CD Player

Every day at 8.45am in the morning depending on the weather children and teachers gather outside for our morning exercise. Everyone is encouraged to attend our routine for the day. The CD player is taken outside using an extension cord and children get to help out as well. Children choose their own music to play and teachers let them operate the CD player only if the child is able to do so with an adult stand by to support them. “Children are motivated to participate in purposeful activities, enabling them to apply and integrate their knowledge and skills from many learning areas in real and practical ways” (Ministry of Education, 2007, p.7). Teacher asked the children “What song do you want to play today?” Child A said, “I want to sing how many fruits you need for the day” which is a Samoan song. Teacher said, “Would you like to come and insert the cd inside the CD player?” Child A nodded his head and walked toward the machine, the teacher stood by and assisted the child with the process until the music started to play. During this process the child “learns useful and appropriate ways to find out what he wants to know” in this learning (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 40). Children sing, dance and jump while at the same time exercising to the beat of the song until the music stopped, most of the time the children would ask to play the song again. We usually play three songs for our morning exercise which the children choose and with the help of an educator they get to operate the cd player as well. “Children develop an enhanced sense of self-worth, identity, confidence, and enjoyment” when they are given the chance to take control of their own learning (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 40). Most importantly we take every precaution to ensure children’s safety in this learning when they get to operate on the machine where they are able to do so. In the old days, we did not have technology like the CD player and often we would use the guitar or without even the help of the instrument. Sometimes we would roll a mat and use two sticks just like a drum.

The Advantage of the CD player is that it is easy to operate and very reliable as you just insert any music disc and press play. The only disadvantage I can think of is when the power is off we cannot use it. I think the CD player is crucial in supporting children’s learning with language development by selecting their own music, and singing along with others memorising the words to the songs which helps extend vocabulary and language. The child is also developing intellectual skills by thinking about the song, words, tune to sing along with others which also helps build self-confidence within him and their own contribution in the group activity (Daymond, 2012). “Our children will need the confidence to develop their own perspectives as well as the capacity to continue acquiring new knowledge and skills” through interacting with variety of learning using technology (Smoti, 1999, p. 5). The use of the CD player in education is very important as once the music is played it encourages the child to sing along, exercise and at the same time move to the music. Children “need to develop brain cell connection through movement, active and physical engagement and hands - on participation in their physical environment”. (La Bella, 2012). CD Players also play a part in cultural and language development as children are encouraged to speak their mother tongue and sing songs in their mother tongue, so it is extremely important that a CD player is in use whenever is needed especially during exercise activity. Reference Daymond. M, 2012, CD Players for Kids: Why your Child Needs a Sing Along CD Player. Retrieved from: http://ezinearticles.com/?C La Bella. M, 2012, The important of movement: Retrieved from http://musictheraphytunes.com Ministry of Education, (1996), Te whariki: He whariki matauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early Childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media. Ministry of Education, (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum framework. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10.