Friday, June 18, 2010

Kindermusik for math, literacy, and social skills

The initial view of a music class is that it is directed specifically at children whose parents aspire for them to become accomplished musicians. While musicianship is certainly obtained, Kindermusik actually focuses on teaching math, literacy, and social-emotional skills and it does so through the three different learning styles- audio/verbal, visual, and kinesthetic.

Your audio/verbal learner in music class: Your little singer is given many opportunities to learn and express themselves in Kindermusik class. Each semester your child receives a CD with the entire semesters repertoire. This will probably be their favorite part of the take home materials. They will be introduced to early math skills through singing counting songs musical scales and hearing the complexities of classical music. They will be introduced to the very important skill of active listening by learning about sounds and then listening for them. Active listening and repeating of rhymes is a building block to childhood literacy. Listening to a wide variety of music including music in different languages prepares your child for multilingual literacy as well. Socially your child learns through the ensemble effort of singing together. They also learn the turn taking skill through call and response. The skill of your child's actual singing is secondary to these important life skills.

Your visual learner in music class: Your reader will particularly enjoy the story time in Kindermusik class and their favorite part of the take home material will most likely be the book. They will also like the bright posters on the walls and the colored scarves we dance with. As we sit, stand and move in class your child will be observing visually and will be introduced to early math skills and even geometry as they begin to understand spacial awareness. They will see numbers as we count on our fingers while singing and will notice the patterns as we shake shakers up high for four beats then down low for four beats. In story time they will enjoy looking at the pictures and words in the book, beginning to define the two. They will enjoy matching pictures to sounds and they will learn the early literacy skill of reading left to right. Socially your visual learner will learn to relate with others through turn taking with instruments and having the opportunity to watch other children interact. They will learn social cues like standing when they see the teacher stand and clapping when they see others clap. Important building blocks to your child's success are found in such a class.

Your kinesthetic learner in music class: Your tiny dancer will love all of the hands on time they have with scarves and instruments in Kindermusik class. In fact the instrument they are given as part of the take home materials may be their favorite. Dancing patterns and clapping steady beats are both early math skills your child will enjoy. Counting on fingers, hopping three times in a row, all to fun music instills these math skills. Literacy will be learned through understanding the meaning of words through movement. Up, down, fast, slow will make sense to them as they are actively involved, enriching their vocabulary. Socially your kinesthetic learner will thrive from turn taking, circle dancing, holding hands with other children, and partner dancing. All of these will help your child relate to others in an enjoyable environment. High energy children with a great need for movement are well respected and appreciated in class while learning essential skills.

Kindermusik is an international music and movement program for children ages 0-7 and is the originator of the mommy and me style class. They combine years of research with modern discoveries to create an ideal learning space for your young child. For more information or to enroll in a Kindermusik class go to www.KindermusikwithMsB.com.

1 comment:

  1. This is very interesting. My son just turned two, so we have time. That was some trip you took by the way. It's amazing how the other side of the world lives, and how spoiled we can become and how we take things for granted. Very cool.

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