Why Won’t Johnny Clap?

May 6th, 2011 Posted in Miss Linda's Musical Musings
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Clap, Clap, Clap your hands…or not.

As a parent I know how uncomfortable it can be when my child doesn’t perform on cue.   Don’t be concerned if your child isn’t participating in music class the way you think they should be.  It can often take many, many weeks for children to be ready to clap or march or do whatever it is I am asking of them in our music class games. Keep in mind that this is not a performance class – its a musical experience. Your job in class isn’t to make them clap or drum but to model participation for them.   Children who spend class time simply observing will often recreate the classroom activities at home on their own.  Try to relax and let your child enjoy class at their own pace.  I guarantee you’ll have more fun, too!

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Boom, Boom, Boom on the Big Bass Drum

April 2nd, 2011 Posted in What Are We Learning?
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Drum, Baby Drum!

The big bass drum is probably the most requested instrument in music class. Besides being a great way to get out aggressions :)  we learn a lot when we drum in music class.

The very first thing we learn is how to share space around the drum.  That is often easier said than done.  Our big bass drums fit from 6-8 children around them, depending on the age of the children and there is always someone who doesn’t want to share or who decides that laying on the drum is a good idea.

The next thing is exposure to steady beat.  All children have an internal steady beat – they need it to crawl and walk.  Following an external beat needs to be learned. The easiest way to encourage them is to have the music follow them.  You might occasionally notice in class that I am trying match a child’s drumming.  This is to give them the experience of being with the music.  Eventually they will be able to be with the music themselves rather than the music being with them.

We also learn about soft and loud and the physical force and control they require. Giving each child a chance to choose whether to play loud or soft gives them an opportunity to express themselves.  A high-energy child will generally choose to play loud and a laid-back or cautious child will generally choose to play soft.  I am always delighted when a child chooses the option that seems to be contrary to the mood or personality they are projecting.  It reminds me that no child is one-dimensional.

These are just a few of the wonderful things we learn from the big bass drums.

 

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Now Get Ready to Stop!

April 1st, 2011 Posted in What Are We Learning?
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Stop and Go Music Games

Some of my favorite music games are stop and go games.  They are wildly popular with the toddler set.    I always begin with ” clap, clap, clap your hands…and STOP!”  When I first introduce this to my young walkers (about 15 months give or take) they look at me like I’m crazy.  After about the third or fourth repetition they have all caught on to the game and are laughing hysterically with every stop.

This music game is the jumping off point for many of the skills we work on in music class. The most important of these is learning to actively listen.    In order to stop on time they need to be paying attention to the music.   From there they begin to anticipate when the music will stop and you can see that they have developed an intuitive understanding of phrase.

Another very important skill  inherent in this game is inhibitory control. Marching and jogging with the music is fun and it takes  self-discipline to stop when the music say to.

From there anything is possible.

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Dreadful sorry, Clementine…Sad Children’s Songs

March 31st, 2011 Posted in Children's Songs
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Sad Children’s Songs

Have you ever really listened to the words of your favorite children’s songs? The farmer’s wife cuts off the tails of the Three Blind Mice; the cradle falls from the tree-top – baby and all;  Clementine drowns as does Aunt Rhody’s Grey Goose.

Many of the adults in my classes are uncomfortable with these songs.  Why would we want to expose our children to such violence and sadness?  Perhaps we should alter the lyrics or maybe just avoid those songs altogether.    Parents and teachers have been debating the issue for generations.   Ruth Crawford Seeger ‘s seminal  1948 book American Folk Songs for Children devotes four pages to the question.   Mrs. Seeger’s position is that these songs are not only appropriate but are, in fact, helpful for children.  They allow children to work out their feelings and fantasies in a safe non-threatening way.

I have a foot in both camps.  In my classes Juba sees a yellow cat instead of killing it but on the other hand I let a merry-go-round full of laughing children collapse.   You should see the parents’ raised eyebrows the first time that song is presented in class.

What are your thoughts?

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