What People Say about Us

click for Outside Evaluation conducted by 3rd year students from Tufts University

Listen to Santa Fe Radio Cafe interview with producer and host Mary-Charlotte Domandi -from KSFR March 4th 2009

click for New Mexico Free Press Article - Agua Fria Elementary "Human Body School" January 2009

Parents and teachers have benefited from Talking Hands Talking Feet

both as a teaching aid and for recreation.

Here are some excerpts of letters along with an assortment of photos:

It was a phenomenal performance this year, a perfect integration of art, physical activity and academics. Thank you,Melanie and Paul, for the great job with the students. – head of arts at Santa Fe Public Schools

It made learning about the body systems more engaging and fun. It helped us reach all types of learners. –teacher 1st grade

It was fun for them to learn science through movement and music. Your lyrics were catchy and kids sang them throughout the day. -teacher 2nd grade

My son learned more about the human body in 1st grade, than I learned in a whole 8th grade semester of Health. This is a wonderful program that I would love to see in every school! The actual performance was incredible! –parent

I don’t know how you get these kids to do these shows!! You all are a wonder!! Thanks for all your talent and effort. –parent

This program seemed to bring to life a sense of appreciation, togetherness and thankfulness that we feel young people can benefit from. –parent

I was extremely delighted and impressed with this entire production. The backdrops explaining each body part was

fantastic. The children in their respective classes and areas of the body sang so articulately and they seemed to actually “enjoy” what they sang and the movement that went along with the songs! Well Done! Thank you very much. –parent

Dear Melanie,
At Something Good in the World, we use the Talking Hands Talking Feet CDs and songs and many of the dances on a daily basis! One way we use the songs is that we start our mornings with each class singing their own class song. These were commissioned from Paul Zeir (since 2003) and each year that we have added a grade to our Earth School programs, we add a new song! The range of this is from age 5 to age 11, Kindergarten through 5th grade. The daily class song is a kind of call-over or preparation for the day, as each group sings words that express its own age-appropriate Identity and the qualities that are sought in the learning process, such as Trust or Cohesion. We also have choreography for each song, which allows children to have a whole mind-body experience, promoting inter-hemispheric balance, and providing a good physical warm-up at the same time. All year long, we find opportunities to perform our class songs, whether for parents or concerts or field trips, and these songs and dances promote a sense of school unity.

We also use the THTF CDs themselves on a weekly basis. Each time that we set out on a new thematic unity of study with the children, the teachers look for accompanying songs from "Rainbow Train", "Do Re Mi Dragon" or “Heartbeat of the Future” that can illustrate our studies, and enhance them. So for example, if we are doing a two week unit that includes Memory and Coordination, we will make use of specific songs and movements like "We've Got the Rhythm" or "Kalamazoo" or "Shaking Up the Trees" that are both fun and engaging, and call for both memory work and physical coordination.
There is not a day that goes by that we aren't using the music and lyrics of Paul Zeir, and at least once a week we are benefitting from movements choreographed by Melanie Zeir. There is no way to describe what our educational programs would be like without these. I suppose: quiet and still!

Our method of education is hands-on, experiential, and whole body oriented, engaging all of the senses. Whenever we need a song or dance to supplement a lesson, or illustrate an idea, we turn to THTF. With our older classes, the best example of this is the "We The People" workshop that they have designed. This year, on Constitution Day, we followed the outline of their workshop, and afterwards our 3rd - 5th graders were totally inspired by watching their DVD, to see how other students had done the same work in other schools. I think that for younger children, they just love and accept the THTF CDs, songs, and choreography as part of our classes. They don't have any idea what life would be like without this. For the older students, as they have graduated from the earlier songs and movements, they seem to be really fulfilled by the class songs that we commissioned from Paul Zeir. Even 11 year olds, who can think themselves too "cool" to sing, find themselves involved in the songs by doing the movements. I hope this offers a picture of how valuable the THTF body of work is in our programs.

We have gotten so used to this being a part of our daily educational process, that we don't think about how it must be for teachers who don't have access to this work. It's so easy to put on the CD and get the children up and moving, I can't imagine not doing this every day.

With best wishes,
Barbara Sarbin, Educational Program Director
Something Good in the World at Hilltop Hanover Farm
www.somethinggoodintheworld.org

Dear Paul and Melanie
I have been meaning to write to you for a while now, because I want to send you a huge THANK YOU for the amazing work you do with Talking Hands Talking Feet. My son, Lukas, just turned two, and it's like he has been growing up on your music. This is invaluable to me. To know that he is listening and loving this music that comes with codings, that is natural to his little but growing design, and that comes from such a pure motive ... I cannot be more grateful.
Recently we were listening to Rainbow Train in his room and I left for a moment to go to the kitchen. Suddenly I heard this little voice accompanying the music, singing "over the doshin (ocean!), come big waves..." He was singing along, what a beautiful thing. Now he asks to hear that song all the time, and he loves to sing it. He also loves the Water song from your new CD. He goes over the stereo and says "Water Water" and "Second song" (because he knows it is song #2 on the CD).
Naturally he loves music in all its forms and I see that there are many, many ways to keep this pathway open. But having the three THTF CD's to play is so amazing, and I wanted to tell you how much I value the fact of it, and how much I value what you do.
I hope Lukas gets to experience your music and dance work live some day, but even if not, it doesn't matter because the essence connection behind the words and the music "... come shining through."
With much thanks and warm regards,
Jessica Wapner

"Just wanted to mention that my kids have been taking rhythm classes at Talking Hands and have really been loving it. Every time I mention the possibility of switching to another activity for a while, they beg me to let them stay in THTF. The activities in this "class" are so varied and unlike anything they've experienced in other classes that they are not bored for a single second. Also, I've noticed that they've become quite adept at the activities requiring physical coordination, the same ones that in the beginning seemed too difficult for them. In watching the sessions, you can easily get a sense of the benefits to their brains, as many of the activities have them crossing mentally and physically from one side of the body to the other."-Santa Fe mother

"I want to say how much I appreciate the depth of your music. Your values of unity, creativity, joy and exploration are ones that our family shares also. You seem to want to motivate the children to do more than just serve themselves and seek happiness, but to learn to work together as one, to be grateful and to grow."-Abigail's mother

"Elsa and I have totally enjoyed our experience of the 'Boom Boom Orchestra' this year. The bright space was always filled with happy kids, interested in whatever you did and delighted to join in the songs they know well. I think of Talking Hands Talking Feet as an outpouring of creative energy - yours and that of each large and small person there - and the exhilaration that goes along with it. You have created a great learning frontier with music. In the warm atmosphere of your class, kids feel free to experience things fully and to participate as much as they can. Newcomers and even very small children quickly felt safe in your class, and this speaks loudly to me about the whole mood of your teaching. Your songs engage children on so many levels: honing skills of listening, comprehension, memory, rhythm, and imagination. Many of your songs encourage the kids to respond to the music with their whole bodies, which is exactly what they love to do. You seem to maintain a magical balance: leading the sessions and yet inviting each child to create their own experience."-Elsa's mother

"I wanted to let you know that we were working at the summer camp with 5 - 7 yr olds who were just wild! But when we did the movements that Melanie showed us to the song Blue Ship, they all became still and this incredibly peaceful state ensued when we finished and we sat there in the meadow. Its really amazing work youdo!" -Donna (preschool/kindergarten teacher)

"You were wonderfully accepting of the various levels of participation from all the kids. It made it easier as a parent to simply allow him to be and not push him beyond his comfort level. We loved your classes for the creative, free-flowing structure that works so well with children." - Jalin's Mother  

"Thank you for being a special and healing presence in our life, and for planting your musical and dancing seeds!" - Hannah's mother

 

"The songs and dances were great fun, and educational. Johan learned the days of the week and months by singing your calendar song. My mother-in-law even used your CD in her kindergarten class." - Johan's mother

 

"It was fun to watch the baby become more alert to the sounds, movement and children around her and finally join in with the songs and motions. To this day, she loves music. The movements have helped her coordination" - Addy's mother

"The songs provide a reference point as they are ingrained in Noah's memory in a way that information presented in other ways is not."- Noah's Mother