Music Together Online

Active & Interactive Music Together® Online

Early Childhood Development During COVID-19

While we are being asked to stay home for safety, our/your children are still growing and learning, so it makes sense that we keep growing and learning too!  In mid-March 2020, hundreds of Music Together providers across the US worked with Music Together Worldwide to unveil the new Music Together Online!  (MTO).

Since Pakachoag Music School began offering early childhood music classes 37 years ago, and also since Music Together’s inception shortly thereafter, we have always been about in-person, community-oriented music classes, lessons and performances.  However, we are discovering during COVID19, that in-person is not the only way to experience Music and ‘togetherness’!

If  you would like to sample a free online class, please email info@pakmusic.org for more information.

Classes available for Spring 2022 include:

• Music Together (Mixed-Age) Online – Fridays, 9:30 to 10:15 AM.  By Zoom.

How Does Music Together Online with Pakachoag “Work”?

The Music Together online school-year model provides the following weekly learning opportunities:

• Access to a weekly 45-minute live, interactive virtual class via Zoom*, every week for 9 or 10 weeks scheduled on the day/time that you have selected when registering.  Summer classes run for 5 weeks and offer a sampling of school year music.  
• As part of our school-year program, you receive your own family song collection book, CD and family access code for using each sessions’ song collection with a variety of devices, mailed home during class week one.  (Summer sampler classes do not include materials.)
• Your teacher will offer a weekly pre-planning check in to let you know what props will work for the upcoming week’s class.  This will be easy, like make your own sticks and shakers, pull out some pots and pans with wooden spatulas for drumming, or find some scarves.

*Regarding Zoom:  We’ll send more information prior to class start dates to assist with downloading and set up of Zoom using their free software.  All classes to date have been secure and safe.  We use passwords and wait rooms to control access.

More About Music Together Online

Wait, more screen time? Oh NO!!….

We know screen time is not an appropriate approach to learning during the early childhood years, but here’s the difference: YOU! When children stare at a screen and passively receive information, they do not absorb and process what they are hearing and seeing in the same way as when they are actively experiencing and participating in what is going on around them.  In the case of Music Together, children learn through the participation of a caregiver or parent. SO, just like in our in-person classes, you’re still the most important part. Your teacher will be on the screen, children may notice their classmates on the screen, but it is your interaction as parent/caregiver with your child/ren that is going to lead and support your child’s music development!

Do we get materials to use at home?

Right now, yes.  As long as we are not on lock-down, staff will have materials on hand to deliver to the post office and reach you by mail.  If for any reason, we cannot mail out your materials, we will provide a special code so you can access the song collection and related activities online via Music Together Worldwide.  (Summer Sampler session does not include book/CD.)

What about siblings?

MTO allows us to offer remote classes without the physical restriction of space.  We offer a 2nd child sibling discount; a 3rd or 4th child is free for MTO.  The materials we mail out are per family and designed to be used as a family.

Have you lost your job due to COVID-19?

If you or a spouse has lost their job, please let us know.  We can provide a financial aid application;  if you do not qualify for financial aid, we will work with you to provide payment flexibility for one of our online classes.