Eurhythmics in Kindergarten - Sibylle Schura

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Eurhythmics in the context of working with children in kindergartens

Because eurhythmics is suitable for a wide range of age groups and areas of focus, e.g. in education, special education, art, on stage, dance and theatre, I would like to describe my definition of eurhythmics in the educational field for young children. I am guided by the terminology of Rudolf Konrad (1984) and incorporate my experience in educational practice with young children.

Key statement:

Eurhythmics is a method or process that aims to give children comprehensive access to their own abilities.

In my view, these abilities include perception, movement, emotionality, social behaviour and the intellectual abilities of the child.

The means of eurhythmics with which we work come from five areas, each of which is a separate discipline in its own right. These are: music, movement, perception, language and materials. The aim of eurhythmics in elementary education is to give children a playful introduction to these disciplines.

However, music plays the leading role in this context, as it has direct links to and acts as a catalyst for all other areas. Music permeates all other areas and allows them to interact with each other without losing the thread of the lesson.

First, I would like to ask a general question: What is the relationship between music and movement, perception, language and materials?

Music is perceived and quickly appeals to our emotions.

It often triggers movement, because it makes us dance or gives movement a temporal framework in which we move – for example, when we listen to music while jogging.

It contains structures that are also found in language – such as stressed and unstressed passages or the ups and downs of melodies in speech.

We can make music visible using materials and thus visualise an audible structure, thereby capturing it permanently. Those who cannot read music can draw what they hear by visualising short and long notes.

How are eurhythmics lessons developed using these five tools?

Rudolf Konrad described the diverse processes that take place in a eurhythmics lesson using these tools as fields of action. According to Rudolf Konrad, the fields of action relate to: sensory perception, interaction, group dynamics and aesthetics.

In the various fields of action in a music education context with young children, the child is given time and space to discover their own possibilities and ideas as well as those of the other children and to develop their own relationship to the means.

In concrete terms, this means that when working with children, they experience themselves through their sensory perception, interact with other children, develop creative ideas in and with the group, and thus gain access to a range of aesthetic content. This content can come from music, art, language, nature or science.

In relation to my film sequence, the following took place:

- The children observe the wind outside and its influence on the leaves; they see and feel (perception).

- They imitate what they have perceived and move like the leaves or the wind (movement).

- They describe and discuss their impressions and exchange their knowledge and experiences (language).

- Using the "wind puffs" material, they also gain haptic and auditory perceptions, visual perceptions, spatial orientation, balance experiences and a sense of self-awareness (material).

- Based on their experiences, they invent their own individual expression, which becomes their own dance accompanied by music (music).

All of the different tasks set in motion processes that involve emotions, social behaviour, cognition, motor skills and perception. For the child, it should simply feel good and they should enjoy these activities. The term "holistic" is often used to describe this. I don't particularly like it because it first needs to be defined what kind of holism we are talking about.

 

What is the goal of all these efforts in eurhythmics lessons?

Children have a right to be encouraged to develop all their talents and potential. Eurhythmics addresses and develops children's abilities in a comprehensive and child-friendly way. It prepares them comprehensively for life, their individual perspectives and their fulfilment in their careers and society.

 

Outlook:

We live in an increasingly digitalised world that offers us enormous opportunities and potential in our everyday lives... but also harbours dangers.

From a music teacher's point of view, the dangers for children lie in spending precious time sitting in front of a screen instead of engaging in lively, real-life interaction with other children. Digital worlds – i.e. simply using a computer – lead to a reduction in physical activity, as the necessary movements are confined to the fingers and the eyes have to look at the screen. Using a computer is therefore monotonous, leads to a lack of exercise and prevents children from developing their full vitality.

 

Finally, a few questions:

What happens if a child is not allowed to develop their motor skills?

How do we want to live in the future?

What value does our society place on individuality?

 

Conclusion:

Whatever the future holds:

In principle, human beings are a unity of body, soul and spirit.

The aim of eurhythmics, especially in elementary education with children, is to restore this unity again and again.

I therefore believe that the power that lies within every young person will always find its way so that the child can experience this unity.

 

Sibylle Schura: Lieder für kleine Ohren, Eres Edition 2326.

Rudolf Konrad: Erziehungsbereich Rhythmik, Gustav Bosse Verlag, Regensburg 1984.

 

Sibylle Schura – November 2020