and creativity while connecting to our music themes. Kreative Kidz will entertain close to 1,000 kids a week with its specialty programming. To learn more about Kreative Kidz or to become a Kreative Kidz teacher visit our Web site at kreativekidz.net.
Do you have your binoculars on? Do you see what I see? Sharks, starfish, whales, pirates!!! If you want to join the adventure, visit Kreative Kidz and we’ll lend you a pair.
By Keli Teichman
