Page 13-THE NEWS-February, 1984
Nursery Stimulates Toddlers
These two-year-olds are making a winter tree to decorate their
classroom door, (L. to R,) Jennifer Silberman, Lila Josephson with
Stuart Shapiro and Julie Malickson.
Marlene Fuerstman teaches the children to distinguish between
high and low notes by using their hands. Mitchell Frohman looks
on.
By Helene Nathanson
Temple Israel Nursery
School offers pre-schoolers
many stimulating and in
novative programs. Par
ticularly exciting this year is
the music program led by
Marlene Fuerstman, who
believes that children should
be offered a rich variety of
musical experiences.
Marlene holds a Bachelors
degree in Creative Arts, with
an emphasis on Music, from
UNCC and is currently work
ing on her Masters of Music at
Winthrop College. “My goal
for three and four year olds is
that they have fun/' she
declared. “If they are enjoying
themselves, they will in
evitably learn something
along the way.” She believes
that it is her job “to open the
door to each child’s individual
creativity.” She accomplishes
this through a variety of
techniques, giving children the
freedom to express themselves
through an instrument, move
ment, or singing.
The three year olds, in addi
tion to learning simple
rhythms, are encouraged to
participate in music en
counters. They sing their
names, trying to match
Marlene’s tones. They sing
about what kind of day it is,
and they welcome each other
— musically, of course!
“Children naturally can
sing,” says Marlene. “They
are bom with that ability. 1
have never met a tone-deaf
child.”
In teaching the children
rhythm, Marlene starts with a
basic steady beat similar to a
heartbeat, “a rhythm that is
inborn in all of us.” The
children learn nursery rhymes
and keep time by slapping
their thighs. They progress to
clapping hands and then walk
to a steady beat. She uses mar
ching songs to coordinate
walking with a beat rhythm.
In December, the children
were all brave Maccabees,
marching around the room,
prepared to fight the Syrian
army.
After they have enjoyed
marching, the children are in
troduced to instruments:
Glockenspiel, hand drum,
jingle bells, tambourine, cym
bals, wood sticks and wood
blocks. Instruments are ar
ranged in a circle on the floor
and the children play on each
one in turn, going around the
circle.
Marlene also feels that
creative movement should
play a large part in any music
education program. The
children respond to variations
of the same song, like
“Twinkle Twinkle Little
Star,” by becoming angry
lions or soft raindrops. “By
the end of the first few
months,” states Marlene,
“even the three-year-olds
know the difference between
high and low sounds. They
jump like frogs and imitate
low sounds; they fly like birds
and imitate high sounds.”
The four year olds are work
ing on note values. They are
given cards with a series of
quarter notes, eighth notes
and half notes. Many of the
children can clap out the cor
rect rhythm of the cards given
to them.
The parents of the pre
schoolers who attend Temple
Israel Nursery School are
delighted with its music pro
gram and its teacher.
Although Marlene does not
meet with the two year olds,
they are offered a warm and
stimulating program, em
phasizing supervised free play
in addition to an introduction
to painting, building, singing
and other creative forms of
expression.
The parents have formed a
Parents’ Committee, which, in
addition to providing general
input on school policy, is help
ing to raise funds. According
to Lila Josephson, director of
the nursery school, the money
will be us^ for more musical
instruments, improved out
door equipment and supplies.
Wendy Rosen is chairwoman
of the Parents’ Committee and
welcomes any and all sugges
tions for fund-raising ideas.
Anyone with 'ideas or in
terested in helping in the ef
fort should call her at
847-3841.
There is general agreement
among the parents that Tem
ple Israel Nursery School pro
vides just the right combina
tion of warmth, creativity and
stimulation, in a Jewish en
vironment, that makes for a
well-rounded school exper
ience.
Go Krogering for a wide
variety of your favorite
R05hec fiDOCiS
Empire Frozen
Kosher Foods
Manischewitz Brand
•
Pie Crust
•
Matzos
•
Potato Latkes
•
Soup Mixes
•
Natural Cut Potatoes
•
Borscht
•
Chaliah Dough
•
soups
•
Chali-ettes
•
Matzo Ball Mix
•
Rye Bread
•
Matzo Ball Broth
•
chicken
•
cefllte Fish
•
Breaded i\/lushrooms
•
Whiteflsh & Pike
•
Pot Pies
•
Potato Kugel Mix
•
Pizza
•
Matzo Meal
•
Bagels
•
Matzo Ball Soup
•
English Muffin Mix
Bakit
•
Frozen Blintzes (large variety)
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•
Bagel Pizza
•
Garlic Bread
•
Liver spread
Others
• Noodles by Goodman, Greenfield
and Mrs. weiss
• Soups by Carmel, croyden House,
Goodman and Telma
• Mother's schav
• Mother's All Whiteflsh
• Rokeach Old Vienna Fish
• Rokeach Tomato & Mushroom sauce
• Wolff Groats/Kasha
• Joyva Halvah candy
• Kedem Crape Juice
• Rokeach Pareve coffee Creamer
• Swee-Touch-Nee Tea Bags
• Panni Shredded Potato Pancake Mix
• Panni Bavarian Potato Pancake Mix
• Pasteurized Goats Milk
on
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