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The musicians played the scales, from high C down one octave to the next C. They played glockenspiels in time with each other at the teacher’s prompting. There was little evidence that these pupils were only 3 to 5 years old.
The students are participating in a musicgarten class offered at Pittsburg State for preschoolers taught by Dr. Carol Deats. The class meets on Tuesdays from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m. in McCray Hall 211.
The class began as part of PSU’s preparatory department. This department was meant for PSU students to gain experience as teachers while in school through teaching private piano and trumpet lessons.
Deats came up with the idea of musicgarten after hearing about the methodology and taking a training in Kansas City.
As part of the musicgarten class, the young students and their parents play instruments, stomp feet, clap, whistle, make motions, dance and sing while Deats instructs.
“The beauty of this is they don’t even know what they’re learning,” Deats said. “It’s experiential. They’re so busy playing the instruments that they’re not aware they are learning about harmony, pitch, rhythm, melody and scales. They’re just so busy having fun.”
One parent said she enjoys taking her children to the class not only for the musical environment, but also for the chance to interact with other kids.
“It’s just to expose them to music,” said Jill Allen. “I think just getting to know the other kids in class is good, too. It’s more social. It does teach them how to know beats and rhythms work. It’s good for them to get exposure at an early age.”
In fact, that young exposure is part of why the musicgarten class is offered to youngsters.
“I enjoy working with preschoolers because they have so much joy and they love learning,” Deats said. “This is such a great time because it sets them up for the rest of their life. It’s also kinesthetic, because we keep them moving. It’s a win-win situation in every area of a young child’s development.”
But the class wouldn’t have any students if the event wasn’t fun for them.
“I get to play all this music and have fun and dance. I like the dancing,” said Kennedy Allen, Jill’s daughter.
Deats agrees that the children enjoy the lessons, but also because of the parent involvement.
“When kids say things like ‘Again!’ and ‘I like that, it was fun,’ you can tell they like it,” Deats said. “The children are busy but they are learning. The best part of this is watching the interaction between the parents and the kids. I’m teaching them, but I guarantee you the parents go home and teach the child on their own time.”
Right now, the class only contains five students, but Deats said more people could sign up by calling PSU’s Terri Blessent at 235-6018.
Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 ext. 132.
The musicians played the scales, from high C down one octave to the next C. They played glockenspiels in time with each other at the teacher’s prompting. There was little evidence that these pupils were only 3 to 5 years old.
The students are participating in a musicgarten class offered at Pittsburg State for preschoolers taught by Dr. Carol Deats. The class meets on Tuesdays from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m. in McCray Hall 211.
The class began as part of PSU’s preparatory department. This department was meant for PSU students to gain experience as teachers while in school through teaching private piano and trumpet lessons.
Deats came up with the idea of musicgarten after hearing about the methodology and taking a training in Kansas City.
As part of the musicgarten class, the young students and their parents play instruments, stomp feet, clap, whistle, make motions, dance and sing while Deats instructs.
“The beauty of this is they don’t even know what they’re learning,” Deats said. “It’s experiential. They’re so busy playing the instruments that they’re not aware they are learning about harmony, pitch, rhythm, melody and scales. They’re just so busy having fun.”
One parent said she enjoys taking her children to the class not only for the musical environment, but also for the chance to interact with other kids.
“It’s just to expose them to music,” said Jill Allen. “I think just getting to know the other kids in class is good, too. It’s more social. It does teach them how to know beats and rhythms work. It’s good for them to get exposure at an early age.”
In fact, that young exposure is part of why the musicgarten class is offered to youngsters.
“I enjoy working with preschoolers because they have so much joy and they love learning,” Deats said. “This is such a great time because it sets them up for the rest of their life. It’s also kinesthetic, because we keep them moving. It’s a win-win situation in every area of a young child’s development.”
But the class wouldn’t have any students if the event wasn’t fun for them.
“I get to play all this music and have fun and dance. I like the dancing,” said Kennedy Allen, Jill’s daughter.
Deats agrees that the children enjoy the lessons, but also because of the parent involvement.
“When kids say things like ‘Again!’ and ‘I like that, it was fun,’ you can tell they like it,” Deats said. “The children are busy but they are learning. The best part of this is watching the interaction between the parents and the kids. I’m teaching them, but I guarantee you the parents go home and teach the child on their own time.”
Right now, the class only contains five students, but Deats said more people could sign up by calling PSU’s Terri Blessent at 235-6018.
Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 ext. 132.
