Music for Mobility

Our first studio service project is coming up soon! We will be participating in a “Music for Mobility” practice-a-thon from February 21- March 7. This type of service project not only gets the children involved in a worthy cause, but it also encourages them to practice more and become more aware of their practice habits.
We will be donating the money we make towards a program called Free Wheelchair Mission. It is an international development organization working in seventy-five countries across the world to transform lives through the gift of mobility. Free Wheelchair Mission distributes wheelchairs for free to the disabled poor in developing countries – all for $59.20! Through their organization we will be able to help restore dignity and hope in children and adults who have a disability, empower families to be productive citizens in their community, and allow individuals to gain mobility! These are just a few of the things the money we raise will help do for these recipients.

All money donated to Free Wheelchair Mission is tax deductible if anyone asks you and the tax ID will be listed on the sponsor form. Please call me if you have any questions or would like to get involved.
We are so excited about this year’s practice-a-thon—we know it’s going to be great!

How do I practice?

This may be my shortest post ever- how to practice piano:
1. count out loud
2. say the letter names of the notes
3. tap the music
4. listen to the recording
5. play through the piece at a slow, steady speed
6. all of the above

Kindermusik Challenge of the Week

This week in our Family Time class, I am going to focus a little more on relaxation time in class. One thing I have noticed lately in my own home is the need to have quiet time. Whether it is reading time, listening to soft music, cuddling or even watching a movie all bundled up in blankets with the lights down low; we all need some down time. This is particularly important for older preschoolers who may have dropped their nap time.

When I notice that my children are restless and irritable, its usually time for a break from the stimulation either in the form of a nap or quiet time. The busier we are, the more we need this time but unfortunately, when we are busy we devote less time to it. Sometimes all it takes is a few minutes of singing, snuggling, or reading with your child to totally change their (and your) behavior. Think of it like a "pre-time-out." Sometimes all that is needed to prevent the need of a time out is a little special quiet time spent with your child.

I have been very busy lately with all the new classes that have just started at the Cherubs Clubhouse but I am going to challenge myself to spend at least 10 minutes a day in relaxation with my children at times other than bedtime or nap time. In our class tomorrow we are going to practice implementing relaxation time and work on some techniques to promote bonding and peace in the home. Would you take the challenge too? Turn to tracks 6, 8,11 and 24 of your Family Time CD for relaxing music. Gather up a pile of books, a blanket and your puppets to cuddle and follow your child's lead as to how he needs to relax. Try to plan relaxation time for 5 to 10 minutes each day. It is not only good for you, but it is also good for your children.

We will be working on some intentional touch techniques in our class this week during our relaxation time. Check out the huggies website for more information about the strokes we will be using. Huggies Website You don't have to have any kind of training or supplies to learn these new ways to touch your baby or toddler. Check it out!

Yesterday, my 5 year old was still feeling sick from a cold. She received a lot of comfort from the intentional touch activities from the Huggies website as well as rocking to relaxing music. Even at 5 she benefited from these techniques and was asking for more! If you child learns to slow down and relax at a young age, it is something they can carry with them as they grow older and mature.

Four common mistakes concerning piano practice

1. Giving the child a set amount of practice time for each day, but not supervising the practice.
When I graduated college I taught private lessons for a while in the prep department where I graduated. I once had a young student who simply was not progressing like she should from week to week. The parents were concerned about her lack of progress. They told me how she practiced every day all on her own. As it turned out, the child was spending all of her time at the piano banging around and playing music from previous recitals. She was spending adequate time at the piano, but not really "practicing". She was not practicing her new music at all nor was she completing her written theory assignments. While do not want to extinguish the child's exploration at the keyboard or repetition of old music, we do need to encourage the child to accurately practice new assignments before composing their own pieces and working on old songs. New concepts can also be incorporated in the child's exploration in order to reinforce the new theory lessons learned each week.

2. Simply "running through" the pieces assigned without giving adequate time to the music.Another common mistake is to simply run through all of the assigned pieces like running through a checklist. Sometimes the student plays through the assignments too fast, and does not play accurate rhythms or notes. Other times, there may be a more difficult passage within the music that needs more attention. When a mistake is made, the student needs to go back to the point of mistake, study the music and isolate that section slowly until it improves. It is worthless to mindlessly practice music without trying to make improvement each time. Work to set goals each time you practice. Ask your child to set these goals in practice. Ask, "What can you improve about your performance of this piece?" "What do you think you could do better next time?" Seek a more specific answer than "I want to get more notes, or I want to play it faster." Specifically ask about their use of expression, their rhythm, or their memory work. Let the child learn to critique himself.

3. Practicing the same WAY each time.
Get creative in practice. Don't just sit and have your child play the same thing over and over in the same way. Count it out loud. Say the letter names of the notes. Search for hidden patterns in the music. Sing the words. Listen to the recording. Have you child teach the song to YOU, or to a sibling. Make it a game. Interact with your child during the practice but keep it light and fun. Instead of always generically praising your child for a job well done, point out specific things that you noticed during practice. Or better yet, ask your child to point them out. Asking them how THEY felt about the way they played a piece can help build confidence from within that is not based on outside praise.

4. Pushing the child too hard to practice a certain length of time, progress to the next "level" or learn a new piece.
It is much better to have a few short practice sessions than to try to push your child for a longer period of practice. If the child feels pressured or overly critiqued, they will not enjoy practice time. Let them progress at their own pace. Reward them for their time, praise them and make it a game.

One of my favorite Maria Montessori quotes is "teach teaching, not correcting." We do have to correct mistakes from time to time, but let's try not to ALWAYS be correcting. We want to set the child up for success by progressing at the child's pace and presenting each lesson in a way to prepare them ahead of time for the more difficult concepts.

Keep practice fun and always try to end the session on a positive note. You want to leave your child looking forward to the next practice session and lesson.

ABC Music and Me activities from class

Sounds Abound


Yesterday, in Lesson 2, your child:
• Discussed the concept of sound effects.
• Listened to and created sound effects with instruments
and his or her voice.
• Heard stories with sound effects presented aurally
and visually.
• Reviewed the sound of temple blocks
• Explored ways to make sound effects using
the keyboard.
• Practiced humming and engaged in pretend play.
• Moved expressively with scarves to music.
• Played a singing game with cumulative movements.



Imaginary play is the perfect way to foster creativity and explore what is and is not possible. Children often enjoy taking creative license, enabling the impossible to be possible through play.

Bring the learning home!
In songs like “Put a Rock in My Pocket,” opportunities to imagine and pretend stretch your little one’s imagination. You can promote creativity by challenging your child to answer some open-ended questions. Try:

• What would happen if all cars were made of jelly?
• What toy would be more fun if it were slippery?
• If rain came in colors, what color would you like?

In class, your child pretended to find various objects and put them into his or her pocket: a rock, a leaf, a feather, and more. Use imagination to play your own “in my pocket” game at home. What could you pretend to put in your pocket? A bean? A wish? An elephant? Listen to CD Track 9 as you sing, hum, and imagine or pretend.

Piano!

Here, There and Everywhere

We had a great Kindermusik class this morning! We will begin and end each class the same way every week to get the children accustomed to the routine of our class. The more they use the home materials, the more they will become familiar with all the activities from class. I can really tell when a family has listened to their CD at home and when they read their books at home as well. The home materials are what makes Kindermusik unique. They allow you to continue learning at home and get the most out of class.

Our theme today was visiting a friend. In your family guide, you can read about more activities for the home that go along with our theme. Today we worked on developing gross motor skills with our free movement activities. We flew like butterflies and kites with our scarves. Our props from today like the scarves and balls provide a visual and tactile representation of sound and steady beat. We worked on fine motor skills as the kids experimented with different instruments and participated in our finger play. The simple songs that we sang unaccompanied allowed the children to focus on the melody so that they can learn to sing. The children seemed to enjoy story time and relaxation time at the end of class. As we rocked our puppets, I enjoyed rocking with 2 of the kids from our class. Rocking is not only relaxing, but provides stimulation for the vestibular system to help with their sense of balance. Everyone had a great time on the play gym afterwards and did not want to leave. We are looking forward to next week!

Kindermusik Giveaway!

If you have spent any time at the Cherubs Clubhouse, you have no doubt heard "Cali the Car" from the Kindermusik Wheels Go Round album. Cali the race car is the upbeat "clean-up" song used at the Cherubs Clubhouse to encourage the children to race around to help clean up. Due to popular request of the CD, we are now offering a Wheels Go Round CD giveaway! Leave a comment to register to win the upbeat CD with a new twist on traditional children's songs! One winner will be drawn this Friday, January 22!

Feel free to preview the CD here, Wheels Go Round

Adult classes

I don't know how many times I have heard an adult tell me that they wish they had taken piano as a child. Often they would like to start lessons, but it is hard with their busy schedules.

Group piano for adults can be a rewarding way to learn the instrument. In our classes at the Cherubs Clubhouse, we all play together as an ensemble. This is less intimidating for the beginner than a one to one situtation.

Group classes also provide a new social network for the adult. Learning to play piano can help with mild arthritis, relieve stress, and increase verbal memory and concentration skills. In a 1998 study, adults with previous music training had 17% better verbal memory than those without. Also, there was evidence of music study in their brain: musicians had an enlarged left cranial region in the brain.

So treat yourself, piano is good for you! Contact me at imaginationsmusic@bellsouth.net if you are interested in beginning group piano lessons.

Classes at the Cherubs Clubhouse

We had such a great week at the Cherubs Clubhouse! Our Family Time Kindermusik class for kids of all ages will start next week at 10:00 on Wednesday. Our piano classes started with a bang this week. After one of my classes, the whole class went back to the keyboards to practice together afterwards. Thursday afternoon, we had a demonstration of piano class followed by another piano class. We had one five year old student who like it so much he stayed for both classes. ABC Music and Me also had a fantastic class and really enjoyed the movement activities as well as listening to the different timbres of the trumpet.

Our Thursday 9:00 homeschool piano class as well as our Thursday 4:45 young beginner piano class is now full. We still have three spots left in our 6 to 8 year old piano class on Thursdays at 4:00. We also have spots available in our Family Time Kindermusik class at 10:00 on Wednesdays as well as ABC Music and Me on Thursdays at 10:00 am.

FOR HOMESCHOOLERS: Our ABC Music and Me class on Thursdays at 10:00 is a great introduction to music for 4 to 6 year olds. We have an intro to the piano, learn about many different instruments, sing, move and play.

I am also starting an older beginner homeschool piano class for kids 9 and up on Thursday at 10:45. Please contact me at 437-3478 if you are interested in that class.

Timbre

Today in ABC Music and Me for 4 to 6 year olds we:
• Discussed the concept of sound effects.
• Listened to and created sound effects with instruments
and his or her voice.
• Heard stories with sound effects presented aurally
and visually.
• Learned the term timbre (how things sound).
• Was introduced to the sound of temple blocks
• Explored ways to make sound effects using
the keyboard.
• Moved expressively with scarves to music.
• Listened to the trumpet and to the change in timbre by adding a mute
• Made drums from everyday materials and played them in different ways thus exploring timbre
In class, we sang a song, echoing and tapping the body parts mentioned in “Elephants Have Wrinkles.” When your child is able to echo a sung phrase, he or she is exhibiting confidence in his or her singing abilities and exercising memory and sequence skills as he or she sings each cumulative verse.

FUN HOME ACTIVITY!!!
Make wrinkly echo-trunks and play an elephant echo game. While listening to
Track 3 on your Home CD, paint an empty paper towel tube black. Next, crumple paper into a loose ball, dip it in gray paint, and blot it onto the painted paper towel tube.
After it dries, enjoy taking turns singing a phrase,
making a noise, or humming a tune to be echoed using the echo-trunk.

Our class did such a good job of listening to instructions, paying attention and participating. Way to go!

Our piano classes also have gotten off to a good start today. Today we began with the basics of rhythm and worked on keeping a steady beat together. We will continue piano classes again this afternoon. The children had fun and did a great job of playing their first song together as an ensemble. After class, the kids came BACK to the classroom and played some more during their play time at the Cherubs Clubhouse!

Share the Love!

Come on out to Cherubs Clubhouse Saturday, Feb. 14th from 5 to 8pm.

We will be hosting a "Share the Love" Fundraiser for fallen Pelham police officer Phillip Davis' family.

Cost per Family is $20.00. There will a DJ, Lite snacks, finger foods, drinks, cup cakes, and cake. You may also purchase tickets for a chance to win raffle prizes. Raffle tickets will be 6 tickets for $5. There will be massage gift certificates, Klassy Clean, Paul's Diamonds, Strike Force, Alterations by George and more up for grabs. The Davis Family will be in attendance and will be given a free membership and bonus card to the Cherubs Clubhouse.

There will also be Kindermusik giveaways!

Come on by, and help us spread the word for a good cause!

Let's Paint the Town Purple!

January is our "Paint the Town Purple" month! We will start out the month with our "bring a friend" week, January 13, at 10:00 am. Bring a friend to Kindermusik class and enjoy the magic of music together!

So, forward this post to your friends, or click on the facebook share button to the right of this page, and post it to your profile.

Classes at the Cherubs Clubhouse are only about $9.00 per week plus materials. This not only includes your class, but also playtime on the Cherubs Clubhouse play equipment after class!! Invite your friends to come play and make music with you next week!

Music Class Demo Week in Pelham

We have had a great demo week for music classes at the Cherubs Clubhouse in Pelham! I had originally scheduled the Kindermusik demonstration class for Wed. at 10:00 and piano class for Thursday at 4:00, but due to weather concerns, I had to try to "beat the snow" and reschedule for Wed. afternoon. We had a fantastic turnout at both classes yesterday (even with the reschedule) and are looking forward to music classes starting in Pelham next week.

I have also scheduled another Cherubs Clubhouse piano demonstration class next Thursday at 4:00 due to the possibility of today's class being cancelled due to snow. I have 6 spots available in my demo class, so please call 437-3478 or email me to reserve your spot.

Piano and Kindermusik will begin next week at the Cherubs Clubhouse. In piano, we will begin by establishing a strong steady beat and sense of rhythm. In Kindermusik, we will begin establishing a class routine, work on singing, movement, experiment with instruments and imaginative play.

Private lessons began this week at my Bruno and Inverness studio. We had a great week back after the break and are looking forward to more music classes here in Birmingham!

Snow plan!

The possibility of snow in Alabama is exciting! It is all everyone can talk about this week and I know that soon the stores will be void of milk and bread. Whoever decided that we all need to stock up on bread and milk in the case of a few flurries is making millions off of Alabama! If it snows, the schools will close, in fact the entire state will shut down for even a few inches and we will all cuddle by the fireplaces drinking hot chocolate, eating chicken noodle soup and watching movies.

I am keeping a watch on the weather for our demo classes this week. As of now, I am still planning to have our demonstration classes on Thursday. Anyone who has lived in Alabama for very long knows that as soon as you change your schedule for a predicted snow day, the snow will come another day or not at all. However, in anticipation of the snow later this week, we are also going to offer a demo piano class on Wed. afternoon. PLEASE EMAIL imaginationsmusic@bellsouth.net if you would rather come Wed.

If there is does indeed snow on Thursday, please call 529-6902 for a recorded message about our piano demonstration class.

Please join us for our demonstration classes, Wed. January 6 at 10:00 for kids 4 and under, Wed. January 6 at 4:00 for kids 4 and up and Thursday, January 7 at 4:00 for kids 4 and up. It is super cold out there, and you will need something to do to warm you up and keep away the cabin fever!

Private piano starts back for a new year!

We will begin private piano lessons at Bruno Montessori and at my Inverness studio this week. Be sure to bring your child's materials to his lesson so we can get the most out of our first lesson back.

A peek into our lessons...
We begin each lessons with a short review of note naming, rhythm, or intervals. We do this by playing a music theory computer game and using a midi keyboard. The children really enjoy this aspect of their lessons- especially the boys!

Lesson book: Next we review the last assignment from the lesson book. After this we will begin a new concept with a new piece to reinforce the concept. We use hands-on materials, set up mathematical equations, and with the more advance students discuss theory as we practice scales and technique. Read your child's notebook for more details about your child's music and the activities from lessons. Your child's notebook is like your own personal blog about your child's lessons!

Written theory assignment: With each new concept of theory, there will be a written assignment for your child to complete at home. Please do not forget this important aspect of lessons! Your child will progress faster if their theory is completed at home.

Recital: We will begin working on recital soon. For our spring recital, we will choose classical music and work to preform it from memory. A little closer to recital time, each child will research their own composer and write a little summary about their research as a contribution to our recital program.

In the summer, we will have an exciting program at the Cherubs Clubhouse! We will have both summer piano ensemble classes and summer piano camps! This is a great opportunity for private students to benefit from the group lessons atmosphere and have a blast at the same time!!!

New year, new semester, new blog

Monday, January 4 begins our spring semester of private piano lessons. Please be sure to bring your books and notebook to your first lesson of the new year! This semester we will be preparing for our formal recital in May. Each student will be assigned a new piece of classical music to preform from memory on the recital. We will also be researching the composers of our music so that the children can write their own program notes for their recital pieces.

This week at the Cherubs Clubhouse we will be hosting two free demo classes. On January 6, at 10:00am we will be having our free Kindermusik class for kids 0 to 4. On January 7 at 4:00 we will have our group piano demo for kids 4 and up. Come try out a class! The purpose of these demos is for each parent to observe a few sample activities from our curriculum. Children react in different ways to their first experience in a new class. It is not uncommon for some to be very shy about participating or others to be distracted by their new surroundings. The best way to get a feel for one of our classes is to try it for the duration of a term. It often takes several classes for a child to become accustomed to the class routine and focused on the classroom activities. As a parent or caregiver, the most important thing you can do is participate in the class yourself. If you are tentative about participation, or not focused to the classroom activities, your child will follow suit. The more engaged you are with the class and with your child, the more engaged your child will be. We are still taking registrations for our classes beginning in January, so be sure to visit our website to learn more.

I have decided to begin a new blog! I will maintain this blog as an informative resource about our classes at the Cherubs Clubhouse, Bruno Montessori and my Inverness studio. My new blog will be focused more on music and child development. Check it out!

Thanks!

I wanted to send out a thanks to all those around the Birmingham area and beyond who have worked hard to promote our new classes at the Cherubs Clubhouse.

Thanks to Birmingham Mom Online for her many write-ups and posts about the Cherubs Clubhouse and the classes there. Check out Birmingham Mom Online Here

Thanks to the Birmingham Kids Directory for our listings in the calendar! Be sure to also check us out in the January edition of the directory! Birmingham Kids Directory

Thank you to Kindermusik International for listing us on their official blog! Minds on Music

Be sure to also check for our Cherubs Clubhouse ad in the Birmingham Parent!

More than just for the kids...

How many new moms have made a New Years Resolution to live a more active lifestyle? I remember how hard it was for me to exercise after the birth of my children. As soon as I would get everything set up, their nap time was over. After their bedtime, it was too late and I was way too tired. Waking up early in the morning didn't last long either. It was often too rainy and cold in the winter for walks outside, and too hot during the summer. I tried going to the gym, but my child was not comfortable staying in the daycare there.

Parent participation in our Kindermusik classes, while not the same as an aerobic class or spinning class, supports a more active lifestyle. In Village class moms fly their babies around the room, sway and rock their babies and participate in circle dances while holding their babies. In our toddler classes, ABC Music and Me for 2 to 4 year olds and Our Time, for 18 months to 3 years, parents move around the room with their child, participate in lap bounces, circle dances and more. The more engaged the parent is during the class, the more the child will actively participate. Of course, these activities are not only for class, they can be done in the home as well! What a great way to provide an active example to our children to support a healthy lifestyle!

What's more, is that for every active, gross motor activity, we also provide an opportunity for learned relaxation. Did you know that relaxation can be a learned skill? It is hard work being a parent, and you deserve a break. Moms (or other caregivers) and babies are encouraged to slow down and focus on each other during periods of rest and relaxation in our classes. In Village, we promote calmness and bonding through intentional touch activities and rocking during this time. In Our Time and ABC, parents and children cuddle up to rock and sing a lullaby or listen to a story. These are techniques that can be implemented throughout your daily routine to promote a sense of peace and serenity in the home.

Village (0 to 18 months), Our Time, (18 months to 3 years), and ABC Music and Me (2 to 4 years) will begin January 13 at the Cherubs Clubhouse. Be sure to sign up and reserve your spot. Register here!