Should My Child Be Taking Classes During Covid-19

  Many studios and gyms across our nation have been working hard at developing new systems of class delivery and health protocols during this time of COVID-19. Some have been forced to be "locked down", and others have been working with area health officials, their insurance provider and their faculty and staff to continue to deliver their services to their area families. It has been a time of high stress, uncertainty and fear.

  But through it all, this is what we know. Children are not made to be locked down, They are a creature of constant movement, giggles and fun. Movement is their release for stress. Movement helps them to think and even work better in school. The one thing that should not be taken away, for any reason, is movement classes. Especially movement classes that actually teaches self confidence and resilience. Stopping these type of classes is like asking the person to stop breathing.

It is very important to a child to be in their movement classes right now. It is where they make and maintain friends that have a similar interest in having fun. It is where the music brings a playful mood or feeling. It is where the real world dissolves and the magical world, that all children want and need as a mental escape, appears. 

Movement classes offer so much for a child's growth and self esteem, that many movement instructors believe that it is vital to to all children's mental, physical and emotional health during the COVID-19 pandemic. And we believe that fully as well here at Academy of Fine Arts. It is why we are still offering classes and lessons, either virtually or in person.

Movement classes, music lessons and art classes have all been found to be beneficial to our well being as humans. It is why a brisk walk can lift your spirits and help with stress. It is why when you listen to calming music, you no longer are anxious. It is while painting a landscape , you may find yourself smiling. 

Instead of classes and lessons being thought of as an extra expense during a frightening pandemic, these may actually be the just right prescription to a healthier immune system. Classes and lessons can also be a happy distraction from every frightening moment due to COVID-19 and such great chaos and unrest in the world. 

There are many options for classes and lessons right now, from a free class on Facebook, to Zoom classrooms, in person small group classes and even private lessons. After 12 months of fear and uncertainty, it just may be the right time to research for a location that has 

1) health protocols in place, 

2)options for virtual or in person,

 3) private or small group classes, or 

4) an occasional free virtual class in your area.

Mary Myers is the Owner/Director of Academy of Fine Arts of Woodward OK

 

We are BACK! I'm going to get a little personal for a moment.

No, we did not go anywhere. It has just been many months since posting anything to our BLOG. So long, we did not even realize that Blogger has updated their look and style a bit! 

Why such a long time between posts? Family. Sometimes you just have to take a break and take care of family. And that is exactly what we did. Specifically, the absence was due to me needing to help take care of my parents needs, mostly my dad. Dad passed in May and I am beginning to catch my breath.....at least I think I am. Daddy had dementia for almost 30 years. 

I bring up my Dad because he was the beginning of what I now do. Daddy was a musician. Actually a very good musician. But he never had a lesson in his life. He played multiple instruments, guitar, western steel guitar, mandolin, piano, a little bit of banjo. And he played them all by ear.

Daddy would sit next to me at the piano and watch me practice. He would look at the music books I had in front of me and would say, "Looks like chicken scratches to me."  Then he would play the piano with me. Me playing from my books and Daddy adding chords. He is the one that taught me chords before I was even ready to learn them from Mrs. Evans, my first piano teacher.

Music was always in our house. From my uncles, aunts and cousins gathering at our house on the weekend to join in  the playing of music, to Daddy listening to his Gospel records on Sunday mornings. Music was a big part of our world, an important part of our world.......we just did not realize it at the time.

When Daddy started having to walk with a walker and was slowing down some, I got the idea to build him a Pandora account with all of his old country musicians he loved so much. I would turn it on when we would walk in the house. He and I would circle around from the living room to the dining room, then the kitchen and hallway that lead back to the living room. Some days, he would only walk four or five times around. Other days, he would walk as much as thirteen to twenty two times around ( I would write down each day how many times so it could be given to his physical therapist that visited him at home.). 

Daddy actually started getting stronger in his legs and would walk in tempo to the music, which made us laugh. When a quick two step would come on, I actually had a hard time holding onto his safety belt due to him walking to the tempo! Daddy really loved music. And I really love music, but I loved my Daddy more.

At his funeral, during the COVID-19 pandemic with so many regulations concerning safety at funerals, they played recorded music of Johnny Cash singing Amazing Grace and Alan Jackson singing I'll Fly Away. The morning of the day that Dad passed, he was in his wheel chair listening to music and I'll Fly Away came on. Daddy started nodding his head and tapping the beat with his fingers. When the song finished, he looked at me and smiled a crooked little smile. I said to him, "You really like that song." He responded with "Yeah". 

Early that evening, while setting in his recliner, my Daddy was sleeping and he took his last breath. No lengthy hospital stays or nursing home. He stayed home with mom, my husband and I,.............and his music. Music was his special drug that made everything bearable. It helped when he was in pain or could not sleep. It expressed when he was sad or happy. For many months it was the only way he could walk any distance.

Music has always been a part of my life in my home growing up, at school in the Junior and Senior High Schools, and in  my studio. I listen to music more than I even watch TV. Now music has even a more special part in my life. It holds the memories of my Daddy.

Mary Myers is the Owner and Director of Academy of Fine Arts in Woodward , Oklahoma.

Did Walmart Kill The Power Of The Sticker?

 Teachers and parents throughout  more than a few generations have used stickers to reward children for good behavior or good work on their school papers. But, have you found lately that children are less than interested in stickers lately? That the "sticker" seems to of lost it's special super powers?

 Some could say that stickers are not as rewarding today as they were before the internet age. Others might add that children are overindulged these days, and a paper sticker does not match up to being given a cell phone. And there is probably some  truth in both statements.

 But can looking at all details and a trip to Walmart reveal a new answer all together! Remember the Walmart Greeters at the doors? Does your Walmart still offer that smiling, older adult image to greet you and your children?  If so, watch the greeter and see if you can see what we  have encountered here.

The greeters are very nice and sweet. Older adults that are just trying to supplement their monthly funds or wanting to be out among people. They say "Hello, welcome to Walmart." They make you smile and then it happens...….. out come the yellow smiley face stickers, and they are offering them to your children or grandchildren.

A gesture that seems harmless, they smile at your child and the child smiles back at them. You remind your child to say "Thank you" to be polite. Your child continues through the store with you, smiling with their bright yellow sticker. All is well. Or is it...….

A couple of years ago, I was putting tiny smiley face stickers on turned out little feet in ballet class. They were smiling and showing their first position in ballet class. If it was great effort (not looking for perfection due to the age group), I place a smile sticker on one of their shoes. The left shoe to be correct, because we were working on which was left and which was right.

Stopping in front of a student that was not making an effort, I encouraged her to give it a try so that I could give her a smiling sticker. Her blonde head and blue eyes looked up at me and she said, "That's okay. We are going to Walmart after class and they give you a sticker for just showing up!"  Hmmmmm, time to rethink about stickers to encourage work in class or to reward effort.

Offering stickers to our students has been a challenge in recent years, which means we have had to find "work arounds" to become creative, using layering strategies to help the children want to complete class or an assignment in great fashion. After some trial and effort, a new system was designed, and you guessed it! The system includes stickers!!

A couple of systems have been tried in the last couple of years, with some to little success. So we continued to work on the system to make it more fun, while still directing young children towards greater success in class. A new system will begin in October of this year and more details will be emailed out to parents, so that they can encourage their child to continue completing their class and work in high fashion.

Students are still encouraged to work hard in class and on certain movements or elements in class. Stickers are given out for effort, participation, completion in class (did not ask to sit down or refused top participate), knowledge of skill (recall from other lessons/classes), attention to proper behavior in class, leadership and camaraderie. Musicians are also awarded stickers for returning their practice forms , fully filled out and signed by a parent.

Once a student is able to fill their form with stickers, they are rewarded by spinning a wheel for a prize. Prizes can be a trip to the treasure box to select their own prize, candy, a t-shirt, gym bags and more! Prizes will change every six to eight weeks to keep the interest fresh. At the end of the season, during the recital a drawing will be held of all of the students that were able to spin the wheel. One grand prize will be awarded.

So, back to the question, "Did Walmart kill the power of the stickers?" Did they? There are no greeters at most Walmart stores these days to observe and test the idea that this was part of the demise of the power of stickers we used in classes. It does appear that stickers lost their magic in our classes. Was it because of the big yellow stickers with happy faces? Or was it because the greeters were so nice, they did not dare ask the kids "Did you do well in school today?" or "Have you been good for mom today?" before offering the sticker. Life  just became too easy to get that big yellow sticker. Why work for it when it can be given to you.

So, Walmart may of had something to do about the demise of the power of offering a sticker to our students, or maybe not. But for sure the little student telling me it was okay she did not earn a sticker in class, because she could get one at Walmart with no effort  may just be the worst thing in her lifetime. Work ethics are learned early. So if you still have greeters at your local Walmart, help them out with a run down of questions before the sticker is handed to your child.
Have you used your manners today?
Have you been a friend to someone today?
Have you did your best today?
Did you complete your chores?
Did you complete your homework?
Have you read a book today?
Have you worked hard today?

It does not hurt them to work for the sticker. It makes them stronger for the future.


Mary Myers is the owner/ Director of Academy of Fine Arts located in Woodward OK

Our Enid Location!!

The Enid location is coming to life! Yea!!! Yes indeed! Some classes, as we have confirmed and hired teachers, are now live for registration on line! So be sure to go to www.academyoffineartsok.com and go to the online registration page to start checking things out (we have put up a better explanation of how to find the classes for your location!

We welcome students from Enid, Ringwood, Drummond, Lahoma, Bison, Waukomis, Garber, Hennessey, Fairmont, Pond Creek, Cleo Springs, Cherokee, Alva, Carrier, Hillsdale, Kremlin, Hunter, Jet, Nash, Helena, Goltry, Ames, Okeene, Kingfisher, Dover, Covington, Billings, Medford, Deer Creek, Fairview and other towns surrounding Enid.

Watch our website and Facebook pages for announcements of classes enrolling and start dates for fall 2013!

Why A Boys Program?

WHY SELECT A BOYS DEVELOPMENTAL TUMBLING PROGRAM OVER OTHER SPORTS PROGRAMS?
Because it is a fact:

1.Tumbling and dance provide a variety of physical challenges that encourage the development of agility, flexibilty,balance and coordination.

2.Tumbling and dance are based upon control of the body, as well as the timing, positioning, balance and coordination of movement that defies gravity.

3.In tumbling and dance, the motor and sensory systems in the body are provided an excellany opportunity to develop basic functional relationships that carry throughout adulthood.

4.Tumbling and dance students are more aware of their body as an extension of their minds.

5.Tumbling and dance training allows for basic movement sequences to develop and be stored for later activities such as competitive sports. Competitive sports programs do not take the time to perfect movement sequences with every child. This is why some will always sit the bench while other play.

6. Tumbling and dance allows for motor programming of two or more muscles at a time giving the athlete simultaneous control of two or more actions. Tumbling and dance ARE athletic and are considered sports.

7. The motor programming that a person receives up to age 10 years is the level that most experts believe is carried throughout adulthood. How well they balance on a log at age 10 years will be the how well they can balance on a log in adulthood. More balance is obtained after age 10 years, but as we age and start loosing balance skills, some kinetic specialists believe you only loose back down to age 10 years.

8. Today, athletes study dance as part of their training for several sports. Over the years, dance forms have been adapted and integrated into training for a variety of sports. Dance has been an important part of gymnastics and figure skating for years, but in the 1980's, football, basketball, skiing and diving teams began to study dance disciplines and to recognize them as an important part of training programs.

9. Professional dance companies have featured popular sports stars in their productions. World-class athletes such as Olympic gold medalist diver Greg Louganis, basketball star, Michael Jordan, professional football players such as Heisman trophy winner Herschel Walker and former Chicago Bears player Willie Gault have studied and been featured with professional dance companies.

10. In the past two years, a collegiate study was conducted in California as to who was stronger. Athletes or dancers? Dancers each time stood out as the strongest in being measured up against collegiate athletes.

The facts state the obvious. Developmental tumbling and dance training beats ALL OTHER sports programs hands down for children ages 2-12 years of age. Development specialists state that a program offering skipping, jumping, hopping, balancing, throwing and rhythmic movements should be chosen over competitive programs for ages 2-10 years of age.

Want to give your child an edge over the other athletes later or just in life general? Then highly consider registering into a dance and or tumbling program right away.