Day Sixteen: Music In Your Homeschool

I watch my husband slide onto the piano bench and while he's only chording "Heart and Soul", I just know he'll be joined within seconds. As he pounds out the first notes, Emily comes bounding up the stairs and slides in beside him, Meghan scurries in from the kitchen and Molly slips out of her room too. Not a minute later, Oliver is looking for a spot to fit along the keyboard. Terry has taught them all various parts so this song can be a family affair. I jump in too once in awhile, but I love to stand back and listen. They laugh and make harmony together and I smile because all is well in our home when music fills the air.

 

It helps that my husband and I have been involved in choirs since our youth, but I don't think that's a prerequisite for loving music. Enriching your children this way does not necessarily mean paying for instrument lessons or joining a choir. It can simply be an educational tool for almost any subject. Music opens up a whole new world to those auditory learners I wrote about yesterday, or anyone else who loves to sing their lessons.

 

Memorization is a huge factor in certain subjects and music has helped my children so much. For example, multiplication tables and skip-counting songs can be found here. There are several learning songs on YouTube for you to check out, but I'll share  favourites that we own. Scripture memorization CDs can be purchased here (although, we have friends who prefer something more modern). We love the upbeat, rap-style songs for science here. They also have fitness, grammar and other songs too. When my first daughter was quite little, I purchased Geography Songs and within a few weeks of only playing it in the car, she had nearly half the countries of the world memorized--and so did I.  This one, I have to admit, becomes a smidgen annoying but let me tell you, it's worth it! We feel so smart :)

 

Besides educational music, worship and contemporary Christian music are most often floating through our home. A few of our favourites include, Casting Crowns, Third Day, Kari Jobe, Jeremy Camp, Rend Collective Experiment, David Crowder Band, Sara Groves, Skillet (yes, seriously), Meredith Andrews, Natalie Grant, John Waller, Addison Road, and Hillsong. We also listen to some non-Christian music, as long as it's not overtly immoral. If the music is neutral (for example, a song about loving life or seeing the world, etc.) but the artist is not a great example for our kids, we don't want to support their lifestyle.

Oliver likes to make-up little diddies and Daddy added his own notes  :)

 

Writing music is a love for a couple of my kiddos. They aren't quite composing in such a way one could necessarily read their notes, but they know what those scratches on the grand staff mean :)  The tune and the words are usually catchy and we may be heard humming or singing a song written by one of our children. I believe our encouragement in this area will pay dividends in their ability to play or sing skillfully as they grow. We can't wait to see how God will use them with the gift of music in the future!

Whether educational or simply for appreciation, let your children explore musically and perhaps they'll surprise you. God breathed music into us and He infuses us with joy when it honours Him!

Who You Are When No One's Looking

Who are you when no one's looking? Would you be okay if a group of people from your church sat in on your polygraph test? :)

My children stood silently in awe of the "Piano Man" as he plucked the open piano with his instruments searching for a solution for our stuck keys. Just before he arrived, I had frantically dusted the piano and rubbed the fingerprints off. I was concerned about what the inside of the piano looked like too! Is it possible to get the inside of your piano dusty? And for a moment I was angry again at my little boy who had stabbed a pen over and over in the leather covering of the bench (even though it was a year ago). I knew I'd be explaining that one to Mr. VanGeest who is also a piano builder and greatly proud of his instruments. "Fear of the opinions of others" drove me to do a quick clean up so it would appear that I keep my piano dusted and cared for very well... and I do, just not as perfectly as I want to. Studying these photos reminded me of the state of my heart. I thought about how easy it is to work hard at displaying a well put together exterior, smile included. But am I the same sweetness to my family as I am to friends and acquaintances? Most importantly, am I giving the Lord intimate, devoted time the way I advise others to? One thing I know for sure is that I can't play this game for too long before I'm exposed. Only that intimate time with Him will make me able to be genuine in all of my relationships. I've tested it. I know it to be true but I need a wake up call now and then.

How about you? Who are you when no one's looking?

"But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16:7

Gratitude:

701. the potential of a visit from a long time friend

702. how he said he needed to protect Olivia at church today

703. how he laughed in the restaurant when he thought Daddy was taking his booster seat to the bathroom

704. the potential of new curriculum... difficult but exciting decisions

705. my new laundry system, compliments of a seminar at the homeschool convention (it's working!)

706. the 8th pregnancy of a lovely friend

707. the healthy birth of Isabel--a first baby

708. taking photos with no pressure (feels good to be finished with the business)

709. piano-fix-it-guys

710. the way she "raps" a song to any repetitive thing she hears

711. the very forthright words of our young adults' pastor who speaks every Sunday night

712. what God is going to do with my husband's application to the city for a permit

713. waking up to birdsong

714. first spring storm this afternoon... mmm... comfort

715. how they each have a knitted blankie from Mama--just like they did with Great-Mama

716. an interesting recipe I came across today--chocolate fig brownies

717. a fabulous recipe I came across today--lasagna cupcakes

718. hockey being replaced by golf

719. the opportunity I had to speak to a large group... wanna listen?--it's all about fasting: http://bgthamilton.com/index.cfm?i=3595&mid=4&ministryid=15107 (click on March 29th) (What you can't see when you listen... I'm building a brick monument beside me each time I tell a story, AND I'm crazy nervous!)

A Reason For Music

The girls know that piano lessons are a blessing. They know that their music is praise to Him who created it in the first place. But today, at the end of the school year, they play for an appreciative audience; one that has lived many days filled with music. The elderly residents of this home in our town applaud our young ones, who nervously seat themselves upon an unfamiliar bench and plunk out melodies with pride.

It's a reason for music; a way of giving back and honouring those who've walked this earth before them. It's a means of blessing a generation who shared themselves and their talents with the next. This is how we receive the gift of music--by passing it on.

(duet by Meghan and Molly--"Heart and Soul")

Our beautiful teacher, Beth, demonstrates how persistent practice over the years turns hesitant plunking into "tickling the ivories".

Beth's mother enchants us with her music while we mingle. This piano belonged to her and she graciously gave it to the home.

Mama and Papa attend and cheer the girls on.

Prayerfully becoming a musical family. With a talented Grandma who inspires us with her playing in church and a Grandpa who sings, we each are learning to grow in His amazing gift. And blessing others with this gift ... now that's a reason for music.