| itsy bitsy zone 58 Macy Street Amesbury, MA 01913 Mailing address PO Box 91 Amesbury, MA 01913 (978) 388-3773 sing@itsybitsymusic.com |
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| General FAQ's |
 How long are classes? |
| 45 minutes |
How many classes in a session? |
| Classes meet once a week for 10-weeks at your scheduled time. There are 10 weeks in the fall, winter and spring sessions, a mini summer and holiday session. |
What is included in the fee for tuition? |
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How many children are in each class? |
| There are approximately 14 children enrolled in each class. Occasionally there may be one or two extra families making up a class. One or more parent or caregiver accompanies each child or set of siblings. |
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What is the age range in classes? |
| All classes are mixed ages from birth to five years old. |
How does the mixed-age format work in class? |
| Early childhood educators are now recommending mixed-age groupings as a better learning environment. Older children learn from being in a leadership role, and younger children benefit from the example of an older child. Mixed-age classrooms also promote social skills and self-esteem. The classes have more of a family feel rather than a school orientation. Siblings can participate together, as well as moms, dads, grandparents, and caregivers. (No need to get a babysitter!). The curriculum is designed to teach on many levels of complexity at once. Children of the same age are not necessarily in the same state of musical development. The activities are parent-child oriented, not child-child, so children don't need to be with children of the same age. |
What do you do in the classes? |
| It's 45 minutes of fun, informal, music making and creating. Adults and children together sing and dance to songs, play rhythmic instruments, sing tonal and rhythmic patterns, and experience a wide range of rhythmic and melodic musical variety. Each class includes different activities that are designed for the age and abilities of your child. |
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My child probably won't sit still for 45 minutes... |
Itsy Bitsy zone maintains an informal atmosphere and we do not expect children of this young age to sit still throughout the whole class. Normally we have about 3 or 4 activities during the class where we all get up and move around the room. Children are free to wander about the circle or around the room during the class as long as they are actively engaged in the activities and safe. We encourage the grown-up to stay in the circle and participate to provide the "wanderer" with a home base where the child can check in from time to time. Seeing that you prefer singing with the teacher to chasing after him/her may draw the child back to the group - at least until some other lively song sends him/her off dancing! |
Can special-needs children attend classes? |
| All children are special and we welcome children with special needs. Since our classes are of mixed ages, each child, no matter where they are developmentally, fits in. Special needs children are always encouraged to be part of our musical family. Music has long provided therapeutic benefits for all children. |
What happens if I miss a class? |
| There are 2 make-up classes allowed per child on a space available basis. Make up classes cannot be carried over to the next session. Please call if you will miss a class to make a space for someone who would like to make-up a class AND to schedule a make-up class. |
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| Music FAQ's |
I am not musical, can I really help my child develop musical intelligence? |
| Yes! A parent is a child's most important teacher and favorite playmate. Your involvement in class is directly related to your child's experience during class. The more you take part in the music making, the more your child will get out of it. Children learn by imitation and when they see you singing, dancing and playing musical instruments, they will naturally do the same. |
Do you do the same songs every week? |
| No. Each week we do about 13 songs from the 25-30-song CD collection. Each week we do mostly familiar songs with 2 or 3 new ones until we have covered the whole session's collection. It is important to listen to the CD/cassette tape at home or in the car frequently, particularly during the first few weeks. A variation on a familiar curriculum provides a predictable structure that fosters the learning of music through repetition. |
What if my child is too shy to sing in class? |
| A child's temperament will dictate whether they will want to sing out loud in a class. The focus is on process, not performance. Children learn through exposure in a fun environment and need the freedom to experiment on their own. Rest assured that if your child enjoys coming to class and enjoys the songs and activities at home, he or she are learning in as natural a way as possible. Remember, if your child sings at home and not in class - that's OK! |
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Do you have the same songs each session? |
| No. There are nine different sessions of materials so families can take the course for 3 years and not repeat the same collection/curriculum. Our acclaimed, professional recordings are fun, upbeat, and humorous. Each song has a fun musical activity to engage the child in both class and at home. Children of all ages and adults enjoy our music! |
What instruments do you use? |
| We have a variety of rhythmic instruments such as drums, triangles, maracas, bells, shakers, and rhythm sticks. Multi-cultural instruments are also used like guiros, cabasas, bongos and shekeres. The instruments do not play musical notes so that the children will never feel they are playing a wrong note and can join however they like. |
Do infants really benefit? |
| Yes! Yes! Yes! An infant's participation will seem passive at first, as they actively absorb what they are seeing, hearing, and feeling. As their bodies and nervous systems quickly mature, the infants often show progressively more complex musical responses and evidence of song recognition. Parents will learn in class how to enhance their child's music development and how to create or enhance the musical bond with their baby and a lifelong love of music. |
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What happens in an itsy bitsy music class? |
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| Sign Language FAQ's |
What is the optimal age to introduce signs to our baby? |
No age is too early to begin learning and modeling signs with your baby. Most babies begin to make associations around 6 month. That's when they begin to understand that vocalizing gives them power! They make a sound – you come running. Once this happens, babies realize that signing is powerful and that it is much more effective than crying. Your baby will learn that when he cries, you may appear on the scene but you may not give him what he wants, at least not immediately. When he signs he learns that he gets much better results. If he makes the sign for EAT…he gets a cheerio. If he makes a sign for MILK…voila, instant service At the same time, it's never too late to start; even toddlers who have a few spoken words can significantly benefit from signing. Learning specific signs for "ball", "bath", and "bottle" can help distinguish the specific word when "ba-ba" is used for all three items. Using the sign paired with the baby's spoken sound can help reduce frustration for both you and your baby. The Itsy Bitsy Signs program will help guide you through this process. |
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How will sign language effect our baby's language development ? |
| Through signs, babies learn that their thoughts can be conveyed symbolically. For example, a baby may think, "All I have to do is touch my fingers to my lips and my parents will understand that I'm hungry!". Babies also learn that language can be used to influence others. "I can get Dad to put more crackers on my plate if I sign MORE.” Signing lets babies begin to explore and understand the basic functions of language at a very early age. Babies can use signs to choose the topic of conversation. This allows them to direct an adult's attention to the things they want to investigate. "All I have to do to get my parents to tell me more about airplanes is make the sign for AIRPLANE." In addition to giving babies an early understanding of the functions of language, signs help reinforce the meaning of spoken words, especially when both words and signs are used simultaneously. |
Does signing with babies delay their speech development? |
| Research conclusively indicates that babies who sign tend to have a stronger command of verbal language and often begin speaking at an earlier age than babies who do not sign. Countless parents and caregivers have confirmed these findings with their personal experiences and observations. In addition, many Speech-Language professionals, pediatricians, and educators are supporting the use of signs to encourage early language development. |
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Will it be difficult for our baby to learn the signs ? |
| No. Most babies learn to identify and then form signs quickly. The structure of ASL is compatible with the nature of language development in infants. One sign can relate an entire concept. Young children begin communicating using one-word sentences (in this case, one-gesture sentences) to express complete thoughts or needs. For example, by making a single meaningful gesture by raising their arms, they are able to communicate, "Pick me up!" ASL signs are also very iconic, that is, they are manual imitations of the objects and actions they represent. This will help both you and your child remember signs. |
Why American Sign Language ? |
| Since its introduction in the United States in 1817, ASL has evolved into the accepted gestural language of North America . It is standardized throughout the United States and Canada , and is currently the third most commonly used language in North America . Using a standardized language not only provides family members with a unified system of communication, but also offers childcare providers a consistent means to better serve the needs of all children. When a family uses a collection of fabricated "home signs" and gestures with their baby, it greatly decreases the likelihood that the child will be able to communicate with other families, caregivers, and children. Itsy Bitsy Signs also provides a foundation for the continued learning of ASL throughout a child's life. |
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