Curricula - 2/4 Music

Music is a source of:
Communication
Self Expression
Emotional Release
Building Self Esteem
Enjoyment

What is 2/4 Music?

The 2/4 Music approach to preschool music evolved as teachers saw the need for a consistent program of pre-school musical activities to be developed along the lines of Junior Primary School Music of the Eighties. Music educators such as Suzuki, Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze and others, provide a basis for this new approach.

During each class the child has the opportunity to play a variety of percussion instruments provided by the teacher.

Combined with singing and movement, this provides the most important ingredient of all - FUN - for both adult and child.

Why is it called 2/4 Music?

Mrs Connie Johnson, a music educator from USA first began 2/4 Music classes in her home in Adelaide in 1982, as she worked with some of her young daughter's playmates. The classes grew quickly with other teachers joining her in the next few years.

The name evolved from the age of the children attending, and from a musical term describing two-beat time such as in "Baa baa black-sheep", ie. strong, weak, strong, weak, etc.

What can be gained by participating in classes?

Playing instruments and singing in groups is excellent for social interaction and development.

Moving and rhythmic sound-making are both enjoyable and natural activities for young children. From about the second birthday, active experimentation in simple music and group movement sessions enhance a child's innate capabilities in areas such as communication through sound, and later, appreciation of music in general.

Children have hands-on experience with simple percussion instruments.

Each session will help the child develop gross motor skills and hearing skills in the basic music elements of beat, rhythm, tempo, volume, pitch, tone and texture.

Although musical ability varies at birth, environmental opportunity plays a major part in a child's level of motivation and achievement, which directly affects his/her later musical appreciation and accomplishment.

2/4 Music enables children to feel at home in the class environment and to join in happily when they are ready.

What is the parent's role?

Young children learn readily from parents through example, encouragement and reinforcement in all areas. Music participation happens in many ways from birth, and 2/4 Music aims to build on the interaction already established.

Parents or care-givers attending sessions, help children to grasp new skills with lots of positive reinforcement and approval of every effort, as well as their enthusiastic enjoyment of each new activity.

Every session will have some repetition and something new, a time-honoured method of teaching music.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Children participate in a number of varied structured activities and are required to listen to instructions.

Classes of a minimum of 30 minutes (Tritones classes are a minimum of 40 mins.) are planned, and terms are 9 weeks within the school term. Dates are always notified or available in advance. Classes are generally small and numbers are usually limited to ten.

All teachers have studied music at tertiary level and continue to update skills and repertoire.

All are members of The 2/4 Music Teachers Association Inc.

WHO ARE THE TEACHERS?