Kindermusik with Kathy's Music appreciates Moms!

Mom's deserve a night off, whether it's in person or virtually!  Check out what's going on around the country with National "Mom's Night Out!" hosted by Mom Talk Radio.  To learn more, visit MomsNiteOut.com.

So why does Miss Kathy teach Kindermusik?

Just found this photograph today. It's a picture of my daughter, Lyndsey, and her Kindermusik Teacher, Miss Theresa.  It was taken the day that Lyndsey finished her first year of Kindermusik for the Young Child in May of 1999.  That's 10 years ago.  

Kindermusik was such a wonderful educational and social experience for Lyndsey and her sister, Sara.  My husband and I became believers in this program early on when we first attended classes with our children.  So, when Theresa Case asked me if I would become a Kindermusik teacher for her program in Greenville, South Carolina, there was only one answer.  The curricula is age-appropriate, rich, and engaging.  I believe that being a Kindermusik educator - having the opportunity to change lives and help make good parenting easier - is my life's best work.

Now 10 years later, I've been teaching for 9 years and running my own program in Pittsburgh - Mt. Lebanon, McMurray, Squirrel Hill, and Washington - for 5 years.  It all started with moments like the ones you see above, where we celebrated the joy of musical learning with teachers who really cared about my children.  

Thank you, Theresa, and Kindermusik International!

Visual Arts in Kindermusik

"I walked to school."

This week in our Imagine That! class for ages 3-5, parents and children are creating "photo books" with pictures that the children take or that are taken of them as they go through their day through the "city."   Photographs and stories about the past help preschool children develop their own sense of identity over time. Concrete documentation, such as photographs, allow children to reconstruct stories and express memories. And as children tell stories of past events, narrative and sequencing skills are being developed.

The visual arts “are a universal language, with a symbolic way of representing the wordl. But they also allow us to understand other cultures and provide for healthy emotional expression....They can enhance cognition, emotional expression, perception, cultural awareness, and aesthetics...” (Arts with the Brain in Mind, by Eric Jenson pg. 49) The visual arts are an integral part of Kindermusik classes. Through our Cities! Unit, your children are invited to draw (Family Activity 13), sculpt (Family Activity 6), build (Family Activity 12) and photograph (Family Activity 7). These art activities help children develop spatial awareness as they learn how to estimate depth and distances, which can lead to an increased success in sports, engineering and even driving a car. The arts also help children develop fine-motor skills and an attention to detail. Kindermusik encourages children in their artistic pursuits as well as their music education and overall brain development.

Kindermusik with Kathy's Music Boosts Your Child's Brain Potential

What's the difference between rituals and routines?  We'll explore this and the four goals of "I Love You" Rituals in our new baby class that starts this week.  For the next 8 weeks in "Rhythms of My Day", you'll learn how "I Love You" rituals boost your child's brain potential based on Becky Bailey's book "I Love You Rituals." Plus, we'll explore the value of routines.

Join us for a weekly musical learning experience for Parents and their babies, ages 0 to 18 months.  For more information, see KathysMusic.com or call (412) 344-0535.  We'd love to have you!

As part of our March Music Madness we're offering this 8 week unit for $108, including Home Materials of Home CD, Board Book, Instrument, and Posters. Enroll today!

Kindermusik & The Irish Pajama Jam!

Last Thursday, Kindermusik with Kathy's Music presented their first Kindermusik Irish Pajama Jam for families to enjoy the music and folk lore surrounding St. Patrick's Day.  Over 24 people join us as we sang and made a class "rainbow" that leads to the "pot-o-gold."  We drummed to the sounds of a Kindermusik favorite, "Gary Owen," and searched for the leprechaun as we sang "O Where, O Where Has My Leprechaun Gone."  Plus, we enjoyed a favorite St. Patrick's Day story.  It's fun for the whole family.  

Because of the demand (we had 8 families on the waiting list), we've added another Irish Pajama Jam to our March Calendar on Thursday, March 26th at 6:30 PM at our Mt. Lebanon Studio.  The cost is $10 per child.  Contact me today to reserve your space and don't forget to wear your PJ's or your "Green."  It's all part of March Music Madness with Kathy's Music.

Have a March Musical Day!

Yes, we (you and your children) really do need to drink more water!

Did you know that water is critical for your child to learn and to use his brain effectively?  That goes for adults, too.  In the book, "Brain Gym," the author offers some startling statistics:

-Recent Statistics related to the dehydration of the human body which is 100% preventable in US:
-75% of Americans are "chronically dehydrated" (compared to 50% of world)
-70% of preschoolers drink no water during school day

-Here is a website with a neat list of conditions that are related to, caused or exacerbated by dehydration: http://www.healthy-water-best-filters.com/symptoms-dehydration.html.

-Up to 70 percent of our body is water but @85% of the Brain is Water, needed for electrical current.
Muscle is made up of about 75 percent water.
Fat is made up of about 50 percent water.
Bones, too, are about 50 percent water.
Brain is made up of about 85 percent water

-A website commentary by BJ Madewell with insights on our young children’s learning & dehydration:
http://www.addchoices.com/water_for_your_brain.htm

I will be sharing more about "Brain Gym" and offering some practical ways to Maximize Your Child's Learning Potential during our first Mom's Night Out on Wednesday, March 25th.  It's all part of our March Music Madness with Kathy's Music.

Special thanks to Betsy Flanagan for these website resources!   Betsy is a dear friend who runs a "model" Kindermusik program in Wisconsin.  See http://www.musicalpathways.net for more info on her program. 

Creating & Playing Together - Board games in Kindermusik Imagine That!

Meet Brett Skerbetz and his brother, Aaron.

They are working together on a board game activity as part of our Kindermusik Imagine That class for ages 3 to 5.  The children were invited to make a board game using pictures of food & items that might be sold by street vendors in the "city."  This activity blossomed into "family togetherness" as the boys worked together to create their vendor game board.  Then it came time to play the game -- see Brett pictured below doing just that! So what's really happening here?

I'm observing creativity, cooperative play, cognitive skills (who is a street vendor and how do I play the game) , fine motor skills (cutting, gluing), focus, and fun, fun, fun!  This is all part of the reason that Kindermusik class is such an effective learning environment for children. 

It's age-appropriate instruction that is engaging and has many layers of learning in a child-centered environment that promotes whole-child development, fun, and a life-long love of learning.

Why play board games? Games offer an integrated mode of play that affects all learning domains for preschoolers.  Playing board games provides opportunities for children to learn new skills - turn taking, singing, matching, story telling, and counting - and encourages children to consolidate previous learning.  It also creates play situations in which children can:

• practice solving problems and develop flexible thinking
  
• prompts children to develop creativity and aesthetic appreciation
  
• it enables children to learn about learning
  
• it gives children the opportunity to play and learn in a safe environment
  

How Does Your Child Learn? - Article on Learning Styles

Kindermusik is for Every Type of Learner
by Theresa Case, M.Ed., Director of Piano Central Studios, Greenville, SC

Just as each child brings his own unique personality and sense of curiosity to the classroom, so he also brings with him his own learning style. Cynthia Tobias, author of The Way They Learn, defines learning styles as the “natural, inborn strengths and characteristics in each individual.” She goes on to explain, “Our learning style affects how we understand and organize information. It helps us decide what makes sense and what's important.”1

At Kindermusik, we support the wonder and uniqueness of each child, and we’re really proud of the way that the Kindermusik curricula embrace all learning styles. But we also recognize that it us up to the teacher and the parent to identify – and celebrate! – the wonderful variety of learning styles that are in each class. Understanding a little more about the main categories of learners helps set the right expectations for each child and gives inspiration for ways to interact.

The Visual Learner (The Looker)
The visual learner learns best by “seeing” information. He will tend to watch an activity several times before he feels comfortable and safe enough to participate in the activity. This type of learner is taking in so much information by watching all of the other children, hearing the music, and moving quickly from activity to activity, that he tends to watch what’s going on more than he actually participates. Because the visual learner learns well by observing, he has good spatial sense and a good sense of direction. It may look like he’s daydreaming in class, but more often than not, the visual learner is absorbing much more than we realize.

The Kinesthetic Learner (The Mover)
The kinesthetic learner wants – and needs! – to move, touch, feel, and physically explore. He can be highly active because he learns best through physical manipulation and movement, activating both small and large muscles as he learns. He likes to “show you” rather than tell you, and he will communicate through body language and gestures. The kinesthetic learner is well-coordinated, has a strong sense of timing, and works well with his hands. This learner often inspires the curiosity and participation of others because he himself is a performer and a participant. Although the kinesthetic learner is very active, he is learning a great deal through his physical activity and “hands-on” approach.

The Auditory Learner (The Listener)
The auditory learner perceives his world through sounds. While the auditory learner often listens attentively when something is new or interesting, he may act “bored” if the information is familiar. Sometimes the auditory learner is easily distracted, and it can be hard for him not to interrupt because he likes to talk too! This learner responds well to verbal prompts like, “Are you listening?” The auditory learner usually remembers details and information very actively when that information has been explained to him orally. These learners typically have strong language and communication skills supported by a well-developed vocabulary.

Our best advice? Think of your child as a string. If you push it, it bunches up. If you guide it along, it moves beautifully. So accept your child as he is, and work with him to make the most of his abilities as they relate to his learning style.
Specifically in Kindermusik class, understand that the first 6 – 8 weeks of class is the discovery stage. Allow your child to explore, making the most of their own learning style. After these first several weeks, you will witness the “magic” begin to happen. The children will be more focused, will socialize more with others, and will very likely participate more fully in the activities in class and at home. As the children soak in the information and learning during class, they will take it all home with them where they are usually more comfortable in participating. This is one of the main reasons why reinforcement and involvement at home with your At Home Materials is critical part of a positive classroom ingredient.

In Summary… Learning style can be observed early because learning style is inborn and inherited, but learning styles may change or strengthen as the child develops. There may be one dominant learning style that is easily identifiable, or your child may use a mixture of learning styles as he adapts to different environments. The key is to identify, and then be willing to re-assess, which learning style is most prevalent in your child. Understand-ing more about learning styles helps you reduce frustration and know better how to maximize your child’s learning, helping him succeed in Kindermusik class, in the school room, and in life.

For more information on learning styles, see "The Way They Learn" by Cynthia Tobias.

1 www.applest.com

March Music Madness!

To learn more about our special events, summer camps in March, and our special offers during March Music Madness, we invite you to visit our website.