JeKits - Instruments, dancing, singing for every child
"JeKits - Instruments, Dancing, Singing for Every Child" is a cultural education program in the primary school for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia . JeKits is carried out in cooperation with extracurricular educational institutions (such as music schools or dance institutions) and the schools. The program reaches all children in a JeKits school; the last three letters of his name “JeKits” stand for the three main focuses on offer: i for instruments, t for dancing and s for singing. The participating school decides together with its extracurricular cooperation partner which one of these three main areas it would like to offer. JeKits started in the 2015/16 school year as a nationwide follow-up program for Jedem Kind an instrument (JeKi), which will expire parallel to the JeKits program by the 2017/18 school year.
The central goals
- Making music and dancing together: JeKits wants to enable children to experience playing instruments, dancing or singing as an aesthetic act in a group.
- North Rhine-Westphalia open access to musical and dance education, regardless of their personal and socio-economic requirements.
- Impulse for the communal educational landscape : JeKits wants to sustainably enrich the communal educational landscape with a systematically cultivated cooperation between school and extracurricular partners.
Program structure
The primary school cooperates with an extracurricular partner for the implementation of the program. This is often the local music school; if you focus on dancing, this can also be a dance institution. The teachers of the extracurricular partner come to the primary school especially for JeKits lessons. JeKits is an additional offer to music lessons in school, but it does not replace it.
- The first JeKits year (JeKits 1) offers a basic musical or dance education for all children of the JeKits primary school as an introduction to making music or dancing together. The children have basic experiences with music and its forms of expression, playing instruments, dancing or singing. The presentation of the contents of the second JeKits year will be integrated. JeKits 1 can stand for itself in terms of content and also serves to prepare for the second JeKits year. Lessons are taught in so-called “tandem”: the teacher of the extracurricular cooperation partner arranges the lesson together with the primary school teacher. Lessons take place in class and include one lesson within the lesson table. The lessons are compulsory and free of charge.
- The second JeKits year (JeKits 2) is a continuation and deepening for all interested and registered children. Building on JeKits 1, making music or dancing together takes place in the “JeKits Orchestra”, “JeKits Dance Ensemble” or “JeKits Choir”. In addition, the JeKits lessons expand the skills in playing instruments, dancing or singing. A final presentation takes place at the end of the school year.
The lessons are given by teachers from the out-of-school partner and consist of two lessons per week. The lessons are voluntary and chargeable.
Focus on instruments
- JeKits 1: In the first JeKits year, children playfully discover the world of music and instruments. There is singing, dancing and playing on various instruments. The instruments that are available for the second JeKits year can be tried out for yourself.
- JeKits 2: In the second JeKits year, all children play together on the instrument of their choice in the “JeKits Orchestra”. The instruments are gradually integrated into making music together. Sound stories, songs, simple accompaniments and small pieces are played. The game in the JeKits orchestra is supplemented and supported by a second lesson per week in which the children receive lessons on their instrument in small groups.
Focus on dancing
JeKits 1 : In the first JeKits year, children playfully discover the world of music and dance. They are introduced to basic dance movements. You will get to know many different forms of representation and movement in contemporary dance.
- JeKits 2: In the second JeKits year, all children dance together in the “JeKits dance ensemble”. Dance skills such as coordination, balance and flow of movement are trained. The children experience their bodies as their own "instrument" with which they can express themselves through dance. The children's own ideas and experiences are the focus and are implemented and designed in dance forms.
Focus on singing
- JeKits 1: In the first JeKits year, children discover the world of music and singing. The children experience the diversity of their own vocal possibilities through their first songs and voice games.
- JeKits 2: In the second JeKits year the children sing in the "JeKits Choir", in which all registered children take part together. The children get to know different song forms such as refrain songs and canons and accompany each other with gestures and movements. They experience their voice as their own "instrument" and expand their singing abilities. They learn to express themselves musically with their voice. Voice training is an important part of choral singing. Depending on the size of the choir, the direction of the choir is supported by an additional voice training teacher.
Exemptions and reductions from contributions
In the first year, participation in the program is compulsory and free of charge. The children receive one lesson per week in a class. In the second JeKits year, participation in the program is voluntary and chargeable. For the focus on instruments, 23 euros per month, for the focus on dancing 17 euros and for the focus on singing 12 euros per month. The children receive two lessons per week in all three areas.
Children from families who receive unemployment benefit II, social assistance or similar social benefits are exempt from the contributions. Children whose parents receive housing benefit, child allowance, training assistance or benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act can also be exempt from paying contributions. It is possible to include funds from the education and participation package. If two or more children from one family take part in the program, the full contribution is only due for the first child; half must be paid for each additional child.
financing
The program is funded by the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia with 10.74 million euros annually. This sum is used both for the implementation of the new JeKits program in North Rhine-Westphalia from the 2015/16 school year and for the implementation of the parallel years of “ Every child an instrument ” in the Ruhr area up to the 2017/18 school year. The state funds are passed on to the municipalities via the JeKits Foundation. Together with the parents' contributions and the municipality's own resources, the costs for the teachers of the extracurricular cooperation partners are covered.
From "Every child an instrument" to "JeKits"
JeKits is the follow-up program to “Every Child an Instrument”, which was initiated in the entire Ruhr area on the occasion of the RUHR.2010 Capital of Culture . In order to enable municipalities outside of the Ruhr area in North Rhine-Westphalia to participate in the program, a new program started in North Rhine-Westphalia under the name "JeKits - Every child instruments, dancing, singing" from the 2015/16 school year. At the same time, the previous program "Every child an instrument" in the Ruhr area will run out by the 2017/18 school year. Both programs are supported by the non-profit JeKits Foundation (formerly the Every Child Foundation), based in Bochum .