More than Music by Teacher Thea
Reading through Teacher Thea's post below explaining the benefits of her music programs from a parent's perspective made my heart pump with excitement! Coming from a very eager mom who wants the best for her child, these new music programs here at Kids Ahoy! surely make me excited to be able to share this opportunity with other kids as well. Saturday classes have been opened based on demand from many in our community and these programs commence this Feb-March 2009. We will also be doing these amongst other creative programs (Watch out for our Dance classes aside from Art, Music, Nature and more!) to be rolled out soon especially during our first ever full Summer program offerings! If you're shopping for Summer programs for your kids, consider Kids Ahoy's unique, creative and meaningful programs which are teacher-designed & developed, mommy-approved programs just for kids!
More than Music
The past few days have been busy for us here at Kids Ahoy, answering inquiries here and there regarding our new music programs. So let me save you the trouble and answer the most frequently asked questions right here. This will also be a good opportunity for me to explain our music programs better. J
What is the music program all about?
The general goal of our music program is to unleash the creative potential in children by making them experience music through listening, singing, moving and instrument playing. At the same time, we integrate these experiences with concepts learned at school and at home, through our weekly themes, free talks and group sharing. This way we provide a safe and encouraging musical environment that will support your child’s total development.
What activities will my child experience in these classes?
Although our developmentally appropriate music activities vary depending on the age group your child belongs to, all 3 classes follow a set routine which are as follows:
Arrival Routine - children place their names on attendance board and enjoy a few minutes of free play or a prepared arrival activity.
Circle Time - We check attendance, the day of the week and weather, we have circle games and start-up songs.
Jam Time - We do a lot of singing and instrument playing. We have a regular round of well-loved nursery rhymes and songs as well as Filipino children's songs, chants and rhymes.
Movement Time - Bounces and tickles, movement games, dances and creative dramatizations
Quiet Time - rest time or quiet free play
Story Time - Children listen to stories sung to them, or take part in the story by providing the sound effects or acting out the characters.
Circle Time - We wrap up what we learned in class through group sharing, songs or circle games.
Dismissal Routine - Children are asked to line up quietly and leave the music room peacefully.
Routines give the class structure and children feel at ease because they know what to expect. They become familiar with their environment and they have activities to look forward to.
How are the classes conducted?
The activities and routines mentioned above may give you a clear picture of how I conduct my class. If the question is to what method I use, well, I don’t really stick to one method but rather have a personalized approach. This is because I view my students as unique individuals and that there are different ways by which children learn. This is why I do not confine myself to a particular style, but rather explore other methods developed in other fields to be able to successfully impart knowledge that accommodates all learners.
How would it benefit my child?
Experiencing music at an early age is not only FUN for children; it is also a good way to develop the ff:
- Memory – singing songs over again improves memory and teaches them new things
- Vocabulary –songs, rhymes, stories, help children learn the names of things and how these words sound. (phonological awareness)
- Motor Coordination – movement games and dances improve their motor coordination and spatial awareness as well.
- Ability to relax – quiet time is usually done with soft music played in the background. This will help the child tone down, reflect and relax.
- Imagination – our activities involve a lot of fun, playful improvisations, which will develop your child’s creativity (and hopefully their sense of humor as well, kids tend to be too serious nowadays)
Apart from this, they get to meet new friends and learn to make music together as a team. This will develop their social and emotional skills as we learn to take turns, follow directions and listen to one another.
What makes it different from other music programs?
I am not familiar with all the music programs out there. But what I can say for sure is that we have a personalized, non-traditional approach to teaching music because we believe that educating children must be conducted in a free environment, approached gradually according to the child’s pace, and to the child’s interest.
Apart from using traditional western nursery songs and rhymes I make sure to include Filipino material. I feel this is very important, for it will give the children a sense of country and cultural identity. The Kids Ahoy music program does not rely on canned music, as much as possible I play and sing to my students, and use canned music only when the activity requires us to do so.
The concert kids program is a dream program of mine; it's a unique music literature class for kids. I’ve been planning this back when I was still in college and I am pretty sure there isn't’t any other program like it. We are happy and excited that it will have its debut here at Kids AhoyJ
I believe we could say that more than music, our programs are focused on inspiring the intellect, enriching the emotions and soothing the soul.
I hope this helps. See you soon at Kids Ahoy. J
~Teacher Thea
Enroll today at 4737896 / kidsahoy@gmail.com
View the details of each program at: http://kidsahoy.multiply.com/photos/album/135/
Saturday Classes now offered!
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