Driving students to lessons is time consuming for homeschool moms. Look for a teacher who can come to your home instead. Both Gena and I have used this approach successfully. If your instructor can’t come to you, Skype can make in-home lessons a possibility. YouTube is another great way for your student to take lessons at home. Raising DaVinci offers an online ukelele course your kids may be interested in. The ukelele is an inexpensive instrument for emerging musicians.
While you’re driving, listen to a classical music station. Or compare genres by listening to a variety of stations. You can also do this at home with Amazon Prime Music or Spotify which has premade playlists of various genres. Do double duty by listening to music while doing art projects.
You can also enroll in a music course. Squilt, Bright Ideas Press, Zezok, and NotebookingPages.com all have courses Gena recommends. I also highly recommend the courses at Learn.MusicInOurHomeschool.com. We have taken the 20th Century Music Appreciation Course in its eBook form. It’s now available along with other period studies at Learn.MusicInOurHomeschool.com. These complete courses can be learned independently if you can stand being left out and are a fantastic option for co-ops. Gena’s 15-Minute Music Lessons are another easy way to include music in your homeschool. All lessons include printables you’ll want to use with course.
I’m excited that Gena is offering my readers a $10 off coupon for any course (besides the homemaking and sampler courses) through May 15th, 2017 with code SANITY.
I have always enjoyed singing and playing the piano and I wanted my children to learn music. But I wasn’t one of those homeschooling moms who aspired to have a family band. Nor was I a mom who insisted on years of lessons. All three of my older boys have decided to quit lessons at various times. But today I’m thrilled to say that all three are avid musicians who enjoy playing together for the fun of it.
My younger three children are continuing with Hoffman Academy’s free piano lessons, but they haven’t yet become enthralled with music the way their older siblings have. Even if my younger three decide they want to take a break from piano, I want to make sure learn to appreciate music. Here’s why.
What the Research Says About Why Teaching Music Matters
Memory skill development (a key skill for academic success)
Emotional development (including anxiety coping skills)
Self-confidence (this is really a benefit for kids who don’t excel in sports, for example)
Teaching Music Isn’t Just About Voice and Instrument Lessons
When my son went to his first drum lesson, he was asked about his favorite music. He shrugged. He didn’t HAVE a favorite type of music. Now he listens to music all the time. I hadn’t been doing a good job teaching my kids to appreciate music. To appreciate something, we have to teach them its history, expose them to its experts and fans, and allow them to practice or experience it for themselves.
While taking music lessons helps a child appreciate music, lessons are not a prerequisite. In fact, teaching music appreciation may motivate our kids to take lessons. The problem is that we may be just as ill-equipped to teach music appreciation as we are to teach lessons. Or as in my case, you may be equipped, but just don’t have the time.
That’s where a new music appreciation course from my friend, Gena Mayo, comes in. Gena taught music appreciation in co-op classes and created a curriculum for those students that she is now making available to our students.
I honestly wasn’t planning on teaching music appreciation to my kids this year, but when I saw 21 Lessons in 20th Century American Music Appreciation, I changed my mind! I am now going to do a lesson every week. I think my kids will LOVE it. I know I will! This K-12 curriculum briefly teaches the history of 20th Century American music and uses YouTube links so kids can experience the genres and musicians firsthand. I really believe that this curriculum will motivate my kids to either continue with piano lessons or find another musical instrument they’re interested in as two of my older boys did.
A Music Appreciation Course Deal
For a limited time, Gena is making this course available for a 50% discount. That’s a steal! I wanted to be an affiliate for this course, because I know homeschoolers will love it.
Just go to the IChooseJoyNow store and enter the discount code LABORDAY20. Hurry! This discount ends on September 7th. After that date, the course will sell for just $25.
Want a free lesson to check it out? You’ll be given that option at the store link above.
I’m a Christian psychologist turned homeschooling mother of six. My life can be a little crazy, so I look for sanity-saving ideas to use and share. I hope you’ll read my About page to learn more.
