MusicTogether® FAQ

 

Music Together® is an early childhood music and movement program for children from birth through age five—and the grownups who love them!

 

Frequently Asked Questions

• When do the classes take place?

  Our 8-week Sprummer semester runs from May 7^th, 2024 – June 25^th, 2024. Registration begins April 1^st and tuition is due May 6^th.

   

  Classes meet once a week at three different times:

  Tuesdays at 10am

  Tuesdays at 5:15pm

  Thursdays at 4pm

• How much is the semester tuition?

  Each child: $160 for the 8-week session. (Siblings less than 9 months are free!)

   

  In addition to your weekly classes, your tuition includes recordings and materials for you to use at home, online access to the songs through the Music Together^®  app and the exclusive online Family Music Zone^®, a family guide to understanding music development in children, and a family newsletter full of resources and music-making ideas. 

• How do I get to Music Together® at Greenwood School of Music Preparatory Academy?

  We are located at: 306 S. Hester St. Stillwater, OK  74074

  Our Music Together® classroom is located on the 2^nd floor in Room 200.

• Where can I park?

  Parking is available for a fee in the 4th Avenue Garage, with entrances on S Ramsey St and W 4th Ave. The meters accept credit card and cash (exact change only) payments. The fee to park for 1 hour is $1.25. The Greenwood School of Music does not own the 4th Avenue Garage. If you have any questions unrelated to the following, contact OSU Department of Parking and Transportation Services at (405) 744-6525.

• Is this a children-only class?

  An adult must stay with their child during the entire 45-minute class and we hope the adult will participate in our music-making!

• As a parent, what is my role in class?

  Sing, dance, and have fun! You might be surprised to hear that you are your child's most important music teacher right now—and it doesn't matter whether you think of yourself as a great singer or dancer. Young children develop dispositions for certain behaviors, including learning to love music, by observing and imitating their loved ones. Simply by participating enthusiastically during class and playing with the ideas at home, you'll give your children the modeling they need to learn to love to make music.

• What's expected of my child in class?

  At Music Together®, children are never required to sit in the circle or expected to conform to an adult's idea of participation. We know that children learn differently from adults. They learn instinctively and constantly, through observation, interactions with adults and older children, and through imitation, play, and, especially, movement. One hallmark of Music Together is the insight that children will naturally develop music ability simply when they are immersed in a community of families all making music.

   

  Children's responses depend on their most dominant learning style and temperament as well as their age and developmental level. Some might follow the teacher right away. Many will simply want to watch and absorb, particularly in the first few weeks of class. Some might crawl or toddle around; others are stimulated by the music and respond more actively, running, jumping, or dancing. All are perfectly natural responses to the new, musically rich environment. Throughout the semester, your teacher will help you tune in to how your child learns best so you can support their music development in class and at home. Feel free to ask if you have questions!

• How should we use the Music Together® materials?

  Play your songs frequently, especially during the first few weeks of class. Make the music available for your child to listen to while she is playing or before nap or bedtime. Create your Music Together® account and download the Music Together® app for digital versions of the songs and more activity ideas to try! 

   

  Use the songbook to help you learn the songs and get new musical activities to use at home. Suppose you play an instrument and want to play along. In that case, the music notation is available in the Family Music Zone®  (Always wanted to learn an instrument? Check out our GSM Prep Academy for private lessons!) Try using the songbook at storytime!

• What is the class size?

  Each class has between 6 and 10 registered children, plus their caregiver.

• Can I switch to a different class?

  Requests for class changes must be initiated within the first three weeks of the semester. Depending on class availability, changes are made at the discretion of the center director and teachers involved.

• What if I start classes after the semester begins?

  Music Together at Greenwood School of Music Preparatory Academy welcomes families at any point during the semester! However, we do not prorate for classes missed due to late registration. Instead, families may makeup class(es) during the semester.

• Can we eat in class?

  Please feel comfortable to nurse or bottle-feed your child in class, but we ask that you not bring food or drink into classrooms. We also provide an area to nurse privately if desired, as we have a lactation room located directly across the hall.

• Will classes be cancelled in inclement weather?

  We adhere with Oklahoma State University in regard to weather cancellations. Should OSU close due to inclement weather, classes at GSM Prep will be cancelled as well. Please check your email for announcements regarding weather cancellations.

• Why aren't there classes for specific age groups?

  Classes with children of different ages have intellectual and social benefits for both younger and older children. In fact, it's the learning environment recommended by many early childhood researchers. Older children learn empathy and awareness of others, while developing leadership qualities and gaining self-confidence. Younger children learn by imitating the older ones and often show more complex behaviors earlier than usual. Even babies benefit by being in an environment that gives them lots of opportunities to observe the behavior of children of varying ages. Plus, it allows everyone—siblings, parents, grandparents, caregivers—to share in the musical experience together!