Showing posts with label TOS 2019. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TOS 2019. Show all posts

Sunday 21 July 2019

Give Yourself the Gift of Music with Piano Online {Review}

I grew up with the sound of my mother playing the piano and it's an instrument I've always wanted to learn to play.  Fifteen years ago we bought an upright piano and my oldest two and I enrolled in piano lessons.  A few months into lessons I developed severe morning sickness and could not continue with my lessons.  Recently the Homeschool Review Crew were presented the opportunity to review the Music & Creativity - Foundation Course by Simply Music sparked the desire to learn to play the piano again.

The Music & Creativity Course is an on line course presented by Neil Moore the Founder and Executive Director of Simply Music.  Neil developed the Simply Music program and has been teaching music for over twenty seven years. Simply Music uses a playing based education to teach playing the piano.



What we received
Enrolment into the Music & Creativity Program Level One.  This level is FREE for anyone to enrol and use.  Simply Music have made this in celebration of all the students that have learnt to play the piano with them.

It included:
  • Reference Books
  • Practise PDF
  • All backing Soundtracks - these can be downloaded or streamed for use as you practise and learn.
  • Music and the Art of Long-Term Relationships

Enrolling in the Music & Creativity Program is so easy.  I didn't need to enter any payment details.  All they asked for were my name, email address and password.  Within minutes I received my welcome email and immediate access to the program.

How It Works
While using Simply Music approach the pieces of music are from a variety of genre's such as contemporary, classical, gospel, blues, improvisation, accompaniment.  You learn from the beginning to play with both hands.
 Upon logging in you are taken to the Music and Creativity Program home page.  Here you can see at a glance which course you are currently enrolled in and how far you have progressed through the program as well as available courses to purchase in order to continue your piano music education.

At present there are two courses available: Foundation Course and Foundation Enhancement.  There are four Development levels and four Special Courses (Accompaniment, Composition & Improvisation, Arrangements and  Blues & Improvisation) being developed.

The course home page contains the option of downloading the PDF practise and reference books as well as a ZIP file containing the Soundtracks.  Below that you can see the Course Content.


 There are 19 lessons and a Quick start lesson. Upon completing a lesson you mark it complete and the system will auto track the where you are.  A no entry sign indicates that the lesson is not unlocked due to the previous lesson remaining incomplete.


Once you click through to your lesson you are taken to a page with an embedded video lesson where Neil teaches the lesson and takes you step by step through different pieces of music.  He does a great job of explaining step by step the notes, your hands and how to play the piece of music and how you are to practise.

You then practise what you have learnt using the sound track for that weeks lessons.  You can re-watch the lesson as many times as you would like. Once you have reached a level that you are happy and comfortable with you manually mark the lesson complete.  The system will then unlock the next lesson for you to begin and take you there.

You can watch the lessons on any Internet connected device.  I have watched them on my computer, a tablet and my phone.

This is my favourite piece of advice from Neil.  He is an encouraging teacher and puts no pressure on you the student.  He recognises that some learn slower and others learn faster and the most important thing is to learn at your OWN UNIQUE pace.

He explains to the students that every single time you sit down to practise you are learning and if you rush and practise wrong you will have to unlearn the mistake and relearn correctly and it is therefore prudent to SLOW down and teach yourself correctly the first time.

Simply Music Methodology

Neil explains - "The usual entry into learning piano is a 'reading-based' approach. In other words, students are first required to learn how to read music as the means of learning how to play. Although some students succeed with this approach, for the vast majority the reading process can feel unnatural and slow and end with the feeling that "music is not for me" or, "it's hard" or, "It takes a long time" or, "I don't have any musical talent or ability" etc.

Our 'playing-based' approach is based on a different premise. We say that everybody, without exception, is profoundly musical. Pretty much everything that we all do, on a moment-by-moment, day-to-day basis, is underscored by our musicality - this includes the rhythm of our heartbeat and our breathing, the perfectly smooth and even rhythm of our walking, as well as our ability to talk. In fact, conversation consists of spoken sentences and phrases of astonishing musical complexity, yet speaking comes easily and naturally to us all. In fact, it's our innate connection to musicality that gives us the ability to talk.

The Simply Music Method draws on and nurtures the natural sense of music we all possess; it teaches students to play the piano by immersing them in the actual process of playing. In the early stages of learning with Simply Music, music-reading is delayed. "

Important Notes/Format

This is an on line product, including video-based instruction, down loadable soundtracks, and three pdf documents.


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 If you would prefer face to face lessons with a teacher Simply Music has many trained teachers in 12 different countries around the world using their system of teaching music.  Find a teacher near you via the Simply Music Educator Location page.

Neil recently shared that Simply Music currently has students enrolled from a 100 countries around the world.

Overall

This program is very different from any program I have ever tried.  Neil is both the developer and the presenter of the program.  He is encouraging and clearly communicates each step of the course and helps you to understand the how and why of what he is doing.  You can learn more about the philosophy and the beginnings of Simply Music on their site as well as meet the staff who are working to support you on line.

I am looking forward to continuing my lessons and have encouraged Paul to begin lessons with Neil.

To find out what my fellow home educating Mom's and their families thought be sure to take a look at more reviews  at the Homeschool Review Crew.


PS:  Did you know the piano contains over 12,000 parts?

Wednesday 5 June 2019

Join the Homeschool Review Crew! {Mid-Year Intake Now Open}

Morning Home Educating Friends.It's been a while since I've shared around here and for good reason too.  We have been in South Africa celebrating milestone birthday's with family and reconnecting with friends.  I am home now and feeling refreshed from the time away.  I wanted to let you know that the Homeschool Review Crew have opened a mid-year application to join their ranks.
Homeschool Review Crew Mid-Year Application to Join
I initially joined the Crew in 2013 and loved it so much I have now been part of the crew for six years.

As a home educator I understand how tight finance can be and wanting to try out new products or wanting to look at products to see if they would work for our family.  Being a part of the Crew ment I could do this without spending any money.

How does it work?

The thing I enjoy about being a part of the Crew is that I am independent. I am never forced to review a product I really don't want and I am not told what to write.  My reviews are honest and I share truthfully.
  • Each week via a private members forum I am introduced to a new product, told what is expected of me as a reviewer for the product.
  • Once I have researched the product I fill in a Vendor Interest Forum (via Google Docs) where I notify the leadership of my desire for a product and why it would be a good fit for our family.
  • If there is a product that is not a good fit for our family I use the same form to let Debra (Crew Manager) know.  This takes very little of my time.
  • Once a week the leadership notify us via the same forum if we have been selected to receive a product.  
  • Via the same forum we are provided with all the support and information we need to successfully use a product and write our reviews.
  • Once a review is written we get to keep the product and use it at our discretion.

Benefits of being on the Homeschool Review Crew

  • I get to use home educating materials and keep them.
  • Support from the Crew Leadership and a mentor I can contact any time.
  • 24-hour access to a private membership forum
  • Membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com which has over 400 classes for my homeschool.
  • A copy of the  The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine every three months.  

Can I join if I'm not in the USA?

Yes!  I live in Australia.  Some of the Vendors post their products internationally and some do not.  Most digital products are available to international home educators.  Eligibility for product is determined by the Vendor.

What types of Product does the Crew Review?

The Crew review products that are home education related.  On occassion they have reviewed products designed to bless the Mom or Dad only.  The products range from physical to digital curriculum. I have loved every-single-product I have every received and been surprised by the variety of products on the market today for home educating families. You can see some of the products the Homeschool Review Crew have reviewed so far in 2019 here.  You can have a look at our top products for 2018 (as voted by the Crew) in the 2018 Blue Ribbon Awards.

What criteria makes you elegible to be on the Crew?

  • You need to LOVE looking at new curriculum and telling your friends about it.
  • Either a Blog or a Vlog channel.
  • A social media platform.
For more detailed information on the Crew and it's requirements please take a look at:  Apply to Join the Homeschool Review Crew! {2019 Crew Mid-Year Intake}

How do you join the team?

Fill in the  Homeschool Review Crew Mid-Year Application Form via Google Docs.  If you are successful you will receive an official inviatation from the Crew Leadership to join the team.

I do hope you will join me on the Crew I love meeting homeschooling families who blog and look forward to reviewing home schooling products with you for the remainder of the 2019 year.

Blessings
Chareen