Parents & Teachers

Lights, camera, Action music!

The essence of the Jurassic Joe show is based around what Joe calls ‘Action music’ i.e. music that invokes action as it triggers certain emotions, images, moods and memories. Joe, a music teacher with more than 20 years experience from Kindergarten to Year 12, puts it this way:

“At a young age children are very active, with music playing an important role in encouraging dancing and singing. They are much more ready to stomp their feet and roar than they are to sit at their desks for hours at a time. If they can do all the dancing and singing while learning about comparisons, diets, word meanings, counting, adding, time lines, interdependence and more, then we’ve got some real education happening”. Joe

With an enthusiasm for teaching that is always bubbling to the surface, Joe believes that one of the most crucial aspects to a child’s education is the powerful combination of ‘play’ and ‘songs’. Songs can not only make remembering information much easier, they can also facilitate a deeper, more enriched level of learning:

“So many cultures across the world use songs extensively and effectively in their education systems. While we in the West have some catching up to do, my hope is that with the further musicalisation of syllabus, we’ll be one step closer to utilising this incredibly powerful learning tool to its full potential”. Joe

Down through the ages

Children’s fascination with dinosaurs is the medium used to engage them, as well as their motivation to participate actively in music activities. The dinosaur fascination is applicable to all ages, however the skills and knowledge imbedded in the songs and dances are most relevant in the 3-8 years old learning stages (and many kids up to 108).

Over the past 1 million and 5 years, Joe has presented his show at libraries, preschools, schools, museums, Australia Zoo, and festivals from Sydney to Cairns and across to Darwin. In 2011 he enjoyed an extended season playing at the Queensland Museum. The theme? You guessed it: Explorasaurus.

Administrators: Joe is a current blue card holder, a school teacher of 20 years, and a strong advocate for any system that contributes to the creation of safe and supportive environments for children and young people.