But I Can’t Teach My Child Music! (Day 3)

But I Can’t Teach My Child Music!

[Today’s article was written by Marcia Washburn and is part of the 31 Days of Music in Our Homeschool Series.]

Music is one of those subjects we all feel guilty about.

“I really ought to expose my children to great music,” we tell ourselves. We know that music gives us opportunities to express our emotions and draws us together socially. And we remember the scriptural commands to make music.[i] But most of us feel we lack the time, talent, or treasure to teach our children music.

Marcia Washburn loves connecting people with music. A homeschool mom of five boys herself, she noticed that many homeschool families don’t include music in their curriculum. So she wrote a unique music appreciation course that would be both easy-to-use and affordable, using the power of the Internet to replace the need for expensive CDs. She introduced basic music terminology in simple, everyday language. Then she field-tested it with non-musicians to be sure anyone could use it.

Beethoven Who? Family Fun with Music has become a homeschool bestseller since its publication. Music teachers are using it to supplement their lessons, too.

Beethoven Who? Family Fun with Music shows you how to:

• Unlock the mysteries of musical notation.
• Grow comfortable using the vocabulary of music.
• Find appealing classical, folk, patriotic, and sacred music.
• Enjoy fun hands-on activities with your children as you explore music together.
• Tie in music with other subjects and interests.
• Share your music with others.

What is included?

• The Elements of Music
• Classical Music Your Child Will Love—teaching tips and links for listening
• Activities to teach pitch, rhythm, form, dynamics, tempo, musical terms, etc.
• Heritage Music Every Child Should Know—folk, patriotic, and sacred
• Making Music Together
• Hundreds of external and internal links
• Glossary of Musical Terms
• Five appendices and complete index; 334 pages 

An economical way to enjoy music together

Many music appreciation courses cost as much as $170 for a single year’s curriculum. With Beethoven Who? Family Fun with Music, you don’t pay for expensive textbooks or CDs. All you need is the downloadable book and a computer with Internet access. Designed to be flexible enough to be used by the entire family or as a high school elective.

Order your copy of Beethoven Who at marciawashburn.com

Marcia Washburn holds a Master’s in Music Education and taught public school music prior to the birth of their oldest son. She has operated several businesses including a profitable piano studio. She and her husband homeschooled their five sons in rural Colorado for nineteen years.

A regular contributor to home education magazines, Mrs. Washburn also speaks nationally and internationally. Her other books include Activity Days for Homeschool Groups and Families; Talent to Treasure: Building a Profitable Music Teaching Business; Teach Your Family to Play the Soprano Recorder; Homemade Convenience Foods; the Management for Moms Series; and Home-Based Eldercare: Stories and Strategies for Caregivers.

Visit her website at MarciaWashburn.com for these great resources, articles, and more.

[i] Psalm 100:1-2; Psalm 98:1, 4-6; Ephesians 5:18-20.