Teaching Music to Young Children
With the Animal Notes and their word clues, it is possible for a teacher, parent, grandparent , other relative, or a thoughtful friend to teach piano to a child as young as four and guitar to a seven year old. The books and learning tools designed by the Noteimals allow young children to take small, steady steps toward learning the location of the notes on their instrument and the Grand Staff. The word clues for each of the Animal Notes allow the child to have fun with learning the notes and have a way to recognize the note in its standard notation. The child feels good about what they are accomplishing. There is very little of the frustration that is encountered when starting a young student in beginning music using standard notation. The Animals are familiar and friendly.
When teaching any young child, it is very important to put information on their level of understanding. They have not had time in their short lives to experience all that a teenager or adult has. I have found that tying new information to something comfortable and familiar helps them understand and learn new information. For instance: To help my young guitar students understand why the low E is on the top when the guitar is in playing position, we talked about this note being a Father Note Elephant. Daddy’s might come home from work and need to sit down in the bass clef for awhile, but they still must be up mentally to help their family and friends below him on the guitar neck to provide them help whenever needed. This simple idea has helped each of my young guitar students accept the fact the fact that the lowest note in guitar music is closest to their face when the guitar is in playing position.
The Animal Note approach to note reading and learning an instrument at a young age is fun, creative, and, in the majority of situations, very successful. Music adds so much to any individual’s life. Why not try it with your new young music student?
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