July has seen the Take Art Early Years team getting out and about visiting settings and events to share knowledge and absorb new learning.
Jane Parker EuNet MERYC Conference, Barcelona 3 – 7 July
Our Early Childhood Music specialist, Jane Parker, co-presented a paper at Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain with Dr Karen Wickett, Early Childhood Studies Lecturer from University of Plymouth.
EuNet MERYC was created in 2003 in Copenhagen by a group of European Early Childhood Music research practitioners (including our own SoundWaves Network evaluator Dr Susan Young). Since then, conferences bring together a wide range of professionals involved in European (and more recently further afield) early childhood music education practice and research to share ideas and information.
Jane and Karen presented ‘SoundWaves: Growing The Early Childhood Music Workforce In South-West England’. Their paper explored Take Art and the University of Plymouth’s partnership and collaborations to create diverse workforce opportunities.
SoundWaves Network SW Project Sharing Event
Musicians, early years practitioners, EYFS teachers and university students came together on Thursday 13 July via Zoom to share their learning via a series of presentations regarding their involvement in SoundWaves Network SW programme over the last 12 months. Huge thanks to all involved!
Take Art and Devon & Torbay MEHs at Budleigh Music Festival
In early July, Jane Parker (Take Art) and Charlotte Gibbs (Devon & Torbay MEHs) were invited by Budleigh Music Festival to co-facilitate musical play provocation workshops at both Mill Water school (a school for children with special educational needs or educational health and care plans) and also with families with very young children.
Thank you for bringing your wonderful imaginative musical adventure playground to the festival! The wonderful world of sound and play that Jane Parker and Charlotte Gibbs set up at Temple church was so beguiling that it was hard to tear ourselves away and go and watch the feast of music on offer at St Peter’s. We loved seeing families enjoy themselves as part of Budleigh Music Festival.
Festival organisers
Making & Believing Project Sharing & Learning Seminar
Artists, early years practitioners along with project staff from all three project regions, Somerset, Derby and Surrey, came together on 14 July at the Centre for Research in Childhood Education in Birmingham for a day exploring the work undertaken during the last term, reflecting on practice, learning and discussing what this means in early years practice.
Quotes captured from the day include:
“Thinking of things differently.”
“It sounds like It’s a Knockout!”
“I always have mark making material in the back of the car.”
“We can make a difference.”
Looking back to the Making & Believing show tour A Square World by Daryl & Co.
This wonderful show investigated the question of difference and inclusion with both sensitivity and humour. It toured early year settings, schools, theatres and libraries. One of the joys of this project is bringing inspiring and thought-provoking shows to a very young audience.
Early Years Music CPD this Autumn 2023
SoundWaves Network SW Early Years Music training is coming to Devon and Somerset!
- Tuesday 26 September 2023 4:00pm - 6:00pm Ellacombe C of E Academy, Torquay. Bookings close Friday 22 September at 12pm. For more information, click here.
- Monday 18 September 2023 5:00pm - 7:00pm Draycott & Rodney Stoke C of E First School, Draycott, Cheddar. Bookings close Thursday 15 September at 12pm. For more information, click here.
Other News From A Somerset Partner
Filmmaking for Children with Disability
Does your child have an interest in filmmaking? If they are aged 9 - 18 and have a diagnosed disability or are undergoing diagnosis, Somerset Film has a filmmaking session especially for them. Participants will tell a story using green screen filmmaking and shadow puppets. They don’t need any previous experience in filmmaking, and all the equipment they will need to make a short story will be provided.
The filmmaking workshop is taking place on Wednesday 2nd August at The Engine Room in Bridgwater. There is a morning or afternoon session to get involved in. Each session will have maximum of eight participants, parents and carers are welcome to stay with their child. The cost is £5 thank to support from the Community Inclusion Action Team from Somerset County Council.
Book on the Filmmaking for Children with a Disability Morning Session (11:00 - 13:00) or Afternoon Session (14:00 - 16:00) by visiting the Somerset Film website.
And finally …. We wish all of our partners an August that allows time to recharge those batteries and a September that kicks of a new academic year with positivity, enthusiasm and bright ideas.
Jennie, Jane and Nadine