I am NOW REGISTERING for Let's Play Music and Sound Beginnings! Hurry and register before classes are full!
You can now register online through my website! Just click the "Register Now" buttons on the pages, or go to the registration page and click on the class you are registering for! There is also an online process for ordering materials! YAY! Once you've registered with me, I will give you my special teacher code which will allow you to register and order your student materials from the Let's Play Music website. Spots left for 2014-15 school year: Let's Play Music- Red Balloons (Wednesdays at 4:15pm): 4 spots left (*I MAY add another class if Wednesdays at 4:15 fills) Sound Beginnings- White Horses (Fridays at 10:30am): 4 spots left
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Well, I've decided to change directions with my Baby and Toddler classes. Starting in September, I will be teaching Sound Beginnings! A fabulous program that will provide a solid music and preschool foundation for your little ones (age 2-4)!
As you may (or may not) have known, I was going to start my own baby and toddler curriculum, but after researching and thinking a lot about it, I've decided to get trained to teach Sound Beginnings instead. This program directly aligns with all of my own beliefs and philosophies about music and young children, and uses many of the same songs and activities I would have used in my own curriculum! (Why re-invent the wheel!?) I will be training in mid-May and will hold sample classes after training, but I will start registration BEFORE May! Find out more about Sound Beginnings on the Sound Beginnings page on my site or on the Let's Play Music website. I am so excited to start teaching this age group, mainly because my own children are this age, and they are the sweetest things on earth! Whenever we do song games or activities in our home, it is pure joy and happiness. I hope I can help bring this joy and happiness to other families as they enjoy making music together in these classes! :) -Ms. Maura I'm excited to be gearing up to start teaching my baby/toddler classes soon! I've been planning centers and activities and trying to figure out logistics/baby-proofing everything! One goal I have for these classes is to teach parents and families musical activities that can replicated at home with their little ones. I believe that the parents and family are the first and most important music teachers for a child. The more a child is exposed to musical skills, concepts, and activities in his home environment, higher his musical aptitude will be!
My toddler classes are a little different than other toddler music classes you see out there. Most toddler/preschool music classes have a teacher guide the parents and children through a fun group time that usually includes instruments, movement, singing, bonding, etc. My classes include a free exploration/discovery time in addition to the fun-filled group time! Some people may ask why this free exploration time is even necessary or worth the time. I want to share with you the Top 3 Reasons as to why I've included a free exploration time in my toddler classes. 1. Free exploration/discovery time is a time for you to play and bond with your child in musical, social, physical, and emotional ways without a teacher or program telling you what to do/how to do that bonding play together. My classes provide the structure for natural play and interaction to occur between parent and child in a comfy home environment. 2.The child is in charge of his own learning during discovery time. The child makes choices about what and how to play with. An adult helps guide the play, but does not instruct. This is called child-centered learning! Child-centered learning requires children to be active, responsible participants in their own learning. 3. The parent learns activities and gleans ideas to replicate at home. I want to teach the parents that they can easily have music interwoven in their daily lives with the things they already have, even if they, themselves, see themselves as 'not musical'. I hope you and your little loves will join me for some musical learning and fun! :) As soon as I get a class filled, we'll start! Click on the Registration Tab to register! -Ms. Maura We learn by doing! One of the things I learned from one of my music mentors in college is that music is a language. She helped me understand that we are all musical beings, we just have to have the right exposure, experiences, and people to help us find our own musical "voice". One lesson I dinstinctly remember in one of our classes, she talked about how a baby learns the word refrigerator. Parents don't sit a baby down with alphabet flashcards, spell out the word, sound out the word, and then show a picture. A baby learns the word refrigerator by hearing it and experiencing it in their everyday lives. In this video below, Victor Wooten talks about this very concept, relating it to music, as my college mentor taught me. I strive to become a teacher that helps students experience music, rather than be told how to play music. Just play! Experiment! Discover! As Victor Wooten said, "Music comes from the musician, not the instrument!" The instrument is the means by which to communicate the musical language that is within each of us!
Time to go play some music! -Ms. Maura I came across this video and I just think it is amazing! I don't know anything about this kid, but I know he's got rhythm! I know sometimes it might be annoying or irritating to let our children explore the sounds in their environment, but allowing them to explore and discover through their play, is crucial to their learning. I'm not saying we should all sit our children in front of a washer and dryer and tell them to drum, but if your 18month old starts to bang on the washer while you're putting a load in (like mine loves to do!), then let him explore that sound for a few minutes! He will learn how his physical actions effect the sounds he can make, dynamics, beat, rhythm, etc... Who knew that a simple home chore could be so musical!? :)
Day 12 of 12 Benefits of Music EducationOn the twelfth day of Christmas... 12. An arts education exposes children to the incomparable. (Find 12 benefits of Music Education article here) Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you enjoyed the 12 Benefits of Music Education series. These 12 I shared just scratch the surface into what music does, and can do, for children and adults alike. Now go hug your loved ones and sing a Chrismas carol or two! :)
I hope to see many of you in January as I start teaching toddler classes, private piano and guitar, and group voice classes. I will also be holding some sample classes for Let's Play Music starting in February...I'll keep you posted on those! -Ms. Maura Day 11 of the 12 Benefits of Music EducationOn the eleventh day of Christmas... 11. Music performance teaches young people to conquer fear and to Day 9 of 12 Benefits of Music EducationOn the ninth day of Christmas... 9. Music provides children with a means of self-expression. Now Day 8 of 12 Benefits of Music EducationOn the eighth day of Christmas... 8. Music study enhances teamwork skills and discipline. In order Day 7 of the 12 Benefits of Music EducationOn the seventh day of Christmas... 7. In music, a mistake is a mistake; the instrument is in tune or |
Let's Play Music with Maura!Come have fun with Ms. Maura on a fun musical adventure! Let’s Play Music is a music theory course that emphasizes total musicianship through piano playing, singing, classical music, note reading, and ear training…and it’s accomplished through play! Archives
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