Meet a Kindermusik educator: Betsy Flanagan

Name:
Betsy Flanagan

Location:
Madison WI & Surrounding Communities

Studio name and link:
Musical Pathways Foundation
www.musicalpathways.net

Number of years you’ve taught Kindermusik:
7

Describe yourself in five words or less:
Passionate & Loving People Coach

Favorite Kindermusik song:
Skinnamarink

Favorite Kindermusik activity, and why:
Tants, Tants Yidelekh:   Accesses all 6 regions as we dance and laugh as a community, while children enjoy and learn the timbres and tonality while feeling the structure, beat and sequence of the dance for cognitive, emotional, physical and language fun!  It’s a BLAST!

A proud moment in a Kindermusik classroom:
A class had begun the semester disconnected, parents unengaged with their children, and at the end of the semester were completely engaged in scaffolded, joyful play with their children.  Tears of joy came right then and there as I stepped back and watched this beauty in action.

Something your Kindermusik children or families have taught you (could be inspirational, humorous, practical, etc.):
Love has many different faces and we need to engage in relationships verses assumptions.   I will never again assume that someone is not enjoying my class because of how they look, because when we originally participated in the Loyalty Surveys, I discovered that people could Love you and not appear or communicate as we might expect.    Now I form relationships with all my families.   My life is richer and there will be no surprises!

Something funny a child has said or done in your classroom:
Walked into the middle of the Hello circle in Our Time and proudly pulled down his pants to show us his new Batman Bigboy pants – got so excited he peed right there.  Precious!

The reason you teach:
To change the world, one child, one family at a time.

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