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Published: 20 May 2013

Created: 20 May 2013

Last Updated: 20 May 2013

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According to the experts, "families should immerse their children as early as possible in a music-rich environment. Jackie Freimor, Director of Scarsdale's Over the Moon Music and More, has provided this list of ten reasons why children should be immersed in music as early as possible based on the latest research.

For one, all children are musical, meaning they are born with the potential, or aptitude, to learn to participate in the music of their culture. All children can achieve basic music competence—the ability to sing in tune and move with accurate rhythm. Children are "wired" to achieve basic music competence by the age of about 3 years. However, by the time they enter kindergarten, approximately 50% of American children cannot tell the difference between their singing voice and their speaking voice, and many of them cannot walk to the beat or perform simple motor patterns. How can this be? For the most part, it's because although music aptitude is inborn, music learning is determined by environmental factors. These environmental factors include parental modeling, which, as in all aspects of child development, is essential.

Also important is immersion in a musically rich, non-performance oriented environment, in which children feel free to play and experiment. Because children teach themselves through play and experimentation, parents and other caregivers do not have to have good music skills themselves in order to model them for their children. All they need to do is to engage in enthusiastic musical play with their children; the children will take it from there.

Parents should be patient with and nonjudgmental about their children's musical experimentation, as musical development occurs in stages, over time. For example, parents need to know that children "babble" musically, much in the way they "babble" linguistically, in the process of acquiring the musical skills they need. Singing in tune is a complex acquired skill that requires the ability to audiate—that is, to "hear" music in one's head—before being able to replicate the sounds vocally.

Making music is as basic a life skill as walking and talking, as music is one of the multiple intelligences through which children know the world and are able to express themselves in it. Although music learning is a human birthright and is desirable for its own sake, research has shown that music learning supports all aspects of children's cognitive, linguistic, physical, and social emotional development.

According to Jackie, "You don't have to take a music class to support your child's musical development." But as our culture grows increasingly focused on the consumption of music instead of the production of it, more and more parents are confessing that they're insecure about their ability to foster their children's musicality.

That's why Jackie and Over the Moon Music and More are offering the Music Together Program. They are "passionate about bringing children and their caregivers closer through shared music making and helping people discover the joy and educational value of early music experiences."

The Music Together Program is held on 78 Garth Road in Scarsdale. Classes are available for children from birth through kindergarten age with an adult caregiver adult caregiver and for 5- through 7-yearolds with or without an accompanying adult. For more information, contact Jackie Freimor via phone at (914)-722-2025 or via email at [email protected].

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Published: 28 May 2013

Created: 28 May 2013

Last Updated: 28 May 2013

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May is an important month for Edgemont's Jack Klion. On the 26th, he turns 14. But May 15 also marked the beginning of National Tourette Syndrome Month, important to Jack because he has the often misdiagnosed and misunderstood disorder.

The eighth-grader, a scrappy hockey player who's a major fan of the New York Rangers, recently traveled to Washington, DC, to participate in the National Tourette Syndrome Youth Ambassador Program, which trains teens to advocate for themselves and for others afflicted with Tourette's, and to provide their peers and younger children with accurate information about TS by going into classrooms, schools and clubs to speak about the disorder.

"It was a lot of fun," said Jack, who teamed up with his mother, Jennifer Rosin, at the Washington program. Forty-six teen-agers representing 29 different states participated in this year's program, which was held in the spring.

"The whole focus was on training us to become ambassadors for Tourette's," said Jack. "Our job is to educate other kids about what Tourette's really is."

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, its official name, is a condition that causes a person to make repeated, quick movements or sounds they cannot control. The movements or sounds are called tics.

The syndrome, which is four times as likely to occur in boys as in girls, is believed to be linked to problems in certain areas of the brain, and can be severe or mild. In fact, many people with very mild tics may not even be aware of them or seek medical help. A small percentage of people have more severe forms of Tourette syndrome, including vocal tics and outbursts.

Youth Ambassadors, said Jack, also met with their representatives and staff in the U.S. Congress, speaking to them about the syndrome and asking them to continue funding for the Tourette Syndrome Association and for the Centers for Disease Control, which has helped out by conducting research into Tourette's.

"The more funding that's received, the more research that can be done," said Jack. With more research, those afflicted with TS over the years have benefited from improved medications to treat their symptoms.

Jack, who currently has a mild form of Tourette's, was diagnosed when he was in the first grade. "In the fourth grade, things got terrible," he said. "I would repeat every sentence, and I would get tics whenever I tried to say words that started with 't' and 'r'."

A variety of drugs were prescribed to help Jack overcome the symptoms, but some gave him nightmares and others made him tired and foggy.

"Then, I'll never forget it -- I was on a ski trip in Colorado, and suddenly noticed that my tics had subsided," he said.

His Washington trip reminded Jack that Tourette's comes in many different forms. He spoke of one youth ambassador who lives in upstate NewYork and had to travel to Long Island from his home to find a physician qualified to treat the syndrome. He also expressed admiration for youth ambassadors who suffered from more severe forms of TS than his own.

Jack also has been inspired by Edgemont's own Ethan Kempner, a 2011 EHS graduate who also served as a Youth Ambassador and has advocated on behalf of young people afflicted with TS. Ethan currently attends Tufts University.

Jack has already spoken to seventh and 11th grade classes in Edgemont, as well as Fifth graders at Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary School in White Plains. He hopes the students he talks to will better understand and become more tolerant of those afflicted with Tourette's.

To learn more about Tourette syndrome, visit the National Tourette Syndrome Association website.

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Published: 15 May 2013

Created: 15 May 2013

Last Updated: 15 May 2013

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Do high school students need to spend their summers building their college resumes? That's a question only you and your child can answer. But perhaps the answer is not black and white ... there are ways to have fun and enrich your life as well. Here are a few ideas for summer activities the build character, provide life lessons and are enjoyable as well. Contributed by local college advisors Breakaway Prep here's a list of summer suggestions for teens:

1. Read
If we had to suggest one thing that would increase your grades and SAT scores, make you a better writer, a better student, and increase your knowledge of the world, it would be to read as many good books as possible. Read newspapers and magazines, even check out a trashy novel or two. But read!

2. Volunteer
One of the best things you can do this summer is to volunteer in your community. You don't have to travel around the world or sign up for an expensive, flashy project to do something meaningful. There are plenty of valuable local charities that need your help and would work around your schedule. Call Family Services of Westchester, HOPE Community Services in New Rochelle, Mamaroneck's Community Action Program (CAP) or whatever meets your interest. It is never too late to sign up, and volunteer work is challenging and rewarding.

3. Work/Intern
Summer jobs and internships are great opportunities to learn new skills and meet new people. Call local law firms, publishers, radio stations and offer to work for free. If you need the cash, baby sit, clean neighbors' houses, tutor kids, flip burgers—there's always something you can do to expand your horizons and maybe even make some money.

4. Learn Something
Just because school's out is no reason to shut off your mind. Instead of learning the concrete curriculum, teach yourself something totally off the roster. Learn about jazz, cooking, modern art, French films, whatever interests you. Summer is the perfect time to take control of your education and to learn things that you're interested in at your own pace.

5. Check out Colleges
Go to a library or bookstore and check out the many books on colleges. Surf the web and explore different college web sites. Think about what you want in a college. Do you want to go to a large state university, a small liberal arts college, or something in between? If you can, visit local campuses to get a sense of what college life is about. Looking for a city school? Check out NYU, Columbia and Fordham. Want to see what a small liberal arts campus feels like? Visit Sarah Lawrence and Manhattanville. Always wanted to go to a state school? SUNY Purchase is right in Westchester. Even if you're nowhere near the schools that interest you most, visiting a college and talking to professors, administrators and current students is a great first step.

6. Take a Hike
No matter where you live in the US, it's a short trip to some form of wilderness. This summer might be the perfect time to start hiking, to get out of the city or the suburbs, and hang with Mother Nature.

7. Prepare for the SAT
The SAT is a pretty terrible test, causing much anxiety and measuring little more than how well you take the SAT. Unfortunately, it's an incredibly important test and if you don't prepare for it, you're losing out to the hundreds of thousands of students who are. Take courses, use books or software, but prepare for the SAT! Summer affords you plenty of time to do this and Breakaway Prep offers classes and tutorials to fit any schedule.

8. Do At Least One Thing You've Never Done Before
Experiment. Do something great. Act in a play, spend time with senior citizens, skydive, learn karate. The beauty of it is you're making your own agenda. Nobody's telling you what to do, so go crazy.

9. Keep a Journal
Along with how well you read, the ability to write well is one of the most important skills you can develop. And, it is no secret that colleges and future employers value strong writing skills. Keeping a journal is a pressure-free way to express yourself and practice your writing. And it's a lot more fun than writing essays and book reports.

10. Network
Interested in the University of Wisconsin? Talk to someone who goes there. Curious about a career in medicine? Set up a meeting with a doctor or nurse in the area to learn what the job is really about. You'll get a good sense if you're still interested in following those paths and you'd be surprised how happy people are to talk to someone who's interested in what they do.

Breakaway Prep helps guide families though the process of researching, finding, and applying to the right colleges and universities. Breakaway Prep believes that "match-making" is an integral part of selecting schools, and it strives to help families find the right fit. This summer, Breakaway will offer several local 4-day college admission "boot-camps" where rising seniors can actively work with Breakaway counselors on preparing their college applications, developing a college list and timeline, and writing their essays. These sessions will be held at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale. Click here for more information.