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Winter 2002 Making
the right choice for your child You open your
local parent publication and your eyes are drawn in virtually every
direction. The conglomeration of ads
scream out for your attention…Make-believe fantasy birthday
parties…Children’s theater…Ballet and performing arts…Summer camps…Swim
lessons…Soccer…Bowling leagues...Gymnastics. As a parent, you
want what’s best for your child. But
how do you provide a well-rounded experience without over-scheduling your
child, over-committing yourself or outspending your discretionary income
budget? There aren't always easy answers.
But because you have selected Kindermusik, you can rest easier knowing
that you've made a great choice for your child. In addition, here are
some key questions you can ask yourself prior to choosing any type of
activity. Who will be
leading the activity?
You’ll find that
many summer camp programs and play activities are led by adult or student
volunteers. Likewise, many youth
sports teams are headed by volunteer parents.
Those individuals may or may not have extensive training or background
in the activity. Coaches tend to
change every season. And those
individuals may or may not have a personal connection with your child. With Kindermusik, your child will likely
benefit from the same professionally licensed and certified educator for up
to seven years. More importantly, your
Kindermusik educator is fully committed to sharing a passion for helping
children learn through the magic of music. What is the
frequency of the activity?
Many youth
activities are designed to occur once or twice a week. The activity may be seasonal and may only
involve your child for those brief periods of scheduled time each week. Kindermusik provides you and your child an
opportunity to share a musical learning experience each and every day of the
week. Moreover, it provides an
opportunity for your child to participate in a learning experience that will
create an appreciation and knowledge of music that will last a lifetime. Although the Kindermusik classroom
experience is designed to occur once a week, a wealth of At Home
materials and activities allows for daily, at home interaction and
exploration of the music, the concepts and the learning first experienced in
class. In addition, those materials
are of virtually unmatched quality and unique to the Kindermusik program. What are the
goals of the activity?
Most childhood
sports and activities are geared to mastering a specific skill set or goal
such as learning to kick a soccer ball or memorizing the steps required for a
successful dance recital. In a time
when virtually everything your child does is based on standardized tests and
measurable results, Kindermusik takes the opposite stance by basing its
curricula on process – not performance.
While achieving specific skill sets are not required goals of the
Kindermusik experience, mastering skills comes naturally as one of the
results of the program. Kindermusik
focuses on a developmental approach that nurtures the child from the inside
out. Children develop by learning “how
to learn.” In addition to practicing certain skills, they think, talk, share,
create, sing, express, move, and participate fully with peers and
adults. They’re driven not by an
upcoming game or recital, but by their own personal experiences. What is the
size of the group participating?
Many youth activities
can seem overwhelming based on the sheer number of children involved. Kindermusik, in contrast, is limited to 12
children in a class. With a small
group setting, children have an opportunity to build friendships while
building self-confidence. What is the
degree of parental involvement in the program?
As a parent, how
involved are you? Do you want to be
relegated to a role of taxi driver and audience participant? Or would you prefer to play a more
interactive part in the activity? At
Kindermusik, we believe you are your child’s first and best teacher. In addition to making parents and
caregivers a part of every class, the At Home materials provide
ongoing participation and interaction for the entire family. You’ll have an opportunity to play an
important role in your child’s overall enjoyment and learning throughout the
Kindermusik experience. Kindermusik
is the single best choice. Many children’s activities provide a viable and valuable experience. But when all things are considered – when all the questions are answered – chances are that you’ll find Kindermusik offers the single best choice for your child. |
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