How It All Began

Little did I know that when I started running classes in April 1993, then known as Musical Minors, that I would still be doing so this many years later! It was to be a stop gap before returning to the classroom, but I never anticipated that I would find so much enjoyment and reward in working with such young children, not to mention the fact that it was a job that fitted around my family, always allowing me to be there for them.

From a very young age I knew that I wanted to teach in some capacity, and that it had to involve music! After A levels I went to Music College, and followed that with a teacher training course, becoming a primary school teacher with responsibility for music in September 1980. I stopped teaching in July 1986 to have the first of my three children and I started running music classes when the youngest was three, thinking that I would go back to formal teaching when he was five. Ben is now nineteen and is hoping to go to Birmingham university to study Civil Engineering. Charlotte, my eldest, has completed her Masters in Sports Science with Psychology at Liverpool John Moores and is now embarking on a PhD whilst also working at the university. Emma, my middle child, has been a nursery nurse since August 2006 and is a qualified NVQ 3 with ever increasing responsibilities in her nursery. All of my children were exposed to music from before birth and have all shown themselves to be musical in various ways (the girls did piano and danced, and all three can sing well and have a great sense of rhythm), but it is only my son, a drummer, who has learnt an instrument seriously and now plays for enjoyment, having decided not to pursue a music career after all.

I have owned my business since January 1994 and have had a number of teachers since April 1996. I currently have one class teacher to assist me, Alison Howard, who runs the classes in Marlow Bottom and assists with Forty Green classes when needed. I run all of the classes in Forty Green and work in a local nursery one morning a week. Once a week I visit Marlow Opportunity Playgroup which benefits children with various special needs from age 1 to 5 years and I also run sessions at Merryfields Family Support Unit in Cressex, High Wycombe which benefits 5 to 18 year olds with various disabilities. I find working with these children both rewarding and very enjoyable.

Since September 2004, I have worked with SureStart Children’s Centres in and around the High Wycombe area and more recently in the Ivers, Farnham Common and Little Chalfont. Alison also assists with some of the SureStart sessions.

NEW for SPRING 2009

Jo Jingles Beaconsfield will be offering a class for babies age 3 - 6 months on a Tuesday morning at 11.30am at Forty Green, Beaconsfield. The class will be 35 minutes long (all other age groups are 45 minutes) and will give mum/carer and baby a gentle introduction to music using familiar and simple songs, special baby instruments and some of our favourite props. If you would like more information, please call Val.

Summer Sessions!

Jo Jingles Beaconsfield is pleased to announce that it is running summer holiday fun sessions for families again this year.

Children aged from one to eight are welcome to join in. So, If you have children of different ages why not enjoy the activity as a family.

The sessions will be based on the same format as the weekly classes but with the added extra of a party atmosphere!

We will be singing and dancing to lots of our favourite songs and enjoying all of our favourite props including the parachute, lycra, bean bags, bubbles to name but a few and the giant inflatable ball will surface once more!

All classes will be at the Forty Green Beaconsfield Venue starting at 10.00am and will need to be pre-booked. Please go to my classes page to find details of the days and dates and to check for updates.

Residents in Amersham, Winchmore Hill, Coleshill, Holmer Green, Kingshill and Hazlemere

Have you tried our beautiful Penn Street Village location?

JO JINGLES IN YOUR NURSERY OR SCHOOL

If you would like Jo Jingles to come to your nursery or school, please call for details.

AFTER SCHOOL CLASS FOR 4½ to 7 YEAR OLDS

I am hoping to start an After School class at Forty Green on a Tuesday or Wednesday (depending on demand) at 4:00 pm, or 4:15 pm if a slightly later time is preferred. It will run for 45 minutes and children who have not previously attended Jo Jingles classes are welcome. Children may be left and collected later, but parents are welcome to stay if they wish.

As always, the emphasis is on having fun while the children learn. The classes will have one or more of the following things each week - rhythm work, multi-instrument songs, use of the hand bells and chime bars, classical music appreciation, music and movement and action songs, incorporating lots of our favourite props. Some of the songs used are familiar ones, but some are new and much more suited to older children.

Some First Schools are unable to provide much in the way of music for Reception to Year 2, so if your child has started school, really enjoys music and would like to experience more, please call for more information and to register your details.