|
Musical Pathways Foundation
|
Newsletter March 26 - April 1
|
Dear (Contact First Name),
YEAH! Spring is here, and with it a celebration of life. The birds are out, the sun is out, people are coming out of hibernation, and this week our family, as well as many Kindermusik families, are celebrating Easter, our family's most important religious holiday which is all about rebirth! It's just a great time to take a big long breath and feel blessed to be alive! In our family, it is also a time to give thanks for all of the sacrifices our parents and friends and family and our God have made over the years to make our current lives possible. As parents, we salute your sacrifices that you make each week. - We know there are easier choices than walking out the door when it is 10 degrees and spending special time with your child at Kindermusik.
- We know that life throws so much at us that there are easier choices than setting aside special time each day to get involved with our children in play!
- We know that there are a hundred other ways we could spend our $14 each week other than on Kindermusik.
We want you to know that we will always strive to provide a level of service and content that leaves you little choice but to feel that your investment was well worth it. That your sacrifice of comfort, time, and money was the best choice you could make for your child to provide them the best beginning in life. Thank you! We appreciate you! Betsy
Betsy Flanagan, Director
Musical Pathways Foundation
|
|
EARN $15 TUITION EACH - NO LIMIT!
|
REFER A FRIEND!
Kindermusik and Elite Artistry are for Every Child!
Earn Referral Credits as a thank you from the Foundation! Our Foundation exists due to the referral of your friends, neighbors, acquaintances, coworkers and family! Invite a friend to try a FREE CLASS with you sometime, or they can call us directly to schedule a visit that meets their scheduling needs.
When they join - you earn $'s toward your tuition!
| All Referral $'s will be applied to tuition balances |
|
VILLAGE
Hickory Dickory, Tickle & Bounce
|
BEAT BEAT BEAT BEAT "Steady beat is the consistent, repetitive pulse within every rhyme, song, and piece of music. Steady beat is felt, not seen or heard... Steady beat is an organizer for the child, purposeful and calming. The research carried out by High/Scope Educational Research Foundation (Timing in Child Development, Kuhlman & Schweinhart, 1999) shows a positive correlation of steady beat to reading, vocabulary, math, music, and physical coordination." Phyllis Weikart, author and movement specialist Life has rhythm and pulse. Your Baby is aware of this even in the womb when he/she hears the pulse of mommy's heartbeat and feels the rhythm of her movements. Steady beat is one of the first musical skills your baby will develop. It's extremely important for future musical experiences and also for now! Think of all that we do that requires regularly paced repeated motion: walking, running, riding a bicycle, cutting with scissors, bouncing a ball, and more. The ability to keep a steady beat will not only help boost your child's physical coordination, but will have a profound impact on language and math skills as well. Click Here to read about a study that shows a correlation of IQ to the ability to keep an accurate Steady Beat. SUMMER PRIORITY ENROLLMENT APRIL 6th - 12th Click to Download Our Summer Schedule HOME ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS 1) Home Journal Week #7 -"Beat Beat Beat Beat" - Enjoy all of the varied activities on this week's Home Journal Page
- Lap Bounces - #1 way to instill a Steady Beat in your little one.
- Perhaps you can put a "bounce" in your step whereever you go this week?
- Enjoy a "Shake Hands" dance with mommy and daddy and baby with a BEAT.
- Here is a link to your Hickory Dickory Tickle and Bounce Journal
- Here are a couple of websites to help you in your ASL:Sign Language discovery. Signing Savvy and ASL Pro
2) Bring Your Favorite Journal Card to your NEXT CLASS!
At our Gathering Time at the next class we will all bring our favorite JOURNAL CARD notes and share favorite activities and moments over the past 7 weeks. This will allow us to learn from one another, and in the process get ideas for play with our own children.
3) Click here for your copy of answers to First Class Questions 4) Click here to go to "play.kindermusik.com" and enter your CODE from your play.kindermusik.com card. 5) Click here for your copy of Village Helpful Guidelines 6) Click here for more Mother Goose: Activities, Crafts, Mother Goose for Moms, and more . . . 7) Listen - listen - listen to your CD Your child will be comforted upon entering the busy classroom if they are familiar with the "sounds of Kindermusik." THIS WEEK'S ADDITIONAL LEARNING POINTS FOR PARENTS BEAT, BEAT, BEAT, BEAT: All Activities (Except Quiet Time) Steady beat is primarily a "receptive" activity for Baby, meaning that baby will be learning STEADY BEAT merely by you playing with him/her in various steady beat activities. Babies can learn beat early - so DANCE, MOVE & PLAY AWAY! RECEPTIVE & EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE: All Activities "Understanding language and talking are two different processes. Both require that a child hears well enough to distinguish, meaningful sounds. Understanding is a sensory perception process called 'receptive language. 'A child will understand words before she starts to use them in speech. Speaking is a motor process-getting the muscles of the tongue and mouth to function together just right to produce the desired sound. This is often referred to as 'expressive language.' " - Simple Steps, by Karen Miller, pg. 35 PENTATONIC SCALE: The Happy Dancer (This song is derived from Two Taiwanese Songs) The pentatonic scale has 5 notes - hence "penta." It can be demonstrated using the pattern of five black keys on the piano. It is defined in the Harvard Dictionary of Music as follows: "A scale consisting of five pitches . . Scales of this type . . . are widely distributed geographically and historically, e.g., in American Indian music, European and Anglo-American Folk Music. . . and in musical cultures of the Far East and Southeast Asia." - Harvard Dictionary of Music. Don Michael Randel, editor, pg. 618 ROCKING: Ninna, Nanna (Italian Folk Song) This week we encourage you to rock in a rocking chair at home. Rocking has many advantages for Baby. It "soothes, provides rhythmic motion, and promotes muscular strength, control, balance, and lateralization (development of the right and left sides of the body)." - Infant and Toddler Handbook, by Kathryn Castle, pg. 68.
|
DYNAMICS: LOUD and QUIET!
We are already 6 weeks into our Spring Semester! You may have noticed that our 15 weeks of classes are divided into 3 five-week musical themes. In addition to our musical themes, each week we highlight a specific area of your child's development and how learning in that specific area of development is supported by participation in Kindermusik classes and activities. The first five weeks of class, we focused on the musical concept of tempo, or the speed of the music. Because young children learn concepts best when they are presented as opposites (i.e. fast vs. slow), many of our musical concepts are introduced in this way. This week we began a new musical focus, dynamics. Read on . . .
ADDITIONAL VALUE FOCUS INFORMATION
DYNAMICS
In music, dynamics normally refers to the volume of a sound or note. The term is also applied to the written or printed musical notation used to indicate dynamics. Dynamics are important to the expressive power of music, but we would like to highlight that the use of dynamics in the classroom this week also supported development of your child's
- emotional perceptions (sad, happy, calm, excited)
- listening skills (actively hearing and identifying)
- social skills (learning to follow verbal and musical cues to loud and quiet)
- cognitive skills (creating ways to move objects and bodies loud and quiet)
- physical skills (gross and fine motor development)
- language skills (label label label label)
As toddlers and early preschoolers come into control of their bodies, we present them with opportunities not only to HEAR and IDENTIFY the difference between loud and quiet sounds, but also to CREATE loud and quiet sounds with their VOICES, BODIES and with INSTRUMENTS alone and together in ensemble. The developmental benefits to playing with dynamics are almost innumerable. Loud and Quiet will capture your child's attention and also build a foundation for future musical understanding and expression using dynamics. Besides that - playing with loud and quiet is just plain FUN!
SUMMER PRIORITY ENROLLMENT APRIL 6th - 12th
Click to Download Our Summer Schedule
HOME ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS
1) "Make A Songbook", p. 6 Home Activity Guide
- Your Home Activity Book gives step by step instructions on how to engage your little one in this activity.
2) "A Quiet/Loud Hoedown"
- Find items in your home to play along to Sourwood Mountain track on your Home CD
- Pots, Pans, Spoons, wax paper, etc. make great Loud & Quiet instruments.
3) Remember to Sing your "HELLOS & GOODBYES" to Everyone Coming & Going.
This singing repetition in the home allows for the "group singing" experience in class to come more quickly. What a lifelong musical gift you are giving your child, teaching them to enjoy singing and speaking in a group!
4) Continue P.A.C.E. at home (Positive, Active, Clear, Energetic) and Enjoy the Left-Right Brain Rap!
Positive = Hook-ups/Stationary cross-lateral
Active = Cross Crawl/Moving cross-lateral/cross mid-lines
Clarity = Brain Buttons/Tarzan
Energetic = Hydrate
5) Continue Listening to your CD's
6) Click here for your copy of Our Time Helpful Guidelines for our newcomers this week
7) Click here for a copy of the Parent Class Handout for our newcomers this week
|
IMAGINE THAT
Cities! Busy Places - Friendly Faces!
|
Self-Control - The Way to Go!
Inhibitory Control is defined as nerve impulses
that act to damp down or stop a particular activity or response.
In the case of preschoolers, that means stopping their bodies,
waiting in line, taking turns, and more. . .
This week's lesson offered many opportunities to practice inhibitory control, also known as self-regulation. During the "My Bike" ensemble, we practiced taking turns on the instruments, waiting until it was time for our instrument to play, starting and stopping together, placing instruments in rest position while our hands were in our laps. We experienced the Statue activity together as the children practiced "posing" and freezing our bodies like a statue. We w
able to practice this several times as we sang "walk all around now, walk all around . . . and stop."
With repetition comes success and your child's Kindermusik class is going to set your child up for success in school both socially and academically. Read below some of the recent
research that explains this even further. Kindermusik invites your child to have fun exploring the "city" with friends, yet your child doesn't even realize all of the "skills for life" that he/she is learning and retaining through the weekly repetition. Read more below.
SUMMER PRIORITY ENROLLMENT APRIL 6th - 12th
Click to Download Our Summer Schedule
DEVELOPMENTAL FOCUS
INHIBITORY CONTROL and ACADEMIC SUCCESS
"Singing Games" proven to foster Critical Thinking/Cognitive Development
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY STUDY
Study Links Preschool Behavior (specifically self-regulation) to Academic Success
Click Here to read results that found that every seven-point increase in behavioral regulation over the school year predicted between three weeks and 2.8 months of learning gains in vocabulary, math and literacy.
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY STUDY Children continuously enrolled in Kindermusik show higher levels of self-control than Non-Kindermusik preschoolers or those previously enrolled. Click Here to read more.
.
7-Year Continuum
How Kindermusik fosters the development of your child's social skills over 7 years.
VILLAGE:
Babies experience inhibitory control as we dance "and stop" with a wide variety of songs and activities. We've all smiled as a baby in class said "stop" along with us for the first time.
OUR TIME:
The ability to stop oneself, look at a shape and imitate it is a key skill needed to best learn any movement, whether it be learning to play an instrument, a sport or dance, and we began growing your child's self-controlled imitation skills with our scaffolding in Our Time, while also inviting your child to take turns and stop on a musical cue.
IMAGINE THAT:
This week you will read research in your newsletter that shows that all of this playful work on self-regulation is proven to give your child the edge for life academically as well.
YOUNG CHILD:
What do you have to look forward to? The concept of inhibitory control takes on new meaning as ensemble play, listening, incorporating others ideas, playing different parts in an ensemble, and learning to play new instruments becomes part of our everyday class rituals and routines in Young Child. The more success your child experiences with self-control, the more we witness his/her growing self-esteem (another key factor for academic success)
HOME ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS
1) Week #6 Family Activity: "I am a Sculptor. My statue looks like . . ." p.6
Create a "Happy ending" lost-dog story:
- Make a statue this week using household materials like aluminum foil, Popsicle sticks, clay, etc.
- Reminder: Please bring your child's statue to next class so that we can create a "Kindermusik City Statue Garden.
2) Page 26: Play the I Spy - Busy Mimes game
- Set up Game Board and Busy Sights Game card Deck.
- Have your child pull a card and pose "I Spy this pose!". You try to find on the board.
- Repeat, but this time another member of the family draws and poses.
- If people can find your pose on the board you get 1 point.
- Also the first person to find the pose on the board gets 1 point as well..
3) Please continue to occasionally play your "vendor" game. Turn-taking is great inhibitory control play!
4) CD1 Track 22: Walk All Around
- Sing "walk all around" and STOP during your journey around town this week (or even around the house).
- See what statues you can find as you travel in your car.
- Practice the ASL for Stop and turn this fun game into a family game --- again, a fun way to enjoy repetition which leads to retention.
5) If new, Click here for your copy of Imagine That Helpful Guidelines for our newcomers this week.
6) If new, Click Here for a copy of the Parent Class Handout for our newcomers this week.
|
ANIMALS IN MUSIC - Week #3
"Music can assist us in creating, identifying, and using emotional states to regulate our lives. Musicians use music to communicate, and a good performance or song will communicate emotions. ... [Music is] a powerful language of expression, whether a student is playing or listening to it. In summary, music-making enhances the systems that allow us to perceive and respond appropriately to a world rich with emotions and complex social structures."*
*Arts with the Brain in Mind, by Eric Jensen, p.32.
As your child matures and grows, he/she is developing a stronger awareness of emotions and feelings. Typically, we hope our children develop the ability to express feelings in an appropriate manner. Today's class included several activities in which the children were given the opportunity to talk about their feelings. You might continue at home by singing "If you're happy and you know it...," asking your child what makes him happy. Continue by singing "If you're sad and you know it..." and talking about what might make him sad.
Not only did we discover emotions, but then the children discovered how composers make music "sound" sad and happy. They discovered that happy music is often faster, louder and bouncy, and sad music is often slower, quieter and smooth. This week, your child's 1 measure (4 Beat) melody will have your little composer telling me how to sing his/her melody. Fast/Slow, f/p, Smooth/Bumpy. Be sure to also read Music at Home 22 for ideas of ways to create music that expresses feelings.
SUMMER PRIORITY ENROLLMENT APRIL 6th - 12th
Click to Download Our Summer Schedule
HOME ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS
1) Music At Home Card 22 "Bell Horses play and more . . .":
Today's Music at Home 21 offers several ways to use the song "Lucy Locket."
- Have fun memorizing Bell Horses with your grown-up playing the body Body Tapping Game
- Reminder: c = Head, a = Shoulders, d = Clap your Partner's hands (higher than their head as "d" is higher than "c.")
- Create a composition on the glockenspiel to the poem, My Kitty, listed on your Week 22 MAH card.
2) Once your have memorized Bell Horses, Play & Sing it on the glockenspiel.
-
Reminder: Put the music away when playing the Glockenspiel. Besides the fact that "reading" music while "playing & singing" distracts your child from singing on pitch and playing with proper form, your child will not be given the opportunity to develop visualization, sequencing and memory skills.
- Moral of the Story: Take your time. Let's not rush our child to the glockenspiel. Play the games and sing along first. You may want to remind your little one that LUCY LOCKET's pocket awaits again at the next class for those that would like to sing and play Bell Horses for their teacher.
3) Write "4-beat" Compositions this week
- If your child is writing "1 measure = 4 beats", he/she can use as many as "8" notes if they were all assigned the "ti-ti" rhythm. FUN! Review: tah = 1 beat, sh = 1 beat ti-ti = 1 Beat
- Encourage the use of the 3 notes your child now knows. "c", "d", and "a"
- Encourage use of Dynamic Markings:"p" - piano (quiet)"f" - forte (loud)"<" - crescendo (gradually louder)">" - decrescendo (gradually quieter)
- Take turns enjoying singing and playing your child's composition on the glockenspiel.
- REMINDER: Bring Your 4-Note Melody to Hang on Wall for Next Class
Just a little reminder that arrival @ 10 minutes before class if possible is your best bet. Plenty of time for a potty stop prior to class. Class entry time @2 minutes prior as a group is an important piece of your child's classroom success. The extra "5 minutes" allows plenty of time for warm-up and transitioning for your child. We understand that circumstances do not always allow you to arrive 10 minutes before class, but we appreciate your efforts in general.
|
Music of Europe - Week #3
This week's Music at Home 52 card encourages you and your child to play both the recorder and glockenspiel. It also encourages your child to talk with you about Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach was a German organist and composer. We talked about him today as well as listened to some of his music: organ music, Oratorios (choir, soloists and orchestra), harpsichord. Click this link for a very fun "Bach Listening Interactive Instrument" game. The music in puzzle is played by just four musical instruments, but the screen will show you 8 instruments on the screen. You and your child need to figure out "which four instruments" are being used to make the beautiful music and drag those instruments on to the stage to play the piece. You are shown eight instruments on the screen. You can click an instrument to hear it (or drag and drop it on the stage and and you can see and hear it perform, and see if you think that is one of the instruments playing in the piece. To remove the instrument from the stage, just click on it once. Once you find the correct four, they will be able to play the piece for you. When you find the four instruments you are looking for and let them play together, you have solved the puzzle!
I urge you to continually stay in touch with your child about class activities. You might like to ask him/her questions such as: "Did you play the glockenspiel today?"; "What was your favorite song you sang in class?"; "What kind of games did you play?";"Did you dance and dances today?" All of your children were "soloists" today in our "Yodel Song." This is such great vocal & instrumental work for your child, and so much fun as well. They took turns with their friends both vocalizing their parts and playing an instrument on cue. The animal friends were a Guernsey Cow, a St. Bernard, and a Little Bird. I wish you could have heard your little yodelers. Try yodeling together at home - it is fun! Remember - we always want to approach "practice" as "play time." To achieve a goal in play is so rewarding for children of this age and creates a "lifelong" love of music and self-confidence to boot!
SUMMER PRIORITY ENROLLMENT April 6th - 13th
HOME ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS
1) MAH Card #52: Glockenspiel and Recorder Fun (How about adding in the Dulcimer?)
2) Continue to sing your new Yodeling Song for your family!
3) Duet Anyone?
- How about a duet? Parent on Glockenspiel and child on the Recorder. This play may seem like simple fun, but it creates retained learning because it extends the playtime (brain growth)!
- NOTE: Graduation is a FAMILY EVENT. At graduation, families will perform together, and we all perform and entertain. This is great FIESTA fun and really works your child's arranging and group leadership skills, so why not begin now?
-
Begin talking with your child about what piece your family can play together. Your child can write an arrangement for your family to play to a song he/she knows from class (feel free to use any of our instruments), or a melody he/she has written.
4) Bow Wow Wow
- Have your child show you the new Bow Wow Wow movements that we did in class - this will help your child memorize it!
- After it is memorized, then play it on the Glockenspiel by memory!
5) Write 2-Measure Melody (4 beats per measure) Bring it to class to Hang on the Wall
- Draw a Staff with 2 measures
- Create a melody on the glockenspiel.
- Transfer to the Staff and how about to the Piano/Keyboard as well.
6) Continue to listen to your CD!! Burn copies for bedrooms, cars, etc.
7) Color in your Song Book
|
ELITE ARTISTRY
Premier Private Music Lessons
|
Elite Artistry
Premier Music Instruction
Piano, Voice, Violin, Guitar
How is Elite Artistry different? We incorporate all facets of Music Learning, and allow your child to choose their interests which we then combine with learning on their instrument. Music History, Listening, Theory, Attending Performances, and so much more . . . By following your child's interest from the very first lesson and as their interests evolve, your child will have the tools for remaining motivated to make their instrument a LIFE-LONG LOVE! Oh - and by the way - they will know more about music and have more music skills under their belt than most incoming Freshman in college Music Majors. Exciting!
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
|
JANUARY 2013
- January 14th: Fall Semester Ends
FEBRUARY 2013
- February 5th: Semester Begins (Tuesday thru Monday week)
MARCH 2013
- March 18th - 22nd: Closed for Spring Break (Monday thru Friday)
APRIL 2013
- April 9th - 15th: Summer Camp Priority Discount Enrollment
- April16th: Summer Camp Open Enrollment to Public
MAY 2013
- May 6th - 17th: Fall Semester Priority Discount Enrollment
- May 18th: Fall Semester Open Enrollment to Public
- May 27th: Closed in Observance of Memorial Day
- May 28th - 31st: Final Tuesday thru Thursday Classes
JUNE 2013
- June 6th: Graduation 4:30 - 7:45 (Sanctuary & Fellowship Hall)
- June 10th: Final Monday Village, Our Time and Imagine That Classes
- June 11th: Early Summer Camps Begin
- July 16th: Late Summer Camps Begin
SEPT 2013
- September 3rd: Fall Semester Begins (Tuesday thru Monday week)
- September 15th: Parent Orientation 2-3:30 pm in Gathering Place upstairs at First Presbyterian
OCTOBER 2013
- Fall Break: October 7 - 11
NOVEMBER 2013
- Thanksgiving Break: November 18 - 22
DECEMBER 2013
- Spring Semester Priority Enrollment Week #1: December 2nd - 6th
- Spring Semester Priority Enrollment Final Week #2: December 9th - 13th
- Registration Opens to the Public: December 15th
- Christmas/New Years Break: December 23rd - January 3rd
|
WEATHER ALERTS
STUDIO CLOSURES
|
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
|
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. Betsy Flanagan, Director 608-576-6688 Miss Andrea, Administrative Asst 608-849-9712 Miss Amy, Kindermusik Educator 608-345-6030 Miss Jen, Kindermusik Educator 608-332-2924 Miss Katherine Rush, Kindermusik Educator & Violin Instructor 608-669-2256 Miss Renee, Kindermusik and ABC Educator 608-219-9480 Marta Hansen, Piano & Voice Instructor 608-616-2563 Heath Rush, Voice Instructor 608-669-2256 Ed Ford, Piano, Voice & Guitar Instructor 517-643-1935 |
|
|
|
|
|
|