April 29, 2011

Teaching Music Without Any Musical Talent


I'm notorious. 

I have no rhythm. 

I cannot pick out the beat in any song. 

I can not even follow along, clapping when others are.

Although I can actually read sheet music, I cannot transfer that knowledge to my hands or voice.  It's like knowing how to read a language, but not knowing how to speak it. 


Thankfully, I am married to a drummer, who can teach the children.  Also, we have some amazing opportunities within our homeschool community for the children to learn to sing and play instruments. 


For my part, since I can not teach the children to play music or to sing, what do I contribute?  I teach music appreciation and history.  Here are my favorite resources for the musically challenged {myself} and perhaps for those with musical talent as well...

Books:
Hymns for a Kid's Heart, by Bobbie Wolgemuth and Joni Eareckson Tada
Hymns for a Kid's Heart, Vol. 2, by Bobbie Wolgemuth and Joni Eareckson Tada
Christmas Carols for a Kid's Heart, by Bobbie Wolgemuth and Joni Eareckson Tada
Bravo! Brava! A Night at the Opera, by Anne Siberell
The Story of the Orchestra, by Robert Levine
The Usborne Internet-Linked Introduction to Music, by Eileen O'Brien
Usborne Internet-Linked Music Theory for Beginners, by Emma Danes

Books About Specific Composers (Picture Books):
Beethoven Lives Upstairs, by Barbara Nichol
The Farewell Symphony, by Anna Harwell Celenza
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, by Anna Harwell Celenza

Books About Specific Composers (Chapter Books):
Mozart the Wonder Boy, by Opal Wheeler and Sybil Deucher
Ludwig Beethoven and the Chiming Tower Bells, by Opal Wheeler
Sebastian Bach: The Boy From Thuringia, by Opal Wheeler and Sybil Deucher
Handel at the Court of Kings, by Opal Wheeler
Joseph Haydn: The Merry Little Peasant, by Opal Wheeler and Sybil Deucher
Franz Schubert and His Merry Friends, by Opal Wheeler and Sybil Deucher
Robert Schumann and Mascot Ziff, by Opal Wheeler
The Young Brahms, by Sybil Deucher

Curriculum:
Discoveries in Music, by Calvert School (for younger elementary aged students)
Ready to Read Music, by Jay Althouse (for middle to older elementary aged students)
Accent on Composers, by Jay Althouse and Judy O'Reilly (for older elementary aged students)




Related Posts:
How to Love Poetry

4 comments:

  1. When Meghan is beside us in church, I feel badly for her. Derek (I think) has no desire to clap, even to strongly rhythmed songs. I cannot clap while singing, even if the rhythm is strong...but my little girl sure does try!

    We have a book where if you push buttons it plays hymns and children's songs. It tells the words...and I still can't do it except for the songs I know well...and even then I'm teaching it wrong. Oh well. It's a joyful noise to the Lord...and for now the kids.

    Thankfully, your children are not missing out on the love of music with your husband's teaching of it...and your appreciation of it!

    Beautiful drums!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would have a tough time! I am a musical person, can read music and sing and do all that good stuff - but I have NO idea how to teach it! My dad taught me when I was 4 - I have no memory of NOT reading music. I always thought my dad would be the one teaching my girls. Now it falls to me....

    Whoa.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for all the great resources you listed! I hope to have my boys learn to play an instrument and me learn to play the piano in years to come!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great post!

    Smiling too because I do not have rhythm at all!!

    Kerri

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...