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In my classes, I hope to promote learning of music through exposure, swearing by the belief that a variety of songs and song types will draw the attention of each child to the wonders of music, both within schools and beyond. There is something naturally alluring about music, and early exposure is instrumental in developing musical instincts.
I aim to make my classes, active, creative, and engaging. My philosophy is that children learn best when they enjoy what they learn, for it ensures that learning does not stop between music classes, but is continued willingly by the child across the intervening time. My search for their favorite songs, then, is in their best educational interests. In addition, every song has multiple musical lessons, and the rhythmic and melodic structures that dictate the vast majority of children's music support neurological development, particularly with regards to pattern recognition.
Finally, I use music to support many other aspects of children's development. Many of my songs focus on such aspects as a child's physical development, language development, knowledge of other languages and cultures, vocabulary. Music, undoubtedly, can be a very powerful motivator.
Below is a list of goals I have set for my program. I hope to continually improve it by regularly connecting with school community members!
Music can support children in their physical, emotional, linguistic, intellectual, and creative development.
So, we start at the very beginning:
Infants (0-18 months)
Infants (0-18 months)
Build the children's interest in music while supporting development.
- Familiarity with simple songs and instruments
- Repeat simple words & sounds
- Simple movements: Clap, wave, arms up & down...
- Start & Stop
Toddlers (18-30 months)
Toddlers (18-30 months)
Continue to build the children's interest in music while supporting development.
- Familiarity with many simple songs.
- Repeat simple words, sounds, and phrases
- Encourage increasing participation in music, especially physically
- Imitate full-body movements: Clapping, stomping, arms up & down, arms crossed, jumping...
- Fine motor skills: fingerplays, manipulating instruments...
- Recognize body parts: head, feet...
- Introduce musical contrasts and control: Start & Stop, Loud & Soft, Fast & Slow
Young Preschool (YPS) (2.5-3.5 yrs)
Young Preschool (YPS) (2.5-3.5 yrs)
Develop musical aptitude through language and movement.
- Familiarity with a wide variety of songs.
- Ability to learn new simple songs quickly.
- Encourage increasing participation in music, verbally and physically
- Imitate and improvise full body movements; move towards dancing.
- Develop fine motor skills: fingerplays, manipulating instruments
- Develop musical control: Start & Stop, Loud & Soft, Fast & Slow, high & low, get louder, get softer...
- Introduce pitch: high & low
- Practice short, simple rhythms. Tie to simple phrases
- Introduce multilingual songs as language develops.
Preschool (3.5-4.5 yrs)
Preschool (3.5-4.5 yrs)
Develop fundamental musical skills and vocabulary.
- Familiarity with many types, genres of songs: slow, fast, quiet, loud, soothing, energetic...
- Can learn and recite simple songs, often within a single class.
- Encourage recitation of songs or parts of songs.
- Learn how to sing "repeat-after-me" songs of varying difficulty.
- Try performing or acting out songs with clear, simple narratives.
- Develop creativity: Allow for children to input their own ideas into certain songs.
- Imitate and improvise movements; continue to encourage dancing.
- Continue to develop musical control: pitch, dynamics, tempo, timing
- Work to recognize and produce high/low pitch; achieve more subtle mastery of contrasts
- Introduce conducting basic concepts, such as Loud & Soft
- Great command of fingerplays, handling instruments
- Develop control of rhythms: steady beat, basic patterns.
- Develop musical vocabulary:
- Musical terms (meter, melody, note...)
- Instruments: (xylophone, drum, piano...)
- Continue to learn multilingual music.
- Introduce playing songs on instruments: simple melodies on xylophones, simple rhythms on drums...
PreK (4.5-5.5 yrs)
PreK (4.5-5.5 yrs)
Lay the groundwork for children to access and enjoy all kinds of music. ..Except rap.
- Familiarity with many types, genres of songs: slow, fast, quiet, loud, soothing, energetic...
- Can learn and recite many songs, often within a single class.
- Encourage recitation of songs or parts of songs.
- Master "repeat-after-me" songs of varying difficulty.
- Try performing or acting out songs with clear narratives.
- Encourage children to recite songs independently of teacher; develop children's solo voices.
- Develop creativity: Allow for children to input their own ideas into certain songs.
- Try songwriting with children!
- Imitate and improvise movements; continue to encourage dancing.
- Continue to develop musical control: pitch, dynamics, tempo, timing
- Develop control of high/low pitch and matching exact pitch; achieve more subtle mastery of contrasts
- Introduce conducting a few concepts, such as Loud & Soft, Fast & Slow, cuing...
- Great command of fingerplays, handling instruments
- Develop great control of rhythms: steady beat, basic patterns, tempo-setting.
- Develop musical vocabulary:
- Musical terms (meter, melody, note...)
- Instruments (xylophone, drum, piano...)
- Learn musical symbols and their names, Kodály or otherwise.
- Continue to learn multilingual music.
- Continue to introduce playing songs on instruments: simple melodies on xylophones, simple rhythms on drums...
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