KrissiK Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Do you actually require "work" or is it more of an appreciation type of thing. For us, it's been pretty light. We studied Mozart for a month, once a week I read out of a biography and we listened to his music. Sometimes I wonder if I should so work sheets or test them, or have them be able to identify certain of his pieces. But that all seems like too much work for me. Their retention isn't great. We studied Bach for a month in November, and the today I read a bit out of the "Lives of Famous Composers" book and my dd asked me if Bach was a real person? Really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 For music and art appreciation, I didn't require any output. For art lessons and music lessons, there is output in the form of art pieces (drawings, clay sculptures) and music playing and music theory. I only remember Bach and other composers from all the music theory exams I took as a child. ETA: My kids did art and music history under history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco_Clark Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I think it depends on if you are teaching Art and Music Appreciation ( I would just listen and look and appreciate), or Art and Music History (I'd expect some output to aid retention of artists and their lives) or Art and Music Theory (where I would do art/music projects and expect pieces to be recognized by artist and style). I think all three are wonderful options and none of them a requirement. It depends on your values and interests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 I think it depends on if you are teaching Art and Music Appreciation ( I would just listen and look and appreciate), or Art and Music History (I'd expect some output to aid retention of artists and their lives) or Art and Music Theory (where I would do art/music projects and expect pieces to be recognized by artist and style). I think all three are wonderful options and none of them a requirement. It depends on your values and interests. Hmm, I guess I never really thought about what I was doing. I guess I was going more for just "I gotta do something, Classical Education is all about Latin, Greek and truth and beauty, right?" And I hadn't done anything in the beauty milieu. Well, it's not really that bad, but sort of. I knew I had been ignoring the fine arts and really wanted to incorporate them into our day. So, I am doing art twice a week, and music twice a week (one day composer study, the other day they're learning theory with flutophones). But I'd really like to do something a little more meaty, but maybe not academic, if that even exists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knitmama Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 For art, I use a two-pronged approach. I teach both techniques and appreciation (I love Sister Wendy's books for the latter) but this almost always leads to trying it out ourselves. Once you learn about perspective or foreshortening, it's almost impossible not to try it yourself, just to see if it works! And trying it out yourself leads to a deeper appreciation of those who have mastered it. Same thing with music. Listening (modelling) is important, but in my view the act of creating is necessary for full appreciation. Luckily, I'm married to a musician/music teacher who concurs. I don't expect my kiddo to become an artist or a musician, but I don't think it's too much to expect to have her learn a basic facility/understanding of how to create. (This is the same approach I take with language arts; we read the classics, and I don't expect her to hit those heights--but she does need to achieve both an appreciation/understanding of great literature and competence in her own communication.) FWIW, I always-always-always shoehorn in history, too, because I find I can't teach any other way. Artists' choice of subjects, techniques, and materials are rooted in place/time, and as much as I can, I research and emphasize those details. They add to the fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 It's very laid back and pretty unschoolish for us. One is very into art and music. The other isn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 We use some very basic art appreciation type books and use usborne books for techniques. For music we outsource to a piano teacher. I occasionally try to play some classical music but other than the kid tapes like Peter and the wolf they usually ask me to Pleaeaease turn it off!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I usually make sheets like these for our composer and artist study. They contain a brief overview that the kids mark up (circle key words etc) a historic image to color, space for notes, etc. My goal isn't to force output, but to direct their attention while they are listening to music, a read-aloud, or momma prattling on. I also find that the sheets help with review and the kids voluntarily flip through them when searching for answers to their own questions like, "who was that pointillist-guy in France?"I then attach photos of the kids work (or the actual artwork/music if it is small enough) that they create when trying out the concepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minerva Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I try to do art one month and music the next. For art I usually find an artist we want to study, watch some Youtube videos about their art or their lives, read some history, look at artwork and then we make art based on their work. At first I used purchased curricula to help me with this (I am a spectacularly unskilled artist) but I have discovered that there are a million amazing teachers who have shared their work on the internet. We do about one art project a week, sometimes every other week. For music we stumbled on the short biographies of composers by Zeezok Publishing. The kids love them. They are age appropriate and informative. I think they can come with a companion CD and a workbook, but we bought it used and have neither, so we find companion music on Youtube and listen to that composer frequently during the month, not just during music studies. My dd(9) watches a Piano Youtube video once a week and then practices on our keyboard most days. I do not require this of her, but she likes it. Both of my kids spend a lot of time just goofing on the keyboard. My son never makes art on his own and doesn't particularly like to draw, but he loves art class. My dd is always drawing but not especially skilled. I do have to say that these are the hardest subjects for me to prepare for. It takes a lot of time to find the art projects, gather materials, find the music compilations, biographies that are age appropriate...I sometimes get lazy about it and let it slide, but my kids ask for it and I know the benefits outweigh my laziness. We only do core subjects three days a week so that we have time to do science, art, music, spanish and history deeply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purduemeche Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 It depends on the ages. Music grammar level: music should focus on appreciation and gaining familiarity with classical music and music style around the world Music high school: move to picking an instrument or two and gaining mastery Art grammar level: "Artistic Pursuits" is our favorite - a great survey of techniques and artists through history. Younger children need to build the raw material to be creative later, so art at this age should focus on copying other techniques in various media. Art high school: spend more time on each technique and begin to expect original output Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 It's all about exposure. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 We do both art & music "appreciation" and art & music "instruction". I don't expect any output for "appreciation"; that's all about exposure and fostering warm, fuzzy feelings toward the arts. I love attending the symphony and tramping through art museums; I wouldn't want to ruin that with assignments. There is output for art "instruction". My kids produce at least one art project each week as part of their art program (Artistic Pursuits). They take instrumental lessons for music "instruction", so their output there is daily practice and the occasional recital or competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsWeasley Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Most of it is exposure. We do Classics for Kids for a composer each month, because the kids love that, and then I try to make a playlist of the composer's most famous works. If I can find one, I will read a picture book about the composer, too. We don't review it, and I expect very little retention. I also try to annually listen to the Story of Classical Music, hoping as they become familiar with more composers more of it will stick. My kids are both in music lessons, and I do expect them to practice daily, so I guess the "output" for music for us is learning to play an instrument. Art is similar. We do narrations on Mom-chosen artworks and once a season trips to the various art museums around here. I have no expectation that they will necessarily remember any of these pieces long-term. We do projects out of Discovering Great Artists, and I still have limited hopes of retention. We do a monthly art project that isn't drawing, and I do that solely in case one of the kids finds his or her passion in a medium that isn't drawing. We do work through Drawing with Children, and this is the only thing I expect some "output." I definitely think that without direct teaching, a lot of kids stop drawing as they grow frustrated with their lack of technical skill, and so I do expect to see some gradual progress in that area. All my kids are grammar age and younger. I definitely hope at some point to do more music theory as well as more art and music history, but right now, it's too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 We do both art & music "appreciation" and art & music "instruction". I don't expect any output for "appreciation"; that's all about exposure and fostering warm, fuzzy feelings toward the arts. I love attending the symphony and tramping through art museums; I wouldn't want to ruin that with assignments. There is output for art "instruction". My kids produce at least one art project each week as part of their art program (Artistic Pursuits). They take instrumental lessons for music "instruction", so their output there is daily practice and the occasional recital or competition. This is what we do, too. Exposure to live art, music, dance, and theater is for pleasure and to broaden their experience of the fine arts. We also listen to Classical Kids CDs, read books about composers and artists. There are some good DVDs for young audiences about musicians and artists, too. Instruction is for output. I have used ARTistic Pursuits, which wasn't too bad considering I have absolutely no background in art. I think the dc have gotten a lot more out taking art classes from actual art instructors. As the dc get older, I've enroll them in one art class a year. Music instruction, including instrument playing, singing in a choir and music theory, I outsource to professional teachers. This is a big priority for our family, both the financial aspect to lessons and instruments for 4 children and the time and effort to support the daily practice, lessons and performances. We would do this whether we homeschooled or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Hmm, I guess I never really thought about what I was doing. I guess I was going more for just "I gotta do something, Classical Education is all about Latin, Greek and truth and beauty, right?" And I hadn't done anything in the beauty milieu. Well, it's not really that bad, but sort of. I knew I had been ignoring the fine arts and really wanted to incorporate them into our day. So, I am doing art twice a week, and music twice a week (one day composer study, the other day they're learning theory with flutophones). But I'd really like to do something a little more meaty, but maybe not academic, if that even exists. http://www.professorcarol.com/ https://www.colortheclassics.com/ http://www.naxosaudiobooks.com/0003.htm http://www.naxosaudiobooks.com/234712.htm http://www.naxosaudiobooks.com/242212.htm http://www.artisticpursuits.com/ https://simplycharlottemason.com/store/creating-a-masterpiece/ https://simplycharlottemason.com/store/picture-study-portfolios/ HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Just wanted to second Professor Carol and the Simply Charlotte Mason resources. We've used and enjoyed both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Love this! do you just find stuff online and then put it all together? I usually make sheets like these for our composer and artist study. They contain a brief overview that the kids mark up (circle key words etc) a historic image to color, space for notes, etc. My goal isn't to force output, but to direct their attention while they are listening to music, a read-aloud, or momma prattling on. I also find that the sheets help with review and the kids voluntarily flip through them when searching for answers to their own questions like, "who was that pointillist-guy in France?"I then attach photos of the kids work (or the actual artwork/music if it is small enough) that they create when trying out the concepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Love this! do you just find stuff online and then put it all together? Yup - They are just cut and paste documents. Historic artwork is "fair use," so you can print just about anything you need for educational purposes. I also add free coloring pages and clip art to the page, along with short summaries that my big kids or I come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 Wow! Thanks for all the ideas. Plink, those sheets are wonderful! Have you ever thought about .... well.... packaging them up and selling them?;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 KrissiK asks: Do you actually require "work" or is it more of an appreciation type of thing? That depends upon: 1) the age of your child(ren). Some things are just an age-appropriate thing. 2) your goal (as the instructor) for arts education. Do you want your child to play at Carnagie Hall? Are you an intensely musical family? Do you have internationally-known artists in the house? For our household: Music: Goal: To learn a skill. To have passing knowledge of music, music history, and composers, "I've heard of that before!" Dd8 practices piano daily. She colors in a calendar square every day. If she misses, I color the square black. Every 10th day in a row, she gets a break from the keyboard. Things we do on the 10th day: --play music theory games --read from the Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers series; then listening to a YouTube video of the composer's best known songs(s) --read from a story of the Opera or Ballet;* then listening to a song or two on Youtube of what we just read *Preview these stories. I have one version of Swan Lake for kids that openly discusses suicide within the story. Not everyone wants their kids exposed to such ideas so young. We also have Beethoven's Wig in the house. Again, my goal is, "Oh, I've heard of him." Art: Goal: To learn a skill (Drawing, and use of art supplies). To have passing knowledge of art, art history, and artists, "I've heard of that before!" When we get to art, we alternate our focus: 1) Drawing. We use Ed Emberley books and Usborne's What Shall I Draw? Whatever we draw, we draw 3 of them. Dd only needs to color in her favorite. Drawing things repeatedly results in: --drawing something better through repetition --remembering how to draw something through repetition --soothing of perfectionism: "Remember, you need to draw it two more times. It will be better next time." --Creativity on the child's part: draw an owl, then an owl with babies in a tree, then an owl with a wizard. 2) For art projects, we have been using Home Art Studio with Lindsey Volin. It is a good fit for us, but there are also many good art programs out there. We just finished the 1st grade videos, and Ms. Volin discussed several artists and countries (types of art around the world) throughout the first year. 3) Usborne Art Cards.: I tack one up on the bulletin board next to dd's workspot. (Put it in a quart ziplock if you don't want a tackhole in your card). We read the back and discuss it. I request children's books from the library on the artist to give a story of the artist's life, discuss his art, or even as a boring biography. (Type "juvenile [artist's name]"). Sometimes I have to order an adult book from the library. We don't read it, but we flip through it and discuss and paintings that are interesting to us. Our most recent card is Manet, and I am outta luck for what our library offers. Fortunately, I found a Manet for kids website through one of the museums. The Usborne Art cards are not changed by a regular schedule. Whenever we get around to reading what the library has to offer, then we choose a new card. 4) Calendars: One of my big splurges for the past two years is to have "Art Calendars" in the house. Loverboy gets them for me for Christmas. One is tacked next to dd's chair. This year we have "Italian Masters" and "Georgia O'Keefe." Last year was "Magritte" and "Modern Art." The year before that was "Rob Gonsalves." At the end of the year, we cannabalize the calendars, and if either dd has a favorite, she hangs it on the wall by her bed; because if you really want to know a painting well, you buy a poster of it, and hang it up. The rest goes in the trash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Beethoven’s Wig is great for recognition. Be prepared for singing along when they hear the pieces in other contexts though. We also like Classics for Kids (http://www.classicsforkids.com). The segments are short, there is an optional three question quiz for each segment and an optional activity sheet for most of the composers. Maestro Classics is also fun. If you want something more in-depth, we are enjoying Introduction to Classical Music (Yale University) on Coursera. The professor is quite engaging. There are quizzes and optional reading assignments, but we find the lectures themselves to be enough. My youngest likes listening for pieces he recognizes (which are quite a few thanks to Beethoven’s Wig). I outsource piano lessons. Expected output is to practice and do any theory workbook pages the instructor assigns. For art this year we are using the visual arts section of What Your 3rd Grader Needs to Know plus occasional arts and crafts projects. Output is whatever they make. For next year, I am considering Arttango (http://www.arttango.com). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Yup - They are just cut and paste documents. Historic artwork is "fair use," so you can print just about anything you need for educational purposes. I also add free coloring pages and clip art to the page, along with short summaries that my big kids or I come up with. Thank you! off to go look for Charlemagne stuff :driving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayDad Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 We have been using draw3d.com and they love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Do you actually require "work" or is it more of an appreciation type of thing. We tend to do both, but treat them as different subjects. Or to be more accurate, the 'appreciation' side of things isn't really treated as a 'subject' at all, more of a fun activity (in the case of art: we really just look at famous works and talk about them, and sometimes read a bit about the artist) or just something we do (in the case of listening to music). I really dislike the idea of having the dichotomy: music-that-mom-makes-us-listen-to (AKA Classics) vs normal music (stuff kids would listen to of their own accord). Our attitude is that there are many many different sorts of music and it's great to explore them all. All of our kids have 'favorite' pieces of music from many different genres, and they don't think that operas or symphonies are any more difficult to listen to than top 40 songs because we have never taught them that. Yes we do have output in the form of pieces played and pages in their art portfolios, but we haven't done anything like art history at this stage, and to be honest we'll be unlikely to do that unless the kids are interested. The littlest does basic music theory but that is mostly to help with her reading skills (she is an ear player and resists following the score). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Another activity:When you take children to an art museum, make an immediate detour to the gift shop.Buy an art postcard for each person in your group. Confirm with the cashier that each art piece is in the museum somewhere.Play scavenger hunt to see who can find what is on their postcard first. --This gives young children something to do in an art museum.--Children must actually LOOK at the art as they wander through the gallery, because they are trying to match their picture.--The postcard makes a nice souvenir to use as a bookmark or to hang up on the wall by the child's bed or workspace when the child returns home.--The postcard gives the the child fond memories of visiting the art museum, and hopefully they will want to go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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