He's Got the Beat
The University of North Texas, which is world-renowned for its music college, has started a program to teach infants and toddlers the language of music.
"We are trying to lay the foundation for a strong musical future," Warren Henry, founder of the early childhood music class, told WFAA.com. The belief is that early exposure will produce more talented musicians who more easily grasp musical concepts than those who start later in life. And, studies show, those budding musicians will do better in school.
But you don't have to enroll your child in a university course in order to gain all these advantages. Well, not a real university.
My Hendrick attends Music University in Freehold. He just started the fall "semester," and he loves the weekly 45-minute class. He is enthralled by the live music: Mr. Paul plays piano while Miss Melissa sings and strums guitar. He loves to bang the drums and clang the cymbals. He runs around barefoot on the colored floor mats, shaking the maracas and screaming as if he was filled with a spirit usually found at a tent revival meeting.
Henry noted in the article that numerous studies have shown that music education can help students learn better. But I don't need any scientific data to convince me that my boy is learning at a rapid-fire pace in this class.
I can't help but attribute his extensive vocabulary and ability to count to the tunes he has learned in class. Sometimes I catch him singing the alphabet song or "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" when he thinks no one is listening.
Hendrick also is figuring out how to keep a beat, feel the rhythm and participate in a band. (Those 2-year-olds sure can jam.)
More so, my son is learning traditional folk songs, ethnic music and some original child-friendly melodies that I, with my limited musical background, never would have thought to play for him. I was particularly pleased that a Native American chant was part of last semester's repertoire. Hendrick, who is part Cherokee, was mesmerized by the forceful sound and steady drum beat.
I didn't sign up for this class to give Hendrick any kind of educational edge. I just thought he would have fun. The fact that he is learning so much just allows me to leave class each week on, well, a happy note.
Here's the link to the WFAA article:
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa070930_mo_untmusic.12777c59f.html
"We are trying to lay the foundation for a strong musical future," Warren Henry, founder of the early childhood music class, told WFAA.com. The belief is that early exposure will produce more talented musicians who more easily grasp musical concepts than those who start later in life. And, studies show, those budding musicians will do better in school.
But you don't have to enroll your child in a university course in order to gain all these advantages. Well, not a real university.
My Hendrick attends Music University in Freehold. He just started the fall "semester," and he loves the weekly 45-minute class. He is enthralled by the live music: Mr. Paul plays piano while Miss Melissa sings and strums guitar. He loves to bang the drums and clang the cymbals. He runs around barefoot on the colored floor mats, shaking the maracas and screaming as if he was filled with a spirit usually found at a tent revival meeting.
Henry noted in the article that numerous studies have shown that music education can help students learn better. But I don't need any scientific data to convince me that my boy is learning at a rapid-fire pace in this class.
I can't help but attribute his extensive vocabulary and ability to count to the tunes he has learned in class. Sometimes I catch him singing the alphabet song or "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" when he thinks no one is listening.
Hendrick also is figuring out how to keep a beat, feel the rhythm and participate in a band. (Those 2-year-olds sure can jam.)
More so, my son is learning traditional folk songs, ethnic music and some original child-friendly melodies that I, with my limited musical background, never would have thought to play for him. I was particularly pleased that a Native American chant was part of last semester's repertoire. Hendrick, who is part Cherokee, was mesmerized by the forceful sound and steady drum beat.
I didn't sign up for this class to give Hendrick any kind of educational edge. I just thought he would have fun. The fact that he is learning so much just allows me to leave class each week on, well, a happy note.
Here's the link to the WFAA article:
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa070930_mo_untmusic.12777c59f.html
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