Guitars in the Classroom

*Learning music is not a race

We each learn at our own pace

Register for what feels best

Cuz music keeps the learning fresh!*

TOTAL BEGINNER UKE AND VOICE FOR EDUCATORS, EARLY CHILDHOOD THROUGH KINDER

Course Prerequisite: None

EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC LEADERSHIP

In this class, you will learn to make music by singing, strumming rhythms, accompanying songs on ukulele and leading hands-on singing, songwriting and strumming with your students. This class is for teachers, paras and specialists with little to no musical experience, or no experience playing a ukulele. We teach in Open C tuning for ease and accessibility of playing, and we go slowly, and help you develop essential musical awareness and skills. You will learn to sing, strum and play easy songs for learning with three chords in our special Open Tuning on ukulele. This course does not cover guitar. Young children will be able to enjoy making music with you and participating in developmentally appropriate musical activities.

Note: If you already play guitar or ukulele in standard tuning, this course can be immensely helpful in learning to teach the instrument to children. You’ll learn a developmental approach to successful instruction with children between the ages of birth and five.

• During your training with GITC, everyone will learn to play and facilitate music making with:steady beat, body rhythms and,simple patterns to cultivate language development, phonological awareness and foster coordination, cross-midline brain development, and number sense.
• Making music with movement and small percussion instruments can improve coordination, cooperation, directionality, and following instructions.
• Exploring musical dynamics with longer/shorter, softer/louder, lower/higher, and slower/faster dynamics engages young learners and imparts mathematical thinking by teaching comparisons related to duration, volume, position, and speed.
• Call and response singing for learning timeless songs for young children cultivates the sounds and rhythms of spoken language, and inparts word sense, vocabulary, and expressive phrases.
• Songs for meeting essential needs and making transitions help children learn to communicate what they need, feel, and want. The song content becomes predictable, easy to recall and repeat, and it helps them learn to follow instructions.
• Hello and Goodbye chants and songs build a child's sense of being seen, feeling safe, belonging, and participating in community
• First experiences observing, exploring, drumming and strumming with a ukulele give students positive sensory stimulation, foundational musicality, and an ease interacting with musical instruments.
• Songs for learning letter sounds and phonemes
• Routines and positive language for sharing instruments and taking turns with singing songs build self regulation and sharing.
• Strumming, accompanying, cueing, and singing short songs teach you students primacy, and help them develop self control.W
• writing our own songs with input from children validates their ideas and expressiveness.
• Songs that identify the parts of our bodies, common items, animals, clothing, weather, times of the day, important routines, transitions, and more help young children build general knowledge.
• Making music can be used strategically to increase focus, or reduce anxiety and stress, or to bring calm.
• Teachers will learn to modify musical dynamics to create teachable moments.

All classes in this series will be taught from 7-8 pm PT / 8-9 pm MT / 9-10 pm CT / 10-11 pm ET.

Tues., Feb. 3 @ 7:00 pm PT

Tues., Feb. 10 @ 7:00 pm PT

Tues., Feb. 17 @ 7:00 pm PT

Tues., Feb. 24 @ 7:00 pm PT

Tues., Mar. 3 @ 7:00 pm PT

Tues., Mar. 10 @ 7:00 pm PT

Tues., Mar. 17 @ 7:00 pm PT

Tues., Mar. 24 @ 7:00 pm PT

To purchase your own ukulele, we highly recommend shopping at the reputable, San Diego-based store such as Moze Guitars in La Mesa, or Mark's Guitar Exchange in San Diego or Chula Vista. Guitar Center is also a great resource. You can also visit a reputable local online store (https://www.ukelikethepros.com/)! If you purchase any uke through Uke Like The Pros, you will receive a discount with the code GITC at the end and be sure to select “Local Pickup." To find starter ukes priced around or well under $100, visit this page (https://store.ukelikethepros.com/collections/guitars-in-the-classroom).

If you do not have an instrument, and you wish to request a scholarship ukulele in order to take this class, please fill out this survey and we’ll be back in touch soon! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Wntr26Scholrshp

For more information on this specific course, please email Julia directly at julia@guitarsintheclassroom.org