Hello students, parents, and teachers!
I am missing your faces, your hugs, the sound of your laughter, and the magic that we create when we are together in the music room. (Wally the whale puppet told me he misses you too.) I can't wait for the day that we will all be together again! In the meantime, I will be updating this website with lessons organized by grade level on each page. Here on the homepage you can find YouTube singalongs and general musical fun for all ages! I invite you to use these resources to sing along, discover new musical concepts, and have fun with music at home. Parents, please feel free to use the contact page to get in touch with me with lesson questions, or just to say HI!
Yours in Music,
Mrs. Hodges
Yours in Music,
Mrs. Hodges
5 Ways to a More Musical Home
(Taken from Elizabeth Caldwell's wonderful music blog Organized Chaos)
April 1, 2020
Today I want to remind all of us of 5 simple ways to make home life, especially with children, more musical. No matter how good or bad of a musician you may think you are, I hope these tips will help all of us feel more comfortable infusing our lives with music!
1. Sing!
First let's address those parents who think they "can't sing"- science (and my own real life experience) tells us that for most of you, that's not actually true. You just haven't learned how yet. Try taking deeper breaths, use more air, and sing a higher pitch- you may be surprised at what comes out! Or let loose, be totally silly, and belt out some opera singer notes. Yeah, that's how much air it takes to sing! Of course, I can't help everyone learn to sing through the computer, but I've been surprised at how many adults "discover" their singing voice with these simple ideas!
No matter how great you think your singing voice may be, it's good to remember that when you're singing with young children,
2. Dance!
Despite taking dance classes for years as a child I am admittedly, well, not the coolest dancer. But there is something magical about dance! It is such a holistic experience and can totally change our moods in an instant. The next time you're bored, or feel the tension building as you rush around getting homework done and dinner on the table, turn on a song and start moving. I am always amazed at how quickly my daughters join in with the fun no matter how cranky they are, and how much it improves all of our moods when we do!
3. Play an Instrument
Instruments are fun and often overlooked at home! Of course it's wonderful for children to be able to take private lessons and study a more challenging instrument more in-depth, but my advice: wait until they really do know they want to learn the instrument for themselves and have the self-discipline to practice on their own. No matter how great the benefits of instrumental study are, the stress and tears of trying to get a kid to practice when they don't want to will far outweigh the benefits.
4. Listen to Music
Obviously listening to recorded music is a great way to bring more music into our lives! I find that I often am so busy trying to do all of the tasks on my to-do list that I don't think to turn on any music. But when we do remember, it is such a great way to set a positive mood in the house! It can also be a great way to get everyone to relax and wind down at the end of the day.
Don't forget to try out lots of different genres and find new artists to enjoy! It's easy to get stuck in a rut, and there's nothing wrong with enjoying your favorite music over and over again, but this is the time to expand your children's musical palate, which will in turn translate to an expanded world view if they can hear, understand, and appreciate music from a wide range of cultures and lifestyles. Plus it's always great to learn something new together as a family!
5. Use Songs as Timers
My last point is related to #4 but it's awesome enough to be worth mentioning separately. Instead of nagging the kids to get dressed, brush their teeth, or do their chores, try putting on a song and challenging them to get it done by the end of the song! This is also great for "time out"s- choose a calming, quiet song and tell them to stay in their spot until the end of the song instead of setting a timer. In both cases, not only does it function as a way to mark time but it also is easier for kids to keep track of how far they are through the set amount of time, and it simultaneously changes the mood! Win-win-win for everyone!
April 1, 2020
Today I want to remind all of us of 5 simple ways to make home life, especially with children, more musical. No matter how good or bad of a musician you may think you are, I hope these tips will help all of us feel more comfortable infusing our lives with music!
1. Sing!
First let's address those parents who think they "can't sing"- science (and my own real life experience) tells us that for most of you, that's not actually true. You just haven't learned how yet. Try taking deeper breaths, use more air, and sing a higher pitch- you may be surprised at what comes out! Or let loose, be totally silly, and belt out some opera singer notes. Yeah, that's how much air it takes to sing! Of course, I can't help everyone learn to sing through the computer, but I've been surprised at how many adults "discover" their singing voice with these simple ideas!
No matter how great you think your singing voice may be, it's good to remember that when you're singing with young children,
- singing slightly higher than you may naturally sing is usually easier for them to hear and sing along with (and encourages you and your child to use your singing voice instead of your speaking voice)
- anything goes: it doesn't have to be a "real song"- you can narrate your day with song and get all the benefits of singing we always hear about! Have you ever watched a toddler play by themselves? How many times do they start making up random songs about nonsense?
- kids do not mind hearing the same song over and over- in fact they LOVE repetition. Having certain songs that you always sing for specific events can be a great way to build music into your lives- that classic "clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere" song is a perfect example!
2. Dance!
Despite taking dance classes for years as a child I am admittedly, well, not the coolest dancer. But there is something magical about dance! It is such a holistic experience and can totally change our moods in an instant. The next time you're bored, or feel the tension building as you rush around getting homework done and dinner on the table, turn on a song and start moving. I am always amazed at how quickly my daughters join in with the fun no matter how cranky they are, and how much it improves all of our moods when we do!
3. Play an Instrument
Instruments are fun and often overlooked at home! Of course it's wonderful for children to be able to take private lessons and study a more challenging instrument more in-depth, but my advice: wait until they really do know they want to learn the instrument for themselves and have the self-discipline to practice on their own. No matter how great the benefits of instrumental study are, the stress and tears of trying to get a kid to practice when they don't want to will far outweigh the benefits.
4. Listen to Music
Obviously listening to recorded music is a great way to bring more music into our lives! I find that I often am so busy trying to do all of the tasks on my to-do list that I don't think to turn on any music. But when we do remember, it is such a great way to set a positive mood in the house! It can also be a great way to get everyone to relax and wind down at the end of the day.
Don't forget to try out lots of different genres and find new artists to enjoy! It's easy to get stuck in a rut, and there's nothing wrong with enjoying your favorite music over and over again, but this is the time to expand your children's musical palate, which will in turn translate to an expanded world view if they can hear, understand, and appreciate music from a wide range of cultures and lifestyles. Plus it's always great to learn something new together as a family!
5. Use Songs as Timers
My last point is related to #4 but it's awesome enough to be worth mentioning separately. Instead of nagging the kids to get dressed, brush their teeth, or do their chores, try putting on a song and challenging them to get it done by the end of the song! This is also great for "time out"s- choose a calming, quiet song and tell them to stay in their spot until the end of the song instead of setting a timer. In both cases, not only does it function as a way to mark time but it also is easier for kids to keep track of how far they are through the set amount of time, and it simultaneously changes the mood! Win-win-win for everyone!