Baby Music of Abilene will begin classes October 9, 2014 at 2118 Crestline Drive, Mrs. Joyce's home violin studio.  It may be a little cozy, but it will be fun!  See you there at the regular time!

What a fun class we had tonight with violinists and lots of babies and parents.  Several new families joined us this evening with very enthusiastic babies.  We played games, ate apples, grapes, goldfish, pretzels and cheese. Violinists listened carefully as the lollipop drum told our feet how to move.  Babies listened to the beautiful tone of violins playing along with falling thirds songs.  Everyone demonstrated knowing when the tones were high and low on the glockenspiel!  Violinists strained their brains to coordinate their hands  learning 4 new ways to play Perpetual Motion and some babies like to find the beat with hands and feet!  We love our classes with you.  See you all again next week.

“Children learn to smile from their parents.” Shinichi Suzuki

After we calmly enter the classroom, sit quietly and roll the ball to one another in Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE) classes, we stand and greet one another while singing, shaking hands and smiling.  I enjoyed reading this article chiefly because of this statement: "I really think that babies are learning what joy is by sharing it with someone else." In other words, smiling might not be so much an expression of a preexisting state as a path we take to get to that state."

The Music Class and the Hail Storm

               At 5:15 the skies were mostly clear and there was a hint of a storm in the north/northwest. I pulled into the church parking lot to teach Baby Music of Abilene: Suzuki Early Childhood Education with Caitlin Clark. At 6 pm everyone's phones began to text and ring at once inside the classroom as the automatic storm alerts sounded. Just seconds later heavy rain started to fall and right behind that the hail--BIG HAIL. I sounded like someone had an ax hitting the window at our church. I made a decision to stop the class and pray and then to carry on with the class as normal. After all, where would we go in such a storm and what would we do differently? About 10 minutes later the church secretary opened the door and told us to stay out of the atrium because there was so much glass on the floor. We carried on dancing and singing and passing Tommy Tucker's little dog around and going around the Mulberry Bush and counting drums and listening to "Over in the Meadow" as Miss Caitlin read. One of our church board members came by to warn us that all our windshields were blown out and cars were badly damaged. We kept reading. No babies cried or acted disturbed. I hope the secretary and board chair noticed that their quiet voices were the loudest ones in the room because there was almost total quiet in the classroom with 6 babies two years and under. We walked out to destroyed cars. No one could drive home because there was so much shattered glass, and even hailstones inside the cars and the car seats. Car parts, glass, plastic, paint chips, trash all over the parking lot. Still no crying babies. We were there as long as two and a half hours after class and only one baby cried and that was because he was hungry. His mom pulled out the snacks and he was happy again! I am convinced of the wonderful calming quality of music and of Dr. Suzuki's principal that Parent Involvement is Critical. We have fabulous Moms and Dads and Grandmoms and Grandads in our class!! And God was so good to keep us all safe and happy while the storm raged. Thank you God! — at First United Methodist Church.

 I dreamed last night that I had glass in my flipflops.We are waiting on USAA to see the car, but it, and likely all the others in the parking lots yesterday, are destroyed.  There were hailstones as big as tennis balls and baseballs that went through the back window and fell into the back floorboard--even the front seat and front floorboard!  You could see exposed insulation around the back window.  Some of those with really small cars had absolutely no glass left in their cars! The church atrium was just a huge mess and the yard was covered in leaves and branches.  The big planters had so many hailstones it looked like hidden Easter eggs among the beaten flowers.  The ground was covered in hailstones and there were dead birds in my Mom's yard.  She had damage to windows on both the north and the south side of her house.  That fact and the dead birds tells me that this storm formed really fast--faster than the birds could find refuge. And it was a swirling wind, with a vortex in it.  Most parts of town had heavy rain, which we needed, and small hail, but there was a strip that moved north to south for several miles that just destroyed everything. 

The town is buzzing with chainsaws, leaf blowers, roofers and glass company trucks.  Oh, and the police department lost  46 vehicles.  Thanking God for His safe place for all of us and for a favorable settlement for all the damage as well.   

You can see local TV photos of the size and severity of the hail storm at this link.  And more here. 

Enroll Now!  

Suzuki Early Childhood Education: Baby Music of Abilene

Comment from Suzuki ECE teacher in California: Began Spring Semester this morning. "Here's a parent comment: Lola (1yr,5weeks) was happy to be back in class and was much quicker to get involved. Playing the CD at home more frequently has definitely made a difference in class and at home. She is becoming more vocal and is more attentive when in a learning environment. She loves spending time with other children!"

Enroll your child for the Abilene, TX SECE program now! We are one of only four SECE programs in Texas.

ANNOUNCING NEW CLASSES! 

Caitlin and I are very excited to announce that Suzuki Early Childhood Education Classes begin May 1 at 5:30 pm at First United Methodist Church, S. 2nd & Butternut Streets in the room beside the parlor.    Classes are always more fun if there is a variety of ages from birth to four years.  So, please invite your friends to attend with you. Message us at the phone numbers above or on FaceBook if you have questions, please.    

Good Report

Miss Caitlin says Mommies are doing a great job with their little ones!  I was sorry to miss Thursday night's class, but had to be out of town for a family illness.  All is well.  See you next week!

You Teach Music to Babies????

Welcome back to Baby Music of Abilene, Suzuki Early Childhood Education!

Are you searching for a place for your baby or toddler to play, learn, explore, create, listen, read, count, sing, build vocabulary, and more? While you are observing and learning how to create that same environment in your home? Are you searching for connections with other families with children of similar ages to yours? Would you like to learn more about how to observe and guide your child in learning adventures?  

 Where is Baby Music of Abilene?
 First United Methodist Church, located between S. 2nd and S. 3rd and Butternut Streets   Go inside the double glass doors facing the East parking lot. Turn right in the first hall.  The first classroom on the right is where we meet. 

When does the Baby Music of Abilene class meet?
We have class weekly, Thursdays at 5:30-6:30 pm.  Enrollment is limited.  We will begin a new class when enrollment is full.

What do I wear?
Baby Music of Abilene classes are very casual. Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to be up and down from the floor.

What do you do for an hour with babies and toddlers?  Can they really learn music? 
We sing, play nursery rhyme games, dance, play instruments and always read a story book.  The instruments are chosen for producing beautiful tone.  We want all our students to aspire to play and sing beautifully. Books are chosen with strong rhythm and rhyme characteristics. 

What is the tuition for Baby Music of Abilene classes? 

Your first class is free and you may join us at any time!  The deposit to hold your place in the class and to purchase your CD and booklet for home use is $43.00.  Monthly tuition is $45.00 and is due for the semester, either in one payment for the total amount or in post dated checks for each month of the semester. 

What else do I need to know? 

We participate while in a circle in a listening environment.  If your child cries, or is disruptive of the learning circle we ask that you take the baby in the hall and gently quiet him/her and always return to class. We want to encourage quiet, attentive behavior and our curriculum offers varied activity levels to promote interest and participation.  The most comforting thing you can do is to participate and sing with the teachers to be a model for your child.  

Most importantly, HAVE FUN! 

For more information call: 325.829.4440 or 325.668.3189 

Visit us on Facebook at Baby Music of Abilene

Fall Semester 2012 Begins! Come Join Us!

What:  Early Childhood Suzuki classes, Baby Music of Abilene

When:  Thursday, August 30, 6:00 PM for Fall Round-up

Beginning September 6, Regular Class times are 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM every week.  You may join at any time in the semester.

Where: First United Methodist Church, S. 2nd and Butternut Streets, Activity Center

Tuition: Early Childhood Classes:  $ 43.00 registration deposit (new students only)

$180 for Fall semester ( or $45.00 per month, due September 6 in post-dated checks)                                                

BIG day!

Today was an awesome day for milestones in Baby Music class.  Miss S gave us a handshake and rolled the ball sweetly, as well as proving to be quite the dancer while shaking her egg. Mr. A counted to "3", played with beautiful tone on the xylophone, stayed quietly in the circle more often, and --drum roll please--played with a steady beat solo on the woodblock for Hickety Pickety!  Miss S at 16 months old, after attending four classes, found her clock beat with both arms for Hickory Dickory Dock!  We read Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Eric Carle and there was great silence in the room after Mr. A named every animal on the last page.