Apple Country Music Together FAQs

Some Frequently Asked Questions

About Learning Styles:

Children learn through play and experimentation: Your child will come up with many new ways to play some of the instruments -- please enjoy and celebrate their exploration and experimentation without expecting (or even forcing) them to play the "right" way. We have enough instruments so you can play your own instrument while your child plays theirs, their own way!
Children learn through observation: Some children prefer to sit and watch -- this is fine (and normal). So long as you are having a good time, your child "learns the lessons" just by being in class and watching your enthusiastic participation.
Children learn with their whole bodies: Some children need to move around during class -- this also fine, so long as it is not disruptive or unsafe (please shadow your child if you feel it is necessary!). Our experience bears out the truth that parents who participate enthusiastically have children who also participate enthusiastically within their own learning style.
Children quite often sing at home only and prefer just to "watch" while in class: This is absolutely okay & normal because of the way children learn music. Young children typically do not "multi-task" -- they are either "doing" or "watching/learning". Our classes offer a smorgasbord of musical experiences, and your child often will want to sample as much as possible while in class, and then go home and "replay" the class again, this time singing or trying out some of the movements we did in class.
The more YOU sing in class, the sooner your child will begin to sing in class.

Why Mixed Age Classes?

Mixed-age groupings are favored by today's leading child development researchers because they foster a more natural learning setting in which the parent/caregiver plays an important part: their child's musical model for participation.
Mixed-age classes work because music is such a multi-faceted skill. Our classroom activities are specifically designed to provide children the opportunity to learn at their own pace, at their own level, and in their own area of interest. Each week we provide a wide variety of musical experiences, and children take from it what they are ready to learn and assimilate.
Children learn best in an informal, family-like environment, and so their caregivers are their most important role model!
Children under the age of five learn from watching and copying or imitating their primary caregivers -- that's you! -- and through repeated exposure and experimentation with a particular activity. For this reason, there is no educational reason to separate ages.
Mixed-age classes work because the whole family (infants thru kindergarteners plus grown-ups!) can come to the same class, and no one has to stay at home with a babysitter!

But I can't carry a tune in a bucket.....

Please keep in mind that your child thinks your voice is the most wonderful sound in the world, regardless of how you feel about your musical ability.
Children learn pitch and rhythm from the activities in the class; they will learn their disposition (to participate and enjoy -- or not) towards music from you! (Think of how children of parents whose first language is not English learn to speak without an accent!)
Music Together classes provide a friendly, informal and supportive environment for everyone (grownups and children) to "find" their singing voices (or re-discover them!).
Our emphasis is on participation and enjoyment, not performance. Your child will sense (and be concerned about) any discomfort you may be feeling, so please relax and have fun!

Registration (see also the Registration page):

Registration requests will be taken on-line with payment by check (mail to PO Box 178 Hudson MA 01749).
Your registration request will reserve your seat for 4 days pending receipt of payment; we'll confirm your registration when payment is received..
Early registration preference is given to returning families. After the early registration deadline, registration is open to all.
Returning families are given a discount for registrations made during the early registration period only.
If your first choice class is filled, please register for another class you are able to attend, and let us know if you want to be on the wait list (occasionally a seat opens up in a full class) for your first choice class.
All classes are offered subject to sufficient enrollment (6-8 registered children). Under-enrolled classes may be merged with other classes (i.e. 9:15 and 10:15 merged to 9:45).
Every child attending class on a regular basis MUST be registered. If two children from two different families attend with the same grown-up, each child must be registered separately (i.e., not as siblings). We continue to welcome one-time visitors to class.

Make-up Classes:

If you know in advance you will be missing class, please let us know ahead of time if you can!
You may make up two classes per session, by prior arrangement on a space available basis. (We may be unable to accommodate drop-in make-ups.)
To schedule your make-up class, please give us at least 4 days notice and e-mail us with your choice of date/time and your name/child's name. We will call you ONLY if there is NO space in your chosen make-up class so you can choose another make-up class.
Missed make-up classes are not able to be rescheduled (we may have turned down someone else for that slot!)

Classroom policies:

ALLERGY POLICY: PLEASE do not bring snacks or drinks into the classroom. Nursing, bottles and spill-proof sippy cups are fine. Many children have severe allergic reactions to the smallest crumbs or spills! If your child needs a snack, please feed them OUTSIDE our classroom. Or have your snack on the way to class or before you leave home!
Toys are best left at home or in the car as they tend to divert everyone's attention away from our activities! Transition objects are okay, but you may want to let your child know that s/he may need to put it away once class starts.
Your enthusiastic participation in class is your child's model of how to behave in class (Music Together® class is not a performance or a playgroup).
TALKING INTERRUPTS MUSICAL LEARNING, so please, limit talking during class to the bare necessities.
Please silence any noise-making devices (cellphones, beepers, etc.)
PLEASE stay home if you or your child have had within the last 24 hours: fever, runny nose or eyes or sores, contagious or unexplained rash, vomiting or diarrhea, etc. A good rule of thumb: Stay home & schedule a make up if your child has symptoms that if another child had, you'd wish they'd stayed at home!
To the best of our ability, we provide a child-appropriate environment to have fun making music together. That being said, you are ultimately responsible for your child's safety and discipline in the classroom.
If your child is behaving in a disruptive manner, please feel free to take your child out of the classroom for a short break until you can return and both have fun.
In class we hop, skip, dance, wiggle, crawl, jump, slither, walk and move in other silly ways, but please, no running or climbing! We ask that parents be the primary enforcers of this important safety rule.
Young children will often explore the instruments in new ways, including mouthing them: this is developmentally appropriate! Alcohol wipes are provided to clean up the instruments before and after use. You are welcome to purchase and bring your own instruments (many are available on line at www.musictogether.com).
We encourage you to wash your hands as well as your child's after class. Restroom facilities are available at each location.

Weather/Storm Cancellations:

In the event of extraordinary weather, we rely on local public school weather closings to inform our decision whether to cancel class.
We will post class cancellations by 8:15 am the day of class at ACMT's home page and phone line (978-729-3697), so please check if there is threatening weather.

Visitors:

We invite older non-registered siblings to attend (and participate in) class when there is a school half-day or teacher workday. Please do let us know ahead of time however so we can plan accordingly.
Visiting grandparents, aunts/uncles, or other adult family members and other adult visitors are welcome to attend class (again, please let us know ahead of time). Please let them know that we hope they'll join in with the family music-making!