DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFIT OF THE WEEK    

Multisensory Learning    

 

Activities that incorporate learning through several senses are known as multisensory activities. In the Kindermusik classroom, every activity is a multisensory activity because we know that:

• 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. Read here for more information about three main learning styles and a description of how children with these learning styles may behave in the classroom:

Our best advice? Think of your child as a string. If you push it, it bunches up. If you guide it along, it moves beautifully. So joyfully accept your child as he/she is, and work with him to make the most of his/her 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

 

At Kindermusik, we support the wonder and uniqueness of each child, and we're really proud of the way that the Kindermusik curricula embrace all learning styles by providing multisensory activities to appeal to as many of your child's senses as possible. But we also recognize that it us up to the teacher and the parent to identify - and celebrate! - the wonderful variety of learning styles that are in each class. 

 

 

HOME ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS 

 

1)  Enjoy your Week #6 Activity: "Stargazer" and Complete Your FAVORITES SHEET 

• This week's Home Activity "Stargazer" utilizes our song Oh, Watch the Stars and is a fun star game for you and your baby. Not only is it fun, but it is MULTISENSORY, and it stimulates both the up-close and distance eye development, visual tracking, beat and rhythm.   
• Complete Your FAVORITES SHEET and either EMAIL BACK or Bring to Class 
• Download an Extra Copy of Your Favorites Sheet 
• To Download your Dream Pillow journal - Click here!    

2)  Here is a reference list of the multisensory activities from class this week.

• Diddle Diddle Dumpling (Exercise)
• Sing, and move your child's limbs Up & Down (Bilateral), Up & Down (Alternating Bilateral), Crosslateral  
• Wee Willie Winkie (Group Dance) 
• Take each of the 3 lines and move your babies: Running, Up & Down, and Tapping/Bouncing 
• Dance Little Baby (Free Dance + organized movement)
• Be sure to hold your baby in many different positions during the Free Dance (upside down anyone?) 
• In The Moon (Native American Dance)
• Remember those spinning moves around our fire :) 
• Gavotte in G (Maypole Dance ABABA)
• No scarves?  How about pillow cases?  Enjoy your sojourn through color as you See, Feel & Hear fun! 
• Skinnamarinky Dinky Dink I Love You (Love Language Dance)
• Enjoy of loving and cuddly free dance and be sue to STOP, SIGN & SING "I Love You!"  Precious!

3) Continue to listen to your Dream Pillow CD

• Go to play.kindermusik.com and enter your own personal code on your play.kindermusik.com card in your Home Materials. 

 

4) Here are 3 Sign Language Websites for your reference throughout the semester.  Bookmark them in your browser!  

5) Just joining us? Read the Village Class Helpful Guide:  Click here for your copy of Village Helpful Guidelines    

 

NOTE:  If you are ever absent from class, please check the "Pick-up Table" outside our classrooms for items distributed that week.  This week we distributed your Home Materials and Informational Packet. We put your materials out on the table the same day as your class.  Come by and pick them up at your convenience.  The church is open Monday - Thursday 9 am - 7pm and Friday 9- 11 am.   

 

  Enrollment Now Open to the General Public! 

 

Click Here for Easy Online Enrollment 

 

SPRING 2013 THEMES  

Click Here to For Pictures & Descriptions

 

 

 

Today we are going to combine Language and Timbre Development.   Timbre is the word for the QUALITY OF SOUND, and when we pair it with Language we get DOUBLE the learning.   It's important to keep these paired and repeated through the first 7 years of our children's lives, because it takes repetition and exploration throughout those years to fully develop the skills.   Not only will your children be able to HEAR different timbres, but they will be able to DESCRIBE them using language, PRODUCE them, and WRITE & ARRANGE music utilizing timbres by the time they finish Young Child.   We can't wait for you to see the skills your little ones will have when they finish their Kindermusik Years in Young Child 1st grade. You will see all of the time & effort & play pay off in IQ development like CRAZY!

 

Let's take a look at this single Kindermusik class this week, and explore the breadth and depth of the learning experienced through playful integration? Sometimes it's difficult to realize how much "learning" can be achieved through play! In this class alone, your child has participated in activities which involve fine motor skill development (Lirum Larum fingerplay), expressive use of voice & language development (When Cold Winds Blow & It's Snowing), taking spoken & instrumental cues/inhibitory control combined with abstract thinking and creative development(On Our Way: Snow Boot Steps & Snowballs, Snowflakes & Snow Play), listening and identifying instruments (Siyahamba - handbells), dancing and language development and ensemble movement (The Jolly Snowman), abstract thinking (Skater's Waltz), singing, moving, pretending all at the same time (Over the river)and of course, numerous singing and instrument play-along experiences.

DEVELOPMENTAL FOCUS

MORE Play - Play - Play

 

1) Fine Motor Skills - Lirum Larum

Invite your child to show you how "little thumbkin" dances. While singing Lirum, Larum (a traditional German children's singing game), we wiggled our fingers individually then together. Try this with your toes as well! Your children will not learn these fine-motor skills and coordination without practice, and for children practice is PLAY. So enjoy yourselves!

 

2) Expressive Use of the Voice and Language Development -                

   When Cold Winds blow & It's Snowing

These wintery chants provide the perfect opportunity to help your child learn to use their voice expressively.   Not only that, but remember that current research shows that those children who can recite 8 rhymes by age 4 are the leaders in reading by age 8. Great language development because it is PLAYFUL as well.

 

3) Taking Spoken & Instrumental Cues/Self-control/Listening/Abstract Thinking/Creative Development -                             

     On Our Way: Snow Boot Steps, Snowflakes, Snowballs, Snowplay chant

Your child is learning to wait to hear "cues" (both spoken and musical) to perform specific movements or actions. This skill is an integration of self-control and listening skills along with abstract thinking and imaginative skills. All wrapped up in these two fun games. Try making some tissue paper snowballs and playing this game with your child. Remember they should lie flat without moving until you finish singing the snowflake song and have told them they can make snowballs with you.   Then they need to wait for the cue "and throw that snow... look at it go!" before they throw all of the snow they gathered.

 

4) Listening Skills and Auditory Discrimination - Siyahamba

Today your child listened to a song called Siyahamba and were asked to figure out what instrument was playing. Then we asked your child to move and "experience playing" a "chimebell" to help drive the learning home.

 

5) Language Development & Ensemble Movement- The Jolly Snowman

This integrated activity with Chant, and Singing and Dance brings Language development to whole new level. At first children are like spectators, just learning the chant as they learn the movements. However, after Verse 3, they become leaders, creating their own dance movements and having others follow their lead. Then comes Verse 4, "I'm a Jolly Snowman oh so fat. Watch me dance just like that." where the class begins and ensemble song and dance together. The more the children become more relaxed with the new activity - after repetition here in the classroom and at home - the better they become able to investigate the language of the activity further. Here is where we see children's abilities explode. So enjoy this activity at home. CD2, Track 24.

 

6)Abstract Thinking & Pretending - Skater's Waltz & Over the River

With all of the "organized" activities for children these days, there seldom is the opportunity for abstract thinking and creation. In Kindermusik we make this a part of our curriculum, for the skill can't be learned without practice. Enjoy more skating and sleigh rides in the home this week as your child's imagination is put to work.

  

 

 AT HOME FUN THIS WEEK 

 

1)  Family Activity Book Week # 13  - "I am a snow walker - Boot Maker!   Page 16

-I counted 10 suggested activities listed on this page that will help reinforce skills being learned in class. FUN!

   REMINDER: Bring both your child's homemade boots & Sleigh bells to the next class so we can enjoy more snow play

 

2)  Complete your FAVORITES SHEETS - Email or Bring to Class 

• Choose at least one in every section - would love many!
• *** you absolute "favorites."  
• Feel free to type your name in: 1) highlight, 2) SAVE 3) email back to me by next class or just bring to next class.

3)  Continue Listening to BOTH of your Home CD's 

 

 

  

SPRING 2013 THEMED UNIT

 

  

 

 

                          AND THE DOORBELL RANG "C-A"  

Last week's class was a very special one as your child learned the proper way to hold the glockenspiel mallets and explored playing the glockenspiel!  In order to ensure success playing the glockenspiel, it is very important that each child first thoroughly understand the way to hold the mallets and the way to use them to tap the glockenspiel keys. Again, correct handling of the mallets is critical in determining your child's success in playing the instrument and percussion instruments in the future.

 

Therefore, continue to stress the proper mallet procedures as outlined last week. Please use Music at Home 13 to review the "MALLET POEM" with your child. This is one of the most important homework steps, as your child's playing habits will be developed VERY QUICKLY, and if they learn to hold the mallets incorrectly, it will be difficult to change their habit in a playful manner. This week is even more exciting because they are taking home their glockenspiels!  Actually playing on the glockenspiel is more exciting, but it becomes more challenging to remember the proper mallet handling.   Make a FUN GAME of it.   Play "hide the glockenspiel" if they begin to hold mallets incorrectly, or if they bounce their mallets high or just set them on the bars instead of "ringing the bars." Let them figure out what they can change to get the glockenspiel back.  FUN!

 

Although your child may be ready to play specific notes (the c - c of "Train is a-Comin'" or the c - a of "Hear the

    

THE BIGGER PICTURE   

Two-Handedness and Two-Brainedness   

  

The term brain lateralization refers to the fact that the two halves of the human brain are not exactly alike. Each hemisphere has functional specializations: some function whose neural mechanisms are localized primarily in one half of the brain.

 

HOME ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS

THE WORLD OF DANCE:  "Jazz"    

 

HOME ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS  

 

 

Registration Now Open to the General Public!

Refer a friend and earn Referral $'s 

 Click Here for Pictures & Descriptions

Elite Artistry  

Premier Music Instruction  

Piano, Voice, Violin, Guitar 

 

             WINTER RECITAL THIS SUNDAY 2PM!

Time for final preparations of our pieces for our recital on Sunday. This is an exciting time!  We had a preview of our recital at our Master class this past Wednesday.  I can't wait to hear your children on Sunday.  Suggested attire is dress up!  

 

In addition to the annual Winter Recital this Sunday, December 9 at 2pm, many of the Elite Artistry students have volunteered to perform at Hyland Park Assisted Living in Sun Prairie on Thursday December 13 at 6pm. What a wonderful opportunity to gain invaluable performing experience, confidence as a musician, and most importantly, to share the joy and fun that music brings with others.

 

Two of our Elite Artistry teachers will also be spreading a little musical joy this holiday season. On December 14 at 4pm and December 15 at 2pm, Miss Marta and Mr. Ed will be performing at the Dane County Airport. They will be performing a fun array of music for all the holiday travelers passing through!

 

In addition to the many performances, Miss Marta will be showcasing and selling her upcycled piano crafts at the Waunakee Craft Fair, at Waunakee High School, on Saturday December 17 from 9am-3pm. Miss Marta takes parts of pianos that are no longer usable in a functioning piano and recycles them into lovely items. She makes shelves, necklaces, brooches, holiday art, pendants, and ornaments all out of discarded piano parts!

      2012 - 2013 CALENDAR

Sept: 10, 17, 24

October: 1, 8,15, Master Class, 29

November: 5, 12, 26

December: Master Class, 10, 17, Recital 9th

January: 7, Master Class, 21, 28

February: 4, 11, 18, Master Class

March: 4, 11, 18

April: 1, 8, Master Class, 22, 29

May: 6, 13, 20, Master Class      

June: Recital & Awards Banquet - 2nd

   

 

HOW WILL YOU KNOW WHEN CLASS IS CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER?

 

Tune in to the following for announcement or join our VIP TEXT CLUB to receive weather notices:  

TEXT: LOVEKIDS

TO: 36000

  Radio: WTDY 1670 AM, WMGN 98 FM, WZEE 104 FM

 

TV:      WKOW-27, WISC-3

 

• If the Waunakee Schools are CLOSED, then Musical Pathways classes will be canceled as well.
• If the Waunakee School district is having LATE START there will be no change to our class schedule.
• If the Waunakee School district calls EARLY RELEASE, then the EVENING classes will be canceled.
• If the Waunakee School District cancels their evening sports activities, then the EVENING classes will be canceled.

As is common practice, cancellations due to weather or other circumstances beyond Musical Pathways' control will not receive a credit. On the other hand, either make-up classes will be offered or credits will be applied for cancellations due to teacher illness or absence.  If you would like to visit an alternate class as a make-up, please call 849-9712 or email Miss Andrea to schedule.

How we will communicate:
Should classes be canceled, we will send an announcement via Constant Contact email and a TEXT to our LOVEKIDS club.  Want to join our TEXT CLUB, then just text LOVEKIDS and you are in. The radio and television stations are constantly updating their cancellations as well, so be sure to look for Waunakee Schools postings. Evening activity cancellations are not always listed on TV, so please do consult your email for a notice of cancellation of our evening classes.  We will also consult State and County Travel Advisory's to make our decision about Evening Class Cancellations.

          Musical Pathways Foundation

DIRECTORY 

We are a Charitable Foundation that exists to aid families through the education of parents, children and grandparents.   Our desire is to educate the early child 0-7, youth 8-18, parents and grandparents in whole child development, childhood behavioral management, and senior quality of life attainment.  We rely on the financial support of both individual benefactors and corporate contributions.  If you are able to help us in our mission, please click here and we will contact you, or click here to go to our website to make a donation .  If you would like to contact one of our team via email, just click their name below.