November 17, 2008
From Angie Clough, mother of Weston in Ms. Terri's Our Time class

Hi, Ms. Terri....

I just had to email and tell you that this morning, Weston sleeps with us and I heard him talking....so, I looked over and he was saying momma, daddy, cow and doing the signs while laying there in bed. It was so cute! : )

Why Kindermusik?

We know that music is great for our kids just from what we have observed in class. But more and more studies are proving just how beneficial music classes are to our little ones who are learning through play in our classes week after week.

• Kindermusik provides reading readiness, an essential component to prepare children for school.
• Kindermusik classes are vocabulary-rich, providing songs and movement which help young children solidify the meaning of these new words.
• Classes teach active listening (paying attention to the sound and understanding) which is a learned skill and is essential for school success.
• Kindermusik makes great parenting easier! When a parent puts the in-class songs and activities into practice at home with the home materials, it turns a fussy child, a high-chair moment, or a diaper-changing into a more calm experience for everyone!

Learn more at the new Kindermusik.com's website.
http://www.kindermusik.com/Classes/ClassesBenefits.aspx

Sign and Sing

Our Tuesday Sign and Sing Class had a great time on our last session. Sarah shared that 9 month old Zay responded to her signing, "Where is your ball?" by crawling across the room and bringing her his ball!! His dad Mark was understandably proud. Aiden had fun practicing his growing walking skills and singing for us - he brings mom Rachel and his Nana Debbie. When the music stopped, we signed and asked if he wanted more, and he clapped his hands - early version of signing "more"! Grant just loved the egg shakers - he, Aiden and Zay had such fun playing along with the music. Grant's whole family is helping him learn to sign - sisters Hannah and Alyssa helped mom Melissa sing and sign our hello song on a recent trip to help keep Grant happy in the car!

It is such a blessing to see these little boys growing in their understanding and communication skill through signing.

Our Young Child 3 class that meets at Faith Baptist Church is amazing!! Last week Matthew, Nicholas, Abbie and Christine played dulcimer, glockenspiel and rhythm sticks in a 3 part ensemble version of "Hop Old Squirrel" that barely needed any directing! They also came to class having figured out how to play the second phrase of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" on their dulcimers by ear, and two of them played rest of the song by ear!! I can't wait to see what else these students will be able to do! - Ms. Terri Doty

Covington Fun!

The Covington Kindermusik classes are in full swing! Everyone is having a great time. Here are a few pictures of some fun moments in class. Come check us out any time!

Sarah

Join us anytime!

Tuition rates are prorated during the semester so you can join at any time. We will gladly put you in a class with available space.

Don't see a class time that works for you? Just get 3 other friends that to join you in class and Ms. Annette will set up a new class at your preferred time!

Check out our Fall schedule here:
http://www.kindermusikwithmsannette.com/Fall%20Classes/fallregistration.htm

From a Village Mom...

Many new moms aren't quite sure what Kindermusik is and what it can do for a baby. Starting classes at birth may seem silly but there are amazing benefits! This is why I offer free tuition for babies under 5 months. To find out more click here: http://www.kindermusikwithmsannette.com/newmom.htm

I recently asked one of my Village moms Kelli, mom to 10 month-old Haylie, to describe her experience with our program.

"We had never heard of Kindermusik before Haylie was born. I was very nervous to be a stay at home mom and always wondered what we would do all day. Chuck and I took Childbirth Classes at Methodist Hospital before little Haylie was born. During the duration of the class, we never really clicked with any of the other couples, although we are both very outgoing and love meeting new friends. It was at the 6 month Childbirth Class Reunion that we caught up with other couples from our class and began good friendships with them. One of the girls, Andrea Henderson, had mentioned Kindermusik to me. At the time, Haylie was only 2 months old (Andrea’s son was 3 months old). I thought it was strange to have her in a music class at such an early age. But we eventually tried it when Haylie was only 2 months old. It was AMAZING to me to see how she “got it!” She would just stare at Ms. Annette and the other older kids that were in our class – and she couldn’t even sit up alone yet! I was also so surprised to see how many other little babies were in the class! I immediately knew that this was definitely for us, not to mention that my mother was a Music Major in college and really pushed us to go. It was at the end of the semester when we attended 2 classes, so we had to wait until the new semester to be enrolled. When we started back, Haylie was 3 ½ months old and was even getting more out of the class. She could sit up at this point and shake her shakers and meet new little boys and girls.
Once we were enrolled, we were inviting friends left and right to experience the fun and learning we were having at Kindermusik. The music part is just one little aspect of what you learn and do during class. It was amazing to learn all of the little signs you could do with your baby while at Kindermusik; for example: cow, clean up, where, book, duck, bird, and on and on and on. I enjoyed signing with Haylie so much at Kindermusik that I went out and bought the book and DVD, “Sign with your Baby”. We also learned rhythm while at Kindermusik. We would carry our babies while singing songs and bounce them to the beat of the music. Also, we used scarves to beat to the music to show them rhythm in a unique way. I think the best part about Kindermusik for me personally was the work out I got after it was over for the day! You really work out your legs and arms while holding and bouncing your baby. With your tuition for the semester, you get a GREAT CD, NEAT BOOK and FUN TOY! And you will meet other moms and dads and little ones that you will be friends with for a lifetime!
We cannot wait to start back in the Fall! It will be very interesting to see how Haylie acts since she will be 10 months old when we start back and is EVERYWHERE! I’m sure it will be like it was before, she will sit there and stare at the other kids and Ms. Annette and enjoy every minute of it! She probably will even clap to the beat of the music..."

Raising a Music Lover

This month's Parents Magazine has a wonderful article about starting a child early in their lifelong love of music, and learning.

By Maura Christopher and Robin Tarnof

Getting kids interested in music is easy. If you start early and keep it fun, your child won't miss a beat. Ever notice how your baby's eyes brighten when you play a familiar CD or sing a lullaby? That's because music is much more than just a diversion for a child. A hefty stack of research shows that rhythm and melody help spark memory, imagination, language skills, and reasoning ability. Songs can also calm young kids by reducing their stress-hormone levels. But enough about science. Best of all, music is a great way to bond with Mommy and Daddy.

The rest of the article is found here:
http://www.parents.com/family-life/entertainment/tv-music/raising-a-music-lover/

Time for some SERIOUS FUN!!!

Here is great article about how the State of Washington is boosting child develop programs focused on fun.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/359158_earlylearning16.html

There are many things we as parents can do including what we are already doing - KINDERMUSIK! Kindermusik classes are based on learning through play. Check out Kindermusik's foundations of learning below:

Play as a Learning Mode:
Because children do not separate feeling from thinking, acting, and socializing, play is the most effective learning mode available to them.
Pretend Play:
The child participating in pretend play may begin with pure imitation. This imitation may involve into imaginative play through the adaptation (adding and changing) of an activity. All levels of participation provide ample opportunities for development of language skills, expressive communication skills, recognition of reality vs. fantasy, and social skills.
The Connection of Emotion and Learning:
Labeling actions (such as stirring, around we go, etc.) and performing them simultaneously is central to the child's discovery of meaning and context. Engaging in the actions in a happy environment and with caring people heightens the learning possibilities. Emotion and learning are so connected in these early years that children are most delighted when they learn with a person to whom they are emotionally related.
The Value of Play:
Play is a natural activity for children. The child at play is self-motivated and actively engaged. Whereas games are governed by rules, the value of play is that it provides freedom from evaluation and judgment. The freedom of a playful atmosphere fosters intellectual development as well as self-construction and the development of personality.

Favorite Books - Add your's too!

What is your favorite child's book? Annette's choice this month is Eric Carle's From Head to Toe Board Book.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0694013013/ref=nosim/librarythin08-20

Add your recommendation too!

Also, if you aren't already receiving free monthly books from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, be sure to register. This amazing book program provides all children under the age of 5 monthly books in the state of Tennessee.

http://www.booksfrombirth.org/enrollment.html

About the Director: Ms. Annette Morris

Welcome to my blog about Kindermusik, music education, early childhood development, and the fun that comes with raising children! I created this blog to help keep everyone informed about happenings at our studio classes, preschool classes, and to learn more about Ms. Annette & her staff, as well as, dialoge about topics relating to young children and music.

I love my career: Teaching music to children and families. I have seen (and continue to see) the joy of music transforming lives in our classrooms. From the smallest of babies to the parents and grandparents that attend,too. Music is a gift that lifts our spirits, helps us remember special moments, creates a venue for learning and bonds families together.
In addition to teaching Kindermusik classes, I spend my time administrating our Kindermusik business. We currently have a staff of 9 teachers, have over 150 studio students, 150 ABC students, and over 400 daycare/preschool students. We also do music classes at the Hope House in Memphis and the Memphis Jewish. All those things keep me a little bit busy when I'm not teaching!

Besides Kindermusik, I enjoy singing in the Bellevue Baptist choir, a Christian Band each Tuesday morning at Bellevue Baptist Church, singing periodically in special events at Bellevue and other local churches, and even participate in drama events every so often.
My main priorities right now are my husband and 2 wonderful children. You will usually see me around FACS school each Thursday afternoon watching Kayla, my 6th grader, cheer at the Thursday football games, and then every Friday night you'll see me at the High School games cheering on my son, 11th grader, that is a starter for the FACS high school football team. Both of my children love sports, however, they also are very involved in music. Kayla plays the flute in the beginner band, and Andrew is in the FACS choir and ensemble.