This special project will infuse pre-school through third grade classrooms with singing and special songs for learning to read, spell, write creatively and reason! Our focus on students in at-risk schools in the Southwest, Midwest, and on the Gulf Coast will dramatically improve early literacy as students create and share songs with their own Lyrics for Learning. In addition to training, participants will receive instruments, accessories and supplies with a focus on ukuleles in grades P-3!
Many communities have lost their elementary music programs. In California, just 18% of the schools offer music to children in grades K-3 now. How will children ever learn the songs of childhood if we don't keep the music alive? How will they hear classical music or jazz? Who will help them discover the power of music? At the time when children's brains are developing fastest, we can make sure that music and language are a core part of that process, giving children what they need to succeed.
This project will fund the creation, dissemination and teaching of music for literacy live in classrooms and freely online so classroom teachers can find their way leading songs for learning. We now have a free ITunes University channel for giving teachers instruction online, so we will make the videos they need to learn these songs and give them many best classroom practices- and we will also fund programs in the schools, too!
This project will help students do well in school- and develop the neural circuitry in their minds for understanding and using language and making music. It will supply teachers with materials and training they need to impart these crucial skills when children are young and most impressionable- through singing to learn, wholeheartedly, in class every day. Achieving grade level literacy by the end of third grade is the big goal. Other benefits include health, joy, friendship & lifelong learning!
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
