Bing Nursery School welcomes its new music and movement specialist, Mara Beckerman, this fall. The music and movement specialist helps foster an environment that stimulates creativity and promotes an appreciation and love of music. Mara will rotate through the classrooms daily, introducing new songs, helping children discover how to use instruments and explore movement through music, and facilitating children’s songwriting and dramatic play. Mara will also maintain and acquire resources for teachers to use during music time, and work with teachers to plan and extend their curriculum ideas for music activities.
Mara comes to Bing from five years as the music and movement specialist at Harker Preschool in San Jose. Previously, she has taught music and movement at a number of Bay Area elementary and preschools.
Mara grew up in New York City, and has been involved in the performing arts since she was 8 and began playing guitar at 11. In college, she studied theater and worked part-time teaching music and dance at a small private elementary school. After college, she began performing professionally in musical theater in NYC, in regional theater and on national tours. She was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She has also performed nationally as a storyteller and has recorded three CDs of songs and stories.
In 1991, Mara began working with The Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, which places performing artists in preschool classes to help children ages 3–5 and their teachers use the arts to enhance the curriculum.
In addition, Mara has been an active member in the Children’s Music Network since its creation in 1990. “CMN is a wonderful organization for anyone who has an interest in music for children, whether you are a performer, teacher, librarian or parent,” she explains. Mara will be presenting a workshop on creative movement for young children at the CMN National Conference in Cleveland in October.
Mara lives in the Bay Area with her husband and has two daughters and a rescue dog named Tofu.