Conferences for the Early Childhood Education in Long Island

Sara Shonfeld of Musical Minds presents her innovative and creative music and rhythm program at various educational conferences, schools and for the early childhood education.



Teachers learn new techniques at the rhythm and drumming workshop:

  • Break down the “insurmountable” into manageable pieces.
  • Become aware of their own tendencies and practice how to overcome obstacles.
  • Use rhythm to help rejuvenate.
  • Use drumming to help you transform stress.
  • Create and express yourself in a supportive group setting
  • Learn exciting techniques, rhythms, concepts and world music to help their students focus during learning new concepts.
  • The value of music for productive learning. Why use music? “When words fail, music speak” (H. C. Anderson).

Discussion and practice:

  • Music and drumming is a great way to connect. Play a drum, softly, louder, slow, fast, scratch, music help us to focus.
  • Circle games and ice breaking techniques.
  • How to connect? We mirror the body language. Expressing emotions, identify and “reading” them and then we will use the drum to reflect happiness, sadness, crying, laughing, being energetic, tired etc.
  • How are you feeling today? The kids are in charge! Let them show they feel today.

Teachers will learn and practice the following:

  1. How to attune to your students?
  2. Learn how To release anxiety or tension in the class / everyone.
  3. Conversation with drums.
  4. Let’s reflect and connect to our feelings.
  5. Vibrational touch.
  6. How to help a child when he/she is nonverbal
  7. Rhythmic Ostinato.
  8. Vocal Ostinato.
  9. Body Ostinato.
  10. I play a single beat and everyone answers with their beat/ grounding activity
  11. Connecting through singing and dancing
  12. Group activity (team building) people will create their own musical piece.

About Team building:

Drumming events are the perfect way to build teams:

  • A fantastic group activity that encourages people to work together.
  • Drumming is a great group activity that allows participants to break free from traditional organizational hierarchies.
  • Drumming puts all the members on an equal footing. Each person’s ontribution is recognized.
  • Inclusion. Anyone and everyone can have a go, irrespective of culture, language, age or fitness level.
  • Lack of competition promote working together to achieve the group’s goal.
  • Stress release. Drumming releases natural endorphins and the creative process of drumming enables people to relax.
  • Listening skills development. Drumming requires that participants listen to each other.
  • Everyone has to work together!