|
Stimulating Brain Development
Our recommended list of fine musical pieces to enhance child development.The list is in alphabetical order by composer.
KINDERMUSIK—Shaping Young
Lives Through Music by Mary Rudy
I read a Newsweek
article entitled "Your Child's Brain" that
revealed some of the latest science on how
music impacts brain development.
Scientists now agree with Plato who once
said that music is the most potent
influence on education. They have
discovered that good music trains the
brain for higher forms of thinking by
stimulating neural connections related to
abstract reasoning, language development,
self-esteem, and visual as well as aural
skills.
Music and the Brain
If more educators kept up with brain research, scientists contend, music and gym would become daily requirements. The early years are especially key. Children whose neural circuits are not stimulated with the right kind of music before kindergarten will suffer a loss and not develop in ways they would have otherwise. Phyllis Weikart, a music and movement specialist as well as a researcher found that, "first graders who could walk to a steady beat scored better in reading, vocabulary and math in the California Achievement Test."
When children are introduced to fine music
at an early age, they also experience
greater ease in taking up an instrument
later. Singing, moving to rhythms,
refining listening and playing instruments
allow children to learn musical concepts
that are foundational for future music
study. These activities help them to
develop physical coordination, timing,
memory, concentration and listening
skills. Researchers have even found that
music has an influence on a child's social
and emotional maturation, their capacity
for self-discipline, shared work, and
self-expression.
Experts believe that music works its magic
on the brain by strengthening key neural
pathways in the cortex, where spatial
reasoning occurs. Singing or playing
melodies helps children to do better at
putting the pieces together in situations
that require problem-solving skills.
Research has shown that musical aptitude
is established by age 8. They have found
that the most important developmental age
is between birth and age 3, the second
most crucial period between ages 3 and 5,
and the final crucial period for rapid
development between ages 5 and 9. These
three sensitive "learning windows" for
musical development are captured in a
revolutionary music instruction program
called Kindermusik.
What is Kindermusik?
Kindermusik is a unique, structured
program for early childhood music
development that promotes an optimal
learning environment. Kindermusik
originated approximately 27 years ago in
Germany, was inspired by other childhood
education specialists like Montessori,
Kodaly and Orff, and incorporated the
latest scientific findings. Through
classical and traditional folk music from
many different cultures, Kindermusik
successfully nurtures a life-long love of
music. Kindermusik is now taught in all
fifty states and thirteen foreign
countries with 1800 teachers
worldwide.
Whether listening to music, moving to
rhythm, singing a song, playing an
instrument, creating or reading music,
Kindermusik focuses on process rather than
performance! This allows children to
discover music in a nonthreatening and
joyous environment. Over the years,
Kindermusik has evolved into a three part
curriculum that spans the ages of 18
months to 7 years.
KINDERMUSIK BEGINNINGS is designed
for the 18-month to 3-year-olds as a four
semester, two year program. Children spend
1/2 hour a week either singing, dancing,
listening to music or playing a simple
percussion instrument. Parents attend with
their children. This time fosters love of
music. Beautiful home materials and
cassettes encourage the musical experience
to become part of family life which
fosters a musical bond between parent and
child. One of my Kindermusik parents,
Robin Morris, expressed, "We love these
classes. Music is now as much a part of
Emma's life as it is mine. Emma sings all
the time, tapping out rhythms, and making
up her own verses."
GROWING WITH KINDERMUSIK for 3 and
4-year-olds consists of two semesters of
weekly 45-minute lessons. Parents are
invited for the last portion of each
class. Through singing and vocal
development, listening to music, playing
instruments, and creative movement,
children explore musical concepts at a
developmentally appropriate level in an
enjoyable environment. Classes come with a
colorful picture songbook, audiotapes and
weekly home activities like drum-making.
Four-year-old Jonathan Norel's mother
says, "Jonathan looks forward to it all
week."
The final curriculum, KINDERMUSIK FOR
THE YOUNG CHILD, is a 2-year program
for children ages 4-1/2 to 7. It consists
of 75-minute weekly classes that center
around experiencing the many facets of
music. These include singing and speaking,
refined listening to beautiful music from
many cultures, creative movement, dance,
learning about orchestras, playing various
percussion instruments, and learning to
read, write and compose music. During the
second year, the child learns basic
notation, musical form and composition in
a sequenced, hands-on approach that
conveys a love of creating music. "Katelyn
enjoys writing compositions at home now
and making up new words for songs," says
Cindy Truex. "This class has opened the
world of music for my daughter."
Children learn to play the glockenspiel,
an instrument similar to a small xylophone
with notes engraved on the bars. The
glockenspiel prepares the child for
keyboard instruction and the bars are laid
out like piano keys. "What I like most
about Kindermusik is all of the
prelearning that takes place," says Nancy
Milligan, mother of a Kindermusik graduate
with another child in Kinder-musik. "It
shows up later when they study an
instrument." Kindermusik classes feature
lively activities. Students, for instance,
wiggle like caterpillars or lumber like
bears to the appropriate rhythms, later
matching the rhythm to its notation.
"The lessons are very well researched and
planned," says Patricia Gronback, a
long-time piano teacher who recently began
Kindermusik programs in her East Coast
studio. She said that Kindermusik can help
parents discover whether their child is
ready to pursue the study of a musical
instrument. Piano and voice teacher Marcia
McCarry adds, "Children who have taken
Kindermusik learn faster, and understand
rhythm, phrasing and melody better. They
sing with good pitch and really excel when
they start lessons. It's a good
preparation that helps their concentration
and coordination no matter what sort of
musical experience they have later."
Kindermusik parent Julie Shepard-Lovell
sums it up: "My children and I have really
enjoyed the music and merriment during our
weekly Kindermusik classes. They get so
excited when they learn new songs,
movements and dances."
To find out about a
KinderMusic center or classes in your area
call KinderMusic International at
1-800-628-5687.
Mary Rudy has a degree in psychology
and has taken advanced Kindermusik
training under Dr. Lorna Heyge, founder of
Kindermusik. A certified Montessori
teacher, she specializes in Early
Childhood Music and Orff for the
elementary age group. She teaches piano,
recorder and folk music classes for older
children. Mary has two music studios where
she teaches children, 16 months to 8
years.
Disclaimer: 'Early Learning' Parenting Resource, including its primer and parenting guide, is a website that hosts internet publications for the dissemination of trends in education and is for informational purposes only. 'Early Learning' Parenting Resource does not endorse or guarantee the efficacy of information, educational methods, products or learning materials found on this website. Nor does 'Early Learning' Parenting Resource give medical, legal or personal advice.
|
Thank you for shopping Amazon
from this site!
|
|
|
|
