Kate Daneluk

Genuine Music Education in the Faith-based Environment

Teaching in a faith-based environment offers specific challenges to the early childhood music teacher. Achieving the religious objectives of the Church or Temple can sometimes impede the requirements of sound music education.

By examining religious education through the eyes of Maria Montessori,  whose work in religious education is often overlooked,and relating religious growth to the stages of Preparatory Audiation,  an ancient and symbiotic relationship can be found between religious and music education. Neither discipline need be sacrificed.

Neurological Research in religious development and music education demonstrate that unique benefits can be achieved when both are honored properly. Participants will interact with lessons in different Chant traditions,hymns,and spirituals and then will workshop,  applying personal faithful music to a music education situation.

Objectives

1. Identify the challenges of providing early childhood Music Education in a Religious Setting.

2. Explore the unique musical benefits of including sacred music in the early childhood classroom.

3. Learn the developments in neuro research regarding faith processing and how this relates to brain-based music education.

4. Adapt sacred music to the typical early childhood curriculum while incorporated sacred languages of Latin and Hebrew.

5. Practice and apply ancient traditions of Chant along with other sacred expressions of music.

Bio

Kate Daneluk is a homeschooling mom of five and has taught music in Catholic schools and early education programs since 1994,when she graduated with high honors in Theology from St. Anselm College. Continuing on with graduate work in education,she trained in early childhood music and movement at the Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton.

Kate is the co-developer and creative director of Making Music Praying Twice. A contributing author for the Catholic Exchange,Catholic Mom,and Religion Teacher’s Journal/Creative Catechist,Kate provides engaging talks,and workshops at the Diocesan and National Level on Homeschooling,Family Life Ministry and Faith-Inclusive Early Childhood Music Education.