RainbowsWithinReach Launches 17th Year!!

Let the new year begin!!! 

Oh happy day. 

My annual trip to Concordia University in Chicago. 

Workshop presentations. 

Old friends. New friends. 

Lots of hugs!

[Each year we stay at 'Miss Carole's' home and have Chicago-style DEEP dish birthday pizza.... 

this time it was ACTUALLY Allen's birthday dinner.] 

"Miss Carole" of Sticky Bubble Gum + Macaroni Soup Fame

Before I could set-up my workshop space I was able to tour their brand new, state-of-the-art, Early Childhood building and gather some inspiration to share. The day was filled with rainbows in the sky and in the paint!

NOW. Look at this master-piece!

 

This amazing 'bulletin-board-banner' was outside the infant-toddler room. 

What an incredible piece!

Let the children paint to their open-ended heart's desire:
browns, blues, greens.  

Then have happy artistic teacher tear paintings into appropriate pieces to make a glorious assembled cooperative finished masterpiece! 
BRILLIANT!! 

Remember the old camp song? 

"My God is So Big" 

The song lyrics were on the corner of the finished banner. 

Here are some more goodies from toddler town. 

In each of these above examples the children have been 'left' to their own devices to explore the media, in this case paint. It is only after their exploration that the adults in their lives (teachers) have taken their innocent process-filled finger painted canvas and then turned their explorations into a finished product for ultimate display purposes.

This is a win-win.  

The children explore freely.

Their work is *TRANSFORMED* into a permanent display.

Click back to this article to see how a 'similar' approach was used as a concept in Reggio Emilia ITALY with toddlers exploring paint and ultimately Italian teachers creating a mural. [YES!!! I got to have a day in Reggio to perform for the Italian children. To see all 18 of my articles about that ultimate field trip click here.]

Now its time to get over to 'my' corner of the day. 

LUV LUV LUV these next photos!

 We were in the campus 'black-box' theater. 

Welcome to my morning workshop: 

"Fine Arts and Fine Motor."

*Hey! That's the title of my ongoing Friday blog series!

Click right here for 25 blog articles on this very same topic.  

These enthusiastic teachers are 'Sky-Writing' 

--which is the title track from: 

"Debbie's Ditties 6: The Handwriting Mix." 

Look what I just learned how to do with Picassa. Just save the energy and enthusiasm of the presentation! 

My afternoon workshop was entitled 

"Stemming the Tide of Childhood Obesity: Let's Get MOVING!" 

Alas, my camera's batteries were worn out. 

There are no afternoon participant photos.  

I'd taken several hundred photos of the children's artwork on display (which will be sprinkled in here over the days and weeks ahead.) 

So no 'moving' participants. AKKKK. 

And we had fun!

The song that made us all literally huff and puff with knowing smiles of how out-of-shape we are as adults is my dittie entitled, "Ride my Bike." 

So I leave you with my genuine bike's portrait

as painted by the sun. 

Let's get up and get mooooooving! 

Get this new year launched with a whole new attitude and commitment to healthy choices. 

-- Debbie -- 

*Order from my website. 

Use the promo-code "Great" to save 10% off your order

Dr. Katz at Concordia

Dr. Lilian Katz @ Concordia's annual back-to-school conference. Chicago-land.

I told you that I had old-time pictures that I hadn't ever reported upon. I was fortunate enough to hear her keynote to the entire crowd. Ironically, I had once shared a cab with her at NAEYC a couple of years ago -- and knew that she would be very personable and share stories of her family. She started her address by speaking of how early childhood professionals can compare 'our' work with that of her husband -- as he consults with builders for massive new buildings. She started by speaking of the significance of early childhood being compared to the very FOUNDATION for life.

Her husband told her that he ALWAYS considers three things when beginning to consult on a new building:

1. Learn EVERYTHING about the elements that the building (child) will need to deal with
2. Be very clear about the structure to be built -- the materials available
3. Be certain that you know all the forces that will be 'acting' on the structure. 

She quoted her husband as saying, "If you don't get it right from the beginning -- it is VERY expensive to repair." 

Unbridled Enthusiasm

Everyone got on board the slant-dance song. I told them it's a cross between the chicken dance & YMCA..... hardly any Macarena. Time flies when you're having fun! Seventy five minutes is just enough to hit the highlights, but we had plenty of fun in the process. These fanclub members have already been using my ditties in their kindergarten classroom. I'm told that "Piggy Rap" has been the proverbial favorite for two years running. It's so much fun to hear what different classes choose as their top choice. Can't go wrong with da pigs!!

Sky Writers

It's an afternoon for fine motor development. We get started with "Sky Writing" and everyone channels their very best 'robot' voice to bring the concept alive for pre-writers & writers alike. Hands up high, to the sky...... muscles down, go to town. I am introducing these eager teachers to the songs that I recorded for Zaner-Bloser for their preK & K curriculum to support fine motor developement. Looks like everyone is having a good time. That's good for the kiddos once school gets underway.

Swing & Sway

Time for my workshop to get underway. Teachers have crossed the campus to come find me in the Christopher Center. I've been assigned to the large muscle room. It feels just like home. For a second I think that I'm at Children's Hospital. LOL. My boom box is on the bridge rocker's edge -- just like when I'm there with my whittle wonders. We are singing "All Together Now" and everyone's crossing the midline. Then, despite the heat and the humidity of the day, all of my participants are more than willing to jump & freeze into their funniest faces. All in an afternoon's antics.

Concordia University

Back-to-school. That means Concordia's Conference. Lots of teachers. Lots of presenters. Lots of fun. Lots of enthusiasm. It's been a while since I've been part of the agenda. Concordia was one of my very first conferences outside of Ohio. I can easily trace my participation back. It was Bonnie from Van Wert who had hired me to sing with her preschoolers with special needs. When she finished her doctorate she left Ohio to become a professor of early childhood at Concordia, in busy suburban Chicago and sent me the invitation to become involved. For years the second Tuesday in August was set on my calendar. So after a couple years absence -- it was so exciting to return. Some dear old friends who there to welcome me back with hugs & happiness.