January 29, 2009
I am writing to you today to tell you about my experience with the Community Music School at Webster University and the Young Years program. It has been a thrill to see my kids grow with the love of music growing in them as a result of this program. The program provides a simple way for the kids to learn the basic concepts of music and use them with different instruments such as the glockenspiel and recorder. My children await from week to week the music lesson because they will get to express themselves freely through dancing, singing, drawing...and know they will be respected and encouraged. It gives them great confidence in themselves and their abilities when they participate in the lesson, help the teacher in setting up things and have the opportunity to be creative.
Many graduates from the Young years program appreciate the education they received and relate their success in music to those earlier classes they had.
Sincerely,
Carine A. (Mother of 4 CMS students)
January 28, 2009
I am the parent of four children who have either participated or are currently enrolled in the Community Music School. Our family has participated in the Kindermusik or Music Makers program for the last eleven years.
One aspect which we love about the Community Music School is the teachers and their dedication to the children, their knowledge of music and the impact that they have on our children both in and out of the classroom. Both my husband and I have observed our children to take the skills which have been introduced in their music classes and generalize them to other settings.
The exposure to various types of music, sounds, movements, instruments etc., has helped our children develop and feel confident in themselves. Because of the curriculum offered in the Kindermusik programs, my children have been able to increase their cognitive skills by learning about different musicians, various patterns, rhythms and musical instruments. They have improved in their social emotional development by interacting with others, taking turns, listening and performing both individually and in a group setting. Our children's fine and gross motor skills also improved through the use of movement activities and in the hand-eye coordination necessary to play various instruments (bells, recorder, glockenspiel, dulcimer etc.). We also noticed our children to be ahead of their peers when they began taking private music lessons. Our children were able to read all of the notes on the musical staff and were able to make the transition from glockenspiel to piano very easily. This gave them confidence in learning a new instrument.
I am very grateful that this program exists and has been able to benefit all of my children.
Sincerely,
Ellen Birch
January 27, 2009
I am very happy to write this letter in support of the Young Years music program at the Community Music School of Webster University. Our family has been active in the Young Years program for the last 7 years. Our two children, Alexandra (8) and Sam (3) are currently attending classes and have been consistently enrolled since they were between 9-12 months old.
After completing the Kindermusik curriculum and part 1 of Music Makers at the Keyboard, CMS remains one of Alexandra’s favorite things to do each week. Alex has learned a great deal about music in her CMS classes. Her music teacher at school often accommodates her with more challenging activities because she is ahead of the class. In addition, she has benefited in her science units and other extracurricular activities. One of her second grade science units was entitled, “the science of sound.” The culmination of her in-class studies was a field trip to the St. Louis Science Center for a series of workshops. As a volunteer that day, I saw how Alex readily grasped the concepts presented because she was familiar with the terminology. In her dance classes, she immediately found the beat in tap.
Sam has attended several Kindermusik classes as well as CMS’s own “Music by Leaps and Bounds.” Challenged by developmental delays in a few areas, Kindermusik through CMS has filled a significant need in Sam’s early educational experiences. The format of Kindermusik classes is casual enough to make him feel comfortable but structured enough that he can anticipate what is expected of him. He enjoys the activities and he sings some of the songs at home. The instruments paired with the classes have encouraged his fine motor skills, and the movement activities have encouraged his gross motor skills. When he began preschool at age 2 ½, music during circle time was his strength.
As a parent, I appreciate sharing the Young Years program with my children and I have enjoyed watching them learn and excel.
Sincerely,
Betsy Solomon
January 26, 2009
I am the parent of a five year old girl who is currently enrolled in the Young Years Program of Webster University Community Music School. My daughter, Anna, is taking her first piano class through Webster and has blossomed in this program. I am writing to show my support for the program and tell you a bit about how it has impacted Anna.
Anna is a wiggly, sometimes difficult-to-transition little girl who has shown anxiety in her classroom at school and often comforts herself with stuffed animals. I had some concerns about her fine motor skills but thought that music might be a wonderful outlet for her self expression. We enrolled in the Young Years Program this past fall and Anna has been blossoming under the program. Obviously, she has learned notes, rhythm, songs and other musical concepts but it’s her emotional development that has been most impressive. Anna’s Young Years piano teacher is very calm and even-keeled and presents the lessons -- through two stuffed animals called Mozart Mouse and Beethoven Bear -- in such an enticing way that Anna has never balked at going to piano class -- she actually looks forward to going. The most amazing moment for me, however, was during the final class of the semester when the children were asked to perform a piece of music on their own. Before this class, Anna would have stuck to my leg and refused to play, but instead she raised her hand and volunteered FIRST to play her piece and, after her performance, was clearly very proud of herself. Her emotional development in the program has been amazing for me to see and I believe it has also contributed to her confidence in other situations.
We are very pleased to be a part of the Young Years Program and can’t say enough good things about it.
Sincerely,
Erika B.
470 East Lockwood Avenue