Dad got home at 3pm – and as tired as he was – he still was happy to see me and go and get changed, pack a bag of snacks for us and the ducks and some water, and then we would go out.

When we arrived at the park – I was holding mum’s hand and was trying to pull her and run to the park. Mum said to me not to go too far as the lake was right there next to the path and it could be dangerous for me, in case I fall in.

I walked over with Mum and dad followed close by, and we took the bread over to the ducks to eat.  All the ducks, water birds and seagulls came over in a huge attack and lunged over each other to get the bread. I laughed it was very funny.

When I was at the lake I noticed that it was really big, there was a water fountain but it wasn’t running, and saw lots of people walking around with their dogs, and there was some other children and their mums and dad’s at the playground.

I don’t have any siblings. I am 4 years old and I go to Kinder.

Kinder is a short drive away from home. I love going to Kinder as I have two good friends called Amyrah and Amber. They are my best friends and I love them.

In the distance I can see many humans and non humans (dogs) walking all around the lake.  I can see a man approaching the lake and it what looks like some food and he throws it into the lake and all the birds flock with great force and energy to pounce on one another to get to the food.

I can hear other wildlife all around the lake – birds in different little pockets, some on the far side of the lake. Some flying past. I can see a duck land on the water.

I contemplate various thoughts about life. I sit and wait and try and be still and soak up the small amount of warmth from the sun although its very windy...  I can sit here, and wonder about the still ness and the quietness. I soak up all the sounds around me.

To be still brings peace and it brings understanding.  

I also look back at R Murray Schaffer’s video (Session 2)  – he also states that the world is a huge composition around us. We are living in times of sound overkill.  He also said “from a loud environment to silence and listening means that our ears would be trying to process the sounds/soundwaves”.

I really think he gets us to contemplate the sounds all around us.

Its quiet, I hear the water moving, the wind picking up and the trees moving about like they are flexible bendable sticks, I hear the various birds, I hear the tricking of the fountain.  I sit in the quietness. Everything has stopped in place.

Deep listening provides an aspect of mindfulness and would help with our own mental health and wellbeing, as im sure it would be just as important for our children. Providing a quiet space would be to respect all the children in our care.

As an adult, I sit here and contemplate life.  It is still and peaceful. I hear various sounds of nature and I smile as its beautiful and serene.  A wise woman once said “ When we are young, we want to experience the loudness of life. When we become older – we appreciate the quieter life” (Salatino,F 2024) and she was right.

References:-

R Murray Schafer (Session 2)

David New (2009) https://www.nfb.ca/film/listen/

Dadirri, Inner Deep Listening & Quiet Still Awareness - Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr 1988

Salatino, F (Session 5 2024)

Movement means to move your body - It is a form of art which helps us re invent ourselves and look at things around us in a different perspective. We now understand that children do need relationships between dance music and movement.

Drama is a form of story telling.

It is a subject in art, expression and communication and can assist us to develop our knowledge in childrens dramatic play. Drama is also a way to express feelings in different ways.

Dance is expressive art that connects with physical movements with creativity.

Sound - water, wind, ducks, water birds, other birds, humans, non humans (dogs)

Movement - birds moving about on the water and surrounding park lands, humans walking around the lake

Drama - Children walking and playing on playground, families nearby

In unison - together we can experience these all at the same time. A Musical event, a performance of drama and dance. Sound/Movement, Movement/Drama, Drama/Sound can be used in different ways to acheive different perspectives.

Combination - Sound/Movement and Drama -

• By using these elements together makes me think what experiences can I create for children to use them all together or using two at a time - experiences could be tap sticks and using our voices to make sounds, getting children to use instruments in a circle, we could sing collectively - these are just some items we could do at an EC centre.

  • Smell - the clean outside air, the smell of the water on the lake,

    Hear - ducks making sounds on the lake, water moving due to wind, water is also moving against the concrete barrier that surrounds it, I can hear the seagulls moving around.

    Feel - I can feel the wind, its moving me like its wrapt its arms around me to move, the wind is very strong.

    Taste - I can taste the air all around me

    Sense - I can sense others around me, I can sense the water birds looking at me for food.

     

    At times I felt alone, but I relished the opportunity to be alone with my thoughts, and appreciate the quiet and listen to the wind trying to tell its story. This is a good opportunity to reflect on my own mental health and wellbeing.

    Overall - I also think about how this tool could benefit the children we work with.

    
    

    Children use drama and movement thru play to role play as well as telling their stories this way. Children would also be able to use sound as a way to communicate to educators and peers - to explain their play and to use their voice.

    This experience has taught me to think with a different perspective.

    I can see children using different languages in play when interacting with each other thru play

Unit Readings

When thinking about the deep inner listening and Dadirri

(Ungunmeer 1988) Deep listening provides an aspect of mindfulness and would help with our own mental health and wellbeing, as Im sure it would be just as important for our children. Providing a quiet space would be to respect all the children in our care.

As an adult, I sit here and contemplate life.  It is still and peaceful. I hear various sounds of nature and I smile as its beautiful and serene.

A wise woman once said “ When we are young, we want to experience the loudness of life. When we become older – we appreciate the quieter life” (Salatino,F 2024) and I am starting to understand this myself, she may be was right.

I also look back at R Murray Schaffer’s video (Session 2)  – he also states that the world is a huge composition around us. We are living in times of sound overkill.  He also said “from a loud environment to silence and listening means that our ears would be trying to process the sounds/soundwaves”. I really think he gets us to contemplate the sounds all around us.

Each art form is a different means of expression and communication, each with its distinct language and processes. This means that each art form such as sound/movement/dance and drama has different meanings in different ways. (Roy et al., 2015 Ch 1 Pg 2)

When we try to understand this meaning - we all have our own interpretations to understand the material we are engaging in. No two people will think the same and understand the doing the same.

By gaining the understanding and knowledge of how music movement and dramatic arts - I will be sure to encourage sound, and movement and dance/arts within my classroom.

I will be sure to encourage children to dance, sing and movement in any way or aspect the children desire.

Children will be able to communicate, tell stories and encourage each other to learn through play and see how beneficial this will be for their holistic development.

I would like to build a foundation for learning and encourage that for the little people we educate daily. We should be grasping the knowledge of how the environment is the third teacher, and being able to educate children inside and outside the classroom and I think thats very important for the industry as a whole.