Children Inc. | Growing Sound » David Kisor

Three Rules! 1-2-3!

Jordan — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:29:22 +0000

Okay, here’s the challenge (this is the way I start an exercise in workshops around the country for preschool teachers) – make up three rules that cover everything that occurs in your classroom. Three and only three rules must cover anything and everything that happens at school. The rules have to be stated in the positive; no “don’t”, “can’t” or “thou shall not”. The rules have to be simple enough for the children to understand. The rules have to always be true. For example “use your walking feet” would not always be true, since you can run outside, and therefore would not fit the criteria. So, 1) three rules to cover everything, 2) stated in the positive, 3) simple enough for the children to understand, and 4) always and forever true. You’ve got five minutes. Go.

What happens next is wonderful to watch; teachers in small groups working together to come up with three simple, positive, fundamental rules. Years of experience in making classroom rules with class after class is compared, contrasted, and combined. Anything negative and complicated is thrown out immediately. In the end, although the exact wording may differ from group to group, most groups write rules that center around three basic principles of social cooperation.

1) The first responsibility in any situation, for any given person, is the care and keeping of one’s own person. I must make sure my needs are met before I can meet anyone else’s needs. I need to correct what’s wrong with me before I look to correct what’s wrong with others. I am my first responsibility.

2) After one has taken care of one’s self, one looks to the wants and needs of those in the immediate environment. At home I care for my family after my needs are met. I am a good citizen in my community. At school I look after my peers and my teacher.

3) Along with caring for the other individuals in the environment, one cares for the environment itself. I keep my classroom and the entire school neat and clean. I clean and put things in order whenever I can, whether I was responsible for the mess or not.

After discussing the responses from each small group, I introduce the song “Three Rules” as I would to a preschool classroom for the first time with these words,

“Girls and boys, I know three rules. They all start with the same two words – ‘Take care…’

1) Take care of myself. 2) Take care of my friends. 3) Take care of my school.”

What if every child’s first experience with rules and rule making was a positive one? What if every child’s first experience with rule making was also about care taking? What if everyone in the world followed the three rules; taking care of self in the first place and then everyone around and then the environment? Would everything be taken care of? Yes!

Three Rules Music Video

Growing Sound Children’s Music is designed to help parents and teachers in their classrooms and homes build social emotional skills in young children.

Growing Sound in South Africa: Reflections

Megan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:06:26 +0000

When I think about my time spent in South Africa, it’s hard to stay away from clichés; life changing, an emotional rollercoaster, beyond every expectation, totally awesome! I’ve been back only a few days, so I haven’t had time to mentally or emotionally digest it all. I’m sure it will continue to ripple through my life forever. Yes, I am changed. Yes, I look at every face differently. I look at my own reflection in a different way. Some of the red dirt is still on my Chuck Taylors (they wear them there too, but call them All Stars). The sound of the children singing still rings in my ears. The rugged landscape still rolls across my mind. The smell of the scattered fires of the shanty town at dusk is more of struggle and longing than of wood or kerosene.

My dominant thought is that several of the core beliefs of my life have been confirmed:

We are more alike than we are different.
When we focus on assets and similarities rather than deficits and differences, answers to our questions come quicker and bring with them more joy.
Singing with children is always a good time no matter where you are in the world.
There’s always more to do than I have the time or energy to do. But my own song reminds me that my hands “…may be small, but they do what they can.” And so I breathe and smile.

I certainly want to go back someday and continue the work and the play. Whether I go back, or I pave the way for others to go and do their own good, is yet to be seen. A relationship has begun that needs to be nurtured in order to grow. It feels like an even exchange- one gives as much as one receives. Hearing my songs sung in Zulu and Sotho humbled me to the core. Someone halfway ‘round the world listened to one of my CDs and sang one of my songs today. Here in the USA I’m telling someone how my heart was touched and my life was changed. “I’m part of One World. I’m part of a Family. I’m part of One World. One World for me.”

David Kisor, June 23, 2009

Growing Sound in South Africa: Mamelodi Elementary School

Megan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:22:01 +0000

David Kisor delivered penny whistles and harmonicas, purchased by children from Children Inc. and members of the New Thought Unity Center, to the Open the Gates elementary school in Mamelodi, South Africa. After the camera was off the principal of the school and played both instruments, demonstrating skill and musicality. The administration will find a way to distribute the 190 instruments among the 1,200 students there. There is always more need than means.

David also sang with grade school children in the school courtyard. Each grade level assembled and sang for twenty minutes. This is the first time they had heard the song but were nonetheless very involved.

The children of Mamelodi, South Africa surely aren’t shy. These boys took the first line of the song I Can Do It and made it into their own chant. The exuberance of youth is universal.