Julie Hanna founded Little Inspirations in November 2008 and began offering Kindermusik classes in February 2009. Julie brings a combination of patience, warmth and enthusiasm to the classroom. Her love, passion and experience in music and movement are the key components to being a Kindermusik Educator.
Julie has substantial education and experience in music, dance, acting, and singing. Starting at 3 years old when enrolled in dance class, she has pursued the arts in dance for over 18 years, singing for over 15 years and attending private lessons in piano, clarinet and saxophone for over 10 years.
Through her many accomplishments, while still attending high school, Julie developed many qualities which would benefit her in this new adventure.
High school band, achieving top honors in grade 12;
Performed with the UBC Honor Band;
Accepted to play in the orchestra pit for Musicals held in Kamloops by the local theatre company;
Assisted in tutoring band for lower grades; and
Taught her peers the dance portion of the P.E. curriculum
Julie enjoyed the challenge and satisfaction she received from teaching.
While completing high school and following her passion for dance she decided to take it further by operating her own dance studio in Merritt for two years. Her focus was teaching elementary school age children (She was 16 years old at the time). In the same year she produced the Annual Community Christmas Concert; an event normally produced by the Arts Council. Julie’s skills allowed her the opportunity to choreograph the Miss Merritt Pageant opening numbers for two consecutive years, as well as teach and choreograph individual talent acts for the competition. Through her own efforts she was also crowned Miss Merritt Princess in 1989. After high school Julie moved to the Lower Mainland to take acting and modeling courses at John Casablanca School.
After many years away from what she loved to do, she auditioned for a Lower Mainland show choir in 2001 and was accepted. Julie has been with the choir for seven years now and in 2003 accepted a request to take the role of choreographer for the Maple Leaf Singers, a position held with honor. The Maple Leaf Singers is an all volunteer, non profit choir performing approximately 20 shows a year, mostly at senior’s homes and charity functions.
Julie is very excited about Kindermusik and enjoys teaching the moms’ and babies, of all ages, the curriculum that will enhance, educate, and bring joy to the whole family.
Kindermusik - Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Since my child and I have never attended a Kindermusik class, it is possible to observe one before we decide whether or not to enroll?
A: Come visit a one-time complimentary class anytime! To reserve a space please call (604) 839-4948 or email julie@littleinspirations.ca.
Q: I just found out about your Kindermusik classes and the class I would like to register for has already started. Is it too late to join?
A: Enrollment is on going, so you can join anytime! You may still register even if the start date has passed. Tuition will be pro-rated.
Q: I’ve heard that Kindermusik’s specialty is age-specific classes. What does this mean?
A: Kindermusik and Little Inspirations firmly believe that children learn best when presented with learning objectives that are designed with the age of the child in mind. This is the best way for a child to gain confidence and self-esteem. Too much information presented too soon just causes confusion and frustration. We want this experience to be positive and to foster musical confidence in each child. Each curriculum level is designed to best suit the stages and goals of the age range they address. The child at the bottom of the age bracket will be ready to flourish in the environment, and will be looking to the older children to provide them with a model of new ways to move, create, and explore concepts. The child in the upper end of the bracket benefits from the ability to fully involve themselves with the imaginative aspects of the lesson, the ability to take a leadership role in developing the ideas presented, and the chance to have true mastery before moving on to a new challenge. It is a true strength of the program that we are privileged to see many stages of concept development going on simultaneously, rather than requiring only one "acceptable" outcome. A well-matched age grouping can understand the strategies needed to play and create together at their level, have a natural spontaneity while still maintaining the structure of the activities, and is stimulated by the varied abilities and perspectives of its members. What can happen in such a group is enriching musically, socially, and developmentally.
Q: What do I do with the home materials?
A: You and your child will benefit profoundly from the Kindermusik experience, especially if you make active use of your At Home Materials. Frequent reinforcement at home throughout the week makes all the difference in a child’s comfort & participation in the classroom. Many of these materials have a value that exceeds the duration of time spent in class. They are high quality and exemplify only the best in art, music, creativity and developmentally appropriate instruments and activities. At Home Materials can only be purchased through the Kindermusik educator and are non-refundable.
Q: "My 2 months old doesn't sing or talk, is she/he really benefiting from the Village class?"
A: Yes! Babies are in a "receptive" mode of development, in preparation for movement towards a more expressive stage of development. When your baby stares at you with eyes wide open and smiles, while we can't know his thoughts for sure, during these moments of alert attention, your baby is probably thinking that they are enjoying the stimulation of the Kindermusik experience. During a musical rocking or bouncing activity, for example, they feel the pleasure of movement that is beneficial to them - helping them develop their sense of internal balance.
Q: "There're so many enriched classes out there, why Kindermusik?"
A: Kindermusik is much more than a music class, it is about using music as a learning tool, to gain skills in all areas of development, including gross & fine motor, cognitive, emotional, social, and language. Kindermusik is divided into age groups, to provide the most developmentally appropriate activities for children. And best of all, it's FUN!
Q: "My daughter sings and talks non-stop at home. I don't know why she is so quiet here."
A: Children all have different learning styles. Some are eager participants, some are aloof observers. Let your child learn at her own pace. Even children who seem not to be paying attention at all in class are still absorbing all the sights and sounds and benefiting from it.
Q: "8-week is a big time commitment and I know we can't make a class. What about make-ups?"
A: We are happy to allow students who miss a class to make up that class. Simply call 24 hours in advance to schedule make-ups. A maximum of 2 make-up classes may be done during the session registered and are not transferable to future sessions.
Q: My child and I have a lot of fun in Kindermusik class, but sometimes I wonder...is she really learning anything about music?
A: To the casual observer, it might indeed look like we are just playing and having fun. While the approach is necessarily playful, every aspect of the Kindermusik curriculum is built upon a solid musical and developmental foundation. While playing and singing, children are improving their rhythmic competency, developing a sense of steady beat, achieving the ability to match pitches, becoming acquainted with timbre, learning a repertoire of songs, experiencing many different instruments, increasing their ability to listen, and of course, gaining a love of music that will last throughout their life.
Q: I plan to have my children take music lessons when they are older. Why should I bother with a music class when they are so young?
A: Instinctively, we know that music belongs in the life of young children: young children are ready for music, they are in their critical period for developing a good foundation in music, and musical potential is often lost if it is not nurtured and maintained in these early years. Any one who works with young children, even infants, know how eager and receptive they are to appropriate musical experiences. Additionally, recent brain research has pointed to non-musical cross-over benefits of early music study and to how important early music exposure is to a baby's normal development. In a Kindermusik class, parent-child interaction is fostered, socialization with other children is encouraged, fine-motor and gross-motor development is enhanced, and language skills flourish. Kindermusik helps each child develop musically at the right time and in the right way, and a Kindermusik graduate has a solid foundation and a giant head-start when they move to private instrumental, voice or even dance lessons.
Kindermusik is the leader in Early Childhood Music and Movement programs. Being a part of "KINDERMUSIK" ensures that you are getting an internationally tested and tried product that works and is the leader in the field.
Kindermusik regularly consults with experts in the field of Early Childhood development, music and movement as they develop their curricula, such as: Don Campbell, author of The Mozart Effect; Melissa R. Johnson, pediatric psychologist; Anne Green Gilbert, author of Creative Dance for Children; Claudia Quigg, founder and executive director of Baby TALK; Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, author of Raising Your Spirited Child; Patricia Campbell, author of Songs in Their Head: Music and Its Meaning in Children's Lives, and others. These experts, along with an amazing Creative Team, bring their knowledge and experience into young lives. No other program can boast of such backing.
The materials produced by Kindermusik International are of the highest quality. The CDs, Literature and other home materials are unsurpassed. The talented artists, musicians and arrangers make the music come alive. You only have to listen to one CD to know that this is no ordinary children's music CD. Music learning with the family in the home is a fundamental cornerstone of Kindermusik and this is accomplished best through the use of home materials. Other programs may offer no or optional home materials which makes it hard to continue the experience at home.
"You get what you pay for!" and more! To quote Carla Hannaford, author of Smart Moves, "Kindermusik is elegant in its integrated approach to a child's development. Physiologically, touch, movement, rhythm and sound are the keystones to optimizing brain growth. The importance of having families working together, where everyone benefits from the sense of belonging, gets directly at the heart of what we, as a society, need at this time to raise healthy, loving children. All of this is provided in the Kindermusik program.
Q: How long will it take for my child to settle down?
A: Some children feel overwhelmed if they have not had much contact with other tots of the same age. Some children are shy and others just like to take in what is going on around them before they become involved. They also need a chance to learn the routine. Generally it takes about 3 weeks to get the hang of the program. This is a guideline, because every child is different, some take a little longer.
Q: Why do we do so many different activities?
A: A child’s attention span is very short, and if too long a time is spent on an activity requiring concentration, they get very frustrated. It is to be expected however that a child will participate more and for a longer period of time on an activity they enjoy, and they all have their favorites. As they grow, so their concentration does, and they become more involved in a variety of activities as opposed to just a chosen few. We encourage participation in all activities, but it is unnecessary to force them to do something they really do not want to do.
Q: Why do we need to arrive 10 minutes before class starts?
A: Children are naturally curious and love to discover new and interesting things in their environment. With every visit to class they discover something new, and so 10 minutes of free time before class starts gives your child an opportunity to see, unpack and touch/taste what is around them. Your child also loves having your focused attention. This process allows a time for learning at will before the structured play time begins.
Q: What should I do if he is throwing a screaming fit in the class?
A: We all have our bad days and get tired or frustrated. It can be embarrassing if your child does this in front of everyone! Rest assured we have all been through it! The best way is to take him outside, give him something to drink, calm him, and bring him back in.
Q: How often are the toys and equipment cleaned?
A: To ensure that germs are not spread, and to allow children the freedom to explore, taste and discover, each instrument and all the props used in Little Inspirations Studio are cleaned with a baby safe disinfectant after every class. This kills all bacteria or viruses that may be unknowingly transmitted by a child. All soft toys, blankets and scarves are washed using baby safe detergent in a washing machine every week whether they have been used or not.
Q: Will the other children make him sick?
A: Strict rules apply for sick children attending class. Not only is it important for them to rest while they are sick, it helps children from spreading an infection to others. It is also easy for you, as a parent to control how your child interacts with the others around him as you are with your child. There, obviously, can be no guarantee that he won’t get sick by a child that may not look or act sick, but may be carrying a bug, that presents days later. Toddlers are very active and resilient and usually bounce back quickly.
Q: Will my child enjoy music?
A: Yes!!! We believe that all children are musical, and while not every child will become musicians when they grow up, every child loves to bop up and down or to the sides to their favorite tune.
Julie Hanna founded Little Inspirations in November 2008 and began offering Kindermusik classes in February 2009. Julie brings a combination of patience, warmth and enthusiasm to the classroom. Her love, passion and experience in music and movement are the key components to being a Kindermusik Educator.