I can't believe September is over! Last month we worked on so many things in Kindermusik and piano. My Tuesday classes worked on inhibitory control, which is the ability to stop and start. They also experimented with a lot of different instruments. My Monday Kindermusik class learned the 3 black keys on the piano, the steps to a Spanish dance, 5 names of animals in Spanish and they learned about quarter notes and quarter rests. My piano class learned quarters, halfs, quarter rests and 2 eighth notes.
The "Carnival of Music" month was so much fun! Some of us even got to go to a real carnival in town after our last week of class. On the last class, we made a merry go round out of a parachute! The kids had worked on the merry go round circle game all month and did such a good job working together and coordinating their body movements for that part! This week, we started a new unit-- "Animals a dancing". Did you know that mimicking animal sounds is a good way for your child to expand their verbal development? We will be doing a lot of that this month. We are also going to make and take home "frog caller" instruments next week. Another thing that was special this week, was that I played the Mandolin. One of the songs, Old Joe Clark, from the CD just happens to be a song I play on the mandolin! The kids loved that! Old Joe Clark is a great song to develop their ear because it has a different tonal sound than other songs we are used to.
The "Jumping Beans" unit with the 4 to 6 year olds was so much fun. They learned to read quarter notes and quarter rests while searching the rain forest for lizards. On the last day, they got to take some lizards home! They all really enjoyed learning about the piano as well. One of my favorite parts was the resonator bars. The resonator bars are some of my favorite Kindermusik instruments. Instead of starting out with a full glockenspiel keyboard, the resonator bars are broken up into individual notes. First we sang a song and incorporated tapping our legs in the song as if we were playing the instrument. Then we all took turns playing the instrument in the same rhythm that we tapped. They also enjoyed touching the bars and feeling the vibration of the notes as they rang out. Next week, we will begin a unit called "Join the parade!" I plan to bring my trumpet to show them a real marching band instrument.
In piano class, this last month we learned about the black keys on the piano and played a few songs on them. We learned our finger numbers as well as learning about the bass and treble clefs. We also learned quarters, quarter rests, half notes, and even 2 eighths. The boys enjoyed coming up with their own rhythms by placing the notes in different orders. We also learned a poem about silly lady called Miss White. We clap the rhythm to the poem as well as identify the different rhythmic values in the poem.
"Miss White, had a fright, in the middle of the night.
Saw a ghost, eating toast, halfway up the lamp post."
inspiring imagination through the magic of music
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Bruno classes begin
I began piano at Bruno this Monday morning. My students are so polite, and smart! I loved how they figured out things on their own and were such good problem solvers.
The Kindermusik class at Bruno will start on Monday though I am still taking registrations! This month, the 4 to 6 year old class will focus on Spanish music and exposure to the Spanish language. We will also be exploring the black and white keys on the piano, and learning to read quarter notes and quarter rests.
My piano class also started this week. We are working on steady beat, finger numbers and hand position as well as simple songs on the black keys. We will also be exploring high and low on the piano and loud and soft.
The Kindermusik class at Bruno will start on Monday though I am still taking registrations! This month, the 4 to 6 year old class will focus on Spanish music and exposure to the Spanish language. We will also be exploring the black and white keys on the piano, and learning to read quarter notes and quarter rests.
My piano class also started this week. We are working on steady beat, finger numbers and hand position as well as simple songs on the black keys. We will also be exploring high and low on the piano and loud and soft.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
First week of classes
Kindermusik at my home studio has started this week! Today's class went really well, and I am excited about our class tonight! They will begin at the school in a few weeks.
In our ABC class today, I learned so much from observing the children. They had so many ideas of different ways to play the instruments and different movements to try that I had never thought of! I was also pleasantly surprised at how well they did with inhibitory control. I even had one student today who asked to do the "stop and start" even after we had finished with that concept! At home this week, practice the stopping and starting with your egg shakers. See how many different ways you can play them, and then instruct them to "stop". You can also play this game with different types of movement to your CD. Musical chairs, Red Light Green Light, and Mother May I are also games that use this concept!
In our ABC class today, I learned so much from observing the children. They had so many ideas of different ways to play the instruments and different movements to try that I had never thought of! I was also pleasantly surprised at how well they did with inhibitory control. I even had one student today who asked to do the "stop and start" even after we had finished with that concept! At home this week, practice the stopping and starting with your egg shakers. See how many different ways you can play them, and then instruct them to "stop". You can also play this game with different types of movement to your CD. Musical chairs, Red Light Green Light, and Mother May I are also games that use this concept!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
DEMO DAYS
We had our demo days classes today! I thought they went really well. I enjoyed talking to some of the parents afterwards and getting to know the kids. I posted a few pictures from the class on my blog here.. feel free to look through them! I hope to have some short video footage soon.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Fall classes
The Chelsea Library story time was a hit! I was very happy with how many kids were there. We did a sample class from the Family Time curriculum. What a great library! It was a lot of fun. I have had a lot of interest after these demos.
In order to make sure there is a spot for your child this fall, be sure to go ahead and sign up. If you sign up before August 18, you will get an early bird discount. The Tuesday morning ABC Music and Me class in particular is filling up really quickly.
My next demo will be at the North Shelby Library on Sunday, August 24 at 2:00. At 2:00, we will do a sample from the ABC curriculum. I am very excited about this lesson! At 2:30, we will do a sample Our Time class for toddlers. Be sure to be there!
Included in your tuition, are the At Home Materials which all the learning to continue into the home. They include age appropriate instruments, an activity book, and a CD of the songs from our class. Your child will get much more out of each class if you spend time with the materials at home. They will enjoy that special time with you as well. We will also have family night once a semester, and I will also be conducting story time demos from time to time which are like a free class!
Chelsea Story Time
At the Chelsea story time, I was so surprised at the response!
We started out with our Hello How Do You Do song-- which begins every class. We always want to start and end each class the same way to provide emotional security for the child and so they will be able to predict what comes next.
Next, we explored with a little vocal play to extend the vocal ranges of the children as we sang Wishy Washy Wee! The children then played the zig zag blocks and rhythm sticks as the moms sang the new song. The moms did great with the expressive vocal play and singing!
Then we did some focused listening as we listened to Frog Sounds. The kids love to hear recordings of real animal sounds and imitate them! It is not only fun for the kids, but it is important to spend time at class and at home practicing active listening skills. We all need to turn down the noise level in our homes and sit and listen. It is not only good for our verbal skills, but also extends the attention span.
After that, we imitated the frogs by making our own frog callers. This is something that can be done at home out of everyday objects around the house. Ever notice how the kids love to make drums out of pots, pans, tupperware, cans and shakers? After some exploration with the instruments, we played our new instruments with a recording of a song about frogs. Working on a steady beat is not only important to future musicians, but it is also important in every day life. Walking, running, bouncing a ball, riding a bike, and cutting with scissors are all examples of activities that are done in a steady repeated pattern like a steady beat.
Next, I showed everyone my trumpet. This is something I added to the Kindermusik demonstration because I thought everyone would enjoy it. I used the trumpet to work on inhibitory control with the class. I played a theme from the opera Carmen and let the children gallop around to the music. When I stopped playing, they had to freeze. This is an important step towards learning the musical concept of a rest. It is also a first step towards self control, and learning to follow directions.
After that, it was everyone's favorite time-- instrument exploration! I let everyone try one of the many instruments I had. There were so many kids though, that I ran out! This activity is fun in a large group, but in a smaller group like an actual class, there is more time for the kids to trade instruments and for me to spend individual time with each child instructing them about the proper way to play the instrument. This exploration is not only fun, but it is important for their cognitive development as they learn to discern which instrument make which sound. It is also good for their fine motor skills because each instrument is played in a different way. This helps prepare them for eating with a spoon, writing, or playing another instrument such as piano. After exploration, we played along to She'll be Coming Around the Mountain.
Then we read the Going to Bed Book and the children signed along with me as we read. It is important to actively engage the children in listening to a story at this age. Ask questions about the pictures, put movement or music to the plot, have them do the hand motions or sign language.
At the very end, we pretended we were on the boat that we had just read about as we all rocked and moved to a Barcarolle or a boat song. This gave the children an opportunity to wind down after the class and learn to relax. Learning to relax is an important skills that needs to be implemented in the child's day during times other than bedtime and nap time. Turn the TV off and play some soft music during that mid-afternoon fussy time. Sit and read books before dinner. Children are so active during the day that they need time to wind down before they get overstimulated. We usually see the symptoms of over-stimulation too late when they have a meltdown. The rocking motion is a very calming activity and we saw many different methods of rocking in our class! I was so excited to see the moms coming up with new ways to rock their children! Rocking is not only calming, but it also stimulated the vesitibular system in the ears, which is the system that working with our cooridination and balance. I bet you didn't know that Kindermusik could prepare your child for sports!
In order to make sure there is a spot for your child this fall, be sure to go ahead and sign up. If you sign up before August 18, you will get an early bird discount. The Tuesday morning ABC Music and Me class in particular is filling up really quickly.
My next demo will be at the North Shelby Library on Sunday, August 24 at 2:00. At 2:00, we will do a sample from the ABC curriculum. I am very excited about this lesson! At 2:30, we will do a sample Our Time class for toddlers. Be sure to be there!
Included in your tuition, are the At Home Materials which all the learning to continue into the home. They include age appropriate instruments, an activity book, and a CD of the songs from our class. Your child will get much more out of each class if you spend time with the materials at home. They will enjoy that special time with you as well. We will also have family night once a semester, and I will also be conducting story time demos from time to time which are like a free class!
Chelsea Story Time
At the Chelsea story time, I was so surprised at the response!
We started out with our Hello How Do You Do song-- which begins every class. We always want to start and end each class the same way to provide emotional security for the child and so they will be able to predict what comes next.
Next, we explored with a little vocal play to extend the vocal ranges of the children as we sang Wishy Washy Wee! The children then played the zig zag blocks and rhythm sticks as the moms sang the new song. The moms did great with the expressive vocal play and singing!
Then we did some focused listening as we listened to Frog Sounds. The kids love to hear recordings of real animal sounds and imitate them! It is not only fun for the kids, but it is important to spend time at class and at home practicing active listening skills. We all need to turn down the noise level in our homes and sit and listen. It is not only good for our verbal skills, but also extends the attention span.
After that, we imitated the frogs by making our own frog callers. This is something that can be done at home out of everyday objects around the house. Ever notice how the kids love to make drums out of pots, pans, tupperware, cans and shakers? After some exploration with the instruments, we played our new instruments with a recording of a song about frogs. Working on a steady beat is not only important to future musicians, but it is also important in every day life. Walking, running, bouncing a ball, riding a bike, and cutting with scissors are all examples of activities that are done in a steady repeated pattern like a steady beat.
Next, I showed everyone my trumpet. This is something I added to the Kindermusik demonstration because I thought everyone would enjoy it. I used the trumpet to work on inhibitory control with the class. I played a theme from the opera Carmen and let the children gallop around to the music. When I stopped playing, they had to freeze. This is an important step towards learning the musical concept of a rest. It is also a first step towards self control, and learning to follow directions.
After that, it was everyone's favorite time-- instrument exploration! I let everyone try one of the many instruments I had. There were so many kids though, that I ran out! This activity is fun in a large group, but in a smaller group like an actual class, there is more time for the kids to trade instruments and for me to spend individual time with each child instructing them about the proper way to play the instrument. This exploration is not only fun, but it is important for their cognitive development as they learn to discern which instrument make which sound. It is also good for their fine motor skills because each instrument is played in a different way. This helps prepare them for eating with a spoon, writing, or playing another instrument such as piano. After exploration, we played along to She'll be Coming Around the Mountain.
Then we read the Going to Bed Book and the children signed along with me as we read. It is important to actively engage the children in listening to a story at this age. Ask questions about the pictures, put movement or music to the plot, have them do the hand motions or sign language.
At the very end, we pretended we were on the boat that we had just read about as we all rocked and moved to a Barcarolle or a boat song. This gave the children an opportunity to wind down after the class and learn to relax. Learning to relax is an important skills that needs to be implemented in the child's day during times other than bedtime and nap time. Turn the TV off and play some soft music during that mid-afternoon fussy time. Sit and read books before dinner. Children are so active during the day that they need time to wind down before they get overstimulated. We usually see the symptoms of over-stimulation too late when they have a meltdown. The rocking motion is a very calming activity and we saw many different methods of rocking in our class! I was so excited to see the moms coming up with new ways to rock their children! Rocking is not only calming, but it also stimulated the vesitibular system in the ears, which is the system that working with our cooridination and balance. I bet you didn't know that Kindermusik could prepare your child for sports!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Demo class schedule
After I complete the demo classes this week, I will be doing a demo at the story time at the Chelsea library. I also have a BIG demo coming up on the 24th at the North Shelby library. I will do one demo for 3 to 7 year olds at 2:00 and another demo for 0 to 3 year olds at 2:30.
Tomorrow in the demo class, we will learn to play quarter notes as we play a song called I Like to Play the Sticks. Each child will be able to join in with the ensemble and play the sticks.
Then we will all pretend to be magical dancing clocks and do creative movement to the steady beat. Creative movement is not only good for the imagination, but it also helps work on gross motor skills and steady beat. The ability to keep a steady beat is important because it helps with many other skills such as walking with coordination and bouncing a ball.
Next we will engage in focused, active listening while listening to a recording of bird sounds. We will them rhythmically imitate those sounds. We do this to work on steady beat, imitation, and rhythm. These are all important to a young musician!
After that its off to Japan-- we will listen to and sing two Japanese folk songs. Listening to music and language from another culture is so important at this age because they are absorbing so much culture around them. We will also sing a traditional Japanese kite song. We will fly our kites along with the song!
Tomorrow in the demo class, we will learn to play quarter notes as we play a song called I Like to Play the Sticks. Each child will be able to join in with the ensemble and play the sticks.
Then we will all pretend to be magical dancing clocks and do creative movement to the steady beat. Creative movement is not only good for the imagination, but it also helps work on gross motor skills and steady beat. The ability to keep a steady beat is important because it helps with many other skills such as walking with coordination and bouncing a ball.
Next we will engage in focused, active listening while listening to a recording of bird sounds. We will them rhythmically imitate those sounds. We do this to work on steady beat, imitation, and rhythm. These are all important to a young musician!
After that its off to Japan-- we will listen to and sing two Japanese folk songs. Listening to music and language from another culture is so important at this age because they are absorbing so much culture around them. We will also sing a traditional Japanese kite song. We will fly our kites along with the song!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
ABC Music and Me
I am so excited to be offering the ABC Music and Me class next year! ABC Music and Me was chosen to receive the Teacher's choice award, based on childhood educator evaluations of the program! I have a demo class for the program next week and I am looking forward to that! I think the ABC program is a great way to introduce kids to music as well as aid in their overall development. In the ABC program, so many areas of child development are included. They will build confidence, coordination, vocal expression, careful listening, pre music notation skills, inhibitory control, social skills and creativity. The class is broken down into 2 age groups, 2 to 4 and 4 to 6. The older group will also begin pre-keyboard skills and staff notation.
My demo class next week will also include other instruments that I play since this is at a music camp. So I will play piano, trumpet and mandolin. Here is my program:
Hello, How do you do? This is the welcome song that we want to include in every class. I will play along on the mandolin.
Pop goes the weasel- We will do a circle dance to work on coordination and social skills as I play the mandolin.
Twinkle Twinkle- The children will do creative movement with scarves as I play an arrangement of Twinkle Twinkle on the piano.
Old McDonald- This is an old favorite with a new twist. We will sing the entire song but count silently on the EIEIO part. This works on inhibitory control, the ability to stop and start. This is an important ability to nurture for musical skills as well as life skills such as self control and coordination.
Hickety, pickety Buttercup- This vocal play works on their language skills as well as their social and mathematical skills. Each child waits eagerly for their turn, and then must visually recognize the number of fingers I hold up. Then they count as they play the triangle the specified number of times. So they are counting in 4 different ways, by seeing, by hearing, by speaking aloud the counts, and by physically playing the counts.
Excerpt from Carmen-- We will all pretend to be horses as we gallop along to the trumpet during an exciting excerpt from the opera Carmen. Exposure to fine classical music during the early years is not only fun, but children are absorbing the sounds around them during the early years. Don't you want to expose your child to the best music possible?
Instrument exploration-- Kids love to explore instruments! Not only does instrument exploration work on their fine motor skills, but it gives them the opportunity to work on cause and effect. They learn which instruments make high sounds, and which instruments make low sounds and well as which are loud and which are soft.
Here Comes a Blue Bird-- We are going to learn a song about a blue bird. The repetition in this song as well as the focus on a tri-tonal melody helps the children to begin to learn to sing in a range that is comfortable and natural for them. We will also play a game with this song!
De Colores-- We will listen to a recording of this Spanish song while moving a colorful parachute to the music. This type of movement not only encourages the children to move together, but to control their movements and coordinate them to the music.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Summer activities
Last night we took the kids to the Drum and Bugle Corps show at Spain Park High School. I enjoyed getting to visit with friends from high school and college who are now music educators! The kids were a little lively but paid attention a lot longer than I expected. We ended up taking them off to the side to let them run and dance to the music. Young children just can't be expected to sit still and watch something three hours! They need to move around to learn and absorb what is going on around them. It was fun! I will try to post events like that take place around town on my blog and my studio calendar. Any amount of music that a child can be exposed to during the early years becomes a part of him in some way. That is why it is so important to make these first exposures, the best experiences possible.
http://www.dci.org/
http://www.dci.org/
Practice, practice, practice.
I conducted a practice class for Kindermusik last week. It was a lot of fun! I saw an active toddler learn to relax to music. I heard another toddler echo my vocal play exercise. They all loved the instruments! There was a 3 year old boy who wanted to just go nuts with the music. I was so impressed with how he calmed himself down to move with the music along with the other kids. The older kids were like little helpers and helped teach the younger kids. I could not believe how well all of them listened and sang along! And the best part is how the songs stuck with them even after they left the class. It was awesome!
I've noticed with my own kids how much they have changed since I've begun to practice my Kindermusik with them. My 21 month old is starting to sing songs and make sentences. After doing active listening so many times, he has begun to ask questions about all the sounds around him. My 3 1/2 yr old has also been singing and making up songs. I have been amazed at how my 3 1/2 year old has been learning the Kindermusik songs! They have both been very interested in instruments! They have helped me so much with my class!
Check out this web site for a video of some Kindermusik classes. http://www.kindermusik.com/
I've noticed with my own kids how much they have changed since I've begun to practice my Kindermusik with them. My 21 month old is starting to sing songs and make sentences. After doing active listening so many times, he has begun to ask questions about all the sounds around him. My 3 1/2 yr old has also been singing and making up songs. I have been amazed at how my 3 1/2 year old has been learning the Kindermusik songs! They have both been very interested in instruments! They have helped me so much with my class!
Check out this web site for a video of some Kindermusik classes. http://www.kindermusik.com/
Learning Something New
I have been learning a lot with my Kindermusik class this summer! The other day, my grandmother showed up with a new instrument for me out of the blue. It was a mandolin. A mandolin is a stringed instrument with 8 strings, that are tuned in pairs. It is tuned simmilarly to the violin, which I had learned to play many many years ago. I can still play the violin-- its just that the bow gets in the way. I am enjoying the pick a lot more than the bow! The only thing about the mandolin, is that it is a killer on your fingertips. The double strings, really close together make your fingers feel like they are on fire! After about a week, I have developed some callouses to be proud of. The other day when I was cooking, I touched something that should have been really hot. But I could not feel it at all because of my mandolin callouses. Who needs an oven mitt? Despite all the fingertip pain, it has been a blast. I have been bluegrassin it up and it has been fun! I can't wait to share my new instrument with my students!
Kindermusik
I have been doing so many things this summer! In preparation for the fall, I have been taking the Kindermusik course. I have wanted to take that course for 6 years now-- ever since I finished the Orff level one certification. I am pretty much done with the course at this point and can't wait to start my first classes! I have been amazed at all I've learned about the power of music and child development!
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Children's music classes
These instruments will be featured from time to time in a Kindermusik class!