Homeschooling: Beyond the Basics - Music

Since Ella has always shown an interest in music, and I strongly believe in capitalizing on what she is interested in learning (duh!), we spent some time this year incorporating that into our homeschool.

Here are the very formal and complicated ways we did this:

(you did detect my sarcastic tone in that line, didn't you?!)

Every few weeks during our trip to the library (yes, i feel no shame in being a library nerd) we would head over to the cd section and pick out a handful of the classical composers to listen to. Then throughout our school week I would let her pick one out to put on and very informally talk about what the composer's name was, the name of the composition, the key instrument he was known for (if there was one), etc., and then we'd just listen to it throughout the morning. And we might have thrown a few dance parties into the mix as well.

I've been amazed at what she has picked up (ok, and myself...probably more than my music 101 class in college, ha!) by this very informal way of incorporating music into our lessons. She can name and tell you a little about the classic composers such as Tchaikovsky, Bach, Beethoven, Vivaldi, and Mendelsson as well as some of the more modern composers such as Copeland and Ellington.

And to give a glimpse of her personality, she adamantly declares that she loves Bach...just because she knows I don't. At all.

We also started her in weekly piano lessons. Now, at first, I will admit she was somewhat hesitant to start them...as she really (really) wants to learn to play violin. But after a good discussion with her daddy (our resident music expert) about how learning the piano and the notes is a great foundation to branch into any instrument later, she came around. And now she loves it!

Sidenote: I am really happy to recommend a GREAT piano teacher for any of you in the D-town area. My good friend Kristen has over 23 years experience in playing the piano, as well as 5 years in teaching. Really, people...she's great! Lessons cost $12 a half hour, plus the cost of the book, and students need to be 5 years old, or starting kindergarten this fall. Email her at kksnyder77 @ gmail . com (no spaces) if you are interested.

And because I am always looking for new ideas...I'd love any suggestions you have about incorporating music into homeschooling!

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