Children Are Our Future - Part I

Everyone has a stake in what and how we teach kids.

“All children carry light with them into the world.” - Sade

August 30, 2021
Today we learned that an additional 204,000 children contracted COVID last week. That’s 204,000 children who will go home and almost certainly pass the virus on to the adults in their families.

This is unacceptable. They should never have been sent back to school, especially given the divisiveness surrounding vaccinations, masks, and social distancing. We need alternatives to in-person learning. We need programs that engage children's hearts, minds, and bodies, and materials that enable teachers AND parents to teach remotely.

What kind of materials and tools do we need? Story-driven, project-based lessons that deliver more than facts. These should be lessons that empower kids’ voices, spark their imaginations, get their bodies moving, and give them a chance to apply what they've learned to real-world scenarios.

I have no doubt that CritterKin (my children’s media property) will be part of the solution, but I think it is going to take a global village to meet this challenge. If you agree and would like to contribute your expertise or simply be part of the conversations, click this link: https://bit.ly/3zzjf9k

The Power of Music
There’s nothing better than music to touch the hearts and minds of kids and get them excited about learning. I included a song in my fourth book, The Not Perfect Hat Club” because it was fun, and singing was an easy way to remind kids that no one is perfect. Click the image below to hear its debut by a second-grade class in Texas.

My fifth book, Doxie the Doggone Dirty Digger, is due out at the end of September and includes both melodious earthworms and a song about Gazpacho soup.

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Music Inspiration

To encourage and inspire you, here is an old familiar song by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young entitled “Teach Your Children.” I’m offering you three versions because I couldn’t decide which I liked best:

Teach Your Children - Original

Teach Your Children - Playing for Change

Teach Your Children - Kathy Mattea, Alison Krauss,& Suzy Boggus

Finally, I’d love to know:

• What songs do you cherish from your childhood? What do they bring to mind?

• Do you have kids? What were their favorite songs?

• Did music play a big role in your childhood or those of your kids?

• What songs do you think would be great to include in online learning materials for kids during the pandemic?

Hugs,
Jena

Copyright 2021 by Jena Ball. All Rights Reserved.