From Cairo American School, Cairo, Egypt
Dear Mr. Jim Valley
We really love your songs. We sing and dance to your songs in class.
It's hard to choose which one we love best - they are all so
magnificent! We think that O'OPU is funny!
Thank you for making our poem into a song - it's really awesome! We
think it's very cool how you just read the poem and then turn it into a
song.
Thank you for coming to Egypt, and C.A.C., to share your songs with us.
We loved how you played the guitar. We feel lucky - you fill our
hearts with joy!
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Holder's Third Grade: Alvaro, Guillermo, Gulin, Charlton, Joe, Niceile, Andrew, Claudia,
Sherif, Joy
Jim Valley's work in schools began in 1980 when he was invited by an administrator to create a friendship workshop in a troubled school, and to write a song that would "help us learn to get along." The workshop was so successful that Jim was soon traveling to schools throughout Washington state helping children put their words and feelings into music, and helping them feel special about themselves. He now travels internationally presenting the Rainbow Planet workshop in the United States, Asia, Africa, South America and beyond.
The RAINBOW PLANET WORKSHOP is a cooperative adventure in creative expression for children and teachers. Singing, dance, creative writing and art are explored through themes of friendship, self-esteem, nature, ecology, culturality and imagination.
Children love to learn Rainbow Planet songs. They love to sing, dance, and act with them. The Rainbow Planet Workshop helps children to know they can create meaningful songs. In fact, many of the lyrics on Jim’s six family albums have been written by children around the world during Rainbow Planet Workshops. During each session, Jim sets children’s cooperative poetry to music and records it for their class.
Jim Valley’s energetic presentations empower and enlighten children and educators as they actively participate in the creative learning process.
Rainbow Planet values encourage children to come up with solutions to solve social problems in the classroom, the community and the world. Children are universally excited about saving our planet, and taking care of our environment. They feel the connection!
Singing Rainbow Planet songs builds self-esteem and sends the message to children that they
can make a positive difference in the world, as in "I am special, You are special, We are special together" from Jim’s song Rainbow Planet, and "I feel proud when I do something well, makes me feel good, makes me feel swell" from the song I Feel Proud (lyrics by
Mrs. McClelland’s 5th grade class, Dower Elementary School, Tacoma, WA 1983)
Rainbow Planet gives children and teachers a cooperative platform to express their
dreams, ideas and imaginations.
- Connect learning and the arts
- Create a platform for multi-cultural exploration
- Explore environmental themes
- Welcome music and dance into the classroom daily
- Create a community of joyful learners who see each others’ value
This elementary school program includes:
Four sessions per day divided by grade level OR . . . three sessions per day with a culminating assembly (parent’s welcome). An evening family concert is an added option. During each session, Jim weaves student’s creative writings into wonderful songs to be shared and celebrated. His ability to compose melodies on the spot amazes everyone!
(Pre-workshop activities and follow-up activities are provided.)
|
BEFORE JIM VISITS YOUR SCHOOL |
Workshop Format
Jammin' With Jim Page 1
Jammin' With Jim Page 2
"Rainbow Planet" Lyric Sheet
"Hand Jive" Lyric & Movement Sheet
"Penguins Are My Favorite Sort of Frogs" Lyric & Movement Sheet
"Splish Splash" Lyric & Movement Sheet
|
REFLECTIONS ON JIM'S WORKSHOPS... |
May 13, 2005
Dear Jim,
Thank you for coming to Frontier Elementary School. We are so grateful to you for sharing your music and energy with us. Your music conveys lessons that we all need to apply in our lives. Thank you for your songs of hope, joy, and gratitude. Please come visit us again!
Sing-cerely,
F.E.S. Student Council
Payson, Arizona
Princess Nahienaena Elementary School - October, 2004
Jim, thank you so much for coming to our school and sharing with us your
gift of music as a way of learning. I have had so many teachers come up to
me and say that they have never seen such an incredible performance where
every student was actively involved and all students thoroughly enjoyed
themselves. From our special education preschool class to our fifth grade
classes, everyone was on their feet, dancing and using sign language as
they repeated parts of your songs back to you. Your songs are saturated
with messages of friendship, caring, individuality, and getting along-- all
of which tied right into our classroom guidance lessons that we have been
teaching about character education. This assembly also met our school's
requirements for our positive behavioral support program. Your message of
the importance of reading also tied in with title I grant. We look forward
to your return to Hawaii next year. Mahalo.
Renee Ligienza,
School Counselor
Princess Nahienaena Elementary School
Maui, Hawaii October 2004
The GLO Song (Global Learning Objectives)
|
The Importance of Music in Education
Children are naturally drawn to that which moves them physically and emotionally. Songs, movement, finger plays, poetry, rhythms and chants engage children in dynamic ways. Music—along with related aspects of rhythm, motion and rhyme—invites children to participate in activities that are meaningful and fun.
But why is music important to learning? Educators know that children learn best when they are:
supported while being encouraged to take learning risks
included as part of an important community
actively engaged in learning
immersed in a language-rich environment
helped to see the inherent purpose and meaning in their education.
Incorporating music into the everyday lives of children sets the stage for further in-depth learning to take place. Music encourages children to use self-expression in appropriate, manageable ways. As part of the “learning community” (classroom or school) music invites children to feel a part of a greater whole; a “chorus” of voices and learners. Children’s interests are piqued most when they are physically engaged, and most songs invite such active participation. And language abounds in song! From historical folk tunes to modern hip-hop, the language, language play, culture and sentiment emanate from lyrics, providing rich resources for developing language, social studies and other academic skills or content.
Most information conveyed in regular classrooms is considered (by the brain) as “surface” knowledge. Research indicates that long-term memory can only be set when an experience is associated with an emotion. Thoughts, emotions and experiences are processed simultaneously by the brain, thus identifying meaningful context and committing those meaningful experiences to memory. Music stimulates both hemispheres of the brain (i.e., analytical and language). Those selections that directly relate to the children’s personal knowledge, feelings and topics of interest are naturally embedded in meaningful context. While the song itself may not be important for long-term memory, it provides the social and emotionalcontext that is crucial to the transfer of knowledge to long-term memory.
Not only does music enhance the self-concept and expressive capacity of children, it improves learning by creating the physical, emotional and brain-empowered climate for true learning to take place.
Snooky Cameron, MS, NBCT
Lisa Heintz, M.Ed.
|
|
PLAN A WORKSHOP FOR YOUR SCHOOL |
For more information or to schedule a workshop, contact:
5110 Cromwell Dr.
Gig Harbor, WA 98335 USA
253/265-3758 253/265-2093 (fax)
jimvalley@rainbowplanet.com
|
