At their peril! These students deserve the same access and opportunities that are afforded their public and private school counterparts. That includes access to quality instrumental music instruction, especially for those students who show an early aptitude for music and/or a keen interest. All students at a minimum should be exposed to the recorder starting in the 3rd grade as well as the piano. Starting in the 4th grade those students that are especially motivated and/or show aptitude can begin to play the violin, guitar, flute, clarinet, or saxophone in addition to the piano.
Music, especially instrumental music, can be an important component of a well-rounded homeschool curriculum. Are you, as the teacher/parent musically inclined? Are you at least somewhat proficient on a musical instrument? If so, you are probably ok with putting together a homeschool music curriculum that will be more than adequate for your students/children. However, what if math or science is your strong suit? Perhaps you have some students/children that would like to play a musical instrument but you’re unsure of how to get them started? Musical instruments are expensive, even if they are listed as “student models”. Private lessons can be expensive as well, method books can be confusing, do you rent an instrument or purchase? and so forth…. That’s why I’ve created this page just for you!
Pam and I are homeschool veterans ourselves. We homeschooled our two boys for seven years, including one child disabled with cerebral palsy. Since we we had our degrees in music education, we didn’t need help with the music end of things, but we certainly did for nearly everything else! So I can empathize with your situation!
What are the benefits to students in listening to and playing quality music? Maybe you have heard of the “Mozart Effect”, based on a 1997 book by Don Campbell and founded on the 1991 research of French researcher Dr. Alfred Tomatis. The author claims, and now there is a great deal of supporting scientific research, that listening to classical music, especially Mozart, can further develop the spatial-temporal functioning of the brain. This has now been inked to improved math and science learning, and generally making our children smarter. Learning about music or how to play a musical instrument is always beneficial. Music involves both left and right-brain functioning. Music inspires creativity and passion. Learning to play a musical instrument or sing is a skill that; once developed, can be enjoyed throughout your entire lifetime!
For more information and to check out some great homeschool music instruction products CLICK HERE
