Gymnastics

Fall term gymnastics began today.  I'm very pleased with both classes.

  Cody was bumped up a level so he is now in the big gym with the older boys.  Four year olds should still be in the Munchkin group in the little gym, but I'm not going to complain because I like this set-up better. 

 He has a young man for a coach and he did soooo much better behavior wise.  The man rough-houses with them and Cody loves it.  He is kept too busy to get into his usual trouble.

Claire only has two enrolled in her class so far.  She is with the other Claire and they get along beautifully.  Other Claire is so sweet, and since she is just a bit more advanced, it challenges our Claire to try harder than when she was head of the class. 

 Also, a 2:1 ratio instead of a 6:1 ratio makes me feel like I'm as though I am really getting my money's worth.

Piano/Voice Lessons

Claire began piano/voice lessons today.  She will receive weekly instruction from the same piano teacher I had when I was a child--Lynneil Murray.  I don't know who was more excited about going, she or I? 

She'll be using John Thompson's Teaching Little Fingers To Play.  It has a whole new look, different artwork, but most of the songs inside are the same as I remember, (it was my first piano book, too!).

 

 She also has a theory book and flash cards.  To celebrate, I bought her a beautiful new pink backpack in which to carry it all.

Piano Lessons



Claire's first keyboard



I took piano lessons for nearly 10 years when I was a child.  When it came time for Claire to begin learning music, it seemed only natural that I should be her instructor.  After all, I'm teaching her reading, math, history, art, science, geography, literature, etc.  Piano shouldn't be any different?

Well, it WAS different.  Yes, I could teach her how to play notes, but I began to realize that for some people, music is much more than just playing the correct notes.  That is all it has ever been, (and probably will ever be), for me.  I don't have a deep love for music.  I decided that I wanted her to learn more than just the notes.

I discovered that the musician who gave me lessons still teaches only 1 mile away and at a very affordable cost.  She is the exact type of teacher I wanted.  She has music in her heart.  When she plays or even just talks about music, it simply pours out.  My lessons were inevitably tedious, means to an end.  

I don't know that a person can be taught to love something like music?  I believe, to a certain extent, that it is a gift bestowed at birth.  However, I do think it is possible to squelch that gift.  I recognized early that I was dangerously capable of doing just that. 

 It is hard to tell whether music is more than just a grouping of notes for Claire.  If I had to guess, I would say that at this point, she sees learning to play piano as simply a handy thing to add to her "list of things I can do."  However, if there is some deeply buried musical gift, Mrs. Murray is certain to dig it up.