Questions often asked

Q1: How strictly do you adhere to given age ranges for classes?

The developmental stage of your child is more important to me than their age.
While it is essential that a child be at least the minimum age to enrol in any given class, there are also three critical "transitional stages" (1 1/2, 3, and 4 1/2) at which parents have a choice about which class would be most appropriate and most beneficial for their child.

Q2: When is my child ready to move up from 'Village' to 'Our Time'?

A child who may be ready for Our Time is beginning to exhibit many of the following characteristics:

Physical

• Improved walking skills, feet are together, knees flexible (vs. the "just walker" who has a wide-based, legs-apart gait with locked knees.)
• Beginning to imitate/explore a variety of travelling movements; run, jump, leap
• Can walk up stairs holding onto the rail or hand

Cognitive

• Reliably points to correctly identified body parts
• Can follow a 2-step direction. "Come and get a scarf, and take it back to Mummy."
• Understands what "one" means (vs. a handful)
• Learning to use toys and objects in symbolic ways (moving beyond just enjoyment of sensory properties)
• Moving beyond play schemes of mouthing, throwing and dumping; actions becoming purposeful and integrated
• Can interact in a directed activity
• Able to shift attention with transition
• Connects to an activity; initiates a play sequence with caregiver
• Reliably reaponds to own name (refers to self by name in secure environments)

Emotional

• Uses gestures and language to deal with frustration (as opposed to just crying or whining)
• Sustains interest and attention in activity for several minutes (Note: not wanting to give something up can be a sign of maturation)

Language

• Can express wants and needs symbolically (gestures, words)
• Has vocabulary of around 20 words; receptive language is still stronger than expressive
• Reading with caregiver becomes cooperative; child will select book, sit, turn pages, relate to the story and interact

Social

• Interested in what other children are doing
• Capable of distal communication (ie. following verbal instructions from further away

Musical

• Moves to music, perhaps to a steady beat
• Responds to rhymes and songs, recognizes familiar ones

Q3. When is my child ready to move up from 'Our Time' to 'Imagine That!'?

A child who may be ready for Imagine That is beginning to exhibit many of the following characteristics:

Physical

• Has a taller, thinner, adult-like appearance
• Balances on one foot, jumps in place without falling
• Holds crayons in a pincer grasp rather than fist

Cognitive

• Knows whether they are a boy or a girl
• Can do matching games
• Can name many animals
• Knows a triangle, circle, square; red, yellow, blue
• Is developing divergent thinking skills ("What animals do you like?")
• Is beginning transition from concrete to abstract thinking (humour aids this process)
• Sits and listens to stories for up to 10 minutes

Emotional

• Recognises needs of another person, can be empathetic
• Separates from parent without crying (usually)
• Shows development of humour

Language

• Is beginning to master rules of language: speaks in full sentences (4-5 words), asks questions
• Vocabulary growing from 300-1000 words
• Can relate a series of activities, tells stories. ("We went to the shop, then to Grandma's and I played with the kittens.")

Social

• Recognizes the needs of another person
• Turn taking becomes more difficult than before, but is beginning to understand reasons
• Learning about patience

Musical

• Recites rhymes
• Sings simple, whole songs

Q4. When is my child ready to move up from 'Imagine That!' to 'Maestro'?

A child who may be ready for Musikmakers 'Maestro' is beginning to exhibit many of the following characteristics:

Physical

• Can jump forward many times in a row, hops, gallops, is learning to skip
  
• Demonstrates control of pencil or marker
  
• Can reproduce many shapes and letters
  
• Hand dominance is evident

Cognitive

• Eager to learn
  
• Has developed classification skills (ie. can sort things that have a single common feature) and can sort by size, colour and form
  
• Counts to 20, recognizes numerals 1-10
  
• Engages in dramatic play that is close to reality
  
• Beginning to relate time to events (can wait for, and anticipate events)
  
• Responds to simple 3-step directions

Language

• Speech is nearly 100% intelligible (exceptions may include children with hearing and language delays)
  
• Uses grammar correctly (ie. past and future tense)
  
• Produces fairly elaborate sentence structures (approximately 5-7 words in length)
  
• Identifies at least four colours
  
• Can tell a familiar story

Social

• Enjoys friendships and group activities
  
• Shares, takes turns, plays cooperatively
  
• Is affectionate and caring
  
• Follows directions
  
• Has a sense of humour
  
• Better self-control, fewer dramatic swings of emotion

Musical

• Sings a whole song
• Beginning to match pitches consistently
• Developing ability to match to group steady beat
  

Q5. When is my child ready to move up from '2/4 Music' to 'Maestro'?

See previous question, as both programs go up at around the same time. (Q4. When is my child ready to move up from 'Imagine That!' to 'Maestro'?)

Q6. When is my child ready for private instrument instruction?

As a general rule, children are not ready for the disciplined training of formal musical instruction until at least the age of 6 or 7. Although aptitude varies among individuals, all children have the ability to achieve musically and will be greatly influenced by the timing and quality of their early experiences.

"Kindermusik offers the broad foundation that must be the strongest part of the child's musical development and learning," says Dr. Elaine Harriss, Director of Educational Standards and Professional Development for Kindermusik International.

"This foundation - developing a solid sense of rhythm and pitch, nurturing the young singing voice, moving the whole body to music and enjoying music with a group - is essential for musical growth throughout the rest of the child's life." Dr. Harriss, also a piano teacher, recommends that young children have Kindermusik classes first before more formal musical instruction.

Early musical experiences such as those Kindermusik classes provide will benefit the young child both now and in the future. Many experts agree "preschool music enrichment classes, which lay a foundation for musicianship through rhythmic activities, singing, movement, and music notation skills, often accelerate later progress on an instrument."

Kindermusik graduates have grown up with music around them, learning in a group through exploration and movement. They have always had Mum or Dad there to reassure them. The children have been able to develop their muscles and enhance their coordination by using instruments that were just their size. They have learned pitches, melodies, rhythms, and songs by listening to others and absorbing the rich musical environment around them. Kindermusik classes have offered them everything they need to appreciate and succeed in music.

Q7. What is the difference between '2/4 Music' and the Kindermusik courses 'Our Time' & 'Imagine That!'?

Each of the programmes offered by Tritones has proved helpful with the development of numerous children, and different courses have benefited different children (and their parents) in differing ways.

The Kindermusik courses, researched and provided by Kindermusik International (USA based) have been trialled and subsequently run over several years, in many countries of the world.

The use of 'At-home' materials and of repetition allows children from a young age to learn and become comfortable with the songs and activities, giving them a sense of success and mastery.

A real focus of the younger Kindermusik programs is the emphasis of parent-child interaction in class, with the Educator providing a more supportive, facilitatory role, which gives way in the 'Imagine That!' course, to more of a caring teacher role, when parents are not present.

'2/4 Music', on the other hand, does not have take home CDs or activity books (therefore no kit costs), and is more directed by the Teacher, with parents and children responding together.
'2/4 Music' features opportunities for choices between percussion instruments to play, with less child centred exploration time, and a faster pace with regards to new material.