Music Together Teachers ROCK!

This weekend, we hosting a Music Together LLC Teacher Training at our Kids.Play.Music. studio.  I learned SO much!

The  three day training was lead by an amazing clinician (and now friend) from Las Vegas, Melanie Ron.  I was fortunate to get to sit in on much of the training of newbie teachers who had come from all over the country to immerse themselves in the cutting edge principles of early childhood music & movement:  how to develop a song, understanding music development in birth to age 5, how to support parents in nurturing musical growth, practicing leading a group and how to support a new generation of musically competent children.

We also had a few seasoned teachers coming back for "refeshers"!  They were sitting in on the training after having taught the Music Together curriculum and delving deeper.  

I was so inspired and amazed at the breadth, thought, research, and support that goes into teaching Music Together.  New teachers take away a whole new paradigm for looking at young children & music, but even seasoned center directors get to take away a PLETHORA of knowledge.  It was inspiring to get to listen to this very familiar information in a new way, but it was also affirming to be part of an organization with such love and integrity.

One of the new things that I learned was in regards to  "EXECUTIVE FUNCTION.  I learned that our Music Together classes support a child's pre-frontal cortex which is in charge of a person's executive functions.  This is SO exciting because it involves planning, attention, mental flexibility;  all of which leads to a better chance a success in school.

I am excited for all the new creative teachers that I met that are going out to do this awesome (and fun) work, and I am really excited to go teach this week!

Five FUN Reasons to Join Us for Summer!

We are so excited about our summer classes starting today at Music Together in Phoenix.  Summer is always the "Best Of...the Nine Collections" and this summer has some of my very favorite songs; "Trot Ol' Joe",  "Maria Isabel", and "She Sells Sea Shells"!!

Here a FIVE FUN reasons to join us making beautiful music this summer:

1.  Music making is a whole-brain experience that supports the growth and development of a child's pre-frontal cortex which is in charge of the brain's executive functions (planning, problem solving, attention, mental flexibility, etc).   
2. Families get a choice of joining for all 8 weeks of summer fun, or choosing a flexible 6 week option and informing us of the 2 weeks they will not be attending!   If you miss a class, two make ups will be provided.
3. The first five years of a child's life are crucial for their music development; this is the easiest time for children to gain basic music competence (singing tunefully and keeping accurate rhythm).
4. 45 minutes of joyful music making with your child EACH and every week!
5. It's INDOORS with air conditioning!!!

We hope you can join us!
Kathy Rowe
Music Together in Phoenix

Ridin' In the Car video from around the world (from Music Together, LLC)

Play! Play! Play!

"Why does my child sit in my lap all through class but as soon as we get home, she does EVERYTHING:  sings the songs, dances the dances, uses the motions, pretends to be the teacher, makes our Tupperware into play-along instruments?"  As the director of our Music Together in Phoenix, I get to hear lots of great questions and  comments about coming to class, however this is the MOST frequently shared observation!   Parents sometimes feel frustrated if their child is not "doing it" during class time.  All of the teachers wisely know and share that this is "very, very normal and please, please keep singing". 

It's very natural for some children to take in information they've absorbed in class and then "practice", play and experiment with it privately in the comforts of their own home.  Play is important for a child's learning because it is the primary method young children use to grow physically, emotionally, cognitively, socially and musically.  It is not always about having fun; it can be very intense!

When children play with music, they are developing the complex skill of singing in tune and accurately express rhythm in their bodies.  We recommend giving young children ample opportunities to play freely on their own and with you, the important grown up their lives.  In Music Together, we love the play-along time when instruments are free chosen and children get to experiment and "play" with all the musical experiences from the previous 9 songs.

I've recently been reading about how important play is for BIG people, as well!   I had just read a fascinating article from the "World of Psychology" on the importance of play for grown ups:  http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/11/15/the-importance-of-play-for-adults/ and remembered how crazy FUN it was to get to play with our fellow Music Together in Phoenix teachers last weekend at the Children's Museum's Grown Up Play-date PROM!  I am including a few pictures to share how much total fun it was.

In our classes, we often will include a song that is intended for adult play, ie. a "tapping on your neighbor in the tight-circle" song that gets impossibly fast or passing eggs-changing directions randomly to create fun chaos.  I LOVE to see the children's faces watching their parents PLAY; I think this kind of role-modeling is great for children.  While my children are past this early stage now, I did involve my 16 year old daughter in hair-do/tacky-prom outfit preparations and was super amused when she gave me back....."make good choices, MOM" that I always tell her as my cute date (husband) and I were heading out the door.

We ♥ play!!