If you Homeschool, it is fairly easy to cover the academic subjects offered at school. Yet, one of the advantages of school is the availability of activities that require large numbers of regular participants, such as band, orchestra, football, basketball and so forth.
We have struggled to match the musical opportunities offered students at our local public school. Last year my oldest daughter began the clarinet at a summer camp at a local middle school. She picked it up quite rapidly and went on to play with a homeschool band which met once a week for 90 minutes. However, 90 minutes once a week can't compete with 45 minutes 5 days a week, though daily practicing helps. I'm looking for ways to increase her playing time without increasing my driving time.
I'm looking into the possibility of my daughter participating in the band at a local middle school. Unfortunately, the best option is not the middle school near my house but one that is a 15 minute drive away. If it weren't such a drive, and met at a more convenient time, that option would look more attractive. Also, I'm not thrilled to have her spend time on a middle school campus on a regular basis.
I love music and played a band instrument from 4th to 12th grade. However, some of the ugliest experiences of my life happened as a result of my participation in band. It wasn't all bad, but the bad was dramatic enough to eclipse much of the good in my memory. Thus I'm torn between wanting my daughter to have the opportunities that I had and a desire to avoid anything that remotely reminds me of that time in my life.
This evening I spent some time looking for community orchestras in my area. That way she could have the music without all the drama/trauma that comes with a "school" band. I was surprised to find that my husband's employer has a company orchestra. The only requirement to participate is that you can read music. You don't even have to be an employee. I sent them an email asking if they allow teenagers to participate. If my daughter played with the homeschool band and the company orchestra, she could have the best of both worlds and I could spend less time in my car.
See What about band? - Part 2 and What about band? - Day Three
---------------------------
Technorati tags: homeschooling, Orchestra, Public School, Home School, home education, parenting, children, education,
9 comments:
I hope you daughter can play with the company orchestra, that sounds like the perfect solution.
A homeschooler in our group recently started attending public school, so she could play in the band. It's a shame they have to choose between participating in the band by attending public school or homeschooling in Mississippi
Great idea. Another is to check out your community college. I wasn't homeschooled, but my HS was too small to have a music program. Instead, 6 or 7 of us when to the local CC to participate in their band.
A group of homeschool parents in our town approached the music faculty in our local university about the possibility of teaching a homeschool band (and other music courses). They were agreeable partly because it gave faculty members the opportunity to do community outreach without having to leave campus, so it was a win-win for everyone. Participants pay a fee each semester which buys part of the faculty member's time and pays for facilities costs. The band meets three days per week.
The lack of group music programs was my greatest hesitation in deciding to homeschool my children. The group aspect is so key, especially with wind instruments. Because in the early stages of learning to play one of those instruments, a solo act is very nearly painful to listen to! :) But an amazing thing happens when you get a bunch of terrible brand new musicians together. They begin to produce something that approaches the level of actual music. That sense of success is what keeps the beginner on track to become a proficient player.
It might be something that you could look into if you have access to music education professionals in your area.
Thanks for the great ideas. We have three Community Colleges in our area.
We are having a similar problem, but with physical Education instead. My kids don't care for contact sports, and basic phys ed is hard to find for age 12 and up.
If you are located in or near a major metropolitan area, or even in a regional city, you might explore whether there are (1) private music schools that offer instruction, which may include some ensemble opportunities, (2) pre-college or preparatory divisions of music conservatories or colleges that offer instruction, music theory and ensembles, and (3) other youth orchestras/bands (though orchestras are more common - perhaps the best known is the New York Youth Symphony, in which one of my children played).
These are not inexpensive options, but bad music instruction is sometimes worse (creates bad habits) than none at all.
Other things to explore are, as others have mentioned, community college bands and community bands.
For real beginners, the only thing that really works is private instruction or group instruction at a private music school (which soon morphs into private lessons), because many of the youth orchestras and all of the preparatory or pre-college divisions of conservatories admit students by audition only, and want kids who already play at a reasonable level (but note, if you start early enough, the requirements are pretty basic, as the kids get older, they expect to see some real talent and well-developed skills). Note that many of the youth symphonies start with kids little more than beginners, but mostly with the strings - woodwinds, brass and percussion players are added at the middle school level. They have to be reasonably accomplished. These groups also often have small groups associated with them to develop the wind and brass players (flute choirs, brass quintets, etc.) who have not been in the younger all string ensembles. Our children each participated in two local youth symphonies before moving up to even more serious programs.
Community college, and community, bands often cater primarily to adults who are recreational players, and generally expect younger students who want to play to play at at least the level of a solid high school section player. (You don't want to have to lower the level of music played by the ensemble to accomodate a beginner (Gr 1 or 2) when most of the players are playing at a high school (Gr. 3-4) or college to professional (Gr. 5+) level. I'm on the board of a community band and participate in several others. We welcome young players who have had enough private instruction/ensemble experience that they can play successfully in the lower parts of the larger sections. Our decisions are usually based on a combination of a conversation with their teacher (either private or school) and a try-out at a rehearsal, after which we talk with them (and often their parents) to see how they felt about the experiences - some kids rise to the challenge, others are intimidated by sitting next to a professional.
Our children did the prep division at Manhattan School of Music and got a great deal out of it. There were quite a good number of home schooled kids in the prep (now called pre-college) division at MSM. It provided instrumental lessons, theory, ear training, and participation in an age/ability appropriate ensemble.
I did a little research and found out that the community colleges no longer allow children under the age of 16 to participate. Even 16-18 year olds are limited to courses they can take.
Where are you in the Bay Area? Paolo Alto has the El Camino youth symphony which starts with kids at age 6. The closest youth symphony is the best place to start, then if your child becomes very proficient and wants to move up to a more challenging ensemble, you have SFSO's youth orchestra.
You should also check out any local community bands.
I certainly understand your ambiguity to high school programs. Mine (in the Bay Area some 40+ years ago) was mostly very good, but my own children here in Connecticut were talented, serious musicians who had an absolutely horrible time with a director who was a complete a**. For them, the youth symphony and MSM prep programs were a godsend. One, now just graduated from college, played in a top band all through college, and the other actually went to Northwestern as a music performance major, though has since quit.
We were facing the same problem, homeschooling (in Mississippi)with no band class. The cure - we are starting a band class this fall. I was not sure if we could get enough kids and parents involved, but that has not been a problem. Also, I have had parents volunteer to help that were in band from Middle School through college. We will meet at a local church where the Music Minister has agreed to act as an advisor. It sounds like you are more than qualified to lead something like this in your area. There are several good examples (some in Mississippi)of how others have made it happen for their kids.
Post a Comment