Learning Opportunities Abound Here
By Liz Conroy

The East Athens Recreation Center seemed to shiver and shake on its Very foundations last month. On Feb. 14, area preschoolers and kindergartners hopped and twirled to the sounds of Pam Blanchard and the Sunny Side Up Band. The Center's lovely, smooth floor was perfect as youngsters even went slip-sliding on their bellies in rhythm to a song called "Ssss."

Children learned the sound of the individual instruments as each musician played the various string, wind and percussion instruments in brief demonstrations for this young audience. Then the children heard the band play everything from folk music to country to rhythm and blues. As drummer Joe Ellison later explained, "We intentionally perform different types of songs in order to expose children's ears to a variety of styles of music.''

But, wait a minute. Is this really education? After all, if music is an important part of education, why do music programs get cut back first in our public schools in times of austerity" Well, as scientists learn more about brain development, they are discovering that music plays a valuable part in aiding a young child's learning ability. Physicist Gordon Shaw explains, ''Early music training call enhance a child's ability to reason. It excites the inherent brain patterns and enhances their use in complex reasoning tasks."

But trying to force a young child to sit still and learn about music may not be the way to begin. This is where Ms. Blanchard and the Sunny-Side Up Band come in. (They even perform a song entitled, ''I Can't Sit Still.'') These musicians, most of' whom are parents themselves, understand the need that a young child has for movement. Young children, especially preschoolers, have such strong motor drives that if not given an opportunity for motor activities, they become unhappy, uptight and unmanageable. One great solution is movement through Music. It's a Way for children (hey, even adults) to feel the melody, and use positive energy While moving with tile beat, In addition, it is creative movement that works well for groups Of small children who need to let off' steam, but in a safe, learning fashion.

Recognizing this. the Sunny-Side Up Band incorporates songs into their performances and cassette tape ("Walk Tall and Sing a Sweet Song'') which encourage the child to participate physically, mentally, i.e., using his or her whole self" Children whirl, twirl, flop, clap, crawl and as mentioned earlier, wriggle across the floor, depending oil the song. According to "Your Four Year Old'* (by Ames and Ilg of the Gesell Institute of Child Development), this is what preschoolers both need and enjoy. "The child appears especially to take pleasure in stunts that stimulate the semi-circular canals: whirling, swinging, somersaulting." (If your own child is in program that forces children to sit still for long periods of time, you might consider another place.)

The children at this concert seemed to want to dance and move forever. But as the performance drew to a close, Ms. Blanchard and the band thoughtfully began to perform slower tunes to help this special audience feel calm sounds moving through them and around them. We all felt that we were ending on a happy, but relaxed note.

If one has children (and access to transportation), the Athens area has many programs available for learning more about our world. There are terrific programs at Bear Hollow Zoo, Georgia Museum of Art, Lyndon House, Sandy Creek Park, Sandy Creek Nature Center, The State Botanical Gardens, and at most, if not all, public libraries.

I, among many others, am glad about all of these programs, and especially glad that Pam Blanchard and the Sunny Side-Up Band are here for us to hear and hop around with and learn from as well.

Liz Conroy is originally from Ohio, and has worked for several years in hospital administration. Currently she is a homemaker caring for two small children in Jackson County.