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Mark Your Calendars, Pack Your Bags, and GO… Has Musikgarten got plans for you! |
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Winter may just be starting, but Musikgarten is looking ahead to spring. And what a spring it promises to be. Musikgarten will host 26 previews, 5 Musikgarten Days, and the 2007 Musikgarten Festival. And they are all leading up to 18 Family Music Workshops, 18 Cycle of Seasons Workshops, 16 God’s Children Sing Seminars, 8 Music Makers: At Home and Around the World Workshops, and 8 Music Makers: At the Keyboard Workshops in 21 different cities. So pack your bags and plan to join us for one or more of these events. We would love to see you.
Where can you go to experience dancing to exercise your body, singing beautiful melodies and rich harmonies to nurture your soul, wonderful educational sessions to feed your intellectual curiosity, and the feeling of friendship that one experiences when surrounded by those with whom you have common interests? If you think this sounds like an advertisement for a very expensive spa weekend, you are not far from being correct. The Musikgarten Festival is all that and much more. Join us and find out what other Musikgarten teachers have experienced in the past. The educational sessions are thought-provoking and uplifting, and they promise to be even better this year with our special guest! The singing and dancing is something we rarely have the chance to do with other adults. And the time we get to spend with our Musikgarten friends is invaluable. The whole experience is nurturing through and through, so plan to join us for this special event.
April 13 – 15, 2007 are the dates of this year’s festival. This annual event began in 1999, with the first one being held in Newark, Delaware. Since then we have been to Greensboro, North Carolina (twice), Dallas (twice), Richmond, Chicago, and St. Paul, Minnesota. If you’ve ever been to a festival, you know it as a time of singing, dancing, and educational sessions, a time of sharing and fellowship, and a time to celebrate being a Musikgarten teacher. This year, we are returning to Newark, Delaware, and we’ve invited Dee Coulter to be our featured speaker.
Those of us who have had the privilege of hearing Dee speak know the impact she has had on our teaching. Others have heard Dee’s wisdom second-hand, in Musikgarten workshops. Now is the perfect opportunity to experience her for yourself.
Dee is a neuroscience educator who clearly sees the benefit of music and movement for young children. Coming from someone outside of the field of music education, Dee’s words carry weight with child development experts, school administrators, and particularly parents. Her message will be directly related to what we see and do every day in our classrooms. She will speak to the fact that inner speech is not yet developed in the young children we teach, as well as pointing out what activities we do that are particularly nurturing in that regard. She will talk about the fact that many of the children we teach do not yet possess impulse control, and what that means both in terms of child development and classroom management. And Dee will speak in language that is easily understood and recalled, which is so important as we strive to communicate with parents in the often busy and active environment of our classes.
As Musikgarten teachers, we know a lot about music, child development, and how children actually learn music. Dee will teach us about the nature of young children, giving us insights into how they think. She will give us a glimpse of what is going on physically with children of various ages and how that impacts their cognitive abilities. She will share her thoughts about how children process information which will help us to frame it in an appropriate way for our students.
In addition to Dee’s sessions the festival will feature sessions by several Musikgarten Teacher Trainers, as well as a demonstration class, and plenty of music-making opportunities. Following are some details you will need to keep in mind as you make your plans to come to the 2007 Musikgarten Festival.
• Since we will be in a college town, rather than a retreat center, there will be plenty of restaurants to choose from, so you can make plans with your friends for dinner, and then come back for the evening singing and dancing!
• It is most convenient to fly into Philadelphia, and take a shuttle to Newark, Delaware. The shuttle costs around $35.00, and several less expensive airlines including Southwest, USA 3000, as well as all of the major carriers fly into Philadelphia. Fares into Baltimore may be cheaper, but the shuttle to Newark, DE is considerably more expensive.
• Rooms have been reserved at the Sleep Inn, in Newark, DE. Rates are as follows: $79.00 per night plus tax for two double beds or 1 queen sized bed. This includes breakfast, plus there is an in-room refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, and hair dryer. This is a special rate for Musikgarten, and is only guaranteed until April 1, 2007. Each person is responsible for making his or her own reservations. Be sure to ask for the special Musikgarten rate.
• The gartenloop may be a good resource for those looking to share a room.
• Registration for the festival can be done by phone, fax, or email (event@musikgarten.org) The cost is:
– $115 for the Festival; $90 for licensed teachers
– $60 for Keyboard Day; $45 for licensed teachers
This includes Saturday lunch. The cost of all other meals, as well as housing, is not included in this fee.
Keyboard Day
Once the Festival is over, and all our “goodbyes” are said, some of us will remain for one more day of invigorating conversation and music making. Keyboard Day begins after lunch on Sunday, April 15 and goes until lunchtime on April 16, 2007. This is a gathering of teachers who are actively teaching Music Makers: At the Keyboard. The sessions will be led by co-authors, Lorna Heyge, Jill Hannagan and Mary Louise Wilson, but one of the most valuable aspects of past Keyboard Days has been the input of those in attendance. There will be a demonstration class of children who are working in either the third or forth book (depending on availability), and there will be updates and discussion of the re-working of the second year of the program. Additionally, there will be break-out sessions to address the specific needs of the new teacher, as well as those of the more experienced teacher.
This is an informative seminar, dealing with “nuts and bolts” issues such as the physical set-up, as well as more philosophical ideas such as the impact of aural skills on music literacy. Both subjects are fundamental to the success of the program, as are many others, and the sharing of ideas and concerns with other teachers is the best way we know of to stay focused on what we understand is the best pathway for the children we teach.
We know that you are all busy in your studios, but we hope that you will be able to join us for Keyboard Day this year. Teaching well takes a lot of energy – Festival and Keyboard Day will hopefully be your opportunity to recharge.
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Musikgarten Days
Last spring, in addition to our usual workshop previews, we held three special Musikgarten Days. Baltimore, Cincinnati, and St. Paul. were the sites in 2006 and 125 teachers attended. We had such a good time that we decided to hold them in five cities in 2007. Musikgarten Days will be filled with singing and dancing, starting with a session on All Together Now! As you may know, this is Musikgarten’s latest publication featuring nursery rhymes, re-imagined with music and movement. This delightful collection is suitable for 2s, 3s, or mixed ages. In the afternoon sessions, we will concentrate on Musikgarten’s summer offerings. In addition to reviewing the curricular materials, we will discuss scheduling options, marketing tips, as well as what has worked well for other teachers. Next, we will spend time exploring the pathway to music literacy with its culmination in the Keyboard program. This will be invaluable to those who have not had all of the levels of Musikgarten training, and it is a topic worth revisiting even for those who have. Any time that is left will be dedicated to answering your questions. The session is from 10:00 until 4:00 and costs $50.00, which includes a CD and Parent Book from All Together Now! and lunch.
Come and join us for Musikgarten Day this year. Call the office and make your reservation today!
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Dallas, TX |
February 24th
Lorna Heyge, presenter
Park Cities Presbyterian Church
4124 Oak Lawn Avenue |
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Simi Valley, CA |
March 3rd
Mary Louise Wilson, presenter
Treblemakers Studio
2470 Stearns St 305 |
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Atlanta, GA |
March 17th
Mary Louise Wilson, presenter
Peachtree Pesbyterian Church
3434 Roswell Road North |
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Seattle, WA |
March 31st
Jill Hannagan, presenter
Music Works Northwest
14360 SE Eastgate Way |
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Oak Park, IL |
April 28th
Jill Hannagan, presenter
Musikgarten of Oak Park
344 West Harrison Street |
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Keyboard Question
Do you really expect us to get through the whole lesson each week?
This is a common question among teachers of Music Makers: At the Keyboard, particularly those who are in their first couple of years of teaching the curriculum. Each lesson plan features singing songs, either drumming or dancing, tonal patterns, rhythm patterns, a keyboard activity, and a reading or writing activity, in the form of notation games, composition, dictation, or mystery song. All of these are vital components in the literacy sequence and, as such, vital parts of the lesson. The problem that many teachers face is not having enough time to get everything done. This may be due to the fact that too much time is being spent on teaching the new song. The way we approach this in Music Makers: At the Keyboard is very different than how most of us were taught. We want the children to learn to play the song by ear. In order for that to happen, the children have to convert the keyboard patterns into the phrases of the song by singing the song and supplying the repeated notes and the rhythm. In doing this, the children will eventually develop the aural skills which will allow them to hear patterns within a song for themselves. Remember, two of the most important elements in a child’s developing aural skills are practice and time for maturation. Therefore, in the lesson, the teacher should take the children through each of the keyboard patterns to make sure they know how to play them when they get home. Additionally, the teacher should ask, “Who can turn that pattern into the phrase….?” By doing this in class, the teacher or one or more of the children are modeling the process which the children will need when practicing at home. After that, move on to the next activity in the lesson – the children are now prepared to practice. In addition to practice, the other necessary ingredient for in-depth learning is time for the child to assimilate the information; both happen outside of the lesson.
A Good Reminder
“I don’t know why he won’t sing in class; he sings all the time when he is at home!” This is a statement we have all heard from parents in our program at one time or another. The response is usually something along the lines of, “What he does at home, where he is relaxed and comfortable, is what is important. Our class is an opportunity for modeling musical play and behaviors that we want the children to incorporate into their daily routine.”
We, as the teachers, must always remember that and find many different ways to impart that message to the parents. Luckily most children overtly show enthusiasm for at least some of the activities, giving the parents a tangible reason to keep bringing them to class. However, every now and then a student may cross your threshold that participates in nothing. Such was the case with Jason, a little boy whose father brought him to my class when he was just eighteen months old. Throughout the two years that they attended Family Music for Toddlers classes Jason didn’t do a thing, even though his father did everything. Even the rhythm sticks and jingles weren’t of interest to him. This pattern continued through a year of Cycle of Seasons; Jason’s dad accompanied the class to Mr. MacDonald’s farm, the farmer’s fair, and the country fair. He joined me and the other children as we hopped liked rabbits, galloped like ponies, and danced likes leaves falling from the treetops. All the while, Jason sat against the wall with a look of contempt on his face as we moved through the activities.
However, all that changed when Jason got into Music Makers: At Home in the World. Jason was no longer content to just sit on the sidelines as I conducted class. Instead, he screamed and kicked the whole way down the hall into my classroom. He cried for the first five or ten minutes of my class. Even the thought of playing the Orff instruments, which we always do at the beginning of class, was not enough to assuage him. On a good day, he would allow me to rub his back while he cried, (I got quite good at playing a bordun with one hand while rubbing his back with the other!) but at other times he wouldn’t let me near him. Following his crying, Jason always took himself away from the rest of the class and resumed his position from earlier years against the wall. From there he would sometimes scowl at me, and at other times he would just look very sad. Occasionally he would chime in with an answer or a suggestion. However, his participation was always on his terms, and always short-lived. His minimal participation and the fact that he was usually in a better mood by the end of each class than he was in the beginning were what kept me from suggesting that his parents withdraw him from the class. Additionally, even on days when he didn’t leave his post by the wall, he told his parents, in full detail, what we had done in class.
This year Jason is in Music Makers: Around the World, and the situation has changed once again. This year, Jason comes skipping down the hall to my class. He usually forgets to tell his mom or dad goodbye when they drop him off, but happily complies when I remind him to do so. He is always the first to supply the answers whenever I ask the children to recollect the details of a story, or when I sing a familiar pattern on a neutral syllable and ask what syllables I usually sing for that pattern. He even helps the other class members as they struggle to remember which bars come off their Orff xylophones depending on whether they are going to play a I or V7 chord.
So, I guess it really didn’t matter that Jason didn’t participate in class before he was ready. And I guess children are just like sponges, soaking up all that sensory input and storing it away until they have all the pieces of the puzzle that they need to make sense of things. I wish I could bottle whatever it was that kept Jason’s parents bringing him to class and distribute it to other parents who face similar situations, because I’m not sure that I would have had enough stamina to keep coming if I were them. But I do know that, having witnessed this evolution in Jason, I will now reiterate those reassuring statements with more conviction than ever. – Jill Hannagan
On Saturday, Aug. 19, piano students, Stephen Reen II age 8, and Dominic Reen age 6, of Greensburg competed in the final round of the Indiana State Young Hoosier Pianist Competition, held in Indianapolis at the State Fair. Dominic won 2nd prize in the Junior Division and both boys received ribbons. 32 pianists were selected from over 200 competitors. For the final round, 16 were chosen in the Junior Division (ages 6 -12) and 16 in the Senior Division (ages 13-18). Dominic was the youngest competitor. The boys are enrolled in MusikGarten piano classes with their father, local piano teacher, Dr. Stephen Reen. Stephen and Dominic won 1st and 2nd prizes in the Farm Bureau Talent Show last month at the Decatur County Fair.
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CONVENTIONS
Atlanta, GA
Choristers Guild Midwinter Workshop 2007
January 19 and 20, 2007
Lorna Heyge
• Grow Your Own Choirs! Start in the Nursery
• Demonstration Class with Children ages 1 ½ -3
• Need Rhythm? Lack Control?
Add Movement to Your Children’s Class
• Keys to Music Literacy
Peoria, IL
Illinois Music Educators Association
Elementary Music Teachers
January 26, 2007
Leilani Miranda
• Music and Movement: Keys to the Future
Visit the Musikgarten Exhibit East Brunswick, NJ
New Jersey Music Educators Association
Elementary Music Teachers
February 22, 2007
Jill Hannagan
•Drums: An Elementary Music Teacher’s Best Friend! |
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Wilmington, DE
Delaware State Music Teachers Association
Piano Teachers
February 28, 2007
Jill Hannagan
• Nurturing the Ear/Hand Connection in our Students
Toronto, ON
Music Teachers National Association
Piano Teachers from United States and Canada
March 23 – 27, 2007
Visit the Musikgarten Exhibit Hershey, PA
Pennsylvania Music Educators Association
Elementary Music Teachers
April 20, 2007
Jill Hannagan
• Recorded Movement Stories
• Multi-cultural Drumming and Dancing
Visit the Musikgarten Exhibit Grapevine, TX
Texas Music Teachers Association
Piano Teachers
June 7 – 10, 2007
Amy Rucker
• Cultivating the Well-Prepared Piano Student |
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1 Yard Sign = $22
2 Yard Signs = $38
3 Yard Signs = $52
* Prices include shipping and handling within the continental U.S.
The four-color printing on a bright white background makes an eye-catching display! Customize your sign by writing in your studio name, phone number and web address. Add “FREE DEMO CLASS”, “FAMIILY DISCOUNTS”, or other pertinent information.” Call 800.216.6864 for more details |
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 Musikgarten Website
One of the benefits of being a licensed Musikgarten teacher is having the opportunity to launch a website through AW Technology. About 25 teachers have taken advantage of this wonderful opportunity to date. Without exception, the feedback we have received has been very positive. From the ease of the process to the level of support offered by Jim, our webmaster, everyone has been very pleased with this service. Here are what a few of our teachers are saying about their new websites:
I had already established a website. So my goal was to switch everything I had already set up, over to the new website.
The process was virtually painless. Jim helped with every aspect and was always available for help. I am not extremely comfortable on the computer and I felt like I asked him a lot of very basic questions. His explanations were always clear and helpful and the process went very quickly. He did a lot of the work for me.
I’m very happy with the new website and love being able to make changes to it myself.
Kari Cullimore
Launching my web site was easier than anything else I have done--including placing a newspaper ad! The templates were clear, the information easy to customize, and the price is outstanding! I had a couple of glitches because I am not very tech savvy and the tech support response was fast, easy to follow, and NEVER made me feel like an idiot! This has been one of the best tools for getting word out about my program. I would recommend it to anyone!
Thanks,
Susan Collins
In reference to my website...it was unbelievably easy to set up my website. I simply picked what I wanted and didn’t want displayed. I personalized it and even threw in a few music therapy references. It has been wonderful. It really has made a difference in my business. It’s a huge time saver...most of my parents have already checked out my website before calling me, so I don’t have to explain every detail to them...they just need specific details that pertain to their child.
I am very pleased with everything!! Thanks for making it possible!!
Allyson M. Shaner
I love the new website. I finally have something I can maintain myself!! It was very easy to set up. I just started on-line registration for the first time, and that is going well. I like being able to send out reminder emails...setting up an email data base is something I just never got around to before. I still have a few things to tweak, but overall I am thrilled.
Laurie Baker
Jim has been a breeze to work with! He has a gift for relaying information and answering questions in a clear, concise, and pleasant manner.
The website is very easy to manage via Internet Explorer but not so easy via Mozilla Firefox!
It is exciting to have such a great website representing my studio! AND a privilege to work with such fine people such as Jim at support@makingmusic.com and those who support us at Musikgarten corporate headquarters!
THANK YOU, MUSIKGARTEN!!
Warm regards,
Janet Fitz
I was skeptical about the whole ‘do it myself’ website process but I jumped in and once I got started and saw how the pages were taking shape I was put at ease. I did have some struggles understanding the directions on some of the procedures for uploading photos, and such, but was able to get it figured out. To anyone who is dragging their feet, I would say that Jim, the tech support guy, is the best!
He has done so much for me to help me get things squared away and set up like I wanted them to be. He saved a bit of animation from my old website that I did not want to lose. He is quite accessible and quick to help me whenever I ask. I am glad I took the leap. My website is quite professional and I am pleased with the results. Go take a look!
Robin Bishop
www.hhmusikgarten.com
At first it seemed overwhelming to launch my own website. I had tried to create a site using other programs before Musikgarten came out with this valuable tool. It was so easy to create my site at the Musikgarten site because the templates saved me time; I didn’t have to choose backgrounds, colors, placement of material, where, when and how. All I did was plug in my info and my site was up in a day. Since then I have tweaked different parts making it more my own unique place. As time moves, I add new classes and change class descriptions. I have added my biography. Adding pictures is so much fun! I have new as well as old pictures from classes yesterday to years back. Parents enjoy looking for their children in different classes. The articles in the section entitled “Parents Newsletters” are great for referring to new clients. It is so easy to add my latest newsletter. I can also use the newsletter template and put out my newsletter within an hour. When I am talking to a prospective client on the phone, the new client can go to my website AS WE SPEAK and s/he can find all my information immediately. Imagine, instant gratification. The best part was getting my first online registration. Easy and fast!
The website can be used at many levels. You can just plug in the basics and leave it there or you can customize it as you go along. It is a project that will flourish as you grow accustomed to its many facets.
Ellen Johansen
I had known for some time that I needed to get a web site up and running, but the hassle of finding a webmaster combined with the expense kept me from being pro-active.
So, when Musikgarten announced a very inexpensive way to get a website up and explained how it would work, I jumped on the band-wagon. To my delight, the template was wonderful, so I was able to get a basic site up in about one day. I had questions about how to do certain things, and Jim (the webmaster) responded within 24 hours every time, and usually more quickly. And, to make it better, his responses were clearly written and easy to follow. He did the difficult things for me and gave me simple directions for how to do things that weren’t already completely obvious. He also added tabs that I wanted and modified others to fit Mistletoe Musikgarten’s needs.
About once a month, I spend an hour updating my web site. It’s quick and easy, and I can do everything I need to do -- almost. Even now, Jim will take care of a few behind-the-scenes things for me efficiently and professionally. I have written Jim a ton of thank you e-mails, because working with him is such a joy. His customer service is superb.
For my $14.95 a month, families are able to check my web site for new information, download a registration form, send their friends to the web site, and do their planning and decision-making at their convenience. I’m able to invite people to visit a free preview class -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It has saved me lots of time, and I even reduced my copying and mailing expenses this fall to just about cover the cost of the web site. (I hadn’t realized that would happen, but it did!)
If you want to see what’s possible, visit some of our Musikgarten-supported web sites. Mine is www.MistletoeMusik.com. Thanks to Jim and Musikgarten, it is helping to keep my studio strong.
Carol Spencer
Musikgarten Website’s Newest Feature: Teacher Locator
If one of your families is moving away, it is now easier than ever to insure that they can continue with their child’s Musikgarten education. Just direct them to www.musikgarten.org. Once there, they can click on the Teacher Locator button at the top of the page, where they will be prompted to type in the zip code for the area to which they will be moving. They will receive complete contact information for any licensed Musikgarten teachers in a 50-mile radius.
This new feature allows families who are in the market for a Musikgarten class to find out if there is one located nearby, and will also allow Musikgarten teachers to find colleagues who are not too far away. The possibilities for networking, co-op advertising, shared marketing, and support are endless.
Check out the website today, and tell your friends about it, as well. The more people that know about Musikgarten, the better it will be for your business!
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Test the Water with a Free Preview!
 As an early-childhood music teacher, you know the joys of teaching music to young children. You know the gifts music has to offer children, benefiting them in all areas of development. As a Musikgarten teacher, you also know how that experience is greatly enhanced when it is supported through good materials and training. It is time to spread the word. Tell your friends about Musikgarten and let them know of the free previews that are being held throughout the country (see page 8 for complete schedule). Invite them to come and see everything that Musikgarten has to offer. Let them experience, first-hand, the feeling of promise that is inherent in teaching music to children at such a pivotal point in their lives. If being a Musikgarten teacher has put you on a positive career path, invite others to join you. If you are excited about teaching now, just think about how fun it would be to have someone who shares your enthusiasm.
Previews are scheduled in 26 cities, and they are risk free. Every person will come away with activities to share and information to think about. And, if they sign up for a workshop on your recommendation, you will be invited to audit* a full workshop free of charge. Your friends will thank you, Musikgarten thanks you, and you’ll have a new Musikgarten colleague to share your joy. So, spread the word!
*Audits are limited to previously completed workshops and range in value from $75.00 to $150.00, depending on the workshop. |
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