The way you can measure a society’s soul is by the way that it treats its children.
Nelson Mandela
Issue No. 40 – 14th June 2007
Welcome to Kidz Newz especially to all new subscribers. Kidz Newz is a regular newsletter with information and teaching tips for anyone involved with young children. You are receiving this because you have attended one of my workshops, purchased a book, or you have requested to be on the mailing list. Thank you. Please forward this to anyone you feel it may be of interest to.
Feedback is welcome.
My PD/Conference Updates
ECCPA (Early Childhood Conference of Performing Arts) Genazzano FCJ College, Cotham Road, Kew, Melbourne 16th and 17th June 2007. My presentation will be on multicultural music and movement.
ASME (Australian Society for Music Education) 40th Anniversary Conference. Perth (Western Australia) Convention Centre 6-10 July 2007. I will be presenting two workshop sessions –
Movement and Dance in the Early Childhood Classroom
Multicultural Music and Movement.
CAYPAKS (Children And Young People Are Key Stakeholders) Conference Perth Western Australia 23-25 July 2007. I will be conducting a Skills and Activity Based Workshop titled “Using Music and Movement to Empower Children at Risk”.
New Book
The much anticipated second book in the Kidz-Fiz-Biz series has finally arrived! It is called Kidz-Fiz-Biz MULTICULTURAL. Subtitle is ‘learning about other cultures through drama, dance and song’. All the rhymes, fingerplays and music are in foreign languages with translation into English. It contains loads of activities and is fully illustrated. The music is fantastic and I’m sure teachers and children alike will find it great fun. It is literally hot off the presses as I only took delivery of the books this morning. I’m presuming the CDs will arrive this afternoon. Phew! To say it has been a challenge would be the understatement of the year. I was going to write an article about what happened to me along the way, but then I came across this fantastic article by Paulo Coelho, reproduced below, which explains my journey ever so much more eloquently than I could.
The book will retail for A$95.00 including GST. As a special offer to all Kidz Newz readers for the months of June and July it will be package and post free (saving of A$9.00 in Australia, $15.00 outside Australia). I will also throw in a free copy of my E-Book, Triumphs and Tribulations, which is about my journey into self-publishing. Email me directly to get this special offer – info@kidzfizbiz.com.
For details of other products, please go to www.kidzfizbiz.com. The same special offer applies.
How to Climb Mountains: ~ by Paulo Coelho
Choose the mountain you want to climb:
don’t pay attention to what other people say, such as ‘that one’s more beautiful’ or ‘this one’s easier’. You’ll be spending lots of energy and enthusiasm to reach your objective, so you’re the only one responsible and you should be sure of what you’re doing.
Find out how to reach the mountain:
mountains are often seen from far off ‘ beautiful, interesting, full of challenges. But what happens when we try to draw closer? Roads run all around them, flowers grow between you and your objective, what seemed so clear on the map is tough in real life. So try all the paths and all the tracks until eventually one day you’re standing in front of the top that you yearn to reach.
Learn from someone who has already been up there:
no matter how unique you feel, there is always someone who has had the same dream before you and ended up leaving marks that can make your journey easier; places to hang the rope, trails, broken branches to make the walking easier. The climb is yours, so is the responsibility, but don’t forget that the experience of others can help a lot.
When seen up close, dangers are controllable:
when you begin to climb the mountain of your dreams, pay attention to the surroundings. There are cliffs, of course. There are almost imperceptible cracks in the mountain rock. There are stones so polished by storms that they have become as slippery as ice. But if you know where you are placing each footstep, you will notice the traps and how to get around them.
The landscape changes, so make the most of it:
of course, you have to have an objective in mind ‘ to reach the top. But as you are going up, more things can be seen, and it’s no bother to stop now and again and enjoy the panorama around you. At every meter conquered, you can see a little further, so use this to discover things that you still had not noticed.
Respect your body:
you can only climb a mountain if you give your body the attention it deserves. You have all the time that life grants you, as long as you walk without demanding what can’t be granted. If you go too fast you will grow tired and give up half way there. If you go too slow, night will fall and you will be lost. Enjoy the scenery, take delight in the cool spring water and the fruit that nature generously offers you, but keep on walking.
Respect your soul:
don’t keep repeating ‘I’m going to make it’. Your soul already knows that, what it needs is to use the long journey to be able to grow, stretch along the horizon, touch the sky. An obsession does not help you at all to reach your objective, and even ends up taking the pleasure out of the climb. But pay attention: also, don’t keep saying ‘it’s harder than I thought’, because that will make you lose your inner strength.
Be prepared to climb one mile more:
the way up to the top of the mountain is always longer than you think. Don’t fool yourself, the moment will arrive when what seemed so near is still very far. But since you were prepared to go beyond, this is not really a problem.
Be joyful when you reach the top:
cry, clap your hands, shout to the four winds that you did it, let the wind – the wind is always blowing up there – purify your mind, refresh your tired and sweaty feet, open your eyes, clean the dust from your heart. It feels so good, what was just a dream before, a distant vision, is now part of your life, you did it!
Make a promise:
now that you have discovered a force that you were not even aware of, tell yourself that from now on you will use this force for the rest of your days. Preferably, also promise to discover another mountain, and set off on another adventure.
Tell your story:
yes, tell your story! Give your example. Tell everyone that it’s possible, and other people will then have the courage to face their own mountains.
Brett Cameron is Director of Channelled Growth, specialising in Holistic Business and Lifestyle/Wellness Coaching. For more information contact Brett at
Channelled Growth http://tinyurl.com/33az8z
John Bell – Editor
Advanced Publishing (The Training Review Newsletter)
Quotes of the Week
Life is a journey to be lived. What would it mean to you to live your truth, to develop all your talents, all your gifts and in the doing you leave a magnificent legacy for all who follow. Have the courage to let go of fear – live all of your life, NOW.
From Sylvia Marina’s newsletter – www.thetamastery.com ‘ November 2005
The road to success has few travellers, because so many get lost trying to find short cuts. (unknown)
Each of us has a mountain to climb; we have our own Everest inside us. Susan Knight
Entertainment
JAMES (age 4) was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: “The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city but his wife looked back and was turned to salt.” Concerned, James asked: “What happened to the flea?”
Feedback
I don’t know what I would have done with my Junior classes had I not had access to your books. I have both book one and two and I use them every week without fail!
I am looking forward to your next book with great anticipation”’.. PLEASE let me know when it will be available for purchasing!
Leanne Harvey, Perth Montessori School
About The Author
Marlene Rattigan B.A., Dip. Ed. (ECS), CELTA
Marlene Rattigan is an Early Childhood teacher, a teacher of English as a Second Language, and from 1987-2000 was a nationally accredited fitness leader. Her background is in music education. A keen interest in motor development in children led to the creation of Kidz-Fiz-Biz which she taught successfully for 13 years. Marlene also conducts workshops for children, teachers and parents at schools, in the community and at festivals. She has produced teaching manuals complete with audio CDs which are an extension of her ‘Kidz-Fiz-Biz’ program.
Kidz-Fiz-Biz
57 Henry Lawson Walk, East Perth WA 6004
T: +61 8 9325 1204 M: 0410 64 2781 E: info@kidzfizbiz.com
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Until next time – continue being a legend in your classroom.
Marlene Rattigan, Editor
Kidz Newz
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