The Program Room

This is not an actual podcast episode. This is more of an introduction and a goodbye rolled into one.
Listen to the show!

Final Message: Hello Goodbye Hello Goodbye


To download, right-click the title (option-click for Mac).

Click here to use iTunes. (It's a free download!)



If you just discovered this podcast on iTunes and you're like me, then you'll listen to this last episode first, and this will be your introduction to the podcast.

If you've been listening all along, then this is me signing off, reminding you of a few related resources you might want to check out.

Program Room Podcast Episodes

Here's a quick rundown of the seven Program Room Podcast episodes and interviews:

Episode 1 - Be Creative at Your Library - You can skip or listen to this one last - it focuses on the activities suggested in the 2009 summer reading manual.

Episode 2 - Making a Music Video. I talk to Steve McLinn who runs video making workshops with kids, and I talk to a young brother and sister team about how they make animated videos using lego sets.

Episode 3 - Booking a Performer. I talk to librarian Sue Busch, plus a panel of performers about things to keep in mind when booking for a library. If you book entertainment for your school or library, this is a good one to listen to.

Episode 4 - Using Music With Young Children. I speak with educators Carole Peterson and Betsy Zahniser in this episode about the benefits and methods for using music with preschoolers. If you work with preschool aged kids at all, this one is a must!

Episode 5 - Theater Games. I talk with Rozz Grigsby about how to play theater games with kids. This is awesome for almost any age, and we played these games during my librarian workshops and had a blast.

Episode 6 - Storytelling. Interviews with Dianne de Las Casas and none other than Bill Harley. If you are interested in storytelling at all, or if you work with elementary age kids, this episode is a must.

Episode 7 - Dance. Interviews with Peter and Mary Alice Amidon and with my daughter's P.E. teacher about how to play dance games and throw a dance party.

Unedited Interviews
There were three additional interviews that did not get put into a podcast episode. However they are available as unedited interviews, and they are very much worth checking out.

Additional Interview 1
Dr. Michael Bitz has worked to establish creativity at the core of academic learning. He speaks about his projects that have children creating comic books and running record labels!

Additional Interview 2
Professional storyteller, teaching artist, and author Karen Chace produces a yearly festival with her a student storytelling troupe. She speaks about how you can build a storytelling club at your library or school!

Additional Interview 3
Storyteller Eric Wolf speaks about the importance of storytelling and about his amazing resource, The Art of Storytelling With Children podcast.

Also available are the entire uncut interviews with Dianne de Las Casas, Rozz Grigsby, and Carole Peterson, as well as the panel discussion on how to book a performer.

Future Plans
You'll find this page here at www.TheProgramRoom.com until 8/26/2010.

After that you'll still be able to find all the podcast episodes at www.ReadingSongs.com, just go there and click on The Program Room.

I have no plan at the moment to continue the Program Room Podcast in its current form. However, I will keep all the episodes available for as long as I can. I think the content is too fantastic and important to just let it disappear!

If you find these episodes and interviews to be helpful and inspiring, let me know by posting a comment. If I hear from enough listeners, I'll consider reworking the podcast in a shorter format for a more general audience.

Creativity Workshop

This podcast was part of my research for a series of 13 workshops I presented in Spring 2009 for children's librarians in Kansas and Oklahoma. In the workshops, I taught that anyone can inspire kids to learn an art form, and I gave a practical framework for how to go about it. That framework was derived largely from the interviews in this podcast.

I do still offer the workshop on teaching creativity through the arts, and I can adapt it to the needs of your group. Just shoot me an email if you want to know more - monty at montyharper.com.

Traditional music and dance experts Peter and Mary Alice Amidon discuss their approach to performing for kids, creativity, singing games, and advice on how to present a community dance event. P.E. teacher Kelly Worthy shares her experience putting on an elementary school dance party. Plus lots of sample clips from songs that include their own dance instructions. Listen to the show! TPR 1.07: "Throw a Dance Party at Your Library" ^ Click the PLAY button to listen now. To download, right-click the title (option-click for Mac). Click here to use iTunes. (It's a free download!) The Amidons Peter and Mary Alice Amidon HomepagePeter's List of Traditional Dance Resources (.pdf)Jump Jim Joe: Great Singing Games for ChildrenDown in the Valley: More Great Singing Games for ChildrenWest Music CompanySongs! This episode is jam-packed with songs that are featured and/or mentioned in the interviews. Many of those songs are listed here, along with many many more. Consider these iTunes iMixes as a starting place for your own explorations. Both are filled with great useable dance music! Note: If the links don't work, then you likely don't have iTunes installed. It's a free download. If you don't want to use iTunes, you can email me to request a text version of the list. The Program Room Pop Dance Music iMix - These are songs kids probably know from popular media; many of them are connected to specific dances. Most of them work well with all ages - even teens. Do a quick YouTube search on any of these titles and you'll likely get to see these songs in action. This list includes songs recommended in the manual and songs recommended by Mrs. Worthy. The Program Room Danceable Kid Songs iMix - These songs all included dance or movement instructions within the lyrics. These songs will appeal mostly to elementary age kids. These lists are just the beginning - there's no shortage of great dance music out there for kids. Post a comment to let us know your favorites! Dance Resources on the Internet Country Dance and Song Society The Dance Gypsy Ballroom Dancers Please Thank Our Sponsor! Carole Peterson and her new CD, Dancing Feet!

Storyteller Dianne de Las Casas discusses ways of inspiring kids to tell their own stories, including story theater, board games, and fractured fairy tales. Storyteller Bill Harley discusses prompts that inspire children to tell their own tales, and both touch on the importance of this type of work with kids. Plus songs from Monty Harper and Bill Harley.



Listen to the show!

TPR 1.06: "Storytelling With Kids at Your Library"

^ Click the PLAY button to listen now.

To download, right-click the title (option-click for Mac).

Click here to use iTunes. (It's FREE!)



Guests

1. Dianne de Las Casas - homepage
• Dianne's Blog
• Dianne's Story Collection
• Story Theater Scripts
• Storytelling Games
• Literacy Activities
2. Bill Harley - homepage
• Bill's Song and PSA on the ALSC website
• Bill Harley on Amazon.com

Dianne Recommends Many Great Books!

Dianne recommended a long list of reference books, including some of her own, to help you get your kids started telling stories! You'll find them all listed in our Amazon.com store.

Bill Harley Recommends These Songs and Stories

Bill recommended these songs and stories of his (at my request) as prompts for encouraging kids to tell their own similar stories.
"You're in Trouble," available on the CD You're in Trouble - (lyric .pdf)
"Is Not Is Too," available on the CD Play It Again: Favorite Songs (& One New Story)
"Mrs. Lunchroom (story)," available on the CD Weezie and the Moonpies
"You're Not the Boss of Me (story)," available on the CD Play It Again: Favorite Songs (& One New Story)

Featured Songs

"Frog Song" by Monty Harper, available on The Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD
"At Your Library" by Bill Harley, available for free download from ALSC

Please Thank Our Sponsor!

The Music Box - 180 songs to use with young children, designed to make programming a snap.
Also available from TeacherStorehouse.com or Redleaf Press.

Rozz Grigsby, Education Director for Oklahoma Children's Theater, speaks about how to do theater games and story dramas with kids. Learn how to play Red Light, Freeze Dance, Space Walk, Screen Test, Magic Toybox, Whatchya Doin?, Echo, Freeze, Zip Zap Zop, Sound Orchestra, and Questions. Plus, a song from Funky Mama. Listen to the show! TPR 1.05: "Theater Games at Your Library" ^ Click the PLAY button to listen now. To download, right-click the title (option-click for Mac). Click here to use iTunes. (It's FREE!) Guests Rozz GrigsbyThe Uncut Rozz Grigsby Interview (.mp3)Oklahoma Children's TheaterFunky Mama - "Freeze Dance" Rozz Recommends These Reference Books for Theater Games Theater Games for the Classroom: A Teacher's Handbook, by Viola Spolin Drama of Color: Improvisation with Multiethnic Folklore, by Johnny Saldana Structuring Drama Work, by Jonothan Neelands and Tony Goode Acting Games: Improvisations and Exercises : A Textbook of Theatre Games and Improvisations, by Marsh Gary CassadyRozz Recommends these Authors / Books to Use for Story Drama For young children: Eric CarleAntoinette Portis - Not a Box, Not a StickDr. Seuss - The Lorax (Classic Seuss), Horton Hears a Who! (Classic Seuss), The Sneetches and Other Stories (Classic Seuss)P.D. Eastman - Are You My Mother? (Beginner Books), Go, Dog. Go! (Beginner Books)Julia Durango - Cha-Cha ChimpsMarcus Pfister - The Rainbow FishLeo Lionni - FrederickFor older children: Neil Gaiman - The Wolves in the WallsDaniel Manus Pinkwater - The Big Orange Splot Allan Ahlberg - Previously Chris Van Allsburg - The Mysteries of Harris Burdick Louis Sachar - Sideways Stories from Wayside School Also: Anything with animals that can be acted out Folk tales, fairy tales, standard stories Shel Silverstein poetry - Falling Up, A Light in the Attic, Where the Sidewalk Ends Books with no text, just illustrations Anything that's your favorite! Please Thank Our Sponsor! The Music Box

An interview with children's librarian Sue Busch on booking entertainment, plus a panel discussion on what to keep in mind when calling a performer to book a program, and two Halloween songs from Mr. Billy. Web References (from the Sue Busch Interview): Magician Kevin WadeMusician Monty HarperMexican Folkloric DancersJump Rope Master Peter NestlerStillwater Public LibraryThe legendary lost panel discussion:What to keep in mind when calling to book a performer (.mp3)Panelists (from the legendary lost panel discussion):Erin Lee KellyEric HermanMr. BillyDianne de Las CasasSteve SmithMonty HarperWeb References (from the legendary replacement panel discussion + more):These are places you can go to find/evaluate children's performers...YouTube; Monty on YouTube, Billy on YouTube, Eric on YouTubeCDBaby - music by location (select a state, then click kids/family on the right)Children's Music Network Children's Music Network on MySpaceKids Music Planet on MySpaceArts Over America - a directory of state arts agenciesChildren's Musicians by StateNational Library Performers DirectoryStoryteller.netWhat's your source for performers? Post a reply with your link and we'll add it to the list!Resources: Tips on Hiring a Performer, from Storyteller Priscilla Howe (.pdf)Video-Safe Music (.pdf)Sponsors: Mr. Billy and his "Big Pumpkin" CD (Songs in the podcast are: "On Halloween" and "Scarecrow A-Go-Go")ReadingSongs.com

An interview with music specialist Carole Peterson on why and how to use music with young children, plus an exclusive song from Stuart Stotts, and an interview with Betsy Zahniser about The Music Box, an early childhood music programming tool.

Listen to the show!
TPR 1.04: "Using Music With Young Children"

^ Click the PLAY button to listen now.
To download, right-click the title (option-click for Mac).
Click here to use iTunes. (It's FREE!)

Guests

1. Carole Peterson
   
2. Stuart Stotts
   
3. Betsy Zahniser and The Music Box

Resources

1. "Singing Is Good for Your Brain" song by Stuart Stotts (.mp3)
   
2. "Singing Is Good for Your Brain" lyric (.txt)
3. The Uncut Carole Peterson Interview (.mp3)

Sources for Toddler and Preschool Songs

1. The Children's Music Network
   
2. Kimbo Educational
   
3. Kididdles
4. Ella Jenkins
   
5. Hap Palmer
   
6. Raffi
   
7. Sharon, Lois & Bram
   
8. Tom Glazer
   
9. Wee Sing

Sponsors

1. ReadingSongs.com
   
2. Mr. Billy's Big Pumpkin CD
   
3. Please browse our Amazon.com Shopping Experience!

Interviews with Steve McLinn, Rhonda Turley, and Kathryn and Andrew about making music videos, plus Video-Safe Music.
Web References:

1. Steve McLinn
2. Apple Video Software
3. Windows Video Software
   
4. Piedmont Public Library
5. Kathryn and Andrew's YouTube Page

Videos:

1. "Catch the Reading Bug" Video
2. "The Princess and the Farmer's Son" Video

Songs:

1. "Library Party" by Gunnar Madsen
2. "We All Laugh in the Same Language" by Marla Lewis
3. "READ" by Rick Hubbard
   
4. "Señor Don Gato" by The Cat's Pajamas
5. "Drop Everything and Read" by Monty Harper
6. "There's a Pea on My Plate" by Bill Harley
7. "The Library Song" by Sue Schnitzer
8. "Messy Room Song" by The Hipwaders
9. "Bernie the Bubble Breathing Dragon" by Mr. Billy
10. "Blast Into Books" by Monty Harper
    

Resources:

1. Video-Safe Music (.pdf)

Sponsors:

1. ReadingSongs.com
   

Interviews with Sally Snyder and Julie Tomlianovich of the Collaborative Summer Library Program about the 2009 theme and manual.
Web References:

1. Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) Website
   
2. 2009 CSLP Children's and Teen Manual Outlines
   
3. David Catrow
4. Highsmith
   
5. Sally's desk!
   

Songs:

1. Imagine That by Monty Harper
   
2. Take Me to Your Library by Monty Harper
   

Books:

1. Plantzilla, by Jerdine Nolen, Brian Keliher, and David Catrow
   
2. Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon, by Patty Lovell and David Catrow

Sponsors:

1. ReadingSongs.com