This article of mine appears in the latest issue of the online magazine Creativity Portal (creativity-portal.com). My Student Just Did Something Creative… Now What? By Abby Connors That inner “Wow!” That tingle of excitement. That feeling of “Yes! That’s what it’s all about!” That’s the moment that makes me so thankful to be a teacher […]
Category Archives: A Thought for Thursday
Many young children think that music comes from CD players and radios. I wrote this article (which originally appeared in TEMPO, the magazine of the NJ Music Educators Association, in October 2009) to help teachers help young children to develop an understanding of the elements of music. Where Does Music Come From?: Teaching the Elements […]
This article of mine originally appeared on the site Creativity Portal: How to Help Children Stay Creative By Abby Connors Picasso famously stated, “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” Anyone who lives or works with young children knows they truly are artists, buzzing with creativity, […]
This article of mine appears in the new (August 2014) issue of New Jersey Family. Play Dates What’s the right age to begin music lessons? BY ABIGAIL CONNORS One of my most vivid childhood memories is running home after my weekly piano lesson so I could try out my newest piece on my home […]
Teaching and learning – we think they go hand in hand, but sometimes, oddly enough, they’re at odds with each other. Especially when it comes to early childhood. We know that young children learn through play, not through worksheets; with their whole bodies, not just their eyes and ears; and through concrete experiences, not discussions […]
This article originally appeared in TEMPO Magazine, the magazine of the New Jersey Music Educators Association, in October 2009. Where Does Music Come From?: Teaching the Elements of Music to Young Children Using Rhythm Instruments Rhythm instruments play a unique role in the development of young children’s musicality. When students are tapping on drums, shaking […]
This article of mine appears in the July issue of Teachers Net Gazette. What are your summer resolutions? A Teacher’s Summer Resolutions By Abigail Flesch Connors I know! Summer isn’t resolution time! Summer is for chilling out and kicking back, not for getting all serious and resolution-y! But I have to confess, I’m a natural-born resolution-maker, […]
This article of mine appears in the current issue of “Teaching Young Children”: ABBY CONNORS I’m clapping to the beat as we begin music time. Soon Nyra, Mason, and Aditya are clapping, too. Sophia pats the floor to the beat. While Sophia responds to the music differently from the other children, she too is […]
This article of mine originally appeared in New Jersey Family. Creativity Boosters By Abigail Connors When my children were preschoolers, a typical day included a “vacation” behind the living-room couch (complete with backpack “suitcases” filled with toys), my 4-year-old interviewing the cat (using her tail as a microphone), and performance art involving everything from leaves and […]
This article of mine originally appeared in Early Childhood News: ”Shake Up” Your Music Curriculum With Rhythm Instruments! By Abigail Connors As an early childhood professional, you’re well aware of the seemingly insatiable need of children to express themselves by making noise – a lot of noise! Rhythm instruments provide a uniquely effective way to […]
Music (and Science) For Young Children 