Music and Movement at HPMS!
Fran Ouellette
Fran Ouellette has been teaching monthly creative movement classes for Highland Park Montessori School for 25 years! Fran was a preschool teacher from 1971 to 1973, and since then has specialized in teaching creative movement and dance for children. Fran's dance background includes gymnastics, yoga, pilates, ballet, modern dance technique, composition and improvisation.
Creative movement is non-competitive, whole-body movement that helps develop the child's body, mind, and spirit. Creative movement safely builds physical strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, cardio-vascular health and rhythmic awareness. Children also learn spatial and body awareness, and how to move safely with others. Imagination is encouraged along with listening skills and following directions. These activities help to build self-confidence and skills in leadership, cooperation, and respect for individual differences.
Singing with Kathy!
Once each week children share in the joy of song with Kathy. Kathy Lee has been with HPMS since 2019. She is a vocalist on the faculty of the Saint Paul Conservatory of Music, and has been an early childhood teacher and trainer for close to 30 years. Kathy has a passion for encouraging early musical literacy in young children as it comes so naturally to them. Children learn musical concepts as they engage in singing activities with one another, such as steady beat, high and low, fast and slow, loud and soft, and all that comes in between those opposites. Kathy also shares her talents with the Toddler Community once each week.
Playing With Music with Mark Sorvari
We found Mark through the Saint Paul Conservatory of Music. He was teaching ukulele there and we asked him if he'd like to give ukulele lessons to our 5-6 year olds. Over 4 years later, we have Ukulele Club each Friday, and Playing with Music once a week in the afternoon. We are so fortunate also to have his daughter, Mimiko, in Daralyn's room.
Mark is a professional musician, performer, teacher, and event curator. He is the Director of Playing with Music, which began in 2015, as a way to inspire, teach, and share music with young children and their caregivers. He has worked in early childhood since 2010, and has experience following the Reggio approach and is certified in Orff-Schulwerk and Music Together (music education pedagogies).
