Being an Early Years music teacher I know quite a bit about young children especially toddlers but when it comes to my own toddler - well that's a different story! My son is two and a half and comes to one of the music classes for children. I run in Wakefield. I consider this a perk of what I do and I really believe music helps children in many ways. It helps them with language, reading and mathematical skills; it also builds confidence and learning to share and take turns. To sing or play an instrument and learn about music should be a basic human right.
Over the years many children have passed through my music classes and there is always one or two who find it more difficult to sit and listen. There is always that parent who is totally fed up because their child does not join in or appear to be listening.
Of course I will always say to that parent "don't worry its just a phase, they are still listening even if you don't think so". So why is it so hard to take my own advice? Those who stayed and persisted and come out the other side with amazing results - the had the breakthrough , where everything just suddenly clicked and their child started singing, joining in everything!
Yesterday we had a breakthrough! A small one, but significant I think and it just goes to show that children are listening even if you think they're not!
At the moment my son is exactly this child! He doesn't sit still and he doesn't listen. He is the one that runs around the class or decides he doesn't want to do what everyone else is doing and lays on the floor wailing. He's the one that throws the balls all over the room instead of towards Grandma or Grandad. He does the exact opposite of everyone else! I have on many occasions thought about pulling him out of the class because I feel it is unprofessional and he is disruptive BUT I know that one day (if my parents can cope with him) it will all fall into place and I don't want to give up just because its hard. Perhaps he is attention seeking for me? Yes, maybe however I take him to a structured gym class (Tumble Tots) and he is pretty much the same there. All the other children follow the teachers but not him, he does his own thing. To some extent I like that he does his own thing because he is being creative and exploring and it means he's an individual! Its hard work though and very frustrating!
The Breakthrough! It is the little things isn't it? Last night we had a breakthrough. My husband said to me our son could sing the end words of a song we did in class Cobbler Cobbler. I wasn't convinced as he doesn't speak very well as it is, he doesn't copy words like some other children do in parrot fashion but then one day a word will just appear in his vocabulary like....dinosaur! He also doesn't like my singing and waves his hand in my face telling me "noise" - not a great start is it?
So the breakthough.... my husband starts singing... Cobbler, Cobbler mend my.... my son finishes "shoe" Get it done by half past ...... "two" (my son sings again!). I am amazed! I know he can "dah dah dah" tunes like Postman Pat but this is the first time ever that he's sung part of the songs I teach in my music classes!
We've probably only sung Cobbler, Cobbler a handful of times but that absolutely confirms to me that whilst he is running around appearing not to listen it is actually all going in.
So there it is! The breakthrough! It is all going in and one of the reasons I love teaching music through singing songs. What was your breakthrough?
*2020 UPDATE* When my son reached 3 and a half things didn't fall into place and actually what has transpired is that he is autistic, ADHD and (most probably) PDA. He is now 8 and unschooled. Structure doesn't work for him and his anxiety stops him from doing many things. He is much calmer now out of school and even though he has never been able to do any 'classes' he is still musical - and he shows this through his love for Minecraft. I will be sharing all about the Minecraft-music link soon!