Contact Info

Social Media: Baby Music of Abilene, FaceBook
When: Every Thursday, 5:30 pm
Where: St. Paul United Methodist Church
Who: Parent & Child (birth-4 years)
Cost: First Class is FREE
Phone: 325.829.4440/ 325.668.3189



Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Christmas is Here!

Miss Caitlin and I can hardly believe that almost one year of Suzuki Early Childhood classes have passed!  We are having so much fun with your children!  Each week we see more learning taking place--more language, voluntary counting, keeping steady beat on hands, knees, legs, and with mallets. We are dancing this season with Celtic Woman's Carol of the Bells, which has dramatic glissandos and lovely violin solos. Michael Tilson Thomas, conducting Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, is our seasonal music for rolling the ball. The March is lively and features many instruments in the orchestra for rich listening.  Our new words for Falling Thirds with the xylophone are:
"Silent night, silent night, holy holy is the night."


We have seen three children take their first steps in class now.  Thrilling for all of us!  There is such quiet expectation before the triangle and rain stick are introduced, and putting the mouse under the chair is everyone's desire.  I am personally very happy when the children understand that it is their turn to sing, or keep the beat, or show finger play, rather than doing the "solo part."  Everyone is important in an orchestra, and everyone is important in a classroom.

At home you may want to emphasize listening, especially for instructions, and show pictures of instruments from library or other books.  It would also be helpful to talk about taking turns: we earn a turn by staying in the circle, by listening quietly to all the sounds and to every child sing and play, we also take a turn with our parent or grandparent and by doing the finger plays and singing while others are doing a solo.  Since this is how we sit in a concert and appreciate the music we are learning valuable lessons!

You may want to view this article, which reinforces that all we are doing is beneficial.
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/135027758.html

See you in class!