Why Music?
The importance of Music for Children & Teens
The Benefits of Music
- better memory
- better creativity
- easier time sequencing events and facts
- better teamwork skills
- increased capacity for math and language skills
- develops emotional intelligence
- help with attention deficiency
- speeds the development of speech and reading skills
The list goes on and on. For more information, please visit the Royal Conservatory of Music's document at: https://www.rcmusic.ca/sites/default/files/files/RCM_MusicEducationBenefits.pdf
How Can You Help?
Some ways to help create a home full of music are:
- Have music readily accessible: this could be by turning on the radio both at home and in the car, picking up an instrument and playing it, or simply singing with your child and playing clapping games
- Begin the conversation: Ask your child to explain what they think the songs you are listening to make them feel and why? Or what emotions they think the songs are provoking. By making them explain what they are hearing, you are encouraging their critical thinking
- Point out music everywhere: When watching a movie, at a sporting game, or just skating around an outdoor park, music is always playing. Point out the music and ask your child why they think the people chose that particular type of song to be the background noise for this activity.
For more ways to build a house of music, visit PBS's family page at
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/creating-a-musical-home-environment/
Assessment in Music: What YOU need to know!
This means:
- we look at the whole process, not just the end product
- provide specific feedback to individual students
- promote self-evaluation and goal setting
- the end grade is based on the whole process, not just one final product
- feedback and growth is more important to us than a letter or number grade
Key Words You Should Understand About Your Child's Assessment
- these are classwide goals that are given to students in order to guide their learning
- they are written in kid friendly language so that they can explain what they are learning
- usually stay the same throughout a unit of study
Success Criteria:
- these break apart learning goals into easy to understand steps
- allow teachers to give students their own checklist of skills they need to know to be successful.
- if you would like a copy of the success criteria and learning goals, please visit your homeroom teacher's website: they are attached to it!
Things You Should be Hearing From Your Child
- I'm working on my communication. This means I need to focus on crescendos and decrescendos to communicate the mood of the music
- I'm focussing on setting my own goals for playing my flute. My teacher says I should try to set a goal involving how long I practice each night in order to improve my breathing technique.
Descriptive feedback is individual and specific. It is used in order to guide the students in specific ways in order for their learning to grow.
If you have concerns about the type/amount of feedback your student is getting, please contact the music teacher in order to set up a one-to-one meeting.