A talent show

My centre has some special features of ICT. The ICT tools used are a smart board, an overhead projector, a desktop computer, two digital cameras, a printer, some educational software CDROMs and access to the Internet. The staff members take advantage of these ICT devices to offer the children many learning opportunities.

Recently the preschool children have been fascinated with dancing. They enjoy watching and copying dance videos on YouTube. They are always asking the teachers to watch them dancing. This morning, when a dancing and singing video was on, K called out: “Virginia, look at me. I’m dancing.” D said to K: “Can you dance like this?” F said: “Look at me, Virginia. I can do this” while wriggling her body. I replied: “Good dancing. Can I join you?” Then F started to teach me how to dance like her. Then I noticed D was holding a long block to imitate the musicians on the video who are holding a microphone in their hands and K was pretending to play a guitar.

At this time, T started to dance and did forward rolls. The other children had to stop to make a space for him. I quietly grabbed chairs and put them along the edge of the mat and indicated to the other children to sit down to watch T’s performance. This was really like a “talent show”. T’s rolling performance won him heaps of claps and he showed his excitement on his face. Then the rest of the children took turns to perform their dancing or singing. The second performer is D. When he was sure it was his turn, he announced loudly: “OK, it’s my turn.” D held a “microphone” in his hand which actually was a hexagonal prismatic wooden block. I asked him: “What you are going to perform, dance or sing?” D replied: “I’m gonna sing.” When D was singing, another two boys K and Z joined him. Even though D was not informed in advance, D wasn’t surprised or stopped by their sudden appearance. The two boys stood separately behind D with one on his left and the other on his right. K held a long wooden block as a “guitar” to play and Z held a “microphone” in his hand to song alongside K. This band’s spontaneous chorus was very successful, even though they did not rehearse. When they finished their performance, they got claps from the audience. D said happily: “This is the stage!” Then some other children took turns to perform as well. All the “performers” in this “talent show” looked comfortable when singing or dancing.

The children had strong confidence to show their interests and they had their own special strengths in this “Talent show”. The “talent show” was an awesome experience for everyone. The children explored great expressive variation: dancing to the music in their own ways, singing alongside the singer on the video or pretending to play a musical instrument. In addition, their knowledge on modern technology was promoted by the Internet, YouTube website and the visual and audio effect created by the combination of a computer, a projector and a big screen. Music experience is emphasized in Te Whāriki which states children should develop an expectation that music and dance can amuse, delight, comfort, and excite (Ministry of Education, 1996). However, without ICT, how can we access music? Therefore, this “talent show” also developed the children’s learning on how ICT devices function and what a great time ICT is able to bring to us.

The children at my centre also enjoy and are willing to experience different cultural music. I will continue to extend their interests in music, dancing and singing by providing them with a range of music videos to watch, to sing and dance along too. Besides, using a real microphone for their singing show will be interesting.



Rreferences:

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.