Kindermusik of Clayton

Music is my Passion!

“Music is my life! Kindermusik is my passion; and children are a major element of that passion! Music has always been a part of my life and I am fulfilled with the prospect of sharing that experience in the Kindermusik classroom. In my efforts to be the best educator I can be I am always seeking new educational opportunities to fine-hone my expertise. After 25 years of teaching the Kindermusik curricula I am still inspired seeing the bright expression of a little one who connects with a song or activity. It is my goal to cultivate a fun musical relationship with my families and guide them in their musical relationships with each other. Many of my Kindermusik graduates choose to stay and study in my voice studio far beyond their Kindermusik experience. The success of those who have grown up in my guidance is a testament to the knowledge and relationships I have cultivated. Please come and join the fun and take advantage of the amazing benefits a Kindermusik experience will give you!”

What is Kindermusik?
Kindermusik is music-making with a purpose.
Early introduction to music and movement impacts your child’s brain and body development in a way few other learning methods can. We should know. We’ve been transforming the lives of children, parents, and teachers around the world since 1978.
Science has shown that children of any age learn more when the learning is playful and fun. Kindermusik kids laugh, smile, stomp, play, kick, clap, jump, sing, and dance. But having fun is just the beginning.
Steeped in educational theory, our programs engage the potential found in every child. Through our dynamic classes, in-school programs, and research-based curriculum, we excel at setting a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning.
Our purpose is simple. We’re here to develop young minds and change the world. One child at a time.
Let it begin with Kindermusik®.

American Academy of Pediatricians AAP has released an update on it’s recommendations for screentime for young children.

Here is a very interesting article regarding Screentime for infants, toddlers, young children and older children…

“A number of key messages for parents emerged from the AAP Growing Up Digital: Media Research Symposium. Among them is that family participation with media facilitates social interactions and learning. Parents should play a video game with their kids, and always co-view with infants and toddlers”

Just a few of the recommendations….

“The following key messages for parents emerged:

• Media is just another environment. Children do the same things they have always done, only virtually. Like any environment, media can have positive and negative effects.

• Parenting has not changed. The same parenting rules apply to your children’s real and virtual environments. Play with them. Set limits; kids need and expect them. Teach kindness. Be involved. Know their friends and where they are going with them.

• Role modeling is critical. Limit your own media use, and model online etiquette. Attentive parenting requires face time away from screens.

• We learn from each other. Neuroscience research shows that very young children learn best via two-way communication. “Talk time” between caregiver and child remains critical for language development. Passive video presentations do not lead to language learning in infants and young toddlers. The more media engender live interactions, the more educational value they may hold (e.g., a toddler chatting by video with a parent who is traveling). Optimal educational media opportunities begin after age 2, when media may play a role in bridging the learning achievement gap.

• Content matters. The quality of content is more important than the platform or time spent with media. Prioritize how your child spends his time rather than just setting a timer.”

Read more!

It is important to take note that their recommendation is now in line with what Kindermusik has recommended for the last few years.

What to do when your child has a rough day at Kindermusik or anywhere!

I want to thank Therese Case for the idea of addressing this topic.

“Although it is not any more difficult to be a Kindermusik parent than it is to just be a parent, sometimes things happen in class that make it difficult to be a parent in Kindermusik class. So what to do when your child runs around, gets extra clingy, or acts out?

First, just find your breath for a second. Nothing will get worse in the time it takes you to pause, and everything stands to get better for your having done it.

Next, realize that most parents are not judging you, and neither is your Kindermusik teacher. They are most likely feeling a great deal of empathy for you at the moment!  And even if they were judging, this isn’t about them. It’s about the fact that your child is either hungry, tired, or just plain trying to exercise some control over his or her world.

So here’s what to do.  Try engaging with your child at a level that is best at the moment.  You can also feel free to disengage for a minute by sitting away from the group or even stepping out in the lobby for a bit if necessary. Perhaps your little one is just a bit too over-stimulated and needs some calm and quiet. A snack and a drink out in the lobby may be all it takes to resurrect that happy little person you normally live with and enjoy in class.

If your child isn’t quite ready to relinquish an instrument or object, that’s okay. Give it a minute. Some kids need more time than others to transition. Once we’ve moved on to a different activity, most kids aren’t so interested in that particular instrument anymore and will be happy to put it where it goes.

It may be that your little one didn’t get enough sleep or is starting to get sick and just doesn’t feel well.  If you need to leave, send us an e-mail and we can reschedule!  We happily offer unlimited make-up classes.

And, finally, check out Becky Bailey’s work for additional discipline resources—there are lots of free ideas on her website.

Remember that it can take several weeks for your child to adjust to Kindermusik, whether it’s his first classes ever or she’s just getting used to being with back in the routine or with some new friends.  Kids are kids.  We wouldn’t have been in the business of Kindermusik for over 20 years now if we didn’t accept and love them just the same!”

In addition to Therese’s words I would like to add that sometimes it is also where your child is developmentally. Some children are challenged with a mixture of change, growth, joy and frustration. During this transition, the changes in physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and communication skills are all amazing and at times very overwhelming, to parents as well as to children! The key is being consistent and allowing your child to move into the group on their terms. You and your child are not alone in this process. It is a common difficulty for children to not know how to help themselves through overwhelming circumstances. It is essential for us to help them grow through these circumstances.

A major task for young children is resolving the conflict between desire for love and protection and the urge to become independent. When “the going gets tough, the tough get going” right back to your lap. Some professionals call this the “rubber band”stage because it seems like the child is pulling outward and then snapping back. Giving your child permission to retreat to safety in your arms allows her to naturally move to greater independence when she is ready. Making the focus remain on the child and where they are at, right in the moment, is always the best approach. It allows us to watch our children grow and change at the pace that is best for them.

Another wonderful resource is the work of Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, and here is her website, which is a rich resource in itself.

Music, as a fundamental route for the expression of human emotion, is an excellent tool for helping learn to identify and channel emotions. Let your Kindermusik educator help you through those difficult times.

Is your child prepared for Private Music Lessons?

Enrolling for Kindermusik for the Young Child! This is a pre-private advanced music class for 5 years through early 7 years. We meet on Fridays at 4:30-5:45 and teach fundamental musical concepts, notation, and the basics of vocal development. Children receive a child sized glockenspiel, the first year. Children also explore a wide variety of musical styles and the instruments of the orchestra through group ensemble play, music, games and stories from many cultures. https://www.kindermusikofclayton.com/big-kid-classes.html

Sign up NOW for Kindermusik Play Dates! #AnimalsAllAroundUs #SummerFun #Kindermusik

Join us this Saturday!

This Saturday at 11:00am is Animals All Around Us. $15.00 per child (siblings $5.00) at Neighborhood Academy of Music. 112 Butternut Lane, Clayton, NC.

Kindermusik and Reading Rainbow, quite a Partnership!

Kindermusik International and Reading Rainbow, two of the most trusted brands in childhood education, are partnering to bring more ways for children and parents to learn together. Beginning in March, the Reading Rainbow app will include Music Mountain, featuring Kindermusik!

Reading Rainbow’s app hosted by LeVar Burton, guides children on a reading adventure to themed “islands,” each filled with hundreds of children’s books and video field trips. With the addition of “Music Mountain,” (named with the help of the Kindermusik community!) a limited selection of Kindermusik’s music-themed eBooks and videos will be featured alongside other newly produced and music-themed content from Reading Rainbow.

This collaboration with Reading Rainbow reinforces my own experience in the classroom and what the research clearly states—Music supports a child’s literacy development in many ways, including: 

• Phonological awareness
• Vocabulary building
• Listening skills
• Reading accuracy
• Prosody

Extend your Kindermusik experience and encourage your child with fun ways to read, learn, and explore – through the Reading Rainbow app available via iTunes app store and the Kindle Fire app. Try it for free today!

NEW Kindermusik Reading Rainbow APP!

Introducing!

Kindermusik International and Reading Rainbow, two of the most trusted brands in childhood education, are partnering to bring more ways for children and parents to learn together. Beginning in March, the Reading Rainbow app will include Music Mountain, featuring Kindermusik!

Reading Rainbow’s app hosted by LeVar Burton, guides children on a reading adventure to themed “islands,” each filled with hundreds of children’s books and video field trips. With the addition of “Music Mountain,” (named with the help of the Kindermusik community!) a limited selection of Kindermusik’s music-themed eBooks and videos will be featured alongside other newly produced and music-themed content from Reading Rainbow.

This collaboration with Reading Rainbow reinforces my own experience in the classroom and what the research clearly states—Music supports a child’s literacy development in many ways, including:

• Phonological awareness
• Vocabulary building
• Listening skills
• Reading accuracy
• Prosody

Extend your Kindermusik experience and encourage your child with fun ways to read, learn, and explore – through the Reading Rainbow app available via iTunes app store and the Kindle Fire app. Try it for free today!

Sample Facebook post:
Have you heard? The new “Music Mountain” island brings Kindermusik eBooks and video field trips to the family-favorite Reading Rainbow iPad app! Head to the island and experience first-hand how music supports a child’s literacy development. Available in the App store.

Big Changes for Kindermusik of Clayton & Voice of Clayton!

On January 26th our Riverwood Studio was the recipient of a cold weather mishap. The sprinkler system in the adjacent business space malfunctioned in the extreme cold. Pipes were frozen and when they thawed a literal waterfall cascaded into my office. Lots of water damage occurred. We began the process of drying out when a second very cold event occurred and on January 30th a second mishap flooded our space even more. We are in the process of establishing classes elsewhere.

Kindermusik classes will now be held at Neighborhood Academy of Music in Clayton, NC and will continue at North Raleigh Gymnastics in North Raleigh. Voice lessons will continue at Sharon Baptist Church Music Academy and the remaining students will have me coming to them as a traveling music instructor.

I am devastated to lose so many things but excited to be able to start a new chapter in a much more organized and lean music machine!

My original website is not able to be accessed so this blog will be the place to find all things Kindermusik of Clayton & Voice of Clayton. If you are sent to the website through a link it will not indicate these changes as they are not accessible at this time to change, so bear with me.

Spotlight on the tried and true Kindermusik of the Young Child for 5s, 6s, and 7s … the perfect preparation for private music lessons and school success! 

Offered at Neighborhood Academy of Music, 112 Butternut Lane, Clayton on Fridays from 4:30 – 5:45pm for a one time registration/materials fee of $75.00 and monthly fees of $65.00 for ease of budgeting.

Young children who continue Kindermusik class into early school age with Kindermusik for the Young Child will develop a greater capacity for learning and a lifelong love of music. The ownership of their own glockenspiel and eventually dulcimer and recorder give the child hands-on instrument playing experiences in a group setting. In Kindermusik class, your budding musician will be introduced to fundamental musical concepts, notation, and the basics of vocal development. Children explore a wide variety of musical styles and the instruments of the orchestra through group ensemble play, music, games, and stories from many cultures. Young Child prepares the young child who is eager for first experiences with musical symbols and instrument discovery but is not yet ready for formal lessons and traditional music reading with an instrument. These classes are a musical learning experience that sets the stage for future school success and the transition into formal music lessons.

Class is held on Fridays, Semester 2 begins February 28th, 2014 at 4:30pm-5:45pm.

What A Parent And Child Will Experience In Class

• Singing and vocal development — It may sound like a foreign language when a child sings “ta” and “ti-ti,” but this is the language of professional musicians and composers and getting young children ready to read and write simple rhythm patterns.
• Movement — See children dance expressively to music, giving them the practice they need  to coordinate their body movements to the sound of music. This kind of musical play not only improves musicianship, but physical coordination as well.
• Reading and writing — Young children will learn melodic notation and identify pitches such as the C, A, and D notes on the treble clef, plus rhythmic notation. Eventually even composing their own music.
• Focused listening — Children will learn to identify a range of orchestra instruments and their sound qualities, while also gaining an early awareness and knowledge of composers and masterworks in Western arts tradition.
• Exploring and playing musical instruments — Authentic percussion, string, pre-keyboard, and woodwind instruments expose children to the many choices for future musical study, and at the same time provide them with the opportunity to musically succeed before taking on more formal instruction.

Enrollment includes:

• Developmentally appropriate curriculum for children ages 5 to 7 years; caregivers attend the last 10-15 minutes
• 15-week semester (three more semesters to follow to complete the program)
• Weekly 60- to 70-minute class
• One set of Home Materials—Children’s folder with stickers and Music At Home cards, Family Songbook, instrument (wind, string, or pre-keyboard instrument depending on the semester), Downloadable music from class, canvas bag (during first semester) and games bag

Semester Two — Playing simple musical patterns and songs on the featured instrument from the first session—the glockenspiel—is a central focus this semester. While learning to sing a melody, and then play the pattern on the glockenspiel, we’ll delve deeper into the understanding of musical concepts such as piano and forte through orchestra-style music such as the William Tell Overture and Peter and the Wolf. Music appreciation and understanding continues with a complete introduction to the instruments—and the families in which they’re grouped—of the orchestra.

Home Materials: Children’s Folder with stickers, games bag, and Music At Home Cards, Family Songbook, and Home CD of music from class.
Young Child / Semester Two Monthly Mini Themes:

• Lessons 16-19: Toot Toot! Train is a ‘Comin: Music is in the sound of a train, and the song of a bird, the cheer of a crowd at a ball game and in the family of instruments that make an orchestra. Careful listening will unlock the door to understanding and enjoying the world around us.
• Lessons 16-19: Music for Special Times: Whether it is Happy Birthday or Here Comes the Bride, music defines our celebrations. Your child will celebrate learning music as we discover where notes live on the musical staff, how both quiet and loud are exciting and how making music is a cooperative adventure.
• Lessons 20-23: Music Moves Us: Loud or quiet, heavy or light, happy or sad, music provides a way for your child to understand, experience and express all of this and more. Join us as we meet the great composer Beethoven compose a song about an elephant and a waterfall and learn about the family of string instruments.
• Lesson 20-23: Musical Emotions: Learning to use music to change the way we feel is good idea. Music has the power to help us calm down, rev up, day dream, or focus. How does that happen? We will explore this idea and learn about one of the world’s most famous composers, Ludwig Van Beethoven.
• Lessons 24-27: Does It Bounce or Does It Fly? What draws us all to music is its many flavors or variation, in volume, intensity, smoothness, or sharpness. We are discovering how to listen carefully to identity these sounds, then lets – MOVE like this: glide, fly, slither, float, jump, bob, boing, trot. PLAY these: drums, triangles, shakers, woodblocks, chimes. DRAW pictures of what we are hearing. We have a flavor for every learner!
• Lesson 24-27: Musical Games: It is so fun to learn through music! Circle Round the Zero, Che Che Koolay, The Music Machine and We are Dancing are all games we will use to learn more about our rich musical world.
• Lessons 28-30: Sing and Celebrate! The instruments of the orchestra are a wonderful collection of families! String, brass, woodwind and percussion – beautifully introduced in our focus piece for this unit: Peter and the Wolf.
• Lessons 28-30: Meet the Orchestra: Families Just like our families, instruments belong to a family too. They look, feel and sound similar. Join us as we explore the orchestra – Woodwind Family, Percussion Family, Brass Family and String Family – as depicted in the classic story by Sergi Prokofiev; Peter and the Wolf.

As well as being a full musical learning experience, Kindermusik is also a family experience. Through parental involvement at home, parents will play an important role in their child’s learning. “Hands-on parenting cannot be underestimated in its effect on young children and their brain development. As parents, we must provide numerous, ongoing, and enriching experiences that will nourish our children’s brains. Music is such an experience.” *Good Music Brighter Children, by Sharlene Habermeyer, p. 26