Welcome Back!

 Welcome back, Take Note Studio families!


Whether you are learning virtually or in the studio, we are so happy to be together again! 


Do you remember back in March when we thought sheltering in place for 14 days would defeat Covid and get us back to normal? 


HAAAAAAAA.




How's your normal looking this year?  Our studio staff is with you; we have our own children from baby on up to adult and we are all navigating the best way to keep ourselves healthy (and sane) as we prepare our minds and bodies for more structured learning this fall.  It’s been helpful for me to talk with others in our community to see how this transition is going for them. No matter the educational/work/daycare model you have, this fall is drastically different for everyone, and if you’re anything like me, it can leave you feeling unsure and overwhelmed.  Talking with the Take Note staff about their struggles and successes has been so refreshing -- I didn’t realize how valuable the small talk at school pick up or in the hallways at the studio was for my mental health!  All of this to say, we are here to teach your kids music, and to build relationships with them, and with you, too!  Never hesitate to get in touch with us -- getting to know you strengthens our connection with your child. They say it takes a village, and we are part of yours, and likely, you are part of ours, too!  




As my family transitions to virtual learning for fall, I am reminded of one of the things I really struggled with last year with my kindergartener: HOW MANY TIMES AN HOUR SHE DROPPED HER PENCIL.  It sounds ridiculous and petty, but it seemed just as we were mastering a new snap word, down went the pencil, she’d pick it up, we’d lose our momentum... and my fingers would clench around my own pencil just a liitttttle tighter and my smile would get a liitttttle more strained.  Again, petty...but maybe understandable?





What I soon discovered was the importance of the brain break.  We all know how important it is for our very little ones to be able to move freely, and how important recess is to our big kids, and how much better we as adults feel when we get a chance to move our bodies freely, without being tethered (literally or figuratively) to a tiny person. Yes my six year old is clumsy (most of them are, right?), and she also needs ample opportunity to move her body in order to maintain focus while doing the more challenging parts of learning.


When we are in motion, more oxygen goes to the brain, and our blood flows through our body more efficiently. When we are seated for long periods, blood and oxygen don’t have the same opportunity to circulate and reach our brain. The oxygenation process stimulated by movement helps to wake up the brain and preps it for learning.  That’s why you might hear your Kindermusik teacher say, “a moving child is a learning child!”  That’s why at our staff meetings we take brain breaks, and in our private lessons we make sure we have physical options to keep our brains engaged during lesson time. 






We understand how hard it can be to find the right balance of movement and sitting for your kids during their music classes. For your very little ones who have a hard time engaging with a screen, feel free to just use us as a guide -- you are your child’s best and most important teacher, after all!  When they see you engaged with music, instruments and dancing, they will be engaged as well.  For older Kindermusik kids and Theatrical Singers, being nearby while class is in session can help them ease through transitions and technical difficulties.  Join them in some of their dances for your own brain break and an opportunity for connection. It can be awkward to start, we know, but we will be there with you every step of the way!


Good luck as you transition into this new season that brings crisper mornings, shorter days, and the sights and sounds of Take Note Studio!


-Miss Erin and the TNS staff

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