New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Simply singing together is healing and fortifying. Add to this perceptive lyrics and movement arts and you have a wonderful teaching tool.
Paul and Melanie Zeir, co-founders of Songs To Educate, are passionate proponents of arts integrated education, but from a unique background. Songs To Educate is proud to share a recent publication by the
National Endowment for the Arts, highlighting the organization's unique story.
Paul Zeir, quoted in the recent article by the
National Endowment for the Arts, notes, "We have always believed and practiced the arts as a vehicle for natural education. This was how we raised our sons. If you truly wish to learn something of value, give it a form of expression! Start with the most fundamental of human arts - music, rhythm, movement, language, symbol, story and song." Click to read the full article by the
National Endowment for the Arts.
Both Paul and Melanie were immersed in indigenous tribal cultures before meeting in their twenties. Melanie grew up in South Africa with years of world dance tutorship enhanced by African tribal ways and Paul spent four years living and working with indigenous villagers in Alaska, Central and South America. Because of these experiences, they discovered a mutual passion for natural education through the arts of expression.
The core philosophy behind Songs To Educate is to uphold, respect and engender the natural intelligence and integrity of human life as a premise for education. The ever evolving human arts of expression are potent vehicles for connective learning. Indigenous peoples have known and practiced this long before the industrial revolution fragmented the "arts" into subjects rather than a means of human development and natural education.
"Music and movement arts are inherent intelligences, universal languages that allow uplift and enhancement," muses Paul Zeir. "Music itself is educational in ways Neuro-science is just beginning to understand. Wise tribal folks around the world have understood this for millennia. Rhythm and music can produce color and vibration that can align, balance and regulate our bodies and faculties. Simply singing together is healing and fortifying. Add to this perceptive lyrics and movement arts and you have a wonderful teaching tool."
The Songs To Educate music label known around the world as Talking Hands Talking Feet has inspired parents and teachers to use music as an educational tool. The recently released CD, Human Body School, is a great example of this Arts Integrated approach. Human Body School, as well as other albums are available at https://www.SongsToEducate.com/albums .
It comes across in their Professional Development workshops for early childhood and primary teachers. "This is so much more than a music and movement education," commented a teacher participant in a Colorado professional development held recently. "It is a revolution in the whole way we approach teaching!"
Sign up to receive the Sparks Newsletter https://www.SongsToEducate.com/sparks and if you are interested in Songs To Educate Professional Development workshops or collaborative projects in your school https://www.SongsToEducate.com/professional-development
The mission of Songs To Educate is to provide bright tools to integrate connective song and movement arts in learning every day. These thoughtful songs activate and encourage young bodies, hearts and minds helping teachers make curriculum content interesting and enjoyable.
The founders Paul and Melanie Zeir have worked personally with over 5,700 children since 1997 to inspire and educate through music and movement. This impressive resource for ages birth through twelve years has reached thousands of children around the world is available online at https://www.SongsToEducate.com.
