Hello Friend,

I love connecting with string teachers on social media and usually it's a warm and joyful experience. ;)

One of my most loved and shared posts was the list, How to keep your 3-8 year old engaged?

1. Deliver material with a high emotional content.

Kids remember more with laughter, drama, story-telling and anything that stirs their emotion.

2. Make sure your material is perceived as being personally relevant.

3. Children love novelty! Add heaps of novelty value! Get those props out!

4. For heightened engagement, focus on multi-sensory learning. 

5. Play, Play, Play! Turn as much as you can into games. 

6. Scaffold. Build on the skills your kids have already acquired whilst extending them.

7. Be developmentally appropriate with your expectations.

8. Attention span is limited. Take regular brain breaks and have frequent changes prepared.

9. The brain is set up for survival. Make sure that all basic needs have been met in order to allow for learning.

10. Remember the child will need to firstly absorb the information AND then will need the space and time to fully process the meaning.

Despite getting positive feedback from most teachers, one teacher felt concerned by this list. He felt it was asking him to become a Play School presenter... something he implied he wasn't comfortable doing.

Yes, Play School has been successful at engaging kids from 1966-2023... There must be a reason why our younger children have loved it through generations... it's not just luck. The entire concept has been researched extensively so it meets a need.

However, I also think it's important to stay true to yourself. You be YOU! And whilst being you, just be willing to experiment, try new things, learn and grow. I think my list is more about being understanding, willing to connect and being passionate about your instrument.

I'd love to know your thoughts... I don't think anything is ever black and white and I want to learn and be more inclusive.

Warmest regards,

Laura

Ps. (Only 2/20 spots remaining) My next 2 subscribers in January will be eligible to receive a FREE 30 minute video consultation with me to discuss their teaching and needs. (Usually worth $60!) I love meeting you and getting a better understanding of what you actually need to teach your little ones. Sign up today and I'll email you the link to my calendar.