Reflect on the last time you learned something well. The odds are that you learned it because it was something memorable. A well designed experience will move you to practice more, and by using your whole body, you are able to build the skills to mastery. At IANY, we approach teaching and learning through the lens of art and music education because we believe that this helps young people explore and experience new learning in meaningful ways through active engagement.
Before a child speaks, they sing,
Before they write, they paint
As soon as they stand, they dance
Music and Art are the foundations of human expression
At IANY, we maintain the joy and expression of childhood by engaging in meaningful learning that allows young children to capture the culture and language of Chinese or Spanish through immersive music and art experiences.
HOW do we teach?
Musical experiences in childhood enhance brain development, particularly in the areas of language acquisition and reading skills. Learning to play an instrument improves mathematical learning in addition to building concentration. Performing a piece with an instrument automatically prioritizes etiquette and confidence in presentation skills for young children.
Our signature music CLEF program developed by master teacher Ms. Felicia Feng Zhang NCTM, helps students learn how to play and enjoy playing the piano, providing a holistic education that goes beyond what traditional music schools offer. Students acquire important life skills such as time management, listening, organizational skills, persistence, the ability to focus and good manners in addition to learning the piano.
Learning music becomes easy and enjoyable as students build these necessary life skills that ultimately helps to instill confidence and self-assurance in everyday living. Ms. Zhang is an expert in identifying and developing children's natural talents. Her passion for music and expertise in teaching benefits all students even with children as young as 3 years of age.
Second Language Learning
Our integrated curriculum helps the body and the mind work together. Exposure to music and art ignites all areas of child development, including intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy. Exposing children to music and art during early development helps them learn the sounds and meanings of words in the target language and make associations in their first language.
Visual Arts Education
Guided conversation of works of art promote imagination and explore technique across culture and geography as our students study the arts of the world. Visual arts participation is linked to developmental gains such as fine motor coordination, precision and technique in their artistic endeavors. The overarching goal of our Visual Arts program is to create a space where students can feel free to express themselves and experiment with new ideas. Risk taking, time management and persistence are encouraged and supported.
Dance Education
Dancing and Movement to music helps children build motor skills while allowing them to practice self-expression. Kinesthetic Memory and spatial awareness is also enhanced through well designed movement activities. Students of this age level are whole-body learners who need to learn through active exploration involving physical activity.
Weekly Integrated Projects Block
The integrated Block creates a space for a holistic linguistic and multidisciplinary learning approach which helps our students experience language through culture and history, in immersive projects that are memorable and meaningful.
Studying language, visual art, and music fundamentally is the process of learning how to communicate in a given cultural and social context. These means of communication are intertwined through human civilization. We believe that art and music are instruments by which language is fully represented.
Music, Movement, Art and Language bring us joy. This is why it is so effective in moving our students to their full potential. Tapping into emotions and making deliberate plans for student learning, our faculty creates conditions for sensorimotor explorations that are the key to learning in the formative, early childhood years. When Music, Language, Art and Movement teachers join together once a week, they engage young children in fresh ways to use their knowledge to rehearse and reflect on their learning and be able to tell the story of what they have mastered.