Welcome to Music in Our Homeschool!
Hey there! I’m Gena and my mission is to help you confidently include music education in your homeschool!
ONCE UPON A TIME
I was seriously afraid of homeschooling my 8 kids. What if I make the choose the wrong curriculum? What if I mess them up? But I was determined to give it a go, thinking it was absolutely the best thing for them, and me. So I recruited veteran homeschoolers to “help” me.
Those homeschoolers taught, encouraged, mentored, and inspired me. I’ve now homeschooled for almost 20 years, graduated four kids (including 2 from college), so I’d say my plan worked out pretty well!
But this isn’t a story about me and my homeschooling success. This is actually a story about you and your homeschooling success.
You see, I started out as a music teacher and even taught in the public school system for 5 years before having kids. So, that’s the special angle I’m coming from.
When I started homeschooling, I was determined to include music education in my homeschool. But, then I realized how hard that could be — even for me,a music teacher!
The way I made it happen: I found ways that actually work for homeschoolers.
Trying to Homeschool at the beginning can feel like learning a foreign language.
Who am I?
My name is Gena Mayo, and I’m a homeschool mom. My 8 children are ages 23 down to 12, and I’ve homeschooled from the beginning.
I’m also a music teacher. I went to Baylor University in Waco, Texas and graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1995. Then, I taught junior high choir and elementary general music for 5 years at a couple of public schools in Texas and received my Masters in Music degree in vocal pedagogy (teaching voice lessons).
Get 25 FREE online music lessons here:
Sampler Music Appreciation Mini-Course
I’m also certified by Musikgarten to teach early childhood music and movement classes.
I have taught music continually since 1995 in various forms: choir; show choir; Musikgarten classes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers; musical theater classes; private and semi-private voice lessons; music appreciation and music history classes at our homeschool co-op; and vocal directing full-length musicals.
I have encouraged and supported my children in their many musical endeavors: private lessons in piano, voice, violin, clarinet, percussion, saxophone, and guitar; choir; band; music appreciation and recorder class at homeschool co-op; competitions and recitals; musicals through Christian Youth Theater; auditioned vocal ensemble; and more!
I love music, and I want to share my passion with others!
(Kids doing a lesson from the Music for Holidays & Special Days online course.)
This website is here to serve you, the homeschool mom or music teacher. Please let me know what questions you have or what I can do to meet a need.
(And, I’d love to hear from you if you’re a potential sponsor, contributor, or have a music freebie you’d like to share.)
Music in Our Homeschool provides:
- Online music courses through Learn.MusicinOurHomeschool
- Reviews of music products
- Free music lessons and printables
- Announcements of sales and specials through my email newsletter and social media (be sure to subscribe and follow!)
- Giveaways of awesome music resources
- Helpful tips for including music in your homeschool