Awww, thanks, Melinda! :) I started to write a comment to your post, but was told it was too long for the comment box!
Wonderful post. You've covered everything and said it so well. I still struggle with feeling that maybe I have done my kids a disservice by starting them later (than 3), but when I think objectively about it, I think I've done the right thing for them and us. Honestly, I just could not see the value to any of us of getting involved in formal lessons when Mr. P was 3. It would have only been a battle, and he expressed no interest. He started piano when he was 6, and it has been perfect for him.
I think the goal in music from birth to age 5 should be exposure, exposure, exposure - to different genres of music, different instruments, to opportunities to develop pitch matching and rhythmic skills. You don't have to consider yourself musical in order to create a musical environment in your home through listening and providing accessible instruments.
I was not able to match pitch until I was 6 or 7. My mom was very worried she had a tone deaf child! I didn't start piano lessons until age 7. From birth, though, I was surrounded by music-making - my mom played piano often and participated in church music while my dad played the guitar for my brother and I to sing along. My brother played piano for a couple years, but quit because he didn't like it. Later, in high school, he took up the guitar and trumpet. Our temperaments are very different - I wanted to please and do as I was told, my brother didn't want to learn anything until it was his idea and he could see a clear purpose as to why he should learn it. He has become the most accomplished musician of us all.
In my experience with my own children, I can see a huge difference between the amount of music exposure they each had as toddlers. Even though I am a musician, I didn't do a great job exposing Mr. P to a wide variety of music and music experiences as a toddler. While he's in a good place now, he was late in developing his rhythmic and tonal skills. Doing the Music Together Class last year, and the MMPT class this year has advanced them all immensely…..but it's not only because of the weekly class. It's because of listening to the music in the car and playing with the songs around the house throughout the day. We make up words to the songs (which I'm TERRIBLE at doing on the spot in class!), we change the rhythms and enjoy them. Sweetpea is already beginning to match pitch and follow rhythms because I'm singing and making music with her more informally than I ever did with the boys.
So my recommendation is to follow your motherly instinct and make music with your children as much as you can - tapping rhythms with a spoon on a tabletop counts! If your child is asking to learn a particular instrument when young, then go for it. But if your child isn't showing interest in a certain instrument, it is my (very humble) opinion that it's not worth it to start lessons before age 5. Use the opportunity to develop his musicianship skills using small instruments (glockenspiel, melody harp, drums, percussion instruments, ukele) and play along with CDs or make your own music. Those experiences will accelerate his progress when he does begin lessons. If your child shows no instrument preference between ages 5 and 7, then piano is an excellent place to start. They will get a chance to learn how to read music on both clefs and develop a great foundation from which to move to any instrument they desire.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Music lessons
I ran across this article recently and thought it might prove interesting to some of you. I have been having lots of conversations lately with different parents trying to discern the best time to start music lessons, and thought it might be useful for me to pull together some of my thoughts in one place. I am hoping that Sandy will chime in, too, since in addition to teaching and parenting experience in the department, she also has a degree in pedagogy!
As a piano teacher, I have taught beginners from age five to fifty. For years I accepted every student who came my way in order to pay for my third of the bedroom I shared with two other musicians in the city. (So, rule of thumb number one, never rely on a potential teacher to tell you whether or not your kid is ready to take music lessons, unless they are affluent!) I have had great results with a five-year-old, and have also seen plenty of promising beginners struggle or quit down the road, so as with all parenting endeavors, there is no perfect formula.
Since having kids of my own, I've gained some experience on the other side of the parent-teacher relationship. (Yes, that's also known as eating humble pie.) As most of you know, Miss A began violin at 5, and Miss C began cello at 3.75. Mr. L has not begun lessons yet. In the school of hard knocks that is Suzuki parenthood, I have learned a few things over the years.
Some signs that your little Mozart is ready for you to start writing checks:
- He can match pitch.
-She can clap back a simple rhythm.
-He can take instruction, and can stand or sit still at something for at least a few minutes.
-She has good fine motor skills. (I am not expert at assessing this, but in hindsight can see a big difference in my three oldest in this department, which probably affected their early musical careers. Miss C was drawing people (and pigs!) before the age of three. Miss A and Mr. L both took much longer to do so, and Miss A struggled terribly with penmanship until she was close to eight, when, almost overnight, it became a complete breeze - this was also right around the time when her violin lesson stopped being agony.)
-He is demanding an instrument, has a fixed idea of which instrument he wants to play, etc.
-She often experiments with sound or musical instruments.
Some reasons to wait:
-Your child has significant issues with any of the above, especially if they are younger than five. Honestly, you will feel like the biggest sucker ever for paying a dollar a minute to watch a music teacher trying to cheerfully wrestle your little wiggler back onto the bench after the fiftieth time he "slips" off, bringing his elbows crashing into the keys.
-Money is really tight. Unless your child is really precocious, the advantage of early individual instruction (as opposed to early musical exposure) is probably not huge. Other factors are MUCH more important, and I'll speak briefly about those in a minute. So if you are really scrimping and saving, consider it $5000 in the bank to wait another couple of years.
-I won't take a piano student younger than five. They are just too little, and the piano is too big.
Some advantages of starting early:
-Those little violins are just so. stinking. cute. Also, the video footage you will have of her picking her nose during her first play-in is classic.
-You do get to the cool music earlier, even if your start is bumpy. If your child excels, this means more time with real repertoire before college. I remember the things I played in high school better than what I performed last year, so the more big repertoire you get under your belt in your teens, the better.
Some advantages of waiting:
-Your child can choose his instrument himself.
- Your child can practice independently and learn to read music much sooner, making it less of a time (and patience) investment for you.
-You can develop your child's musicality in other fun ways, like Eurhythmics.
Some (tongue in cheek) reasons why you should never start music lessons at all:
-You are unable to keep a weekly appointment. Regular lessons are critical. I can't tell you how many families I worked with for whom this was a major problem.
-You "just want it to be fun." Seriously, if a parent says this it is pretty much a guarantee of failure. Music is a discipline. In order for it to be fun, you have to put in some sweat equity. As Dr. Suzuki says, you should only practice on the days that you eat.
-You aren't willing to invest in a decent instrument. Although I had one student excel with only a cheap keyboard at home (the family really couldn't afford more), every family who told me they were waiting to "see if she likes it" before buying a piano didn't last long.
Other random advice:
- Make sure the teacher is experienced with really little students if you are starting young. The best teacher for beginners at our Suzuki school is not the best violinist, but she is a brilliant pedagogue. The school usually switches students who continue past book three to some of their other teachers, who are better players.
-Look for lots of opportunities for performance. This makes a huge difference. Kids get a big boost out of preparing for, participating in, and celebrating after a recital.
If you have made it this far, you will be happy to know that CCC families are the kind of families music teachers hope for, so none of you can really make a wrong decision. And the good news is, after listening to me whine about my first year of Suzuki parenthood for years, you will probably think it's not that bad. No matter what age or instrument your little ones begin with, they already have years of excellent musical training under their belts. Making Music Praying Twice is a great program, and Sandy is the best!
As a piano teacher, I have taught beginners from age five to fifty. For years I accepted every student who came my way in order to pay for my third of the bedroom I shared with two other musicians in the city. (So, rule of thumb number one, never rely on a potential teacher to tell you whether or not your kid is ready to take music lessons, unless they are affluent!) I have had great results with a five-year-old, and have also seen plenty of promising beginners struggle or quit down the road, so as with all parenting endeavors, there is no perfect formula.
Since having kids of my own, I've gained some experience on the other side of the parent-teacher relationship. (Yes, that's also known as eating humble pie.) As most of you know, Miss A began violin at 5, and Miss C began cello at 3.75. Mr. L has not begun lessons yet. In the school of hard knocks that is Suzuki parenthood, I have learned a few things over the years.
Some signs that your little Mozart is ready for you to start writing checks:
- He can match pitch.
-She can clap back a simple rhythm.
-He can take instruction, and can stand or sit still at something for at least a few minutes.
-She has good fine motor skills. (I am not expert at assessing this, but in hindsight can see a big difference in my three oldest in this department, which probably affected their early musical careers. Miss C was drawing people (and pigs!) before the age of three. Miss A and Mr. L both took much longer to do so, and Miss A struggled terribly with penmanship until she was close to eight, when, almost overnight, it became a complete breeze - this was also right around the time when her violin lesson stopped being agony.)
-He is demanding an instrument, has a fixed idea of which instrument he wants to play, etc.
-She often experiments with sound or musical instruments.
Some reasons to wait:
-Your child has significant issues with any of the above, especially if they are younger than five. Honestly, you will feel like the biggest sucker ever for paying a dollar a minute to watch a music teacher trying to cheerfully wrestle your little wiggler back onto the bench after the fiftieth time he "slips" off, bringing his elbows crashing into the keys.
-Money is really tight. Unless your child is really precocious, the advantage of early individual instruction (as opposed to early musical exposure) is probably not huge. Other factors are MUCH more important, and I'll speak briefly about those in a minute. So if you are really scrimping and saving, consider it $5000 in the bank to wait another couple of years.
-I won't take a piano student younger than five. They are just too little, and the piano is too big.
Some advantages of starting early:
-Those little violins are just so. stinking. cute. Also, the video footage you will have of her picking her nose during her first play-in is classic.
-You do get to the cool music earlier, even if your start is bumpy. If your child excels, this means more time with real repertoire before college. I remember the things I played in high school better than what I performed last year, so the more big repertoire you get under your belt in your teens, the better.
Some advantages of waiting:
-Your child can choose his instrument himself.
- Your child can practice independently and learn to read music much sooner, making it less of a time (and patience) investment for you.
-You can develop your child's musicality in other fun ways, like Eurhythmics.
Some (tongue in cheek) reasons why you should never start music lessons at all:
-You are unable to keep a weekly appointment. Regular lessons are critical. I can't tell you how many families I worked with for whom this was a major problem.
-You "just want it to be fun." Seriously, if a parent says this it is pretty much a guarantee of failure. Music is a discipline. In order for it to be fun, you have to put in some sweat equity. As Dr. Suzuki says, you should only practice on the days that you eat.
-You aren't willing to invest in a decent instrument. Although I had one student excel with only a cheap keyboard at home (the family really couldn't afford more), every family who told me they were waiting to "see if she likes it" before buying a piano didn't last long.
Other random advice:
- Make sure the teacher is experienced with really little students if you are starting young. The best teacher for beginners at our Suzuki school is not the best violinist, but she is a brilliant pedagogue. The school usually switches students who continue past book three to some of their other teachers, who are better players.
-Look for lots of opportunities for performance. This makes a huge difference. Kids get a big boost out of preparing for, participating in, and celebrating after a recital.
If you have made it this far, you will be happy to know that CCC families are the kind of families music teachers hope for, so none of you can really make a wrong decision. And the good news is, after listening to me whine about my first year of Suzuki parenthood for years, you will probably think it's not that bad. No matter what age or instrument your little ones begin with, they already have years of excellent musical training under their belts. Making Music Praying Twice is a great program, and Sandy is the best!
The up and coming class
Playing nicely with Legos around the table :) Surely a sign of good things to come for these little ones!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Unit 13 Timeline
I think that we should keep our timeline edits and handsigns for next year. For one thing, I don't know if Schola Rosa has corrected the CCM timeline in the same way that we have. For another, as Sandy mentioned to me recently, sometimes it helps to know the reasoning behind the handsigns. And finally, I just think its a shame to let go of all the hard work the kids have done over the past two years on the timeline. I can post videos, and print out a corrected timeline for our CCM books. What do you think?
If we continue, our little "timeline break" now puts us on schedule to learn the last six units on schedule. Here is Unit 13, which I taught to the kids back in January. I can continue adding these for the rest of the year, and go back and do videos for Units 7-12, too.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Emily
As we finish memorizing "Hope" by Emily Dickinson, I wanted to share this picture book with you. I read it to some of the kids in class, but I think it merits a place on the bookshelf year round. On the surface this book is a simple story about a little girl who lives across the street from Emily Dickinson. It describes a brief encounter between poet and child. Woven into the story, however, are beautiful insights on art, beauty, and the true nature of the human person. I find more to love in this book every time I read it.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Electromagnetism
As Liam puts the finishing touches on an opening argument for the morning, I collect materials for my first experiment with electromagnetism at CCC in the morning. I realize that I only have a 9V battery, and the book calls for 6V. I ask my beloved if he thinks this is a problem, and he says no. Then, as I head into another room to try it out, he adds, "Make sure you are sitting down when you try it, just in case.Nine volts is what they use to power a stun gun."
Thanks, honey!
Thanks, honey!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Indoor sand table
I imagine I may not be the only one who struggles with ideas on how to keep an almost 2 year old busy during school time. It is enough to make one question the whole homeschool thing altogether. In an effort to gain a few minutes of peace, I decided to try bringing our sand and water table inside for the winter. Cleaning it up was no small task, but it has been worth it. I filled it with river rocks, pebbles, pom poms and other things I had on hand. (Obviously choking hazards need to be considered, but I think we're in an ok place with that right now.) Since September, I've been collecting random containers in this big blue bin. Sweetpea enjoys dumping and pouring over, and over, and over again using the various containers, spoons, and scoops found in the bin. I found a list online of all kinds of ideas of what to put in your table. (I'll try to edit this post later with that list.) The best idea is to switch the contents every month or so to provide new sensory experiences. Honestly, though, the only sensory experience I really care about right now is that of a peaceful household...for at least a few moments.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
February Reading
So, we survived February! With half the month spent nursing the flu, it was pretty February-ish for us, but, all things considered, it wasn't too bad. One advantage of cold weather and runny noses is that we usually get more family reading in. I thought I'd post some follow-up to my reading suggestions for the last two units.
Our reading on Industrialization included the Samantha series from the American Girl books. We also enjoyed the movie, although the factory scene was upsetting for Miss Eight. She also found photographs of child laborers by Lewis Hines very difficult. I read Counting on Grace and decided that it could wait, as it is not quite beautiful enough to be a family read-aloud, but a little long and possibly too sad to be good independent reading for now. For the littles, we read A Teddy Bear for President Roosevelt, a sweet story about the invention of the teddy bear during this time period.
As we studied Colonialism, we listened to A Little Princesss for the one hundredth time. It is still a wonderful story with lots of references to British colonialism. We also read The Jungle Book aloud. I had never read it before, and enjoyed it very much, as did Miss Eight. Little Miss Six had a harder time keeping up with the story, but seemed to enjoy it. We also read some Just So Stories, which are a little shorter and much sillier. I looked at Kipling's poem, The White Man's Burden and thought it would be a great basis for discussion for older kids, but not for our 6-8 year olds.
We didn't do much reading about Africa, but in the past we have enjoyed the Anansi stories as retold by Eric Kimmel very much (there are several), and also Why Mosquitos Buzz in People's Ears.
Finally, I checked out this biography of Ghandi by Demi and read it at CCC last week. It was good and kept the kids' interest. Her explanation of Ghandi's Hindu faith is straightforward and clear. I think Demi's books are beautiful - I love her Joan of Arc and St. Nicholas biographies, too.
We are still making our way through the Little House books. Mr. Four loves them, although he often falls asleep in the middle. Miss Eight and I don't mind reading them for the second time at all, and Miss Six is entranced. I ordered a number of the My First Little House books, too. Although we are quickly moving past this time period in history, we will finish the series. (Reading the part of Little House on the Prarie about the whole family getting Malaria sort of put our small flu woes into perspective.)
On my own time, I just finished The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni. I started this book back in the fall because it is set during the Thirty Years War. Yeah... that was a long time ago, wasn't it? It is a beautiful book. I highly recommend it. It's so Catholic, it is almost like spiritual reading, except that it has a very exciting plot and is set around beautiful Lake Cuomo and Milan. And, if you want a real treat, discuss it with Mrs. P! The final drama of the book all takes place during a major outbreak of the plague. Needless to say, that really made my February blues seem tiny!
This week we move on to World War I in our history studies, a difficult subject to study with little ones. Today I checked out The Donkey of Gallipoli, and it is well done but quite sad. We also have Christmas in the Trenches, a great story. The best chapter book I can think of related to World War I is Rilla of Ingleside, but I am not sure I want to skip ahead in the series with my kids this time around.
It's not mentioned in the memory work, but the Irish Revolution and Civil War happen during and right after World War I. I'll try to put up a post of some of our Irish favorites this week, to get ready for St. Patrick's Day.
What about you? What have you been reading?
Our reading on Industrialization included the Samantha series from the American Girl books. We also enjoyed the movie, although the factory scene was upsetting for Miss Eight. She also found photographs of child laborers by Lewis Hines very difficult. I read Counting on Grace and decided that it could wait, as it is not quite beautiful enough to be a family read-aloud, but a little long and possibly too sad to be good independent reading for now. For the littles, we read A Teddy Bear for President Roosevelt, a sweet story about the invention of the teddy bear during this time period.
As we studied Colonialism, we listened to A Little Princesss for the one hundredth time. It is still a wonderful story with lots of references to British colonialism. We also read The Jungle Book aloud. I had never read it before, and enjoyed it very much, as did Miss Eight. Little Miss Six had a harder time keeping up with the story, but seemed to enjoy it. We also read some Just So Stories, which are a little shorter and much sillier. I looked at Kipling's poem, The White Man's Burden and thought it would be a great basis for discussion for older kids, but not for our 6-8 year olds.
We didn't do much reading about Africa, but in the past we have enjoyed the Anansi stories as retold by Eric Kimmel very much (there are several), and also Why Mosquitos Buzz in People's Ears.
Finally, I checked out this biography of Ghandi by Demi and read it at CCC last week. It was good and kept the kids' interest. Her explanation of Ghandi's Hindu faith is straightforward and clear. I think Demi's books are beautiful - I love her Joan of Arc and St. Nicholas biographies, too.
We are still making our way through the Little House books. Mr. Four loves them, although he often falls asleep in the middle. Miss Eight and I don't mind reading them for the second time at all, and Miss Six is entranced. I ordered a number of the My First Little House books, too. Although we are quickly moving past this time period in history, we will finish the series. (Reading the part of Little House on the Prarie about the whole family getting Malaria sort of put our small flu woes into perspective.)
On my own time, I just finished The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni. I started this book back in the fall because it is set during the Thirty Years War. Yeah... that was a long time ago, wasn't it? It is a beautiful book. I highly recommend it. It's so Catholic, it is almost like spiritual reading, except that it has a very exciting plot and is set around beautiful Lake Cuomo and Milan. And, if you want a real treat, discuss it with Mrs. P! The final drama of the book all takes place during a major outbreak of the plague. Needless to say, that really made my February blues seem tiny!
This week we move on to World War I in our history studies, a difficult subject to study with little ones. Today I checked out The Donkey of Gallipoli, and it is well done but quite sad. We also have Christmas in the Trenches, a great story. The best chapter book I can think of related to World War I is Rilla of Ingleside, but I am not sure I want to skip ahead in the series with my kids this time around.
It's not mentioned in the memory work, but the Irish Revolution and Civil War happen during and right after World War I. I'll try to put up a post of some of our Irish favorites this week, to get ready for St. Patrick's Day.
What about you? What have you been reading?
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