Music as Curriculum

Beautiful events have blessed our Home Sweet Home preschool. The strong initiative to explore Music has created relationships and partnerships, strengthening our learning community. Many thanks to each individual who has performed, on stage and behind the scenes, and who fills their heart and carries our song forward.

HSH welcomes photos from all site and community happenings, including Joy Through Music and independent caroling - we love to see our families in action! HOME TO SCHOOL CONNECTION HOMEWORK: each family is asked to create a flat paper star 7"-10" in length/width and place in it a recent photograph of their HSH child engaged with music. Parents can borrow an HSH stapler and with their child position the star on the board in the hallway in January. This star will border our family boards this Winter, illuminating our PAC information. Please spread the word to your friends, so we can enjoys a twinkling border in the new year!


The following offering came from Early Childhood Exchange, December 20, 2010: "Early Brain Development Research Review and Update," Pam Schiller

"Linguists, psychologists, and neuro-scientists have recently changed their long held opinion about the relationship between speaking and singing. The latest data show that music and language are so intertwined that an awareness of music is critical to a baby’s language development. As children grow, music fosters their communication skills. Our sense of song helps us learn to talk, read, and even make friends.

"Brain areas governing music and language overlap. Music and language have much in common. Both are governed by rules and basic elements (word and notes). In language, words make phrases, which combine to make larg er phrases and eventually sentences. In music, notes combine and grow to form a melody.

"The neurological ties between music and language go both ways; a person’s native tongue influences the way he perceives music. The same progression of notes may sound different depending on the language the listener learned growing up. Speakers of tonal languages (most Asian languages) are much more likely than Westerners to have perfect pitch. All languages have a melody that is unique. Infants echo the inherent melodies of their native language when they cry, long before they speak."