FAQ - Legends of the Staff of Musique

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Legends of the Staff of Musique the right fit for our family classroom?

Do I need to purchase or rent any instruments to complete this curriculum?

Will my child be confused if they decide to study an instrument after using this curriculum?

Does this curriculum follow a traditional Kodály sequence?

How might my previous musical experience come into play?

Do I need to know how to read music to use this curriculum?

I am a professional musician. Would this curriculum be too simplistic for me?

I am a classroom music teacher. Can this curriculum be adapted for the classroom?

I am teaching music in a homeschool co-op, and would like to use the lessons from Legends of the Staff of Musique. Should I use the Homeschool Curriculum, or the Classroom Teacher's Guide?

Will Legends of the Staff of Musique work with our educational style?

We homeschool in a different style than Waldorf. Will this curriculum conflict with our style of homeschooling?

Is this curriculum secular?

My child is enrolled in a traditional school, and we are not homeschooling. Could we supplement with this curriculum even if we are not homeschooling?

I feel like Legends of the Staff of Musique is the right fit for our family's classroom!
Where do we begin?

What age is this curriculum best suited for?

Which level should we start with?

We've completed the first few levels, and now my child wants to study an instrument, should we continue with Legends of the Staff of Musique?

Ordering Information

Can I purchase multiple levels of the curriculum in one order?

I know a family who could benefit from this program, but does not have the financial means. Can I purchase a curriculum package as a gift?

Do you accept orders from charter schools?

Returns and Exchanges

Click here to view our policy on returns and exchanges.

Is Legends of the Staff of Musique
the right fit for our family/classroom?

DO I NEED TO PURCHASE OR RENT ANY INSTRUMENTS TO COMPLETE THIS CURRICULUM?

Not at all! This curriculum is designed to make the most out of the amazing instrument with which we are born... our voice! There are some activities in the guides where your children can take pride in creating their own musical instruments to accompany their singing, but there is no need to purchase any instruments before beginning this curriculum.

WILL MY CHILD BE CONFUSED IF they DECIDE TO STUDY AN INSTRUMENT AFTER USING THIS CURRICULUM?

The beauty of the techniques taught in this curriculum is that they are complimentary, rather than contradictory to the theory and pedagogy your child may use when reading traditional music notation. The use of space in the Curwen hand signs and the vocalization of rhythm only enhance comprehension of traditional music theory.

does this curriculum follow a traditional Kodály sequence?

This is a brand new approach to music literacy, pulling from many different pedagogies. While the author is indeed first and second level certified in Kodály , she has incorporated many different methodologies into her over 15 years of classroom experience, including Dalcroze, Orff, and Gordon. Kodály, however, has always been her main inspiration and is the strongest influence in this curriculum.

How might my previous musical experience come into play?

Do i need to know how to READ MUSIC to use this curriculum?

Not at all! The lessons are very easy to follow, and all of the material is designed to provide you with the confidence to bring the information to your child, while possibly learning to read music yourself at the same time!

I AM A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN. WOULD THIS CURRICuLUM BE TOO SIMPLISTIC FOR ME?

Doubtful. In fact, you may find yourself finding new inspiration behind concepts you have known for years! Teaching a child music as a professional musician is like a mathematician trying to teach a child basic addition! Professional musicians who have used our curriculum have expressed appreciation for the guidance in how to present concepts that at that point have become second nature for themselves.

I AM A CLASSROOM MUSIC TEACHER. CAN THIS CURRICULUM BE ADAPTED FOR THE CLASSROOM?

Absolutely! Included along with the homeschool curriculum is the a digital Classroom Teacher's Guide. A companion guide to our picture book or novels, the Classroom Teacher's Guides are ideal for the unique environment of the traditional classroom. These guides are a condensed version of the curriculum, and provide lessons based on the stories from the books. Certain aspects of the homeschooling curriculum that are not conducive to the classroom environment are omitted (such as recipes and extra art projects) to make these guides easy to incorporate into your classroom as you prepare for your concerts with your students.

I am teaching music in a homeschool co-op, and would like to use the lessons from Legends of the staff of musique. should i use the homeschool curriculum, or the classroom teacher's guide?

The Homeschool Curriculum would most likely be the best fit for a homeschool co-op. A digital copy of the Classroom Teacher's Guide is included as a bonus in the Homeschool Curriculum, so you can decide which lesson format would work best for your individual co-op.

Will Legends of the Staff of Musique work with our educational style?

WE HOMESCHOOL IN A DIFFERENT STYLE THAN WALDORF, WILL THIS CURRICULUM CONFLICT WITH OUR STYLE OF HOMESCHOOLING?

This curriculum is very much inspired by the beauty of the wonderful world of Waldorf. While great care is taken to keep the sequencing and holistic nature of the curriculum one that can be seamlessly incorporated into a Waldorf-inspired education, the curriculum itself is not rooted in anthroposophy, nor does it strictly adhere to Waldorf methods.

With that knowledge, families who use many different methodologies, pedagogies, and general homeschooling styles seamlessly incorporate Legends of the Staff of Musique into their homeschooling.

Outside of Waldorf, the most popular homeschool inspirations for families making music with Legends of the Staff of Musique are Charlotte Mason, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Wildschooling/Forest Schooling, Project-Based Learning, and we even have some Unschooling families!

IS THIS CURRICULUM SECULAR?

This is a common question from schoolteachers, families who homeschool under the guidance of a charter school, or those who are using the curriculum as part of a homeschool co-op.

Yes! While it is holistic and gentle, and honoring of all faiths and cultures, this curriculum is indeed secular. You can absolutely use it as part of the public school system.

MY CHILD IS ENROLLED IN A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL, AND WE ARE NOT HOMESCHOOLING. COULD WE SUPPLEMENT WITH THIS CURRICULUM EVEN IF WE ARE NOT HOMESCHOOLING?

Yes! Home Education is not solely "homeschooling." You could absolutely enjoy this curriculum as an activity to complete together after school or on the weekends. Have fun with it!

I feel like Legends of the Staff of Musique is
the right fit for our family/classroom!
Where do we begin?

WHAT AGE IS THIS CURRICULUM BEST SUITED FOR?

Legends of the Staff of Musique is inspired by musical exploration with the elementary aged student. Most students will be between the ages of 6-12, however the latter levels can absolutely be engaging for middle school-aged students.

Which level should I start with?

Depending on your child's age, you would begin with either the Primer Level or Level 1. The Primer Level is written with the early elementary-aged student in mind, and is a gentle introduction to the sounds of music. Level 1 is where musical terminology is first introduced, and is a great starting point for students aged 8-11. The Primer Level is not a prerequisite for Level 1, so older children can jump right in!

The Early Childhood Guide (Cantiamo Tutti) can absolutely be used simultaneously with any of the other curricula if you also have wee ones in the house, but it is not a prerequisite to the subsequent levels.

Every child is different, and these recommended ages are truly just that... recommendations. Take a look at the samples from each level and see which one speaks to you. If you are still feeling unsure, please feel free to send an email to staffofmusique@gmail.com, and we will help you figure it out!

we've completed the first few levels, and now my child wants to study an instrument, should we continue with legends of the staff of musique?

Legends of the Staff of Musique is designed to guide children to feel the language of music intrinsically. This is a wonderful support to traditional musical study, and would only enhance the experience of studying an instrument.

For some students, however, this approach can also serve as a foundation from which a student can then choose to focus entirely on a more traditional approach to music. While we hope students complete the entire journey through the Kingdom of Solfeggio, if at any point in the program a student would prefer to focus solely on traditional musical study, the transition would be very smooth and seamless.

Whether on its own, or concurrently with a traditional approach to musical study, once students have completed their journey with Legends of the Staff of Musique, they will have a solid foundation in musicianship that has imaginatively prepared them for the more focused study of a specific instrument, private voice lessons, or participation in a musical ensemble.

Ordering Information

Can I purchase multiple levels of the curriculum in one order?

Currently, our host site Thinkific®can only process one curriculum package at a time per order. You only need to create your login profile and password one time, but each purchase of a specific curriculum package would require a separate order. When you login, all your curriculum will be together, it is only the ordering process that must be completed separately.

We apologize for the inconvenience, but are extremely grateful for the amazing platform and support offered by Thinkific®. Perhaps their capabilities will change in the future to accommodate multiple curriculum packages in one order. Fingers crossed!

I know a family who could benefit from this program, but does not have the financial means. Can i purchase any of the curriculum as a gift?

Absolutely! This is a wonderful gesture often carried out in the homeschooling community. Please follow the link below to purchase a curriculum package as a gift.
Gift Purchase

Do you accept orders from charter schools?

Yes! In fact, Legends of the Staff of Musique is a vendor for several schools in California. Please follow the link below to view our policies on orders from schools and institutions

Ordering Information for Schools and Institutions

If you do not see your school listed, please send an email to staffofmusique@gmail.com with the necessary vendor information to begin the approval process!

Return/Exchange Policy

Due to the digital format of the curricula, videos, and recordings, we unfortunately cannot offer refunds, returns, or exchanges on any of the curriculum packages.

Please view the sample pages in the bookstore and read the above FAQ's before purchase to see if Legends of the Staff of Musique is the right fit for you and your students.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to send us an email.

Thank you!