The May/June 2015 READING TODAY published by the International Literacy Association has an inspiring account of a community wide reading initiative. In her article One Community, One Book, author, Elisa Mayo asked: “Encouraging students to read at school is one thing but can a school encourage reading inside the home with positive, sustainable results?” She told how the school, the homes, the businesses–the entire community bonded by communicating through email, social media, paper brochures, newspaper, and visual arts forming book clubs and discussions at the work place, parks, playgrounds, at schools and community centers. It was a great example of the power of literature to bring people of all ages together and of helping to boost literacy in their community.

What if we could share a song this way? Or a favorite rhyme?  We recently concluded our music classes that started families on a pathway of music development allowing them to embrace, enjoy, and express the musicality expressed by each of us.  Grandparents in the class told me how they loved the bonding. Our youngest children responded to music with recurring gestures (bouncing the torso and waving arms to the beat!) The nurturing of each child’s potential to make music occurred in our rich music-making environment through the tender dispositions–attitudes and life habits–learned from parents and grandparents in class.  Continuing the singing and movement activities done in class gives families multiple opportunities to confidently participate with joy and ease in music experiences for the rest of their lives!  One Community, One Song– ahhh, the Love of Learning!