The Gift Of Music In Your Homeschool
Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 4:54PM 
It's going to be a busy week here. I'm gearing up for long days with a lot of learning and fun.
This week is a gift of music to my children.
As I plan for this week, it makes me think about how I can incorporate more music in our homeschool, and help other homeschoolers incorporate music as well.
Each summer we participate in a week long music and arts camp. It is held at a large church in downtown Atlanta. This church is special to me because my husband and I were married there (15 years ago this week, in fact).
The organist at this church is FABULOUS. She learned and played the Widor Toccata for my wedding, which is my all time favorite piece of music! In fact, I love it so much I want you to hear it... have your kids watch and listen, too - noticing the intricacy of this piece - the number of manuals played, and the sheer difficulty of this masterpiece!
This year I am teaching an Orff class. Do you know what Orff is? If you don't, you can read a little about Carl Orff and his method of teaching and instruments involved. It's a wonderful way to learn more about rhythm, singing, playing instruments, and improvisation.
The children will also receive instruction in singing, dance, art, and handbells. A special performer will come each day. Another day we will share musical gifts with residents of a senior center. The last day of camp features a concert showcasing the music we have prepared. Better yet - the theme this year is Christmas In July!
Having an intense week of music always inspires me to plan more music for our homeschool.
What are your plans for music this year?
Right now, I know for sure we will be doing the following for music:
- Maestro Classics
- Music for Little Learners (with my youngest)
- Young Scholar's Guide to Composers by Bright Ideas Press
- Reading living books about musicians and composers
- Private Piano lessons (for my oldest)
- Spivey Hall Young Artists' Choir (again, for my oldest)
I'd like to think this blog can serve as a resource for your children's music education. Have you read my 10 Days of Teaching Music series? There's a lot of information you can use in the series for planning your musical activities this year.
Have you seen my music printables? I'll be working to add more this year.
If you have any questions about teaching music in your homeschool, please don't hesistate to leave me a comment and ask! In August I will have a very special post for you that will serve as your one stop resource guide to music education.
I feel strongly about music in our children's lives and want to help you incorporate more in your homeschool!
Reader Comments (6)
we LOVE music in our home! I need to put more worship music on, but the kids really enjoy the Classical Kids, playing on the piano, listening to us play, and we're starting lessons in the fall! I know so many people whose families are just engulfed in it, and it is a true love of my heart to have something like that in our own home! SOunds like a great music camp, would love if we had something like that here!
I can play piano, and could teach, but with everything else that I'm teaching, and I'm not the most PATIENT piano teacher in the world :D we've opted to have someone else teach our kids. But I'll be checking out your posts and printables for ways to help them out! Thanks!
DLP provides a great way to keep homeschooled families &individuas involved in music. We have large groups & small enjoying our brand of lessons, quizzes, ear-trainin, & play alongs. FREE membership includes access to our forums & evernote library as well as the newly realeased jazz series. Please share!
Reading about your coming week of music and arts camp reminds me that my daughter missed the music and arts camp this year because we moved to another state, and the dates did not work out in either state. It made me sad that she missed the opportunity this year. Handbells are her favorite part.
I am always looking for ways to get my daughter more involved in music, she loves it so much. I really appreciate the information on music available on your blog, Thanks!
Linda, homeschooling one child for five years and counting!
Next week, my children will participate in an Art and music camp too. They will be learning in song, dancing and performing arts. As a former actress, I am so excited for them. :)
PS my 2 oldest children (9 and 6 y.o.) took piano and drums classes for a year. Then they got bored (I don't think they were being challenged enough) and decided to stop. I would love for them to continue with formal music lessons, but I don't know how to motivate them into beginning again. I thought if I found another teacher with another method maybe that would work? Any suggestions?? thanks again, :)
tereza
My husband is a professional musician, and we are currently setting up a music studio in our home. Our little guy has been playing the drums since he was old enough to hold the sticks! He will be taking chorus and musical instrument lessons at our local public school (he wants to study the trombone, like our middle son). There are several guitar players in the family, too. I am always intrigued by the composer studies, but I have not (yet) been able to work them in as well as I'd like to... Glad I found your blog, for encouragement!
Wow, what a great post. Its so encouraging and exciting to see homeschoolers so interested in making music a part of their homeschool curriculum! My family homeschools as well, and all us kids all take piano lessons and each study another instrument. I'm now studying voice performance at the Eastman School of Music, where both my parents went to college, and where my mother now teaches! (And believe me, Tereza, I was the farthest thing from a motivated piano-lesson-taker!)
We're really interested in elevating conversation about music in the lives of homeschool families, so we're very encouraged to find this blog and read all these comments! Check out our new blog-- we'd love to hear from you all! http://hisownhandmusic.com/