For awhile I was great about sharing what we were doing in Music Together and at Journey Montessori on here weekly. I was also sharing homeschooling ideas on a homeschool blog for families in our Classical Conversations group. At some point I began to sorely neglect all things blogging. I think it will be easier to keep up with it if I share it all in one place.
The name of the blog will stay the same because music doesn't stop when we walk out of the music classroom. The homeschool curriculum we have chosen teaches history, science, math, timeline, English grammar, and Latin all to music. I'm continually amazed at how quickly my children are able to memorize facts, dates, places, and translations simply by singing them. I'm so glad we gave them a good musical foundation at an early age so they can now use their ability to sing and keep a beat to aid in learning anything. If you have not given your child a good musical foundation to build on yet its OK!
Music is an amazing gift we are all given. Some people are born with slightly higher musical ability, but we all have musical ability. The ability to understand and make music can be shown on a bell curve. This means that only a few people have an exceptionally high or low ability. Most of us are perfectly able, we just have to be taught. I've found the same is true with math and science, I'm not as bad as I though, I just needed to be taught properly! You are never too old to learn the basic musical concepts of pitch and rhythm, and once you have those concepts down you can use those abilities to aid in learning so many other subjects. My daughters are using duple meter to learn trotting in their horseback riding lessons right now.
I will tag my future posts with Music Together, Journey Montessori, or Classical Conversations. These are the three programs I teach with/for. Below is a brief description of each so you can read more about each program if you would like.
Music Together is an early childhood parent/child music class for children ages birth-5 and the adults who take care of them (Mommy, Daddy, Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, Nanny's, etc). Children learn musical concepts through playing with their adults. They are exposed to a huge variety of meters and tonalities so they can fully develop tonal and rhythmic ability. A child can reach basic music competence (singing full songs in tune and keeping a steady beat by themselves) as early as age three, but there is no set age. If adults have not been properly exposed to music they may still be working on reaching basic music competence, this is were I am with math!
I teach with the Music Together of Charlotte group. I am blessed to work with such a talented group of music teachers!
Journey Montessori is an amazing preschool for three and four year old children in Charlotte. I have been blessed to be their music teacher since they opened. I teach one music class a week to the 20 preschool children enrolled there. We work on basic music skills in the first semester, how to sing properly and how to keep a steady beat in our bodies and on non-pitched percussion instruments, through lots of fun songs from around the world. In the second semester we begin more complex skills of putting rhythms in our bodies, we explore musical instruments and their families, and learn Peter and the Wolf or Carnival of the Animals songs. The children accomplished learning how to sing a simple African song in two parts in December!
Classical Converstaions is a private Christian home-school group for children age 4 through high-school. Students go to school one day a week and a tutor presents the material to be learned at home that week. Elementary students also enjoy doing science experiments, art projects, playing music and review games together during their school day. I am a tutor for the abecedarian class in the Fort Mill-Regent Park group. Abecedarian means new learners, I have 4, 5 and 6 year old students in my class. Having a good, set curriculum for my children and being able to go to school once a week with other amazing homeschool families is a wonderful experience for our family. We love our classmates and my husband and I have learned so much ourselves in teaching our children!
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Monday, September 29, 2014
Happy Birthday Star Spangled Banner
Last week we sang and played along to the Star Spangled Banner. This year is the Star Spangled Banner's 200th birthday. It was written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key.
If you want some more information about the National Anthem here is a video giving some history.
This week in class we are singing parts to Ding-a-Ding and adding an ostinato to Hotaru Koi. If you want to work on part singing with Ding-a-Ding on your own play the CD, begin singing with it, keep singing that first part through the whole song. When this gets easy pick one of the other parts and sing it the whole time you listen to the song. There are a lot of repeated parts to try!
Here are our dance songs from last week and this week.
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort M'Henry",[1] a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in the Chesapeake Bay during the Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812.
The poem was set to the tune of a popular British song written by John Stafford Smith for the Anacreontic Society, a men's social club in London.
If you want some more information about the National Anthem here is a video giving some history.
This week in class we are singing parts to Ding-a-Ding and adding an ostinato to Hotaru Koi. If you want to work on part singing with Ding-a-Ding on your own play the CD, begin singing with it, keep singing that first part through the whole song. When this gets easy pick one of the other parts and sing it the whole time you listen to the song. There are a lot of repeated parts to try!
Here are our dance songs from last week and this week.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Ostinatos, Call and Response, and Suggested Books
Tomorrow begins the third week of Fall classes. Here are a few things we have already accomplished this session! Week one we sang ostinatos (a repeated melody or rhythm) along with the Canoe Song and Train is A Comin. I encourage you to continue to sing these with your CD and then with other family members this session.
The Canoe Song ostinato is, "Dip, dip, and swing." After you hear it on the recording just keep on singing it while the recording sings the other part.
The Train is A Comin ostinato is, "Chugga Chugga Chugga Chugga Choo Choo." You also hear this on the recording.
Last week we did a call and response with Train is A Comin. I sang, "Train is a comin" and you responded, "Oh yes!" I encourage you to try this. Call and see what your child responds with. It may not be the exact words, but they will quickly learn to respond with the correct pitches. If this song is not familiar yet try a call and response with something you already sing a lot. Maybe twinkle twinkle little _____. Wait for that last sound from your child!
We also looked at a fun book put out by Music Together last week, Ridin in the Car. Music Together has several wonderful books to go along with songs now. You can enjoy them on their YouTube channel and purchase them at musictogether.com.
Over the past two weeks we have also begun to put different beats in our feet. We have done a lot of tip toeing! Last week we tip toed to Walking in The Woods. The week before was the Can Can. You can enjoy tip toeing, wiggling, and kicking to the Can Can at home by clicking on the link below.
The Canoe Song ostinato is, "Dip, dip, and swing." After you hear it on the recording just keep on singing it while the recording sings the other part.
The Train is A Comin ostinato is, "Chugga Chugga Chugga Chugga Choo Choo." You also hear this on the recording.
Last week we did a call and response with Train is A Comin. I sang, "Train is a comin" and you responded, "Oh yes!" I encourage you to try this. Call and see what your child responds with. It may not be the exact words, but they will quickly learn to respond with the correct pitches. If this song is not familiar yet try a call and response with something you already sing a lot. Maybe twinkle twinkle little _____. Wait for that last sound from your child!
We also looked at a fun book put out by Music Together last week, Ridin in the Car. Music Together has several wonderful books to go along with songs now. You can enjoy them on their YouTube channel and purchase them at musictogether.com.
Over the past two weeks we have also begun to put different beats in our feet. We have done a lot of tip toeing! Last week we tip toed to Walking in The Woods. The week before was the Can Can. You can enjoy tip toeing, wiggling, and kicking to the Can Can at home by clicking on the link below.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Songs From the Summer Session
I encourage all of you who took the Summer session to continue playing with the Summer collection over the next month.
In class we worked on call and response with Obwisana and Singin' Every Day. Continue playing with this concept by singing a little bit and waiting for your child to the next part back to you. Once you know a song really well this is a fun game to play. If you are not comfortable trying call and response with these songs pick a song you and your child both enjoy and try the game.
We also worked on singing a simple round. In the Fall session we sang Frere Jacques in a round and this session Hey Ho Nobody Home. You can sing in a round with another adult or older children, or if that is not a possibility then sing in a round with the CD. Let the singer on the CD start first and then you come in next. If you are not sure where to come in look at the song in your Music Together book, it marks where the second person is to come in with a *.
Another concept we work on this past week in class was adding an ostinato to a piece. An ostinato is repeated part that accompanies a song. With the chant Here is A Bunny we added ostinatos with the words hop, ha, and sounds for making a circle. These also correlated to different beats to move to with the music. Ostinatos are a lot of fun to make up!
I mentioned that my family is currently enjoying a beginning Latin book. It is called Sing Song Latin. Learning Latin through song is perfect for us!
We tiptoed, kicked, and wiggled to the Can Can
We played instruments along with Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
And we danced along with Kingdom Dance from Tangled
In class we worked on call and response with Obwisana and Singin' Every Day. Continue playing with this concept by singing a little bit and waiting for your child to the next part back to you. Once you know a song really well this is a fun game to play. If you are not comfortable trying call and response with these songs pick a song you and your child both enjoy and try the game.
We also worked on singing a simple round. In the Fall session we sang Frere Jacques in a round and this session Hey Ho Nobody Home. You can sing in a round with another adult or older children, or if that is not a possibility then sing in a round with the CD. Let the singer on the CD start first and then you come in next. If you are not sure where to come in look at the song in your Music Together book, it marks where the second person is to come in with a *.
Another concept we work on this past week in class was adding an ostinato to a piece. An ostinato is repeated part that accompanies a song. With the chant Here is A Bunny we added ostinatos with the words hop, ha, and sounds for making a circle. These also correlated to different beats to move to with the music. Ostinatos are a lot of fun to make up!
I mentioned that my family is currently enjoying a beginning Latin book. It is called Sing Song Latin. Learning Latin through song is perfect for us!
Here are some of the extra songs we danced and played instruments to in class this session:
We danced (with the parachute) to the ABC song from the Baby Loves Jazz CD. I like the songs on this CD. It's worth checking out
We played instruments along with Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
And we danced along with Kingdom Dance from Tangled
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Dynamics and Form
We worked on so many terrific elements of music this week in class! I am thrilled that so many families are completing (at least) their third consecutive session of Music Together with their child(ren). The children are used to the routine and classroom environment and are becoming skilled musicians! This week we improvised by simply replacing your child's name and the body part to tap in Jumpin' Josie. (In one class we improvised with Jim Along Josie on accident. Did anyone catch that?) We also improvised by changing Pease Porridge to some other type of food. This simple improvisation is also done on your CD.
We explored dynamic contrast this week with Jack in the Box and William Tells Ride. Using dynamic contrast in your daily routine can be a simple and effective way to capture your child's attention. Try singing directions softly to your child when you're feeling stressed and see if it makes you both feel better.
William Tells Ride is also a wonderful introduction to basic musical form. In class we did a different movement for each section (A,B,C,A). For older students write the letter and have them point to the different letter as they hear each section. Put the letters around the room and move to the A for the A section, B for the B section and C for the C section. If you have older children who are learning how to read and notate music assign a note or compose a rhythm pattern to tap along with each section.
Singing and Dancing to the popular song Let It Go was a blast this week! I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the little ones sing and move to the music. As your children grow it continues to be important for them to see you model good singing for them! Even if you do not feel you are a strong singer or dancer, keep modeling it!
We have used the CD to sing one part while we added an ostinato (repeated part) or a round with it. In the last few weeks of class we will attempt all of the parts without the help of the CD! Enjoy practicing at home and in the car this week!
Just for fun!
We explored dynamic contrast this week with Jack in the Box and William Tells Ride. Using dynamic contrast in your daily routine can be a simple and effective way to capture your child's attention. Try singing directions softly to your child when you're feeling stressed and see if it makes you both feel better.
William Tells Ride is also a wonderful introduction to basic musical form. In class we did a different movement for each section (A,B,C,A). For older students write the letter and have them point to the different letter as they hear each section. Put the letters around the room and move to the A for the A section, B for the B section and C for the C section. If you have older children who are learning how to read and notate music assign a note or compose a rhythm pattern to tap along with each section.
Singing and Dancing to the popular song Let It Go was a blast this week! I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the little ones sing and move to the music. As your children grow it continues to be important for them to see you model good singing for them! Even if you do not feel you are a strong singer or dancer, keep modeling it!
We have used the CD to sing one part while we added an ostinato (repeated part) or a round with it. In the last few weeks of class we will attempt all of the parts without the help of the CD! Enjoy practicing at home and in the car this week!
Just for fun!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Jazz
For our play along in class this week we jammed to Ella Fitzgerald's Old MacDonald. After playing however we wanted with the music we played together on different beats (microbeat, macrobeat, supermicro). I encourage you to play at home patting the beat on the whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note. You do not need to force your child to play this. Just model it for them and they will learn to feel, and play the beat just like you.
So far this session we have hopped like bunnies and danced like chickens! Enjoy doing this at home.
I love this video of a family doing the bunny hop together to celebrate their little girls birthday!
So far this session we have hopped like bunnies and danced like chickens! Enjoy doing this at home.
I love this video of a family doing the bunny hop together to celebrate their little girls birthday!
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Spring Week 2
This week in class we continued to enjoy songs without words. These songs are easy for children, and adults, to process and sing quickly because your brain does not have to be concerned with learning the melody and new words at the same time. This collection of songs has some wonderful songs without words. (Songs without words are songs sung on various syllables or sounds that have no meaning.)
We continued to explore mixed meter with singing and playing instruments in 5/4. Singing while counting your fingers is a great way to feel the 5/4 meter and practice fine motor skills and counting!
Our extra dance and play along this week were the Ray Anthony's Bunny Hop and Dan Zanes version of All Around the Kitchen. Enjoy them at home with the links below!
We continued to explore mixed meter with singing and playing instruments in 5/4. Singing while counting your fingers is a great way to feel the 5/4 meter and practice fine motor skills and counting!
Our extra dance and play along this week were the Ray Anthony's Bunny Hop and Dan Zanes version of All Around the Kitchen. Enjoy them at home with the links below!
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