Kind Words
The kids just love the CD. They want to hear it all the time, they sing along with it and it's infectious. I think it's great for grownups too. So we don't play it as if to support the teaching, we rather play it because we like it!
- Parent Maitland (Io, Ray and Adda)
My three and a half year old daughter had been studying French with Muriel for over a year. Muriel is a marvelous teacher. I've never before encountered a pre-school class that is as thoroughly figured out and consistently taught as her French class. It's a focused period for the children and the structure allows time for group songs and to each take turns (talking about colors, numbers, and special topics) with Muriel's guidance. There's no english spoken (truly the way language should be taught at all levels) but nothing about this is disconcerting for the kids. Muriel's teaching is through song and movement. Her compositions are catchy and she includes many classic French children's songs too. The repetitive format means that children can join her class and quickly feel at ease with what's going on. When Muriel brings out the different props (hand puppets, a parachute, or even feathers) before each song, the students know their cue and are ready to participate. Well beyond being a fun activity, Muriel's teaching has promoted an enormous interest in language and the relationships of words. My daughter has retained an enormous amount and I often hear her at play singing one of Muriel's songs.
- Parent Perla (Io, Ray and Adda)
It is exactly because of opportunities like this that we live in Brooklyn... I have been taking my 23-month-old daughter to a music and movement class in French in Boerum Hill. After two classes, I was blown away by the quality! The teacher, Muriel, with her enchanting singing voice, expressive gestures, puppets, balloons, bubbles, parachute and rattles, connects with children's natural love of movement and music. The songs are her original works, unusual, simple and memorable; layer after layer gently teaching counting, colors, vocabulary, etc... in French. I feel that I ought to describe this class in very poetic terms... it is awe-inspiring and perfectly orchestrated, not a moment is wasted, perfectly geared to captivate toddlers and preschoolers... not to mention all the adults in the room, who all have child-like smiles on their faces. After class, it feels like we've participated in a Cirque du Soleil performance! For French-speaking toddlers, it would be an equally wonderful and enriching music and movement pre-school class.
- Parent Yana (Madeleine)
Is it a puppet class? Is it a music class? Is it a dance class? Is it a French class? Muriel’s Songs and Puppets French class is all of these and much more. She is creative and inspiring, dynamic and patient and her classes are 200% fun. My daughter Elisa started Muriel’s class at 14 months old and she has learnt so much in one semester already: she walks like an elephant, she runs after bubbles, she shows her body parts with feathers and as she grows and develops her character, there is one very special song that lives with us every day: ‘Monsieur Oui, Monsieur Non’. How many toddlers don’t want to keep mittens or gloves on during winter?, Muriel’s songs inspired us so much that we replicated ‘Monsieur Oui, Monsieur Non’ on each of her mittens: 2 colored eyes, 1 button noise, 1 sticker mouth that reads ‘Oui’ and ‘Non’ and of course, we need to sing the song to her. It works every time we go outside and her hands don’t get cold anymore because singing and playing ‘Monsieur Oui, Monsieur Non’ is so much fun compared to just put mittens on! Thanks to Muriel for making our lives funnier every Wednesday.
- Parent Delphine (Elisa and Gabriel)
For a very long time, my second child had to listen to Muriel’s tape every night before he went to bed - he found her voice so soothing. For him it was like an elixir. Now, he seems to have a flair for the language and very good pronunciation.
- Parent Kate (Anna and Oliver)