Working with the kids at Cione has been musically exciting for both them and me. The first week I was there, I grew accustomed to the songs they already knew and I learned the songs that they sing in the morning to get ready for the day. Most of the kids are very active without much encouragement, and the ones who aren’t naturally loud are receptive to interaction and encouragement. This last week, I decided to introduce a number of new songs to them to see how quickly they learn. It turns out this class is very good at learning new songs and is very active in participation (sometimes to the point of asking them to be a little less enthusiastic). I have found, however, that when you are trying to get kids to participate in music, it’s better for them to be over-enthusiastic than under.