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 eighteen and taking his A levels! Charlotte, my eldest is completing her Masters in Sports Science with Psychology and Emma, my middle child, has been a nursery nurse for almost two years and is a qualified NVQ 3. 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 is taking music further and will be starting a two year music course at Amersham College in September.

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 Widmer End. Alison will also help me in Forty Green when necessary. I run all of the classes in Forty Green and work in a local nursery one morning a week. Following a recent session with the Marlow Opportunity Playgroup which benefits children with various disabilities, I am now going to visit them on a weekly basis.

Since September 2004, I have worked with SureStart Children’s Centres in and around High Wycombe, and now I am involved with the Children’s Centres in the Ivers.

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.

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.