Character Education programs come in two flavors: showing and telling.
Showing is most often used by storytellers. In this style of teaching, a character goes through an experience and subsequently learns a life-changing lesson. These types of tales capture an audience’s attention because they remind us of ourselves, our families or the situations we experience. They do so by creating a moving picture that draws us into the action, even when we know what will happen next. Our preK-2nd grade assembly, “The Golden Rule Show”, includes three of these story-songs: “I Don’t Want to Go to Bed Right Now”, “The Rainbow Fish” and “Little Bunny and Red Bird”. What unites these stories is the time-honored tactic of using drama to teach, instead of preach, and remind us of the values we hold dear in our communities. As Mary Poppins might sing, stories are a “spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.”
Just like the creators at Disney, Beth and I mix music and humor into all of our school programs with the expressed purpose of drawing kids toward us and making learning fun. Do kids know that they are learning about good listening, following the rules, conflict resolution and making good choices in “The Golden Rule Show”? Most do, but we reinforce our point by using songs and dialogue that tell, too.
Telling is more fact-based or editorial in nature. For example, the opening verse in “Do the Right Thing,” our 3rd-6th grade show, gives kids the straight scoop without the ornamentation of a story:
Whether someone’s watching you
Or even when they’re not
That’s the time you’ve got to show
The character you’ve got
For everybody has a choice
It’s called ‘the inner voice’
It always guides you to the truth
And that’s the bravest choice
“Do the Right Thing!” by S. Bierko/B. Bierko
Some lessons are so important that we deliver them without subtlety or humor (think U2 or Bob Dylan, here). What saves us from being preachy, however, and being “tuned out” by the older children is the use of music, especially music that pulls them in emotionally. Rock and folk, our two favorite writing styles, work well when we want to express a powerful message that might move children to change their behavior. Whether it’s a power-chord anthem like “Do the Right Thing” or a folk-ballad like Bob Blue’s “Courage”, we’re using the marriage of music, lyrics and an emotionally-charged performance to encourage children to stand up for themselves, their friends and create a more just world.
In our seventeen years of writing and performing children’s music, we have found that a mixture of showing and telling works best for an arts-in-education assembly. A story song or a dramatic piece that invites children to join us on stage is often followed by dialogue that makes clear the lessons learned for anyone who might have missed the point. That’s the “tell them what you’re gong to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you told them” philosophy made manifest in a Beth & Scott show.
As our shows progress, we challenge the children with deeper ideas because we have gained their trust through humor, music and interactivity. I think that’s why people refer to us as master teachers. I prefer the term, “teaching artist.” Teaching artists use their art form to promote the school curriculum, the arts and, in our case, to encourage children, teachers and staff to agree to a common set of values, namely: treating one another with respect and acting responsibly. I accept that we may be masterful at this type of teaching, but there’s one last point to consider…
It takes more than skill to capture an eight or twelve year old’s attention when only two hours before they were snug as a bug in their beds or playing a wild game of dodge ball. The show and the songs must resonate with what they are working on in their lives in order to strike the right chord. A great school show isn’t great because of its special effects, costumes or sets. A great school show must be worthy of pulling the students out of their classroom. That’s why our character education shows are full of honest feelings, perhaps the best and truest form of currency when trying to motivate another person. As an acting coach once said, “you cannot ask your audience to feel what you don’t feel yourself.”
Like the children in front of us every day, Beth and I remember the sting of being left out by our friends. When we write our shows, we “walk a mile” in a fourth grader’s shoes so that we can remember how frustrating it felt to be caught up in an argument without the means to talk things out and make everything better. If we can say one thing in our shows to help them, then we’ve done our job for that day.
Most teachers I’ve met feel called to the profession because they want to “be the change you want to see in the world” (M. Gandhi). For us, it was a desire to merge our love of music, a talent we are forever grateful for, with values that our parents and teachers have passed on to us. Ever since we were kids, we have been following an insistent “inner voice” that has brought us to where we are today as a married couple, as parents and as teaching artists. Along the way, we developed our own method of performing that combines showing and telling and works pretty well for school kids. Hey, some things we learn in kindergarten are the things we use all life long!
For information about "The Golden Rule Show", "Do the Right Thing!" or any of our shows, please contact us at info@bethandscott.net or (800)364-5381.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Darkness is Your Candle
But what shadow has been serving you!
What hurts you, blesses you.
Darkness is your candle.
Your boundaries are your quest.
- Rumi from Enough Words
A couple of weeks ago, I learned an extremely powerful technique that has helped me deal with one of my most debilitating fears. It's applicable to any situation, but for the sake of an example, I'll use it with my fear of Open Mic Nights. (Lately, I've been writing music for grownups, so I've been showcasing these new songs at bars and other places that host these "cattle calls".) The technique can be applied to any situation, however, that you may find full of terror.
It's really quite simple:
STEP ONE (Creating Darkness) I imagine that I'm walking into the venue where the Open Mic is taking place. Next, I try to fully feel all of the fear. In my case, I name things like "I feel out of place and uncomfortable". Then I picture myself waiting to go onstage and becoming progressively more anxious about what I'm going to play, how I'll be received and what I'll sound like. Lastly, I'll see myself onstage and try to create in my heart and in my mind all of the worst feelings that I can muster up.
STEP TWO (Creating Light) I imagine the same scenario with a contrary set of emotions. In my case, I use the word "comfort". I imagine that I'm walking into the venue and it looks and feels like a place where I want to be. I feel very at home and say things to myself like, "It's great to be here!" Then, I imagine the anticipation of going onstage with a feeling of inner joy and harmony with my surroundings. As I step onstage and look at the audience, I drink in the moment and smile because I am where I want to be - singing my wonderful songs as best as I can to an audience who wants to feel passionately connected to great music, too.
STEP THREE (Alternating Darkness and Light). Immediately after step two, I return to step one by creating the fear in my belly, again. Once I'm fully feeling the fear, I return to the same scenario with the comfort. Back and forth I go, shortening the time between fear and comfort but always fully feeling it before moving on.
STEP FOUR (Simultaneous Darkness and Light). The final part is to feel both emotions at the same time. Absolute terror and joyful comfort coexisting in the same moment in time.
The important thing here is to FEEL as if the situation were occurring during this exercise. If you usually get moist palms, then try to create that feeling. The way it was explained to me is this: if we really want to explore, understand and deal with our fear, then we first learn to deal with them in a comfortable place like our own living room. Oftentimes, it does no good to repeatedly put oneself into the real situation because we haven't learned the way to control our emotions, yet.
Over time, I hope to apply this technique out in the "real world" and find that the fear I imagined and felt is no longer perceived as strange and unwelcome. Instead, it will become a known entity, an emotion I understand. I haven't tried it, yet, but I hope that I will be able to move as seamlessly between emotions at my next Open Mic Night as I would in the quiet of my own home.
I hope this technique brings you the courage to walk towards what you are afraid of - not with an absence of fear but a fuller acceptance of that emotion AND the belief that you can feel cleansed by it, too.
What hurts you, blesses you.
Darkness is your candle.
Your boundaries are your quest.
- Rumi from Enough Words
A couple of weeks ago, I learned an extremely powerful technique that has helped me deal with one of my most debilitating fears. It's applicable to any situation, but for the sake of an example, I'll use it with my fear of Open Mic Nights. (Lately, I've been writing music for grownups, so I've been showcasing these new songs at bars and other places that host these "cattle calls".) The technique can be applied to any situation, however, that you may find full of terror.
It's really quite simple:
STEP ONE (Creating Darkness) I imagine that I'm walking into the venue where the Open Mic is taking place. Next, I try to fully feel all of the fear. In my case, I name things like "I feel out of place and uncomfortable". Then I picture myself waiting to go onstage and becoming progressively more anxious about what I'm going to play, how I'll be received and what I'll sound like. Lastly, I'll see myself onstage and try to create in my heart and in my mind all of the worst feelings that I can muster up.
STEP TWO (Creating Light) I imagine the same scenario with a contrary set of emotions. In my case, I use the word "comfort". I imagine that I'm walking into the venue and it looks and feels like a place where I want to be. I feel very at home and say things to myself like, "It's great to be here!" Then, I imagine the anticipation of going onstage with a feeling of inner joy and harmony with my surroundings. As I step onstage and look at the audience, I drink in the moment and smile because I am where I want to be - singing my wonderful songs as best as I can to an audience who wants to feel passionately connected to great music, too.
STEP THREE (Alternating Darkness and Light). Immediately after step two, I return to step one by creating the fear in my belly, again. Once I'm fully feeling the fear, I return to the same scenario with the comfort. Back and forth I go, shortening the time between fear and comfort but always fully feeling it before moving on.
STEP FOUR (Simultaneous Darkness and Light). The final part is to feel both emotions at the same time. Absolute terror and joyful comfort coexisting in the same moment in time.
The important thing here is to FEEL as if the situation were occurring during this exercise. If you usually get moist palms, then try to create that feeling. The way it was explained to me is this: if we really want to explore, understand and deal with our fear, then we first learn to deal with them in a comfortable place like our own living room. Oftentimes, it does no good to repeatedly put oneself into the real situation because we haven't learned the way to control our emotions, yet.
Over time, I hope to apply this technique out in the "real world" and find that the fear I imagined and felt is no longer perceived as strange and unwelcome. Instead, it will become a known entity, an emotion I understand. I haven't tried it, yet, but I hope that I will be able to move as seamlessly between emotions at my next Open Mic Night as I would in the quiet of my own home.
I hope this technique brings you the courage to walk towards what you are afraid of - not with an absence of fear but a fuller acceptance of that emotion AND the belief that you can feel cleansed by it, too.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Doing the Right Thing
I haven't written in this space in almost two years. During that time, my wife and I have staged two new children's shows: Do the Right Thing (a character education piece for upper elementary) and Beth & Scott's Nutrition Mission. I'm very proud of these two pieces. They are examples of us taking what's often referred to as "The Teacher's Seat"and being very honest with children and teachers. Our values and our vulnerabilities are both on display and I feel very good about that.
Most of my writing energy, however, has been spent composing new songs for grownups. Truth is, I never dreamed about being a children's artist when I was a kid. I wanted to be a singer-songwriter or a rock star. So, now I've now got to the point where I have close to 20 tunes and I'm beginning a new career while maintaining my job as a children's artist. I play one night per week at a local restaurant where I combine my originals with cover tunes from 6-9pm. For the most part, I'm enjoying the experience, though I've recently begun to feel ill at ease when I perform too many cover tunes.
That's not entirely accurate. When I perform for kids my goal is to reach them and teach them. I am expert at controlling the 45-minute experience so that they take a "ride" with me. With grown-ups, however, I feel like I don't want to spend my energy trying to get them to go somewhere. A cover tune is like saying, "Hey, notice me noticing you! I know you love "Brown Eyed Girl" and I'll play it so that you can tap your feet and remember where you were in 1975." I guess I'm saying that I don't want to lead people on a Magical "History" Tour of the 60's and the 70's. Been there and done that, friends.
This is not a finished thought, today. I'm struggling with the needs and wants of the audience and the bar owner versus my desire to connect and play my new tunes. I'm not so sure I want to settle for a balance between the two. I'm not doing this to earn money, so I don't have to be beholden to the almighty dollar. But do I have an obligation to the audience? And what is it exactly? Am I an artist or an entertainer? Don't rush to answer that question with "both" because that's too easy. Think about your favorite musician and wonder, does he or she play cover tunes? Yes, they play their famous songs over and over and that's a drag sometimes. But I know from playing my children's tunes that playing what the audience wants if it's my tune is a lot better than when they ask for something that I haven't written.
I think that this is about the guts to stand up for what I know is right for me. All too often (in the grownup music world), I have bent to the needs of the many and forgotten my own needs as as an artist. I have to stop doing that. As one of my friends said, "You try things out and then see if you can sleep at night." Well, now I know. I realize that I'm on a track where I'll be playing my songs more and cover songs less.
As I said earlier, one of my new kids' shows is called, "Do the Right Thing". That lesson applies to me, too!
Most of my writing energy, however, has been spent composing new songs for grownups. Truth is, I never dreamed about being a children's artist when I was a kid. I wanted to be a singer-songwriter or a rock star. So, now I've now got to the point where I have close to 20 tunes and I'm beginning a new career while maintaining my job as a children's artist. I play one night per week at a local restaurant where I combine my originals with cover tunes from 6-9pm. For the most part, I'm enjoying the experience, though I've recently begun to feel ill at ease when I perform too many cover tunes.
That's not entirely accurate. When I perform for kids my goal is to reach them and teach them. I am expert at controlling the 45-minute experience so that they take a "ride" with me. With grown-ups, however, I feel like I don't want to spend my energy trying to get them to go somewhere. A cover tune is like saying, "Hey, notice me noticing you! I know you love "Brown Eyed Girl" and I'll play it so that you can tap your feet and remember where you were in 1975." I guess I'm saying that I don't want to lead people on a Magical "History" Tour of the 60's and the 70's. Been there and done that, friends.
This is not a finished thought, today. I'm struggling with the needs and wants of the audience and the bar owner versus my desire to connect and play my new tunes. I'm not so sure I want to settle for a balance between the two. I'm not doing this to earn money, so I don't have to be beholden to the almighty dollar. But do I have an obligation to the audience? And what is it exactly? Am I an artist or an entertainer? Don't rush to answer that question with "both" because that's too easy. Think about your favorite musician and wonder, does he or she play cover tunes? Yes, they play their famous songs over and over and that's a drag sometimes. But I know from playing my children's tunes that playing what the audience wants if it's my tune is a lot better than when they ask for something that I haven't written.
I think that this is about the guts to stand up for what I know is right for me. All too often (in the grownup music world), I have bent to the needs of the many and forgotten my own needs as as an artist. I have to stop doing that. As one of my friends said, "You try things out and then see if you can sleep at night." Well, now I know. I realize that I'm on a track where I'll be playing my songs more and cover songs less.
As I said earlier, one of my new kids' shows is called, "Do the Right Thing". That lesson applies to me, too!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Daring to Share: the Lifelong Journey to Soulfulness
Giving of oneself fully and unashamedly to this world, that is to say, the sharing of one's talents without reservation or fear of rejection, is perhaps the greatest gift we can offer to the world. To my mind, there are at least two reasons why everyone can and should do this:
First, it is the guaranteed path to achieving one's smallest wishes and biggest dreams. When one shares their own unique vision, ability or creativity they will most assuredly distinguish themselves from those who would only mimic another's success. Keep in mind, though: small wishes can only ever lead to small achievements! If you dream big (and plan accordingly) you will achieve your greatest desires. I am finding this to be true on a daily basis in my own personal and professional life.
Second, giving of oneself fully and unashamedly to the world is the noblest thing one may do on behalf of not only oneself, but on behalf of the planet. This may sound astounding to you, but I fully believe it. Think about the best people in any field and you will see a list of people who became successful because they dared to be different and dared to share their uniqueness with all of us. Are we not more enriched by their decision? If not for these inventors, scientists, artists and philosophers we would not have the computer I am typing on, the guitar I compose with or the roof that keeps me dry when it rains. We are all grateful and enriched by those who have came before us and left their mark for all time. (By the way, if you are ever feeling blue, I suggest that you make a list of things or people you are grateful for - it's a sure way to get past past one's own "poor pitiful me" moment.)
But, you may be wondering, how can I offer something unique to this world? What contribution is mine to offer? And there are so many obstacles to my success: money, time, energy, family responsibilities, insecurity, lack of contacts or support to name just a few. The list goes on and on when we choose to list our challenges, right? Let's take the "what do I have to offer" part of the problem, first.
You were born with a talent, perhaps more than one, that you have always known is your greatest gift. It may be years since you named it out loud, but I can assure you that it is inside of you today just as it was the day you were born. Let's call it your "soulfulness". More than likely, it is manifesting itself somehow in your life. Perhaps you are a nurturing, gentle mother. Since you were a child, you loved and sincerely cared for others and you are still doing so with your family. This is an amazing gift! There is no doubt that mothers have an important role in our society that extends for generations. But you may want more and I want you to know that this desire to expand is a good one that should be nurtured. Like you love others, you must learn to love yourself so that you can create time in your busy life to expand and share more of your gifts.
This gets to the second part of the question: how do I overcome all the obstacles preventing me from expanding and growing? It may be that you have to ask your spouse, your neighbors, your parents or your children to help you carve out some time each day to start fulfilling your dreams. Ask them and they will surely help you! You have only to start and the answers will become clear - perhaps in a matter of hours. Everyone I have ever met claims to be "too busy" to try new things, but this is your life. Do not take the easy route of claiming to be overwhelmed. Perhaps, if you are truly without time, you need to do some spring cleaning in your life. Start by saying "no" to those offers to be on a committee or to volunteer at the local library. In doing so, you will be saying "yes" to your own dreams. When we spring clean our lives, we get rid of the items that are preventing us from having the room to expand.
In closing, I would like to offer the following advice: do not give up looking for or creating your dreams even when circumstances or other people try and dissuade you from your purpose. As a model, one has only to look at Al Gore's recent success in helping all of us to understand the stakes involved in helping our planet survive. Couldn't Al Gore have thrown in the towel after losing the presidency? Of course, and no one would have expected him to be anything but angry and very bitter. Except, of course, Al himself! He knew he had something to share, a belief that he felt very strongly that he had to offer. For years, he traipsed across the country and it is only in the last few years that people are not only listening, they are acting!
If it makes you feel better, please know that many are with you on this journey. I also have dreams that I am working on and obstacles to deal with, too. But each one of us that chooses to follow their inner path unquestionably influences and encourages many others to do the same. It is my hope that you will find that part of yourself and dare to share it with the world. We need people like you!
First, it is the guaranteed path to achieving one's smallest wishes and biggest dreams. When one shares their own unique vision, ability or creativity they will most assuredly distinguish themselves from those who would only mimic another's success. Keep in mind, though: small wishes can only ever lead to small achievements! If you dream big (and plan accordingly) you will achieve your greatest desires. I am finding this to be true on a daily basis in my own personal and professional life.
Second, giving of oneself fully and unashamedly to the world is the noblest thing one may do on behalf of not only oneself, but on behalf of the planet. This may sound astounding to you, but I fully believe it. Think about the best people in any field and you will see a list of people who became successful because they dared to be different and dared to share their uniqueness with all of us. Are we not more enriched by their decision? If not for these inventors, scientists, artists and philosophers we would not have the computer I am typing on, the guitar I compose with or the roof that keeps me dry when it rains. We are all grateful and enriched by those who have came before us and left their mark for all time. (By the way, if you are ever feeling blue, I suggest that you make a list of things or people you are grateful for - it's a sure way to get past past one's own "poor pitiful me" moment.)
But, you may be wondering, how can I offer something unique to this world? What contribution is mine to offer? And there are so many obstacles to my success: money, time, energy, family responsibilities, insecurity, lack of contacts or support to name just a few. The list goes on and on when we choose to list our challenges, right? Let's take the "what do I have to offer" part of the problem, first.
You were born with a talent, perhaps more than one, that you have always known is your greatest gift. It may be years since you named it out loud, but I can assure you that it is inside of you today just as it was the day you were born. Let's call it your "soulfulness". More than likely, it is manifesting itself somehow in your life. Perhaps you are a nurturing, gentle mother. Since you were a child, you loved and sincerely cared for others and you are still doing so with your family. This is an amazing gift! There is no doubt that mothers have an important role in our society that extends for generations. But you may want more and I want you to know that this desire to expand is a good one that should be nurtured. Like you love others, you must learn to love yourself so that you can create time in your busy life to expand and share more of your gifts.
This gets to the second part of the question: how do I overcome all the obstacles preventing me from expanding and growing? It may be that you have to ask your spouse, your neighbors, your parents or your children to help you carve out some time each day to start fulfilling your dreams. Ask them and they will surely help you! You have only to start and the answers will become clear - perhaps in a matter of hours. Everyone I have ever met claims to be "too busy" to try new things, but this is your life. Do not take the easy route of claiming to be overwhelmed. Perhaps, if you are truly without time, you need to do some spring cleaning in your life. Start by saying "no" to those offers to be on a committee or to volunteer at the local library. In doing so, you will be saying "yes" to your own dreams. When we spring clean our lives, we get rid of the items that are preventing us from having the room to expand.
In closing, I would like to offer the following advice: do not give up looking for or creating your dreams even when circumstances or other people try and dissuade you from your purpose. As a model, one has only to look at Al Gore's recent success in helping all of us to understand the stakes involved in helping our planet survive. Couldn't Al Gore have thrown in the towel after losing the presidency? Of course, and no one would have expected him to be anything but angry and very bitter. Except, of course, Al himself! He knew he had something to share, a belief that he felt very strongly that he had to offer. For years, he traipsed across the country and it is only in the last few years that people are not only listening, they are acting!
If it makes you feel better, please know that many are with you on this journey. I also have dreams that I am working on and obstacles to deal with, too. But each one of us that chooses to follow their inner path unquestionably influences and encourages many others to do the same. It is my hope that you will find that part of yourself and dare to share it with the world. We need people like you!
Sunday, March 11, 2007
"It's okay to want to be an American Idol.
However, it's not okay to be an Idle American."
Scott Bierko 3/1/07
However, it's not okay to be an Idle American."
Scott Bierko 3/1/07
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Tuning In
When I first started trying to write songs, nothing happened. I remember being twenty one years old, fresh from college, sitting at a desk in my parent's basement with my head in my hands, looking at a yellow legal pad - for hours. Unfortunately, songs didn't come and I crossed out much more than I ever wrote. Maybe I wrote one song in a year? The songs just didn't come.
Having such an overwhelming desire to express myself musically, this lack of progress was certainly the worst period of my development as a song writer. I considered myself a failure. Even though I was working as a musician, playing gigs in clubs as a solo guitarist covering other people's material, I was very unhappy as a musician. If you can't create, you stop growing. At least I did. And so I quit.
For the next seven years, I worked in the business world. I became a commercial carpet salesman and estimator. I learned a lot about business, lessons I use to this day, but happiness did not come with the financial rewards of working as a salesman. And then, when i was at my lowest moment, I met Beth. And I became inspired.
When Beth and I started writing, creating songs was a crafting process. We thought of an idea or found a book that we wanted to turn into a song. We labored over lyrics, added music that framed it and built performances around themes. For years, this worked well. And I felt that I had reached a point where as a writer, I could say that I was successful. But I wanted more. I knew that crafting songs, while a wonderful skill, was not the same as tapping into the internal and, I believe, spiritual muse. I knew enough about the writing process from interviews with fellow writers to know that journeying includes not only the craft but the channel in which the craft flows. Something inside of me said, "If this is so, then I must find it."
It took more than twelve years to find it. One day, I started writing a song called "Create Without Caution", a song that had as its subject matter my battle to create without concern about craft or what the song sounded like in the end. I was actively learning how to remove the filter that prevented me from truly expressing myself. The chords and the melody came and the lyrics flowed like wine from a jug. There was no anxiety, just a flow - a tapping in to that channel. I had finally found it.
Almost one year later, I can sit down anywhere and at anytime and find that channel. I know where it is and what it feels like in my body. I cannot describe how to get there for anyone else, except to say that one has to keep searching for what one wants. It's in us all. I believe it. One just has to find the frequency.
Having such an overwhelming desire to express myself musically, this lack of progress was certainly the worst period of my development as a song writer. I considered myself a failure. Even though I was working as a musician, playing gigs in clubs as a solo guitarist covering other people's material, I was very unhappy as a musician. If you can't create, you stop growing. At least I did. And so I quit.
For the next seven years, I worked in the business world. I became a commercial carpet salesman and estimator. I learned a lot about business, lessons I use to this day, but happiness did not come with the financial rewards of working as a salesman. And then, when i was at my lowest moment, I met Beth. And I became inspired.
When Beth and I started writing, creating songs was a crafting process. We thought of an idea or found a book that we wanted to turn into a song. We labored over lyrics, added music that framed it and built performances around themes. For years, this worked well. And I felt that I had reached a point where as a writer, I could say that I was successful. But I wanted more. I knew that crafting songs, while a wonderful skill, was not the same as tapping into the internal and, I believe, spiritual muse. I knew enough about the writing process from interviews with fellow writers to know that journeying includes not only the craft but the channel in which the craft flows. Something inside of me said, "If this is so, then I must find it."
It took more than twelve years to find it. One day, I started writing a song called "Create Without Caution", a song that had as its subject matter my battle to create without concern about craft or what the song sounded like in the end. I was actively learning how to remove the filter that prevented me from truly expressing myself. The chords and the melody came and the lyrics flowed like wine from a jug. There was no anxiety, just a flow - a tapping in to that channel. I had finally found it.
Almost one year later, I can sit down anywhere and at anytime and find that channel. I know where it is and what it feels like in my body. I cannot describe how to get there for anyone else, except to say that one has to keep searching for what one wants. It's in us all. I believe it. One just has to find the frequency.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Entertaining Thoughts
I have two children, both of whom are great kids and great readers. Books have always played a big role in our family because not only do we believe in the importance and enjoyment of reading - we didn't have a television for ten years in our home! Yeah, we're one of those families. Or we used to be.
Last year, we did the unthinkable for Beth and I: we signed up for television to the great delight of our children. We did so, not because we realized that we Bierkoswere missing something special on television, but because Beth and I have expanded to writing music for children's television and we need to know what's in vogue these days. Our children, those lucky munchkins, didn't care WHY we were getting television, they were just tickled to know that they were getting it at all. They literally jumped up and down in a circle when they heard the cable guy was coming to our home.
Now, watching our kids and their relationship to television this past year has been really fascinating and different for each of our children:
Stephanie, our seven-year old, will watch TV for about an hour, maybe two at the most. Then she stands up, looks for us and declares, "Enough! I have to get away from this TV!" There's even been a couple of times when Stephanie has berated Beth and I for bringing TV into her life. (Now, that's not something anyone would have predicted.) So, when Stephanie is tired of the tube, she gets up and looks for a game, a friend to play with or a book. I still find this amazing and, unfortunately, uncommon. Most kids cannot balance their television-watching like Stephanie. Heck, most adults still struggle with this.
In fact, most American children are like my oldest, Helen, who is twelve and in the seventh grade. Helen can watch TV for six hours and only occasionally get up for a bit of food or to go to the bathroom. And, like other parents, we sometimes have to literally stand in front of the television in order to get her attention. My mother used to do that to me, too. She called it being "glued to the set".
Helen, even though she loves reading and is a straight-A student, is vulnerable to the passive, calming enjoyment of watching television. As we all know, this is extremely common in our society. My darling Helen is not strange or different from other kids. Uh, uh. In truth, it is Stephanie who is the "strange" child in our home with regard to TV.
As such, I believe that parents everywhere must be struggling with this question: "What do I do about it? How can I get my child away from the TV, the computer, the video games and back into the world of creative play or using their imaginations?" They want to know, "What's the answer and where can we find it?"
The answer, or one of them, is not to be found in a store. It doesn't even cost money! The answer to the question "How can I get my child away from the TV?" is that PARENTS need to provide children with something else that will interest them equally. And for that they have to take a step, a big step... backwards.
Backwards, you say? Yes. Some of the answers to today's vexing parenting problems are not to be found in the newest technological gadgets: the computer, the video game box, the mp3 player or, yes, the 42" HDTV parked where the piano used to be in every home. The answer is in yesterday - backwards - because it's something that's been around for kids and for families for as long as anyone can remember. It's stories, it's music, and
it's games.
The old-fashioned practice of getting together in a room, playing some fun games, singing some songs and reading or telling stories is as effective today as it has always has been. And, interestingly, we can see that stories, songs and games are exactly what TV, I-Pods and Video Games are all about, too. Think about the hit-show, American Idol: it's really just a singing game with a back-story! And Video Games, especially the warring kind or the sports ones, they're just replacements for the old-fashioned games like "war" that we used to play in my neighborhood.
Speaking of sports, what ever happened to throwing a football or skateboarding in the driveway? Well, now it's John Madden's Football or Tony Hawk's Skateboarding video games. That's a bit of a problem, not because these games are inherently bad - they're actually quite awesome! (I know one adult who has a job that keeps him idle at home for days at a time and he is toally hooked on these games.)
Therefore, to "un-glue" our kids - at least temporarily - we need to actively disengage them. We need to take the controllers out of their hands and lead them to a place where they can go do these activites themselves. Let me repeat that once more: our kids need us to help pull them in another direction.
Our role, as singers and writers, has always been to create live programs and products that are fun and educational alternatives for kids and families. But now, we do so with an increased knowledge (as parents ourselves) of the value that music and community has for our audiences. We see our role as more of an imperative, not just a diversion for children. And that's one of the main reasons Beth & Scott are starting to think about working in TV.
Beginning in March, 2007 we will begin creating television shows that will be available for viewing on the web. Our first show will be shot in Tennessee with the help of our longtime producer and friend, Jeff Coplan. Our goal is to create short-form videos that children, parents and educators can enjoy - videos that will entertain, educate and inspire. Watch this space and our web site for more information as it becomes available.
Oh, by the way - remember Helen, our dedicated TV watcher? Well, shortly after I wrote the first part of this entry, she lost her TV privileges for a couple of nights and here's what happened: Helen picked up a book and finished it. She also invented a new recipe for cookies with her sister that we're all enjoying today (me love cookies).
And me? Well, I've been writing a lot more songs since I've taken a breather from writing emails. Admittedly, we're not getting away from the TV or the computer anytime soon, but we're all of us a little happier when we unplug long enough to access the creative part inside of us all. That's what we hope to achieve with our new material, including our WEB-TV project. We hope to see you there!
Last year, we did the unthinkable for Beth and I: we signed up for television to the great delight of our children. We did so, not because we realized that we Bierkoswere missing something special on television, but because Beth and I have expanded to writing music for children's television and we need to know what's in vogue these days. Our children, those lucky munchkins, didn't care WHY we were getting television, they were just tickled to know that they were getting it at all. They literally jumped up and down in a circle when they heard the cable guy was coming to our home.
Now, watching our kids and their relationship to television this past year has been really fascinating and different for each of our children:
Stephanie, our seven-year old, will watch TV for about an hour, maybe two at the most. Then she stands up, looks for us and declares, "Enough! I have to get away from this TV!" There's even been a couple of times when Stephanie has berated Beth and I for bringing TV into her life. (Now, that's not something anyone would have predicted.) So, when Stephanie is tired of the tube, she gets up and looks for a game, a friend to play with or a book. I still find this amazing and, unfortunately, uncommon. Most kids cannot balance their television-watching like Stephanie. Heck, most adults still struggle with this.
In fact, most American children are like my oldest, Helen, who is twelve and in the seventh grade. Helen can watch TV for six hours and only occasionally get up for a bit of food or to go to the bathroom. And, like other parents, we sometimes have to literally stand in front of the television in order to get her attention. My mother used to do that to me, too. She called it being "glued to the set".
Helen, even though she loves reading and is a straight-A student, is vulnerable to the passive, calming enjoyment of watching television. As we all know, this is extremely common in our society. My darling Helen is not strange or different from other kids. Uh, uh. In truth, it is Stephanie who is the "strange" child in our home with regard to TV.
As such, I believe that parents everywhere must be struggling with this question: "What do I do about it? How can I get my child away from the TV, the computer, the video games and back into the world of creative play or using their imaginations?" They want to know, "What's the answer and where can we find it?"
The answer, or one of them, is not to be found in a store. It doesn't even cost money! The answer to the question "How can I get my child away from the TV?" is that PARENTS need to provide children with something else that will interest them equally. And for that they have to take a step, a big step... backwards.
Backwards, you say? Yes. Some of the answers to today's vexing parenting problems are not to be found in the newest technological gadgets: the computer, the video game box, the mp3 player or, yes, the 42" HDTV parked where the piano used to be in every home. The answer is in yesterday - backwards - because it's something that's been around for kids and for families for as long as anyone can remember. It's stories, it's music, and
it's games.
The old-fashioned practice of getting together in a room, playing some fun games, singing some songs and reading or telling stories is as effective today as it has always has been. And, interestingly, we can see that stories, songs and games are exactly what TV, I-Pods and Video Games are all about, too. Think about the hit-show, American Idol: it's really just a singing game with a back-story! And Video Games, especially the warring kind or the sports ones, they're just replacements for the old-fashioned games like "war" that we used to play in my neighborhood.
Speaking of sports, what ever happened to throwing a football or skateboarding in the driveway? Well, now it's John Madden's Football or Tony Hawk's Skateboarding video games. That's a bit of a problem, not because these games are inherently bad - they're actually quite awesome! (I know one adult who has a job that keeps him idle at home for days at a time and he is toally hooked on these games.)
Therefore, to "un-glue" our kids - at least temporarily - we need to actively disengage them. We need to take the controllers out of their hands and lead them to a place where they can go do these activites themselves. Let me repeat that once more: our kids need us to help pull them in another direction.
Our role, as singers and writers, has always been to create live programs and products that are fun and educational alternatives for kids and families. But now, we do so with an increased knowledge (as parents ourselves) of the value that music and community has for our audiences. We see our role as more of an imperative, not just a diversion for children. And that's one of the main reasons Beth & Scott are starting to think about working in TV.
Beginning in March, 2007 we will begin creating television shows that will be available for viewing on the web. Our first show will be shot in Tennessee with the help of our longtime producer and friend, Jeff Coplan. Our goal is to create short-form videos that children, parents and educators can enjoy - videos that will entertain, educate and inspire. Watch this space and our web site for more information as it becomes available.
Oh, by the way - remember Helen, our dedicated TV watcher? Well, shortly after I wrote the first part of this entry, she lost her TV privileges for a couple of nights and here's what happened: Helen picked up a book and finished it. She also invented a new recipe for cookies with her sister that we're all enjoying today (me love cookies).
And me? Well, I've been writing a lot more songs since I've taken a breather from writing emails. Admittedly, we're not getting away from the TV or the computer anytime soon, but we're all of us a little happier when we unplug long enough to access the creative part inside of us all. That's what we hope to achieve with our new material, including our WEB-TV project. We hope to see you there!
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