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Sunday, September 30, 2012

TOS CREW REVIEW ~ Music Together

I have taught a Mommy and Me Music program for the last 4 years... I first started teaching it out of the house....and then Moved the classes to a nearby Dance Studio... When I was given the opportunity to review Music Together Family Favorites I was ecstatic because I have been interested in learning more about it for awhile (but never got around to it...due to lack of free time)!!! 



Music Together is an internationally recognized early childhood music and movement program for children from birth through age 7—and the grownups who love them. First offered to the public in 1987, it pioneered the concept of a research-based, developmentally appropriate early childhood music curriculum that strongly emphasizes and facilitates adult involvement.
Music Together classes are based on the recognition that all children are musical. All children can learn to sing in tune, keep a beat, and participate with confidence in the music of our culture, provided that their early environment supports such learning.


After researching Music Together in connection with my TOS Crew review, I have found that it incorporates the same philosophies that my program does. 


Basic Principles of the Music Together Philosophy
I. All children are musical.
II. Therefore, all children can achieve basic music competence, which we have defined as the ability to sing in tune and move with accurate rhythm.
III.The participation and modeling of parents and caregivers, regardless of their musical ability, is essential to a child's musical growth.
IV. This growth is best achieved in a playful, developmentally appropriate, non-performance-oriented learning environment that is musically rich yet immediately accessible to the child's-and the adult's!-participation.

The Teacher book that I was given goes through how to use the songs, which instruments you can use, and the philosophy behind it. It was a great pairing to the CD and very informative. The CD I was given has 19 of the Music Together family favorites on it..... from the Hello Song that they start each class with to the Goodbye (wind down) song.  One of my favorite songs on the CD is Stick Tune... we frequently play with Rhythm Sticks and this was a fun new way to use them. The kids really enjoyed it!


http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Music%20Together/FFTeacherSB.gif
We happen to have all the instruments for this program already (and then some :-))... however, if you don't have a lot of instruments around your house, you can obtain them inexpensively...or MAKE THEM!! :-) The fun is not in what brand of instrument...but the music itself. 

We mainly used the CD during free time...to dance around with and enjoy... the songs are very catchy...and before long your kids will know all the lyrics...(as will you!) Overall, this is a great program... whether you are homeschooling... or public/private schooling!

The Music Together Family Favorites Songbook for Teachers is$29.95 or you can purchase the combo with the CD for $39.95. ($5 savings!) Music Together is also offering an additional $2 off with the coupon code “Schoolhouse” at the check out.

  • NAPPA Gold Award winner
  • A Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award winner
  • Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) 2010 Distinguished Achievement Award Winner


See what the rest of the TOS Crew is saying about Music Together...



Disclaimer:  As a member of the TOS Crew, I received this product, at no cost to me, in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are mine.

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