CARMEL MOUNTAIN PRESCHOOL BLOG

The Importance of Music Education for Young Children

“LISTEN, LEARN & PLAY” These are the three components of the My Music Workshop at CMP. This extracurricular activity is designed specifically for preschool students and gives the students firsthand experience with musical instruments.

We sat down with My Music Workshop founder Miss Lianna and she shared with us what inspired her to get into music as well as start the program. Enjoy!

CMP-Kids-Sitting-Outside-on-Grass

I created My Music Workshop about 7 years ago while working full time as a 3 year old teacher at Carmel Mountain Preschool. I had always dreamed of creating a fun and educational Preschool Music Program for the children. With the encouragement of my family and colleagues, I went for it! My Music Workshop now teaches thousands of children all about Music in the San Diego and Orange County areas. We continue to grow and create, and we are so grateful we get to do what we love. I am co-author (with my husband Elias) of the Little Music Masters Book Series and have just released my first Children’s Album, Dare to Dream.

What is your background in music and what inspired you to teach music to young children?

Music has been a big part of my life since I was a young child. My mom is a talented singer/songwriter/musician and taught me how to play the guitar and piano when I was young. My dad got me a trumpet when I was 9 and I couldn’t wait to learn how to play! I learned to read music in the elementary school band and continued to grow my love for singing/songwriting and guitar in high school. Music was an emotional and creative outlet for me growing up. I continued to sing through college and I knew it was something that would be part of my life forever. I competed on Season 7 of American Idol and was a Hollywood Week contestant. One of my first jobs I had after college was a Kindergarten Music Teacher. I instantly fell in love with it.

Research shows that academic and behavioral patterns can be enhanced with music education – Can you elaborate on this?

A lot of research has been done to show the effects that music education has on academics. Studies have showed music education improves SAT scores, increases GPA’s and helps with math and reading. The Journal of Neuroscience has published studies that show that childhood music education changes the brain so much that the effects last a lifetime. Scientific American published a study saying that music education increases a child’s ability to focus. There are so many more examples of these types of studies as well.

What methods do you like to use when teaching music to children? Are there certain props or instruments that the kids really identify with?

One of the things that I, and other My Music Workshop teachers do, is teach pretty advanced concepts to our students. When I was beginning as a music teacher I wanted to see how far I could take it with preschoolers while still making it fun for them. I created a lot of ways to get children to learn to read music and understand other musical concepts by making it entertaining. I tell stories, use illustrations, games and a lot of other things to get them to absorb musical ideas. I actually wrote a book with my husband called Little Music Masters that is made for preschool aged children. It’s got great illustrations and stories that teach kids to identify music notes and ultimately get them started in reading music. It is a lot like what we teach in our classes. I also let all my students play instruments in every class. They get to explore a world of music each time. Each child tends to pick their favorite after a while but they have a chance to play guitars, ukuleles, keyboards, violins, drums and a lot of other. I think allowing them to play and feel free in music is a big key.

My Music Workshop

What is your favorite part of being a music teacher at CMP?

I love feeling part of the family at CMP. The children all call out my name when I’m on campus, I feel like a real Rock Star!:) CMP is so supportive of music education and I am forever grateful to be part of the CMP team.

To learn more or to register for classes please visit: www.MyMusicWorkshopforKids.com!

 

If you enjoyed this post we invite you to read our blog, “The Benefits of Yoga for Kids at Carmel Mountain Preschool.

Carmel Mountain Preschool provides a safe and caring environment with hands-on, developmentally-appropriate programs for children. We also offer excellent care for elementary school-age students with our before and after school programs. CMP is located at 9510 Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego, CA 92129, situated between 4S Ranch, Rancho Peñasquitos, Carmel Valley, and Santaluz. For more information, please visit our website or contact us at 858.484.4877.

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