1. My child and I
have a lot of fun in Kindermusik class, but sometimes I wonder...is she really
learning anything about music?
It might indeed look and seem like we are just playing and having
fun. While the approach is playful, the Kindermusik curriculum is built upon a
solid musical and developmental foundation. While playing and singing, children
are developing a sense of steady beat, achieving the ability to match pitches,
learning a repertoire of songs, experiencing many different instruments and
musical genres, increasing their ability to listen, and of course, gaining a
love of music that will last throughout their lives.
2. I plan to have my children take music lessons when they are
older. Why should I bother with a music class when they are so young?
Kindermusik focuses on music as a tool for healthy growth and development
in your child, not as an achievement in and of itself. Kindermusik is
however also an opportunity for your child to develop and grow a love for music.
You will notice that your child is musical; every child loves to have fun,
play and listen to music, move, explore and be creative. Kindermusik will foster
a life-long enjoyment for music in your child, and should they develop an aptitude
for a particular instrument, you will be right there to see it happen!
What better way to recognize your natural childs ability than through
Kindermusik! You will also be building a confidence in your child that will go
with them for life, whether they ever learn to master a particular instrument or
not.
A Kindermusik graduate has a solid foundation and a giant
head-start when they move to private instrument, voice or even dance lessons.
3. My child has special developmental problems. Is Kindermusik for
him?
Absolutely! Developmentally and physically challenged children
thrive in Kindermusik. All activities are adaptable to your childs needs and
specific challenges. Please speak to your educator about your
concerns.
4. Honestly, how do BABIES really benefit from a Kindermusik
Village class?
It may look as though your baby is just gazing in
Kindermusik...but she is really taking it all in! Whether your child appears to
be participating or not, the benefits are there, simply because they are exposed
to and surrounded by all the sights, sounds and movement. You are your childs
most important teacher, and Kindermusik encourages and nurtures the bond between
you both. More is caught than taught when it comes to teaching your baby, and
your educator is there to provide a wonderful learning environment and empower
YOU to be your babys first and best teacher in life! Your Kindermusik educator
will regularly explain the Foundations of Learning statements and help you to
see what benefits your child gains from the activities. She also will offer
suggestions for how to participate in the activities with different ages,
developmental stages and physical challenges.
5. My child loves
Kindermusik class and sings all of the songs and does all of the activities at
home, but when we are in class, he just sits there.
Not to worry! Although this is sometimes frustrating to parents
because of our performance-oriented society, pushing children to perform has no
place in Kindermusik. We believe the parent is the childs most important
teacher, and the home is the most important place for that learning to grow.
When you think about it, success should be measured more by what a child does
all the rest of the week than what he does in the 45 minutes at Kindermusik
class. And remember that Kindermusik is about Process, not Performance. Every
child can be successful in a Kindermusik class no matter who she or he is.
6. Why is Kindermusik so
expensive?
Please
take some time to explore and investigate similar programs in this area. I know
you will be surprised at how comparatively inexpensive Kindermusik is per class.
Unlike other programs, we also offer classes for children from newborn to 5
years old, with further expansion to older groups planned for the near future.
We take your child on a musical journey which lasts their whole early childhood,
with continuity and quality.
Costs for your class also include the Take Home Materials. These
could be charged separately to make cost appear less but ultimately you pay
the same, and the costs are spread over the term or semester if you take
advantage of our payment plans.
Think carefully
about the investment Kindermusik is financially, but also in
terms of your childs development and future. Imagine your child is now grown. If
someone told you that you could improve your their phyisical and emotional
well-being, self-confidence, intelligence, musical appreciation and competence, and
also improve their ability to get along with others, and it would only cost a few
hundred dollars a year, I promise you, as a parent of teenagers, you would do
it! But by the time they are older, its too late to give them these gifts. And
this is what these things are for your child: gifts they have with them for
life. In light of who you want your child to be when they are older, the small
amount you invest now in them will assure them so much joy, ability and
confidence when they are grown.
Other things to think about:
*
Kindermusik
is the leader in Early Childhood Music and Movement
programs.
Being a part of Kindermusik ensures that you are getting an internationally
tested and tried product that works, and is the leader in the field.
*
Kindermusik
regularly consults with experts
in the field of Early Childhood development, music and movement as they develop
their curricula, such as: Don Campbell, author of The Mozart Effect; Melissa R.
Johnson, paediatric psychologist; Anne Green Gilbert, author of Creative Dance
for Children; Claudia Quigg, founder and executive director of Baby TALK; Mary
Sheedy Kurcinka, author of Raising Your Spirited Child; Patricia Campbell,
author of Songs in Their Head: Music and Its Meaning in Children's Lives, and
others. These experts, along with an amazing Creative Team, bring their
knowledge and experience into your lives. No other program can boast of such
backing.
*
The
materials produced by Kindermusik International are of the highest quality.
The
CDs, Literature and other home materials are unsurpassed. The talented artists,
musicians and arrangers make the music come alive. You only have to listen to
one CD to know that this is no ordinary children's music CD. Music learning with
the family in the home is a fundamental cornerstone of Kindermusik, and this is
accomplished best through the use of home materials.
*
Your
instructor brings a lifetime of musical experience and has completed
comprehensive training to become a Kindermusik Educator Helen has chosen Kindermusik as the Early Childhood Program
she wants to teach, simply because it is the best and she appreciates that
Kindermusik graduates would be better prepared for their future. Helen's
own daughter Gabby is a Kindermusik shining star! Gabby and Helen have attended Kindermusik
classes on the Gold Coast and in Coffs since Gabby was a small
baby.
* A variety of instruments, props and equipment are necessary to provide a wide range of learning experiences in the class. Your child will be exposed to and play so many more instruments than you would ever want to purchase for yourself! Each has been chosen specifically for the program and to enhance the learning experience of your child.
* "You get what you pay for!" - and more! To quote Carla Hannaford, author of Smart Moves, "Kindermusik is elegant in its integrated approach to a child's development. Physiologically, touch, movement, rhythm and sound are the keystones to optimizing brain growth. The importance of having families working together, where everyone benefits from the sense of belonging, gets directly at the heart of what we, as a society, need at this time to raise healthy, loving children. . . All of this is provided in the Kindermusik program." Priceless!!
