How Music Classes Prepare Your Child For School

Early childhood education is important, and Kindermusik International believes that you – the parent – are your child’s first and best teacher.  But what to do with your child until he is 7 years old?  We’d like to recommend Kindermusik classes!

9 ways Music Classes prepare your child for school

Music classes in the early years that include parental involvement and focus on learning in a fun, developmentally appropriate way inspire a lifelong love for learning.

Practice with steady beat, enjoying movement activities, and playing instruments help developcoordination and motor skills necessary for cutting with scissors, holding a pencil, or kicking a ball, for example.

Music classes that are teaching children rhymes and then later, the basics of beginning to read music pave the way to literacy.

Music classes give your child a place to practice those all-important social skills, like cooperatively play, sharing, and following directions.

The best music classes will encourage your child to think creatively, developing critical thinking skills and the ability to problem-solve.

In an environment where process, not performance, is stressed, music classes build self-confidence and a willingness to try new things.

Music classes that gradually increase a child’s independence at the class help the child more successfully transition to the school classroom.

In these classes, children have the opportunity to bond and interact with their teacher, learning to listen and respond to someone other than the special adults who surround them at home.

Science and research have proven time and time again that music positively impacts a child in all areas of development – social/emotional, language, cognitive, physical, and language/literacy.

from here

Brother/sister music fun!

Photo This year research was conducted about interactions between siblings with respect to music study. Data were collected from 5 2-child families, each with a younger sister and older brother between 7 and 15 years old, both of whom were taking private piano lessons. Siblings were considered as companions, friends, helpers, and communicators in music study. The older sibling provided most of the music teaching and modeling for the younger sibling, and the younger sibling requested information often from the older sibling. All siblings maintained a positive attitude towards one another with regards to rivalry in music study, and the findings provided insights into rivalry as a stimulus and source of encouragement in siblings’ musical growth. -Source Allow your children to help each other learn about and enjoy music together!

Why Kindermusik?

Check out this video about "Why Kindermusik?" and remember this class is a great investment in your relationship with your child as well as his/her development and love of music.

Why Make Music Together?

When creating music together in an ensemble, or group setting, each participant has the opportunity to experience music with “greater harmonic color, musical depth, variety of sound, and rhythmic complexities” than when participating alone. Ensemble opportunities also “stimulate and challenge” self-confidence, imagination, and musical understanding (Leung 2006). Create a little “ensemble” of your own. You can use homemade or purchased instruments and play-along to a favorite song on the iPod or radio, or even a song you sing. You might also have fun making an instrument out of something that isn’t usually an instrument – a bowl and a spoon make a great drum, a slightly inflated paper bag makes a nice rhythm instrument, and even two spoons tapped together add a nice sound. -Theresa Case

Multisensory Equals More Memory and More Skills!

Photo "Children learn through their senses. Each sense activates specific neurons in the brain; therefore, multi-sensory activities generally provide more lasting learning opportunities than single-sensory activities. Each child is unique and brings to class his or her own learning style which determines how he or she understands and organizes information.... So joyfully accept your child as he is, and work with him to make the most of his abilities as they relate to his learning style. We think it is worth restating the following quote this week in the context of our multi-sensory focus. 'Short-term memory has the ability to hold about seven bits of information. But when patterns and related groupings of information are bound together as a unit (as in our multisensory play) the volume of material stored increases.' -Rhythms of Learning by Chris Brewer and Don G. Campbell. Source

Singing our way to speech!

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“Singing ability is related to the ability to control speech fluctuations, and speech activities appear to help develop tuneful singing skills. The ability to sing and the ability to converse with expressive speech are closely related. Playing with rhythm speech (chants, poems, rhymes, etc.) as well as simple tonal melodies helps the child develop both singing and speech skills.” (adapted from McDonald and Simons, 1988)

"Tips for parents: So what is the best resource for learning (or remembering!) those all-important songs and chants that help your child become a better speaker and a better singer? You’ll learn a ton of great music and activities in your Kindermusik classes, but you can also borrow from Mother Goose, pull from your childhood memories, or make up your own songs and chants. Piggyback songs, where you adapt a song by substituting your own words, are also lots of fun." -Theresa Case

Bilateral integration

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There is a reason we provide and encourage two instruments, one for each hand. It relates to your child’s fine motor development. We are encouraging bilateral integraton which allows your child’s eyes to track a ball or the words on a page. Bilateral functioning helps keep balance while sitting, standing, and moving. It allows eyes and hands to work together to complete a variety of tasks.

To achieve bilateral integration, a child must first engage in bilateral play which requires holding two similar items, one in each hand. Holding one item would alter his interaction with the instrument and not encourage bilateral exploration, but rather focus on unilateral play.

As fine motor development progresses, a child will move his or her arms simultaneously (like patting knees or drumming hands together). Then he will move both hands symmetrically (think of clapping hands or tapping bells together.) After that is well established, he will begin to alternate like movements (one and then the other in a repeating pattern). The ultimate goal of this integration is to be able to use both sides of the body in non-symmetrical movement cooperatively. Examples of this are holding paper and cutting with scissors or holding strings down with one hand and strumming the strings of an instrument with another.

You're safe

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Learning occurs only when children feel safe. "From the birth canal babies are looking for attachments, their brains acutely attentive to the care being received. If essential needs are being met and healthy bonding (lots of touch and “face” time!) is occurring there is a positive outcome.... A stressful environment (angry or emotionally violent, exhibiting relational/marital conflict) signals to baby a lack of safety....
In our Kindermusik classes our first and primary goal is to signal “this is a safe environment” to all children. From the welcome song where one discovers he or she not only “belongs” to this community, but is recognized as a valued individual, to the snuggle time where we turn back to receive the gentle care of a loved one, we sing and dance and snuggle our way to a place where learning can thrive and happy neurons connect at an alarming rate! - Miss Colleen, Kindermusik educator in Seattle

1. Experiences Build Brain Architecture

Part One in Three Core Concepts of Early Development
by the Center on the Developing Child by Harvard University.





This is why we do what we do in Kindermusik!

Six Benefits of Early Childhood Music Classes

If you think that music and movement classes for little children are just fluff, an article written by Autumn L. Zander in the Aug-Sep 2010 issue of American Music Teacher will make you think again.  According to Ms. Zander, early childhood music classes (like Kindermusik!) will:

1. Expose children to basic music fundamentals that will help them be successful when pursuing private lessons later

2. Introduce social skills

3.  Ease children into a nurturing learning environment

4.  Promote peer interaction in a setting in which they share, listen to others, and support their friends

5.  Help children discover that different learning styles abound

6.  Make music – and music lessons – a routine priority in their schedule, now and in the future

Ms. Zander stresses, “Caregivers play an enormous role in the support and commitment needed for children to succeed in private lessons. The musical foundation that teachers strive to introduce and create is nearly impossible to accomplish without the caregiver’s support. From the first day of classes, the joy of creating music in a classroom, as many of my own families share with me, continues on the car ride home, in line at the grocery store, at the park, before bed time … everywhere. What a wonderful foundation to build upon–one in which music is a vibrant and active part of a family’s daily life.”

Click here to read Ms. Zander's article in its entirety.

Taken from the Kindermusik blog

In the News

EL PASO - A local school district faces the music... using song and dance as a vehicle for learning.
"The students are just so excited about singing and moving and dancing that it just...you forget to be self-conscious about it and it's really great to watch their enthusiasm."....
"Every child comes with incredible potential and music just provides all that outlet for all other skill areas."
"ABC Music and Me" stems from Kindermusik... a 30-year-old music and movement program for young children found by many universities to also enhance spatial and temporal reasoning along with math and science skills.
"Another research area that universities have been using with Kindermusik classes is on executive functions skills...self-control, being patient, waiting, taking turns, sharing."
Brooks says the program has already struck a chord with her students.
"A lot of my students that have a very difficult time speaking always do better with music first...so when they learn a song, then they can incorporate that language into their speaking vocabulary as well."


Full article and video here

What exactly is a Vestibular System?

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To be honest I never heard of the the Vestibular System until I began my training to teach Kindermusik. It seemed odd to me since I've always been fascinated by the human body and even took an advanced biology class in college. I've told lots of parents about the benefits of stimulating it but 

what exactly is it?

I did a little research and  here are the basics of what I learned:

(This is the readers digest version, more detail to come)

from Wikipedia "The vestibular system, ...contributes to our balance and our sense of spatial orientation, is the sensory system that provides the dominant input about movement... Together with the cochlea, a part of the auditory system, it constitutes the labyrinth of the inner ear,... The vestibular system sends signals to the neural structures that control our eye movements, and to the muscles that keep us upright. {source}

"A baby's learning during the 1st 15 months of life is centered on the development of vestibular control. Balance, coordination, and locomotion all depend on the proper functioning of this very important system." {source}

Stimulating the vestibular system by using movement is a key foundation for learning (Promislow, 2003). "The vestibular system, which controls our sense of balance and movement, is also centered in the ear. The vestibular system is interconnected to the cerebral cortex, as well as the eyes and core muscles, and is highly important to the learning process" (Promislow, 2003, p. 123). {source}

 

You know when you spin around a lot and then stop and your eyes move back and forth and you feel like you are still spinning?.... Vestibular system! 

The vestibular system is a use it or loose it system. If we move less as we age our vestibular system doesn't work as well. This results in a decreased sense of balance and ability to right ourselves making older people prone to falls. Often the feeling of unsteadiness results in a reduction of movement, which in turn decreases the functionality of the vestibular system. {picture credit and source}

This is just a sliver of what I learned.

Stay tuned for more...

Get moving!

 In Kindermusik we do a lot of moving! 

Movement is a universal, full time occupation for little ones.

Continuous activity is essential for optimal growth and motor function and control.

What does this mean?

Turn on some music and dance!

As a child moves around the room they learn how to organize their space

in relation to themselves and other objects.

Go for a walk, crunch some leaves, touch the cold rushing water, 

let the sand slide through your fingers 

(and if a little ends up in their mouth, don't despair,

little ones learn a lot through their mouths)

 

And what do you do when they won't hold still long enough to take their picture?

Take a blurry one and be happy they are learning and growing!

Scaffolding

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It's not just for buildings!

Scaffolding in child development is a teaching process.

Just as a scaffolding in construction allows the workers to
build and shape the building, 

using scaffolding in teaching children allows you to
guide and support a child's learning.

You can read entire books on the subject but here it is in a nutshell:

You begin by observing your child, 

watch what they are doing and how they are doing it. 

Next you simply copy and imitate them.

They will most likely get a kick out of this and the two of
you will be in harmony at that moment.

Then take the activity a level up,
show them a different way to play with a certain toy, 

to color on a paper or a different way to sing a song. 

You can scaffold in the car while running errands

or giving them a bath.

Make up part of a favorite story or introduce a new book that's similar.

You get the idea. Before long a new skill will be mastered.

You really are your child's greatest teacher!

When should I begin?

 A quick answer to a common question.

 From the moment a baby is born it's brain is making electrical connections. If connections are stimulated the connections grow stronger, if they are not stimulated they fade or stop firing. Researchers refer to this characteristic as a child's brain being "plastic". This can be seen in the ability to learn a language. A young child can more easily learn a foreign language because their brain can more easily make the needed connections. 

Research has shown that when a child is exposed to music, even within the first weeks of life, the areas of their brain that are linked to math and reasoning are stimulated and those connections grow stronger. This may also be true for babies being exposed to music in utero - although I've never seen any research specifically on it. 

Kindermusik classes are designed to stimulate connections in the brain as you listen, sing, rock and move your with baby/child in different ways, and to all types of music. Combining movement also simulated the vestibular system which helps with balance and coordination. 

So, when should you begin?

Now.

back to finishing my other question soon...

Kindermusik and Library Time

At the open house the other day I was asked a very good question. 

Unfortunately I had scheduled the classes too close together and by the end I was feeling a little frazzled. I don't feel like I gave a very good answer and I'd like to have another go at it.

The question was:

"How is Kindermusik different from story time at the library?"

I don't think that Kindermusik class and story time at the library are mutually exclusive, both are great activities to engage in with your children but they do not fill the same purpose.
Here is one difference:

At Kindermusik we recognize that as a parent,
you are your child's best teacher.
The things we do in Kindermusik class are awesome and fun (just like a story time class at the library) but the entire Kindermusik curriculum is based on research that has shown us the best ways to help your child grow and develop. The songs and activities are developmentally appropriate and specifically designed to help your child grow and learn at their optimum level. Through music and movement your child will not only increase their language skills but their cognitive, social, emotional, physical and of course musical skills as well.

All of this is well and good but here is another major difference; in class
you, as a parent, will be taught what we are doing and why
AND you will have high quality home materials so that
you, the most important teacher, can continue to encourage your child's complete development and growth at home. 

That's one reason... more tomorrow.